Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy was unanimously elected the first President of the European Union by the twenty-seven member states today in Brussels. The New York Times reports, "The Belgian prime minister, an economist who likes bowling duckpins and writing haiku, has earned respect for calming down ethnic tensions in Belgium in his 11 months as prime minister" The position of president is expected to begin January 1, 2010. Prime Minister van Rompuy beat former British Prime Minister Tony Blair for the new post.

A new study on the number of scientific publications per capita found that European countries led the world in research and innovation. The seven most productive countries in terms of scientific research articles published per citizen are: 1) Switzerland, 2) Sweden, 3) Denmark, 4) Israel, 5) Finland, 6), the Netherlands, and 7) Canada. The U.S. ranked twelfth while Germany ranked fifteenth in the study based on scientific articles from 2005.

Mark Burnett Productions, the creative force behind Survivor, The Apprentice and Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? is searching for young people (ages 6-12) who are geography experts for a new television network series set to air in early 2010. If you think your child fits that description, contact Joshua Robinson at jdrcasting@gmail.com or (310) 903-5438. The casting deadline is Friday, November 20.

Palestinian diplomats have requested the European Union to ask the United Nations Security Council to declare the West Bank and Gaza Strip as an independent state. American, Israeli, and even EU officials balked at the idea. As the United States is a permanent member of the Security Council, the U.S. has veto power, so the idea likely would not get far. Palestine also unilaterally declared independence in November 1988, which did not gain widespread recognition.