From the mid-1980s, Hungarian-born investor and philanthropist George Soros pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into foundations in Eastern Europe dedicated to promoting the idea of the "open society" and challenging the region's Soviet-backed regimes. Since then his Open Society Institute has evolved into a network of foundations and offices working in over 60 countries. Here, writing exclusively for CNN.com, he describes how the work of his foundations ultimately contributed to the collapse of communism.
In Budapest, Hungary's vibrant capital, you can sample spicy paprika at the Great Market Hall (designed by Gustave Eiffel), sip coffee in a genteel turn-of-the-20th-century cafe and enjoy an affordable performance at the luxurious Opera House.
Richard Blystone was CNN's senior correspondent in Europe throughout 1989, witnessing and reporting on the momentous events of that year from the first protests in the communist Eastern Bloc to the fall of the Berlin Wall and revolution in Romania.
Thousands of visitors lined Constitution Avenue in Washington on Saturday morning for the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade.
From the Czech Republic to Greece, the eastern part of Europe is changing so fast that you could visit every year and feel as if you've experienced something completely new.
A principal and teacher were killed Wednesday when a masked gunman opened fire in a private elementary school in Budapest, Hungary's capital city, police said.
A local passenger train ran into the back of an long-distance train Monday near Budapest, killing four people and injuring 26
Forget lists of "What's Next" in travel. Eastern Europe is "What's Now." While it's catching up to the West -- becoming more modern, expensive and crowded -- Eastern Europe remains a great value. Here's what to expect this year.
Cuba branded Hungary an "imperial accomplice" of Washington on Wednesday for granting political asylum to 29 Cubans who were held at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. naval base.
Hungarian police said Wednesday that hard-core football hooligans had hijacked peaceful anti-government protests, but Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany blamed opposition parties for a second night of violence.
From the mid-1980s, Hungarian-born investor and philanthropist George Soros pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into foundations in Eastern Europe dedicated to promoting the idea of the "open society" and challenging the region's Soviet-backed regimes. Since then his Open Society Institute has evolved into a network of foundations and offices working in over 60 countries. Here, writing exclusively for CNN.com, he describes how the work of his foundations ultimately contributed to the collapse of communism.
In Budapest, Hungary's vibrant capital, you can sample spicy paprika at the Great Market Hall (designed by Gustave Eiffel), sip coffee in a genteel turn-of-the-20th-century cafe and enjoy an affordable performance at the luxurious Opera House.
Richard Blystone was CNN's senior correspondent in Europe throughout 1989, witnessing and reporting on the momentous events of that year from the first protests in the communist Eastern Bloc to the fall of the Berlin Wall and revolution in Romania.
Thousands of visitors lined Constitution Avenue in Washington on Saturday morning for the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade.
From the Czech Republic to Greece, the eastern part of Europe is changing so fast that you could visit every year and feel as if you've experienced something completely new.
A principal and teacher were killed Wednesday when a masked gunman opened fire in a private elementary school in Budapest, Hungary's capital city, police said.
A local passenger train ran into the back of an long-distance train Monday near Budapest, killing four people and injuring 26
Forget lists of "What's Next" in travel. Eastern Europe is "What's Now." While it's catching up to the West -- becoming more modern, expensive and crowded -- Eastern Europe remains a great value. Here's what to expect this year.
Cuba branded Hungary an "imperial accomplice" of Washington on Wednesday for granting political asylum to 29 Cubans who were held at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. naval base.
Hungarian police said Wednesday that hard-core football hooligans had hijacked peaceful anti-government protests, but Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany blamed opposition parties for a second night of violence.
Early Tuesday, protesters across Hungary clashed with police and in Budapest stormed the headquarters of state television, responding with violence to a leaked recording that caught the countries prime minister admitting the government "lied morning, evening and night" about the economy.
Hungarian police said that hard-core football hooligans had hijacked peaceful anti-government protests but Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany blamed opposition parties for a second night of clashes between rioters and police, saying they had failed to deliver on a pledge to calm protests.
Protesters seized the headquarters of Hungary's state television network and set fires in and around the building early Tuesday after the country's prime minister admitted lying about the economy "throughout the past one and a half or two years."
Thieves in Hungary have stolen some tapes of the BBC's new prime-time series "Robin Hood," stalling completion of some of the 13 episodes, the broadcaster said.
As the dollar continues its slide against the euro - down almost 6 percent this year to a 1 year low - Americans thinking of traveling abroad might look beyond Paris, Rome or Madrid to destinations where the U.S. dollar remains strong.
Recovery efforts continued Friday at the site of the crash of an AN-24 Slovak military plane, which was carrying 43 passengers when it crashed in the rugged terrain of northern Hungary.
Send us your tips, words, photos and videos to thescene@cnn.com, or text "SCENE" plus your comments to +44 7786 20 40 60. Remember to include your name and the city/country where you live.
Junk and foreign bonds beat going long. Risk: High-yield debt is more tied to economic ups and downs.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell thanked Hungary on Tuesday for the "steadfastness" of its commitment to the coalition in Iraq, saying now is not the time to get "weak in the knees" despite continued violence and kidnappings.
For two weeks, Richard Quest and his team are traveling around countries about to join the European Union on May 1. We asked for your views. The following are a selection of your e-mails.
Our trip started in Hungary, but we flew to the Austrian capital Vienna and drove across the border because it was a lot easier than flying anywhere else.
Folk-dancing nights in Budapest are a weekly event for Istvan Pal and his fellow musicians -- a reflection of the Hungarians' strong identification with their distinct language and culture.
With 10 more countries about to swell the ranks of the EU come May 1, the one business sector likely to get a boost is the travel industry -- both for leisure and business.
BROADBAND Electrifying the Net
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