Topic: Eastern Europe

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Top 5 ways to save on your summer vacation

If you're pining for a summer vacation but worried about costs, consider how Wayne and Pat Dunlap of Del Mar, Calif., managed to tour 51 countries over two years, marvel at the Egyptian pyramids, scale a New Zealand glacier, and visit Laotian Buddhist monks all for less than $100 a day. "We often stayed at guesthouses and hostels, ate at local family restaurants, took public transportation, and in some cases, traveled on cruise ships offering reduced rates," says Mr. Dunlap, author of the travel book "Plan Your Escape." This year amid price worries and higher summer airfares, especially to Europe such ingenuity could prove essential. Here are five cost-cutting strategies that can help:
Quadrantid meteors and 11 other big skywatching events of 2012

What lies ahead sky-wise for 2012? Joe Rao, SPACE.com Skywatching Columnist, selected what he considers to be the top 12 "skylights" for this coming year,
Top 10 most nuclear-dependent nations

Japan’s earthquake and tsunami has pushed 11 of its 52 nuclear reactors offline. If they don’t power up soon, Japan will be hard-pressed to provide power to its people, since the reactors provide 30 percent of its electricity. As dependent as Japan is on nuclear power, 12 nations are even more reliant it, according to the World Nuclear Association. Using 2007 data, here are the Top 10 most nuclear-dependent nations:
How 5 revolutions got their names

Questions are cropping up about the appropriateness of calling Tunisia's uprising the "Jasmine Revolution" – stemming from the fact that the term has been used in reference to Syria in 2005 and even the path that brought ousted Tunisian President Ben Ali to power. But the moniker could stick, at least partially because it's become a tradition of sorts to name the revolutions of the 2000s after colors and flowers and even household items. Here's an overview of some of the popular revolutions – and their nicknames – that preceded Tunisia's ... whatever you want to call it:
Quirky Christmas traditions around the world

Christmas cheer is widespread in the days leading up to Dec. 24 and 25, but it manifests itself in many different ways, from predicting the future to trying not to choke on a hidden coin. Below are just a few of the many unusual Christmas traditions around the world.

All Content

Murder mystery vexes ex-Soviet bloc

The death of Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov in 1978 raises questions about Europe's lingering ties to communism.
For Eastern Europe, the cost of going green will be a challenge

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (r.) and his foreign minister, Franco Frattini, spoke to the media Wednesday at an EU environmental conference in Brussels.
In Georgia, Russia saw its Army's shortcomings

Decades of neglect, outdated technology, and an ineffective conscript system reduced the capabilities of the Russian Army.
The Vote
Biden's supreme challenge: no gaffes
'Xenophobic climate' fueling policies, violence in Italy

The recent death of an African immigrant in Milan highlights racial and ethnic tensions.
McCain-Obama debate: a game-changing face-off?

Some presidential debates tip elections. This could be one of them.
Emerging markets hit hard by Wall Street crisis

But Russia, Brazil, and China are expected to have the cash and domestic growth to weather the storm.
Artists try to save Gdansk shipyards – in images

The view is stark as the birthplace of Poland’s Solidarity movement faces possible closure.
Cold war echo: Russian military maneuvers with Venezuela

Russia sent two long-range bombers to Venezuela Wednesday and will send warships and soldiers for joint exercises in November.
Polish newcomers say goodbye as hard times hit Britain

The recession looming over Britain is sending many Poles back home, signaling the end to the largest single wave of immigration that the British Isles have ever seen.
The goal – satisfying work, or your calling?

A Christian Science perspective on daily life.
Democrats seek edge on defense
Why We Watched

A historian examines the mental landscape that allowed the Holocaust to happen.
Russia's gains in Georgia may leave it more isolated

In the coming weeks, the West will be shaping a long-term response to what many see as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's bid to change the post-cold-war world.
Amid Russia-Georgia standoff, iconic photo of 1968 Soviet invasion

Ladislav Bielik's iconic image of a Slovak baring his chest to the barrel of a Soviet tank is part of a commemorative exhibit 40 years ago to the day.
'New Europe' urges West to rethink Russian ties

Seizing on the conflict in Georgia, East European countries are pushing for strong measures against an aggressive Moscow they say they know all too well.
U.S. limited in Georgia crisis

American effort to spread democracy wanes in post-Iraq era.
Horizons
Anatomy of a cyberwar in Georgia
Young indie crowd takes vinyl for a spin

Novelty and nostalgia boost sales, as audiophiles argue that nothing beats vinyl's warm sound.
Auteur? Shop your movie to the ‘soc-net’ set

Indie filmmakers plug into Web’s social networking sites to find finance, distribution, and feedback.
Russia's plan to avert second cold war

Standoffs over Georgia and a US missile-defense shield stem from one main irritant: Moscow had no hand in designing global security after the USSR collapsed. Medvedev wants to fix that.
Cuba's youth: restless but not often political

They just want the freedom to travel and access to the tech touchstones of their generation: iPods, Facebook, and text messages.
World
A soccer tournament with a social conscience

The Anti-Racist World Cup in Bologna, Italy, draws more than 200 amateur teams each year who come to build bridges and challenge a history of soccer hooliganism in Europe.
Confrontation escalates between Iran and Israel

Iran tested the Shahab-3 missile, which could hit Israel or US Mideast bases.