12/19/2012
PRI’s The World: 12/19/2012 (Ethiopia, Iraq, France)
UNICEF suspends polio vaccination campaign in Pakistan following the killing of seven health care workers there. Also, an Iraqi American goes to prison for violating 1990s Iraq sanctions. And the tourism industry dries up in Mali amid the country’s crisis.
Pakistani Polio Workers Killed During Vaccination Campaign
Taliban militants have in the past accused polio vaccination workers of being US spies. Now the UN children’s agency UNICEF has suspended its vaccination campaign in Pakistan.
Iraq’s President Talabani Suffers Stroke
Iraq’s President Jalal Talabani is recovering from a stroke. The 79-year-old former Kurdish warlord was taken ill on Tuesday. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Baghdad based reporter, Jane Arraf.
Iraqi-American Family Caught in Sanctions Nightmare
An Iraqi-American named Shakir Hamoodi used to run a gourmet food market in Columbia, Missouri. Now, he’s in a federal prison in Kansas. He’s charged with sending money to his relatives in Iraq in the 1990s, violating US sanctions. Hamoodi’s family is now petitioning President Obama for relief.
Iraq in Retrospect: Kevin Powers’ Novel ‘The Yellow Birds’
Kevin Powers debut novel about the Iraq war, The Yellow Birds was one of the most notable works of fiction in 2012. Powers talks with host Marco Werman about a soldier’s experience sorting through the brutality of the Iraq war.
Mali: Now a Tourist No-Man’s Land
Tourism used to be a big industry for the West African country Mali. But now that the country is in crisis, foreigners have stopped visiting. And Malians are suffering from the lack of tourist dollars. Bonnie Allen takes us on a tour that most foreigners are no longer doing.
What’s in a Name in Ethiopia?
‘House names’ are nicknames that Ethiopian family members give each other. Traditionally multisyllabic and descriptive, house names are becoming shorter and more cutesy. Also, changes in Uruguayan surnames.
French Actor Gérard Depardieu Takes Tax Refuge in Belgian Village
For the Geo Quiz, we are looking for a Belgian village near the French-Belgian border where French movie star Gerard Depardieu recently bought a house there.
‘Paris vs New York’: Comparing Two Iconic Cities
Graphic Designer Vahram Muratyan has produced a book of prints called, “Paris vs. New York,” which is a collection of illustrations featuring clever cultural comparisons between the two cities, side by side.
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