04/06/2025: The War in Gaza, The Prisoners, Wood to Whiskey

Correspondent Cecilia Vega reports from the U.S.-Canadian border – the longest international land border in the world – near the Chazy River, where migrants are crossing with the help of human smugglers who openly promote their services on popular social media platforms. Vega speaks with one of those smugglers, a Sinaloa cartel member who claims that there will always be ways to bypass barriers, no matter what steps the two countries take – and with an American sheriff who has seen the impact of President Trump’s policies to reduce illegal immigration from the north. Frank Larkin’s commitment to America is remarkable. A former Navy SEAL, he served in the Secret Service, at the Pentagon and as sergeant-at-arms of the U.S. Senate. However, as correspondent Scott Pelley reports, Larkin’s most significant contribution may be what he’s done since his son, Ryan, took his own life. Ryan was, like his father, a decorated Navy SEAL, and his death by suicide was attributed to depression. But Frank Larkin did not accept this explanation, and when pathologists discovered Ryan suffered from scarring in his brain, likely due to repeated low-level blast exposure, this father campaigned for a change in how Special Operations and the rest of the military train and protect their service members. Correspondent Jon Wertheim goes behind the scenes as George Clooney makes his Broadway debut, starring in an adaptation of the 2005 Oscar-nominated movie “Good Night, and Good Luck.” Clooney co-wrote both the original screenplay and this play, which tell the story of pioneering journalist Edward R. Murrow, who took on Senator Joseph McCarthy. Clooney calls it a fight for the ages and says the plot, which revolves around themes of truth, intimidation and courage in corporate media, resonates today. At 63, the actor tells Wertheim why he finally feels ready to take on the role of Murrow himself. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

24 Maalis 46min

With news of mysterious drones flying over New Jersey and concerns about spying, this week’s 60 MINUTES investigates a surprising story about another drone incursion. Correspondent Bill Whitaker reports what happened 15 months ago over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, which houses nearly half of the most advanced U.S. stealth fighter jets, the F-22 Raptor, and how it is part of a series of brazen overflights of sensitive military sites. Young dreams were dashed when the U.S. Marine Band followed orders to cancel a concert featuring middle and high school musicians of color, a result of the Trump administration’s executive order ending DEI initiatives. Correspondent Scott Pelley speaks with performers of The Equity Arc Wind Symphony about the importance of supporting all talented, aspiring musicians. The name Werner Herzog may not be as recognizable as Spielberg or Scorsese, but over the last six decades, the German filmmaker has had a profound and far-reaching influence on the world of cinema. He’s made over 70 features and documentaries, which are often dream-like explorations of nature’s power, human frailties and the edges of sanity. Correspondent Anderson Cooper sits down with the enigmatic director to discuss his films, and his other roles as writer and actor. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17 Maalis 47min

The chief of the watchdog agency that protects federal workers and whistleblowers, Hampton Dellinger, was one of the first to be fired by President Trump. So were eighteen inspectors general and the chief of the board that protects federal workers. What is happening to independent watchdogs and why are they being dismantled? Correspondent Scott Pelley sits down with Dellinger and others to find out. Five years after it declared bankruptcy, Purdue Pharma and its wealthy owners, members of the Sackler family, have agreed to pay up to $7.4 billion in a proposed settlement that would deliver funds to victims of the opioid crisis. Correspondent Cecilia Vega investigates how this deal—potentially one of the largest opioid settlements ever—will affect the individuals and families who say Purdue’s opioids harmed them. With the NCAA basketball tournament, famously known as “March Madness,” tipping off this month, the University of Connecticut men's team is aiming for a historic three-peat. Correspondent Jon Wertheim provides an inside look at coach Dan Hurley's preparations, his strategies for managing a changing roster, and his pre-season rituals. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

10 Maalis 47min

During his campaign, President Donald Trump promised to bring peace to Ukraine. That hasn’t happened yet. However, he has changed how the United States deals with Russia. Correspondent Scott Pelley travels to Washington, D.C. to speak with members of Congress who argue America should not abandon Ukraine. 60 Minutes reports on how the flight logs found in a plane in Fort Lauderdale, FL uncovered Argentina’s notorious death flights during its dictatorship in the mid-1970s – serving as key evidence of the state’s lethal scheme that “disappeared” thousands of innocent citizens who they viewed as a threat to the state. Correspondent Jon Wertheim revisits this dark and traumatic period in Argentine history, meeting the pair of investigators who discovered the plane, and families of the victims who were thrown to their deaths. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

3 Maalis 47min

Clint Hill, a former U.S. Secret Service agent on duty the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, has died at age 93. Veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Mike Wallace once said that, in all his years as a journalist, very few interviews stayed with him like his time with Clint Hill. During that interview, Hill stunned Wallace -- and the nation -- by admitting he felt responsible for the president's death. Hill would later say it was the first time he had ever spoken publicly about that day, and that his emotional reaction surprised even him. Hill told "60 Minutes: A Second Look" why he spoke so candidly for an audience of millions, and how that interview with Mike Wallace may have changed the course of his life. This episode of "60 Minutes: A Second Look" originally released in October 2024. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

24 Helmi 38min

Correspondent Scott Pelley reports on the recent firings and resignations at the U.S. Department of Justice. Correspondent Lesley Stahl reports on President Trump’s efforts to halt the work and cut the funding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an enforcement agency that was created in response to the 2008 financial crisis. Host John Oliver's highly lauded show, "Last Week Tonight," gives him a Sunday night platform to unleash searing, satirical takes on the politics and problems of America, his adopted homeland. So how did this Brit become one of this country's sharpest comedians? Correspondent Bill Whitaker travels to the U.K., and goes behind-the-scenes in New York, to trace Oliver’s comedic journey. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

24 Helmi 47min

Correspondent Scott Pelley reports from Washington, D.C., on whether President Trump’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) without Congress’ approval is legal. In the United States, most of what anyone says, sends or streams online, even if it’s hate-filled or toxic, is protected by the First Amendment as free speech. But as correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reports, Germany is trying to bring order to the unruly World Wide Web by policing it in a way most Americans could never imagine. When Timothée Chalamet was offered the chance to play Bob Dylan in a film based on the legendary musician, a lot of people told him not to take it. Chalamet didn’t know much about playing the guitar or harmonica, or about Dylan himself. 60 MINUTES spends a couple of days with the 29-year-old actor to find out how he prepared for over five years to play one of the most enigmatic and revered musicians of our time for his film “A Complete Unknown,” which earned him his second Oscar nomination for best actor. Correspondent Anderson Cooper visits Chalamet’s childhood home and Dylan’s old haunts in New York City and discovers some of the parallels between the two artists. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17 Helmi 47min

Now that President Donald Trump has retaken the White House and is shaking up Washington with an onslaught of executive orders and controversial nominees for his Cabinet, correspondent Lesley Stahl profiles the longest-serving Senate party leader, Mitch McConnell, on his life, legacy and what he will do next since stepping down from Senate leadership. Tariffs were a signature of President Trump’s campaign and are now part of his economic agenda promising to protect American trade and recover manufacturing jobs. Correspondent Scott Pelley interviews Robert Lighthizer, the top trade negotiator during Trump’s first term who continues to be an informal advisor and confidant of the president. Last year, the Veterans Administration announced it would begin funding clinical trials to explore the use of psychedelic drugs for treating post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and addiction. However, these trials are small, and even if successful, it will likely be years before veterans can access psychedelics at the VA. Many U.S. veterans struggling with PTSD aren’t waiting. Thousands of veterans are traveling overseas seeking relief at psychedelic retreats where these substances are legal to use, mostly in indigenous ceremonies. Correspondent Anderson Cooper follows nine veterans on a psychedelic journey to the west coast of Mexico, where they hope to find healing. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

3 Helmi 46min