Hungary, Poland, and three other nations take over citizens' pension money to make up government budget shortfalls.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - January 2, 2011 - People’s retirement savings are a convenient source of revenue for governments that don’t want to reduce spending or make privatizations. As most pension schemes in Europe are organized by the state, European ministers of finance have facilitated access to the savings accumulated there, and it is only logical that they try to get a hold of this money for their own ends. In recent weeks I have noted five such attempts: Three situations concern private personal savings; two others refer to national funds.

GLASGOW, Scotland - January 1, 2011 - Dozens of Scottish schools have introduced intrusive biometric systems, such as fingerprinting, to identify pupils as young as four.

New figures show 68 schools are now using technology to manage meals, control library books and even allow access to toilets.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia - December 31, 2010 - A Charlottesville man who stripped down to his underwear at Richmond International Airpot to protest security-screening procedures was charged with disorderly conduct Thursday, airport police said.

Airport police identified him as Aaron B. Tobey, 21. He told police he was a student at the University of Cincinnati. The incident occurred at 2:17 p.m. at Checkpoint B, the busier of the airport's two checkpoints, said airport spokesman Troy M. Bell.

From the Huffington Post:

Ashton Kutcher is in hard training for the apocalypse, but this no big screen role: he's afraid that Armageddon is coming.

NEW YORK - December 30, 2010 - In preparation for tomorrow night's big New Year’s Eve show, the giant Times Square ball is taking a practice run today.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma - December 29, 2010 - The woman who made national headlines for her near-naked protest at the airport in Oklahoma City is back and once again banned from flying.

HARTFORD, Connecticut - December 27, 2010  - Santiago Malave has worked law enforcement jobs in Connecticut for more than four decades, but as a Puerto Rican, he says he cannot drive through his own town without worrying about police harassing him.