The Shifting Political Balance In Iran, A Kidnapping In Syria, A Ukrainian Winter Concert And An Iranian Puppet Show

Jan. 13, 2017, 5:16 p.m. CT

Mourners attend the funeral of former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Tuesday. Rafsanjani, who was 82, was a key figure in the foundation of the Islamic Republic in 1979, and served as president from 1989 to 1997.

The Shifting Political Balance In Iran, A Kidnapping In Syria, A Ukrainian Winter Concert And An Iranian Puppet Show

Jan. 13, 2017, 5:16 p.m. CT

On today’s show:

How the death of former Iranian President Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani affects Iran’s political equilibrium.
The documentary Theo Who Lived tells the story of a freelance journalist who was kidnapped in Syria, tortured and held captive for two years.
On Weekend Passport, the Chicago Puppet Festival and a concert of Ukrainian winter songs.