CNN 2012-02-29

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Right now,this Monday,February 27th,we are starting off in Syria.You know about the violence happening in the middleeastern nation.The International Red Cross has been trying to negotiate temporary ceasefire.They are urging everyone to stop fighting for two hours each day so the aid can be delivered in different cities.The spokesperson says the negotiations¹ haven't gotten anywhere so far, but they are planing to keep trying.

 

Voting, meanwhile started Sunday on possible changes to Syrian constitution.Syrian officials say it's one way they are working to reform their government,that's something that protesters have demanded.But those protesters and many analysts² say that the voting was purely³ superficial.They argue it's the only designed to quiet critics and that it really won't change anything.

 

On this day in history back in 1951,the 22rd Amendments⁴ to the US constitution was ratified⁵.It limited US president to two terms in office.In 1973,a group of two hundred native Americans took over the town of Wounded Knee,South Dakota.They were demanding better treatment from the US government.And in 1991,President George HW Bush ordered a ceasefire,officially ending the Persian Gulf⁶ War and declaring that Iraq's army had been defeated.

 

Vladimir Putin severed⁷ two terms as Russia's president from 2000 to 2008.He's been the country's Prime Minister since then but he's looking to return to the presidency⁸ when elections are held next week.He definitely has his supporters.You can see the size of this crowd at a rally for Prime Minister, Putin.His re-election win in 2004 was a landslide⁹ and he is predicted to win big this year as well.But not everybody in Russia is this happy with the idea of Putin regaining¹⁰ the presidency.Phil Black now reports a peaceful protest in Moscow.

 

One week out from Russia's presidential election and this is the latest protest action by people who want that vote to be free and fair and don't want the candidate,current Prime Minister,Vladimir Putin to ultimately win that election.This protest action is a little bit different from what we see in Moscow in recent month.It's sort of a rally in one place with tens of thousands of people,instead,the goal here is to form a human chain all the way around,one of Moscow's ring roads,know as the Garden Ring.You can see lots of people wearing white ribbons,the symbol of this protest movement.Cars are honking¹¹ their horns and supporters as they drive by.There are lots of smiling,lots of waving.It is a happy event, despite the fact, these people know Vladimir Putin  is very likely to return to the presidency for a third term.

 

We know,it's for sure.

 

And what happens then?

 

I think that he needs to,to have a moderation of this year, so people with society don't understand what's going on.To give our some rights to make decisions,to know who is the decision maker¹² between us.So,I know that he knows that and I thinks that's changed.

 

It's definitely clear civil society is getting together and is ready to,say it clearly,to state clearly, yeah,they are ready to fight for our freedom, and for our right to vote for parties we like.

 

The Garden Ring is about 50 kilometers long, a little under 10 miles.Organizers estimated they need about 34 thousands people to complete the human chain.They didn't get there.There are some pretty big gap along the road.But either way,this is another example of a political demonstration¹³.That was unimaginable in this country,just a few months ago.Phil Black,CNN Moscow.

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