In southern China, a village that rebelled against corrupt Communist officials has gone to the polls. Reformers hope the elections could become a model for grassroots democracy, but others fear they're just a high-profile exception.

Most Israelis are compelled to serve in the military, but ultra-Orthodox Jews were exempt until last Tuesday, when the country's Supreme Court struck down that controversial law. As tempers flare, many are asking what part the ultra-Orthodox should play in the Jewish state.

Mitt Romney walked away with two wins this week in Arizona and Michigan. A win in Ohio on Super Tuesday could finally give the former Massachusetts governor the status as the clear front-runner for the Republican party. Yet some senior conservatives are concerned all of their candidates could be in trouble with the controversial statements made by Rush Limbaugh this week. Weekends on All Things Considered guest host Jacki Lyden speaks with Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page about these and other news stories from the week.

Russia holds presidential elections Sunday. Former president and current prime minister Vladimir Putin is the projected favorite, despite the new strings of protests against him. Weekends on All Things Considered guest host Jacki Lyden talks with Russian writer Boris Akunin about how these elections in Russia are much different than past. Also, NPR's Martha Wexler reports from Moscow the night before the elections.

The Syrian government continued shelling the city of Homs overnight. The latest United Nations report estimates 7,500 people have been killed since unrest began nearly a year ago. The government has also continued to refuse entry to the International Committee of the Red Cross. NPR's Kelly McEvers reports.

As the violence in Syria continues, the international community has been unable to do much more than condemn it. Host Scott Simon talks with Andrew Tabler of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy about the mounting debate over intervention and the new humanitarian access to the country.

Three years ago this month, President Obama said he hoped to promote more cooperation between the U.S. and Russia. It would be hard to see how that may happen as Vladimir Putin approaches power once again. Host Scott Simon speaks with the U.S. ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, about Sunday's elections in Russia.