After the Hurricane | Vladimir Kara-Murza | Welcome to the W | The Mezcaleros

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.