A great day for Europe: Jean-Claude Juncker nominated as the next President of the European Commission

"I am not a dwarf"
Jean-Claude Juncker

 

Today is a great day for Europe: EU leaders have nominated former Luxembourg PM Jean-Claude Juncker as the next president of the European Commission.

Finally, a fresh and inspiring new face in the Commission!

Juncker, who is known for his bold initiatives and visionary thinking is exactly the right person to lead Europe into a bright and prosperous future.

We cannot wait to hear more about Mr. Juncker's exciting reform programme. Fortunately, the Telegraph, citing sources in Brussels, gives us a foretaste of what we can expect:

Sources also described how Mr Juncker “chain-smoked” through a series of meetings on Thursday and disclosed that he is attempting to get rules changed so that he can smoke in buildings in Brussels.

The Telegraph also discloses why France has been one of Juncker's strongest supporters:

One senior diplomatic source has said he “has cognac for breakfast”. 

Rio+20 beach party gets into serious business

It looks like the Rio+20 mega beach party is finally getting into serious business:

On Wednesday, the first session of the high-level summit was addressed by 17-year-old activist Brittany Trilford of New Zealand, who challenged leaders: "Are you here to save face or are you here to save us?"


Ban suggested that the highly criticized final document could still be revised by world leaders before the summit ends on Friday.


When asked by reporters about that possibility, he responded: "Why do we have a summit meeting! Why have I been inviting and urging leaders, heads of state and government? They are the ones who can make political decisions, who can make a choice".


Obama, Merkel and Cameron are among the many leaders not attending. But maybe UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon believes that e.g. King XVI Carl Gustaf of Sweden and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, who have arrived in Rio, are the ones to "make a choice"?

But where is Britain´s bonnie enviro-fundamentalist Prince Charles? Well, he has been busy in Ascot:

Prince Charles, reigning clothes horse of the British Royal family, gave an excellent lesson in how to wear a pocket square yesterday at Royal Ascot.
Chaz knows that a well-chosen pocket square gives even the most formal suit a refreshing change in tone, creating an atmosphere of sartorial friendliness.

Perhaps the Prince thinks that his prerecorded  video message about the "catastrophic" consequences of inaction, is enough to save the world?