PRI's The World - with Host Marco Werman
Two members of the Russian band Pussy Riot have walked out of Russian prisons under amnesty terms outlined by President Vladimir Putin last week. The move comes just days after the release of Russian tycoon Mikail Khodorkhovsky, who is now in Germany. We're going to dig in and look at this recent spate of Russian prison releases, which have been described by one Pussy Riot member as "a PR stunt." But how does it look from the viewpoint of Putin's supporters?
Also, a story you probably won't hear anywhere else: Diomedes Diaz, one of Colombia's best-known performers of vallenato music (heavy on the accordion) has died of a heart attack at the age of 56. His off-stage excesses, including battles with drugs and alcohol and a murder charge, are the stuff of legend in Colombia.
Plus, wait just a second before you pour cheap rum into your holiday eggnog. R(h)um afficionado Wyatt Peabody tells us all about rhum agricole, a special breed of the spirit made on the French Caribbean island of Martinique.