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According to the questions asked in the article, the idea for the European Union goes back centuries and has been proposed by many historical figures such as William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, to philosophers such as Immanuel Kant and Jeremy Bentham. The union has been very vital in ensuring peace and stability in certain regions, as it has also helped countries transition over to democracy and build up to economic prosperity.

 

Penn State Sex Abuse Case May Result in More Charges and Victims

According to CNN, more charges could be issued for a former Penn State University (PSU) football coach who was accused of sexually abusing boys between 1994 and 2009.

Source: The Rotunda

Customs offices may begin charging upfront for tax stamps on alcohol instead of accepting payment up to 50 days later, HN reported Nov. 29. Customs officials have said this step could help reduce the black market, which is estimated to account for 15 percent to 20 percent of consumption. Spirits makers are against the idea, however, saying such a requirement would hurt their cash flow.  The government approved a 500 million Kč venture capital fund aimed at providing funding for small and midsize businesses, ČTK reported. Startups have little access to venture capital, Industry and Trade Ministry representatives said, leading to a lot of innovative ideas ending up just on paper. Firms operating in the biotechnology, nanotechnology, robotics, life sciences and information technology areas may be eligible for the support....

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NEW YORK -- Stocks surged on the latest positive news out of Europe Monday, the fourth sharp increase in the last five days. It's a dramatic turnaround from Oct. 4, when the S&P 500 index nearly fell enough to meet the definition of a bear market. Since then the widely used index has soared 8.7 percent.

Indexes soared in the U.S. and Europe after German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy said they would finalize a "comprehensive response" to the debt crisis by the end of the month. Investors have been worried that European leaders weren't moving quickly enough to contain the fallout from a default by Greece's government.

The Dow rose 330.06, or 3 percent, to close at 11,433.18.

The S&P 500 rose 39.43 or 3.4 percent, to 1,194.89.

The Nasdaq index rose 86.70, or 3.4 percent, to 2,566.05..

Turmoil in third quarter took toll on large banks

NEW YORK -- Investors are bracing for a rough earnings season from banks.

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