Lisbon era starts in Europe while Merkel makes her historic US address…

A roundup as usual… last updated: 14:30 (4 Nov)

Consensus growing for low-profile EU ‘chairman’

from EurActiv.com

Confirming that EU leaders appear to read the job description of the first-ever permanent Council president as more of a ‘chairman’ than a ‘leader’, agencies reported today (2 November) that the mild-mannered Belgian prime minister, Herman Van Rompuy, is the “most consensual” figure for the top job.

Sakharov Prize goes to Memorial

Russia rights group wins EU prize

from BBC News | Europe | World Edition

Russian rights group Memorial wins the European Parliament’s annual Sakharov Prize in memory of activist Natalya Estemirova.

A Euronews roundup:

Mr. Klaus; the last naughty boy of the EU

Czech President Vaclav Klaus (left) and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hold a press conference in Barvikha, outside Moscow. Klaus said he would not drop objections to the European Union’s Lisbon reform treaty, despite mounting pressure from EU leaders to sign. (AFP/Natalia Kolesnikova)