60 Minutes - Season 57

The Prosecution of Jan. 6 – More than 1,000 Americans have been convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol that stopped the count of electoral votes and triggered the largest prosecution in U.S. history. As the FBI continues to search for suspects, Scott Pelley meets with some of those at the center of the story: a man who was among the first to breach the Capitol, a Metropolitan police officer who was injured that day, a retired judge who studied the 2020 election and top prosecutor U.S. attorney Matthew Graves.

Danger in the South China Sea – It's been called "the most dangerous conflict no one is talking about," and Cecilia Vega sees firsthand just how dangerous it can be when the Philippine ship she is traveling on gets rammed by China's coast guard. Vega examines how the growing tensions between China and the Philippines over territory in the South China Sea could lead to U.S. involvement. 

Dua Lipa – Many teenagers want to become pop stars, but few convince their parents to let them pack their bags and move to another country to make it big. That's precisely what Dua Lipa did when she was 15 years old, trading Pristina, Kosovo, for London. Anderson Cooper talks with her about her journey from unknown songwriter to international sensation, with her songs streaming more than 45 billion times. 

Scourge of Our Time – The synthetic opioid fentanyl was designed to help patients in unbearable pain. But after making its way from hospitals to communities in every corner of the country, it has ignited the worst drug crisis in U.S. history, killing more than 70,000 Americans last year alone. Bill Whitaker investigates the root causes, from prescription opioids peddled by some of America's largest drug companies to the Mexican cartels' takeover of the illicit fentanyl market, and questions top U.S. officials about what's being done to stem the deadly tide. 

The Trustbuster – Lesley Stahl interviews the youngest-ever chair of the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan. The powerful and polarizing trustbuster discusses her determination to enforce antitrust policies as part of the Biden administration's breaking away from 40 years of a hands-off approach.  

Inside the Archives – After former President Donald Trump and then-Vice President Biden held onto documents that should have been turned over to the National Archives, the small federal agency that is supposed to safeguard America's past was thrust into the national spotlight. 60 MINUTES spent several months inside the Archives, where Norah O'Donnell was granted rare access not just to the nation's founding documents, but restricted vaults and priceless artifacts, including Revolutionary War-era oaths of allegiance signed by George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, Adolf Hitler's will and President Nixon's resignation letter. O'Donnell also spoke to the recordkeepers responsible for preserving presidential papers about why that mission is so vital. The story covers the Archives' past, present and also contains some news about a major change in its future: the Emancipation Proclamation and 19th Amendment will go on permanent display in the Archives' Rotunda in Washington in 2026, joining the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights in time for America's 250th birthday. Keith Sharman and Roxanne Feitel are the producers.

After the Hurricane – As Hurricane Helene strikes Florida this week, Sharyn Alfonsi reports on the difficult aftermath of another storm in the Sunshine State. In 2022, when Hurricane Ian ripped through Florida, it left behind an estimated $113 billion dollars of damage, and a long trail of litigation. After a year-long investigation, Alfonsi finds that an estimated 50,000 homeowners affected by Ian are still fighting with their insurance companies to repair or rebuild their homes. Alfonsi interviews insurance insiders and whistleblowers, who are licensed damage adjusters who worked claims during Ian. They say that several insurance carriers were in some cases using materially altered damage reports that resulted in dramatically lower claim payouts. They say that, after years of dutifully paying premiums, impacted homeowners may not even know if their damage reports were altered. Florida has opened a criminal investigation, but so far, no arrests have been made. Oriana Zill de Granados is the producer. 

Vladimir Kara-Murza – This past August witnessed the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the end of the Cold War. Scott Pelleygoes behind the scenes of that historic swap through conversations with key players. He interviews Vladimir Kara-Murza, the Russian opposition leader who spent more than two years in prison for opposing the war in Ukraine. Pelley also speaks with Jake Sullivan, President Biden's national security advisor, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who discusses his role in the deal for the first time. Maria Gavrilovic and Alex Ortiz are the producers. 

Welcome to the W – In its 27th year, the WNBA is having a breakthrough season. A rookie class, as good as advertised, has made a seamless transition from college to the pros, blending with established stars. Attendance, TV ratings, and corporate sponsorships have all spiked as The W has become a fixture in the modern sportscape. Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever is the driving force behind this growth, but not the only one. Jon Wertheimspeaks to Clark about this signature season and meets her Fever teammate Aliyah Boston and Minnesota Lynx star veteran Napheesa Collier. Nathalie Sommer is the producer.

 The Mezcaleros – Mezcal is having its moment. This handcrafted Mexican spirit, made from agave, has seen exponential growth in popularity and production. For this special two-parter, Cecilia Vegatravels to Oaxaca and meets the mezcaleros laboring to quench the world's thirst for mezcal. The deeper you travel into Oaxaca's countryside, the harder mezcaleros cling to their ancestral methods and the louder they'll tell you: there's a price to pay for this mezcal boom. Nathalie Sommer and Kaylee Tully are the producers.

The 2024 Presidential Ticket – Bill Whitaker joins the Democratic ticket on the campaign trail for in-depth interviews with Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz to gain insight into their platform's priorities and values and what the candidates believe voters should know. This is a double-length segment. Marc Lieberman and Rome Hartman are the producers. Scott Pelleyaddresses why the Republican ticket of former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance will not be participating in a 60 MINUTES interview for this election special. 

Belief in the Ballot – Scott Pelley travels to Arizona's Maricopa County, home to more than 60% of Arizona's voters and a critical battleground in a key swing state, to speak with the county's election leadership and hear from their critics as the election approaches. Aaron Weisz and Ian Flickinger are the producers. 

The Last Minute – Whoever wins the presidential race in November will inherit an expanding Middle East conflict. On the one-year anniversary of Hamas' terror attack on Israel, Lesley Stahl reflects on the aftermath, the consequences to the region, and what it may mean for a new administration.

Pennsylvania Counts – This November, all eyes will be on the Keystone State, the most pivotal battleground in the race for the White House. Cecilia Vega travels to Pennsylvania for an in-depth interview with Secretary of State Al Schmidt, a key figure in the election process. They discuss the process of counting mail-in ballots, preparing for potential conspiracy theories, and the measures Schmidt is taking to educate Pennsylvanians about the state's election process to ensure voter confidence. Sarah Koch and Madeleine Carlisle are the producers.

The Vatican's Orphans – From 1950 to 1970, the Vatican sent thousands of Italian children to eager American Catholics for adoption. The children entered the United States on orphan visas. The trouble was most of the children were not orphans. They were the children of unwed mothers, many of whom were alive and searching for their children. How the Vatican got into the orphan business is the subject of a new book, The Price of Children. Bill Whitaker speaks to author Maria Laurino and to American adoptees still struggling with the decades of separation from their birth families. Heather Abbott is the producer.

Ballmer's Ballgame –As the former CEO at Microsoft, where he witnessed the company's growth from a startup to a tech giant, and now as the basketball baron of the L.A. Clippers, billionaire Steve Ballmer knows how to play the long game. And he's counting on that skill and his trademark enthusiasm to score points with players and fans as the 2024-2025 NBA season tips off. But before he does, Jon Wertheim takes us inside the gleaming new Intuit Dome, the arena Ballmer built for his Clippers, and delves into his love of basketball and drive to win a championship. David M. Levine is the producer.

RELIEF, N.C. – Reporting from the Appalachian Mountains, correspondent Sharyn Alfonsisurveys one of the hardest hit areas of Hurricane Helene, a category four storm that tore through six states more than three weeks ago. Alfonsi visits communities in rural western North Carolina where the search for the missing goes on as most residents endure life without water, electricity, communications and passable roads. All are attempting to rebuild – most have no insurance. Ashley Velie is the producer.

NAVALNY – Months after anti-Putin activist Alexei Navalny died in a Russian prison, his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, now the leading figure of his political movement, speaks with correspondent Lesley Stahl in her first U.S. interview about her late husband's posthumous memoir. Navalnaya discusses the book, Navalny's last act of defiance against the Kremlin, which chronicles his final three years behind bars under often brutal conditions, believed to be ordered by Russian president Vladimir Putin. She details his clandestine operation for penning the memoir inside a high-security prison and then smuggling it out, why the couple decided to return to Russia after Navalny was poisoned and her daring campaign for justice in the wake of his death. Richard Bonin is the producer.

THE SWINGIEST COUNTY – Correspondent Jon Wertheim travels to Door County, Wis., a bucolic coastal community where political party loyalty is up for grabs and residents have successfully voted for the winning candidate in every presidential election this century. Door County is the only swing state county with this distinction. Wertheim travels to Door County to get to know its residents and look for the mystery voter who's voted both Republican and Democrat successfully in every election since 2000. Draggan Mihailovich is the producer.

THE CAP ARCONA – Bill Whitakerreports from Germany's Baltic Coast on the bombing of the Cap Arcona, a little-known human tragedy in the closing days of World War II in Europe. Once a luxurious German ocean liner, the Cap Arcona was commandeered by the Nazis and, at war's end, turned into a floating concentration camp. Thousands of prisoners were killed in the aerial attack. Whitaker interviews historians and Holocaust survivors who witnessed the bombing to bring this largely overlooked chapter of history to light. This is a double-length segment. Marc Lieberman is the producer.

Deportation: Cecilia Vega examines former President Donald Trump's campaign promise to conduct the largest deportation in American history. She goes out with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Maryland as they arrest undocumented immigrants with criminal records, and she talks with one of the people Trump is likely to ask to oversee the mass deportations if he's elected: Tom Homan, who led ICE when the Trump administration separated about 5,000 migrant children from their parents at the southern border. Andy Court, Annabelle Hanflig and Camilo Montoya-Galvez are the producers.

Sanctions: More than two years after Russia invaded Ukraine, the fighting continues, and despite thousands of economic sanctions, Russia's wartime economy is expected to grow. Sharyn Alfonsi sits down with Daleep Singh, the architect behind the U.S. sanction strategy, to discuss his past predictions and uncover new details about what's fueling Russia's economy. Her investigation leads to waters off the coast of Greece, where she tracks Russian oil tankers evading sanctions and raises questions about how Russia is making its money. Lucy Hatcher is the producer.

Surfmen: Bill Whitaker ventures out to one of the most dangerous inlets in America, nicknamed the Graveyard of the Pacific, at the mouth of the Columbia River. The mission? Document the training of elite members of the U.S. Coast Guard determined to graduate from the National Motor Lifeboat School and earn the coveted title of certified Surfmen. Whitaker speaks with some of the best water rescue professionals in the country as they push their limits, tackling the roughest waters and toughest test, to hear firsthand what it takes to operate in huge breaking surf in order to save lives. Rome Hartman is the producer.

ELECTION TRUTH – Days before America elects its 60th president of the United States, all eyes are on Georgia after it was a center of the scheme to overthrow the 2020 election. In this year's high-stakes race, correspondent Scott Pelley reports on how Georgia officials plan to ensure public trust, combat election fraud conspiracy theories and protect the safety of poll workers. Henry Schuster and Sarah Turcotte are the producers.

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES – Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade, 20 states have either banned or severely restricted abortions, six states have voted to protect access to them, and this Tuesday voters in 10 states will decide on adding abortion rights to their state constitutions. To better understand the profound impact of the fast changing and complex legal landscape, correspondent Sharyn Alfonsivisited Texas, the first state to change its abortion laws. Alfonsi interviewed doctors and mothers who say the laws intended to stop abortions are resulting in unintended consequences, hurting women with desired pregnancies and the people who care for them. Ashley Velie is the producer.

THE LAND OF NOVO – Tiny Denmark – with its population of 6 million of the world's wealthiest and healthiest people – is suddenly home to Europe's largest company, Novo Nordisk. The company's weight loss wonder drugs Ozempic and Wegovy have slimmed down millions while adding great heft to the Danish economy. The firm now has a market cap of roughly half a trillion dollars, which is larger than the entire country's GDP.Jon Wertheim travels to the Baltic to see how a country with a slender ego is coping with this unlikely injection of fantastic wealth. Michael Gavshon is the producer.

The Shift – Days after President-elect Donald Trump won the election by moving nearly every county in the country toward the right, Scott Pelley travels to Northampton County, Penn., to report on the shift. It's the state's bellwether county, which voted for nearly every president in the last century, including President Biden in 2020 and President Trump last week. Why did Northampton flip this election cycle? Pelley speaks with longtime residents to find out. Maria Gavrilovic, Henry Schuster, and Nicole Young are the producers.

The War Reporter – CBS News senior foreign correspondent Holly Williams turns the lens on a fellow war reporter on the frontline of the Russia-Ukraine war. She travels to Kharkiv to meet the fearless Andriy Tsaplienko, a Ukrainian journalist who uses his reporting to fight for his country's survival. As Williams discovers, Tsaplienko's relentless search for the facts is a powerful weapon to counter disinformation and propaganda. His battle to reveal the truth underscores the critical role journalists play in actively shaping the outcome of global crises where information is a battlefield. Erin Lyall is the producer.

Robo – For centuries, the giants of the art world, like Michelangelo, have made a beeline for the world-famous Carrara marble quarries of Northern Tuscany, turning the white stone into marble masterpieces. Now, a fleet of robots has moved in, carving with pinpoint precision and sparking an art world fracas. Correspondent Bill Whitaker travels to Carrara and jumps into the fray: can a robot make art? While many contemporary A-listers are turning to robots for help, many of Italy's hammer-and-chisel brigade are up in arms. They claim Italy's artistic heritage is on the line. Heather Abbott is the producer.

Mysterious Russian Deaths – Correspondent Cecilia Vega reports from Spain on the unsolved shooting of a Russian defector in the seaside town of Villajoyosa. It's part of a pattern of recent falls from top-floor windows, poisonings, and accidental deaths of a growing number of enemies of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Vega investigates the suspected links to Russian intelligence services and examines how European governments are responding to Russian aggression on Western soil. Finally, she asks U.S. Intelligence officials whether Putin's "War on the West" has reached U.S. territory. Oriana Zill de Granados and Michael Rey are the producers.

THE PROMISE – Twenty-three years later, over a thousand families are still waiting for news of loved ones lost in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11. Correspondent Scott Pelley looks at how efforts to search for and identify their remains have never stopped, driven by the promise made by the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner. Pelley visits their laboratory, which is using new advancements in DNA research and breakthrough techniques to provide answers for families holding on to hope. This is a double-length segment. Nicole Young is the producer.

AUSSIEWOOD –CorrespondentJon Wertheim reports on a phenomenon that has long captured Hollywood: the outsized presence of Australians earning top billings and awards on the American silver screen – in front of and behind the camera. Wertheim interviews Aussie actress Sarah Snook and filmmaker Baz Luhrmann about the country's renowned training grounds for the dramatic arts, their pathways to international theater, film and television and the Australian mindset on stardom. Jacqueline Williams is the producer.

BHUTAN –CorrespondentLesley Stahl travels to the remote, Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, a tiny country that has fiercely protected its unique culture, declaring that within its borders, Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product. But today, the country is facing a crisis – 9% of its population has left Bhutan for higher-paying jobs abroad, so the government has launched a high-stakes plan to help the economy and lure young Bhutanese back by developing an entirely new city from scratch – what the king is calling a "mindfulness" city. This is a double-length segment. Shari Finkelstein is the producer.

DISRUPTOR U. – As contempt for cancel culture and self-censorship on college campuses continues to drive a political divide across the country, correspondent Jon Wertheim reports on a new startup university, the University of Austin, in Austin, Texas. The school has been labeled by some as an "anti-woke university" and Wertheim speaks to the founders, students and advisors about how they believe they're disrupting modern academia by fostering debate and ideological openness in their classrooms. Denise Schrier Cetta is the producer. 

HUMANS IN THE LOOP – As chatbots continue to evolve, Lesley Stahlreports from Nairobi, Kenya, on the growing market of "humans in the loop" – workers around the world who help train AI for big American tech companies. Stahl speaks with digital workers who have spent hours in front of screens teaching and improving AI, but complain of poor working conditions, low pay and undertreated psychological trauma. Shachar Bar-On and Jinsol Jung are the producers.    

LOWRIDERS OF NEW MEXICO – Correspondent Bill Whitaker cruises through Espanola, N.M., a town that's a hub of lowrider culture: vintage American automobiles with vibrant paint jobs and street-scraping suspensions. He meets a community of "cruisers" who are turning their hobby's bad-boy reputation on its head, paving a new route as activists and community servants, and claiming a place as custodians of Hispanic culture and champions of fine art. Rome Hartman is the producer.

NOTRE DAME – Next Sunday, December 8, the arched doors of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris will open to the public for the first time since April 2019, when a devastating fire nearly destroyed the great Gothic church. What will they see? Correspondent Bill Whitakerhas a first look inside a modern miracle of repair and restoration by workers and artisans who made possible French President Emmanuel Macron's impossible-sounding pledge to complete the rebirth in five years. As Macron tells Whitaker, "The decision to rebuild Notre Dame was…about our capacity to save, restore, sometimes reinvent what we are by preserving where we come from." 

SMITH ISLAND – Located in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay and only accessible by boat, Smith Island, Maryland is a place where time stands still, and its residents speak a unique dialect. Rising sea levels and erosion are changing the landscape and placing residents at risk of becoming some of the country's first climate refugees. Correspondent Jon Wertheim meets these locals to hear how climate change threatens their way of life - and the island itself - but where their perseverance and  pride are inspiring a new generation of islanders. 

KATE WINSLET – Correspondent Cecilia Vegatravels to the UK for an intimate portrait of actor Kate Winslet, Hollywood's most non-Hollywood A-Lister, and discusses her transformative journey to starring in and producing her latest film, "Lee." Winslet, who has been a vocal advocate against the insults and inequalities facing women in the film industry, relies on this experience for her current role, portraying American photographer Lee Miller, who worked for Vogue as one of the few female war correspondents on the frontline of WWII. As Vega discovers, Winslet and Miller share a resilience and see the world through a similar lens, making her connection more than just a role.

WELCOME TO THE WEDDING – After the dramatic exit of the United States military from Afghanistan in 2021 left the country under Taliban control, U.S. allies found themselves in danger. Correspondent Jon Wertheim reports on the unimaginable story of nearly 400 Afghans who were evacuated under the guise of a wedding party. Wertheim reveals the treacherous, high stakes rescue operation organized by American citizens and led by former Army intelligence officer Jason Kander that concealed men, women and children in an Afghan wedding palace.

BOEING'S WHISTLEBLOWERS – Less than a year after a panel blew off a 737-9 MAX airplane carrying 177 people thousands of feet above the ground, Boeing has faced four new federal investigations and appointed a new CEO to "restore trust." Yet that has not slowed down the steady stream of Boeing whistleblowers coming forward with safety and quality concerns. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi meets with several of those whistleblowers in Washington, including one who is speaking out in his first television interview. Alfonsi hears about their serious concerns for commercial airplanes leaving their factories and why they weren't surprised when that panel blew off the side of a Boeing airplane in the Oregon sky. Lucy Hatcher is the producer.

BIG CRYPTO – Rarely in American politics has a new industry spent so much money, with such apparent impact, as the cryptocurrency business did in the last election. With the price of Bitcoin reaching record highs after the election, Margaret Brennan examines how much money the crypto industry spent, how effective it was and what it hopes to get from the new "pro-crypto" Trump administration and Congress. Andy Court is the producer.

A TUTOR FOR EVERY STUDENT – Correspondent Anderson Cooper explores AI in the classroom and learns how the education nonprofit Khan Academy teamed up with the AI company OpenAI to enhance teacher efficiency and deepen student learning. Cooper previews a new voice and vision technology from OpenAI, and test-drives a pioneering online tutor named "Khanmigo" from Khan Academy to experience firsthand how the two companies are hoping to help shape the future of education. Denise Schrier Cetta is the producer.

THAI ELEPHANTS – For centuries, the people of Thailand have held a deep reverence for their national animal – the Asian elephant. Today that reverence and co-existent relationship is being tested. Deforestation and overdevelopment are driving these 10-thousand-pound animals out of the wild and into farms and villages in search of food – creating a growing and sometimes dangerous human-elephant conflict. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsitravels into the forests of Thailand to meet with villagers who are dealing with weekly elephant incursions and talks to American and Thai scientists who are developing novel solutions to combat the problem. This is a double length segment. Ashley Velie is the producer.

ROAD TO DAMASCUS – As rebel forces toppled the Assad regime in a stunning victory that decimated a 50-year authoritarian rule, correspondent Scott Pelley reports from Damascus, Syria, on what the future holds for a country recovering from brutal war crimes, displacement and a deepening economic crisis. Pelley delivers his eighth report from Syria since he started covering the conflict in 2014 and looks at what's next for a nation moving toward change amid a new world order in the Middle East. Nicole Young and Kristin Steve are the producers.

UNVEILING – Correspondent Anderson Cooper reports on the misuse of artificial intelligence, investigating what are known as nudify websites and apps, which use AI to turn a photo of someone fully clothed into a real-looking nude image. Cooper meets Francesca Mani, a high school student who was victimized by this technology last year and is now advocating to raise awareness in schools and urging Congress to pass legislation to help safeguard kids. Nichole Marks and John Gallen are the producers.

THE HOUSE OF HERMÈS – Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi takes you inside the House of Hermès for an intimate look at the artisans and culture behind one of France's revered luxury brands, where a distinctively French philosophy is stitched into its DNA. As Alfonsi learns from Hermès' artistic director and sixth generation of the family Pierre-Alexis Dumas, the allure comes from nearly 200 years of extraordinary artistry and craftsmanship. Michael Karzis is the producer.

THE PAGER PLOT – For the first time, ex-Mossad agents who led the exploding pager and walkie-talkie plot against Hezbollah, which garnered worldwide attention in September, detail their 10-year undercover op in an interview with correspondent Lesley Stahl. Meeting in Israel, the agents, who recently retired from service, share never-before-known details that caught Hezbollah fighters by surprise and ultimately spurred change across the region from Lebanon to Syria to Iran. Shachar Bar-On is the producer.

THE IRON RIVER – With an estimated 200,000 to half a million U.S. firearms smuggled into Mexico each year through what's known as "the Iron River," correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reports on Mexico's legal battle against American gun manufacturers and dealers and the efforts to curb gun trafficking to the cartels. Katie Kerbstat is the producer.

JOY TO THE WORLD – At 25, with a powerful voice heralded as a once-in-a-generation talent, jazz vocalist Samara Joy is already making her mark in a genre that was last popular over 50 years ago. Correspondent Bill Whitaker caught up with Joy on her Christmas tour where she was joined by her family, a gospel dynasty. 60 MINUTES has a front row seat as the GRAMMY winner puts her own spin on the jazz classics. Heather Abbott and LaCrai Mitchell Scott are the producers.

CUBAN SPYCRAFT – For decades, prolific Cuban spies working in the U.S. government, serving in high-profile positions with top security clearances, have evaded American intelligence officials. Correspondent Cecilia Vega reports from Washington, D.C., and Miami on the stories of two such undercover agents, former U.S. ambassador Victor Manuel Rocha and onetime Pentagon official Ana Montes. Cuba continues to supply one of the most dangerous exports to American adversaries around the world: American secrets. Michael Rey is the producer.

NVIDIA – This year, computer chip maker Nvidia soared to the top of the stock market, briefly surpassing Apple as the world's most valuable public company. Nvidia ushered in the artificial intelligence revolution with its groundbreaking software and graphics processing unit, a chip that enables AI by accelerating the processing power of computers. Correspondent Bill Whitaker meets Nvidia's CEO and co-founder, Jensen Huang, to discuss the company's innovations and the rapidly expanding range of AI applications, including drug development, weather pattern prediction, and more. Marc Lieberman and Cassidy McDonald are the producers.

FINDING CILLIAN MURPHY – Ahead of last year's Academy Awards, correspondent Scott Pelley joined enigmatic actor Cillian Murphy in Ireland for a candid interview before winning Best Actor in the blockbuster film "Oppenheimer." Pelley talked to the Oscar winner about how he transforms for roles, acts on instinct, and how his Irish identity has defined him. Nicole Young is the producer.