News Headlines - 05 October 2013

▽European Stocks Finally Showing Signs of Recovery - NYTimes.com

JUST last fall, Europe was sinking into a double-dip recession and many global investors were questioning whether the European Union would even survive. Now signs of recovery have emerged, and European stocks have been ticking higher.

▽Japan and Abenomics: Taxing times | The Economist

WHEN Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, declared on October 1st that he would raise the consumption tax in April, from 5% to 8%, he was merely implementing the first part of a decision that was taken by his predecessor as prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda of the Democratic Party of Japan. That move contributed to Mr Noda’s downfall. The last time the tax was actually raised, in 1997, the economy promptly lurched into recession, and the prime minister of the day (from the Liberal Democratic Party, or LDP, as is Mr Abe) was also soon gone. Yet this month Mr Abe had no choice. The political establishment had signed up to a rise, and to dodge the hard decision would have damaged his own credentials.

▽BBC News - Seanad vote: Public vote to keep Irish senate

Voters in the Republic of Ireland have rejected a government proposal to abolish Seanad Éireann (upper house of the Irish parliament)... The Seanad has existed for more than 90 years. The current Irish government had argued it cost too much to run and that its abolition could have saved Irish taxpayers as much as 20m euros (￡16.92m) a year.

▽Official Royal Mail valuation 'more than ￡1bn too low' | The Guardian

Labour attacks government after stockbroker Panmure Gordon says ￡2.6bn-￡3.3bn valuation is an underestimate

▽Rise and shine: the daily routines of history's most creative minds | The Guardian

Benjamin Franklin spent his mornings naked. Patricia Highsmith ate only bacon and eggs. Marcel Proust breakfasted on opium and croissants. The path to greatness is paved with a thousand tiny rituals (and a fair bit of substance abuse) – but six key rules emerge