Vladimir Putin, the former President of the Russian Federation and current Prime Minister, told the European Union he wants them to help Ukraine pay the gas bill by giving them a loan.

New York city is to host a five-month festival of theatre, film, music and dance from seven Central and Eastern European countries celebrating the part played by the arts in the demise of Communist dictatorship.

It is looking increasingly certain that a lack of support amongst both center-right and center-left politicians across Europe will put paid to Tony Blair's chances of becoming the first President of Europe.

Following a meeting in Warsaw with U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has confirmed that his country is ready to participate in a new defense shield announced last month by the Obama administration.

Tony Blinken, national security adviser to Vice President Biden, said that leaders in Warsaw, Bucharest and Prague should think less of what the U.S. can do for them and more about what they can do with the United States.

The United States government is forking over $100 million to build new military bases in Bulgaria and Romania. Last month, the Obama administration ended plans to construct missile-defense shields in other parts of eastern Europe.

Jan Fischer, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, one of only two member states of the European Union not to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, has indicated that he does expect ratification by his country before the end of the year.

With early returns indicating that Irish voters have delivered a resounding "Yes" to ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, the country's Prime Minister, or Taoiseach, Brian Cowen has spoken of it being "a good day for Ireland and a good day for Europe".

Speculations grow that Russian diplomats, working on instructions from propaganda experts, tricked White House and State Department officials to get President Obama to make his missile shield announcement on September 17, a bad day for Poland.

The new movie 2012 will be premiering worldwide on November 13. On Oct. 1 the film's marketing launched in the biggest blitz in film history, surpassing even the Super Bowl.