former Soviet Union

The World

‘My life in a nutshell is thoughts about sex every 9 seconds and being depressed every 12 seconds’

Arts

Latvian animator Signe Baumane has battled depression for most of her life — a battle that was made even more difficult by the oppressive culture of the Soviet Union. But when she discovered her depression had hereditary roots, she decided to make a film about the illness, one that’s surreal, dark and funny all at once.

Are you Ukrainian or Russian? It’s complicated…

Lifestyle & Belief
China Moom

China successfully puts a rabbit on the moon

Environment

Some immigrants sour on plan for path to citizenship in immigration reform bill

Global Politics

Controversial Protestant church putting down roots in Ukraine

Lifestyle & Belief

Capitalism brings an unwelcome focus on how much life costs, some Russians say

During the Soviet era, many Russians say they didn’t really worry about how much things cost. Choices weren’t abundant so you made do with what you could get. And things were cheaper.

Oil, Democracy and Russian Tanks in Georgia

The latest on the confrontation in Georgia, and the new international realities — including the role of oil.

Population, food prices and global security

Food prices are rising, dictators are falling and it’s all interconnected with global security, according to Lester Brown.

Testing Fallout

India and Pakistan say they have stopped testing nuclear weapons for the moment after both countries’ recent spate of underground detonations. The tests confirmed the rumored nuclear capabilities of these two rival nations, and rekindled a sense of nuclear peril that abated with the end of the cold war. These tests also bring back public […]

The World

Lithuania’s Nuclear Future

Bruce Gellerman, of member station WBUR tours the largest of the Chernobyl-style nuclear power plants in the former Soviet Union. Despite modifications since the Chernobyl accident seven years ago, Western experts says the plant near Vilnius, Lithuania remains inherently dangerous. Lithuania depends on the plant for 85 percent of its electricity.