News Headlines - 23 March 2012

▽Obama names surprise World Bank candidate Jim Yong Kim - BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17481973
President Obama has nominated Korean-born US academic Jim Yong Kim to be the next president of the World Bank.

▽Petrol breaks through 140p barrier to reach record high - Telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/9162842/Petrol-breaks-through-140p-barrier-to-reach-record-high.html
The average price at the pumps has now reached 140.20p a litre, with diesel at a new record of 146.72p, the AA said.
Petrol prices have now risen more than 2.75p a litre in just three weeks, while the cost was only 132.25p a litre at the beginning of the year.

▽Number of empty shops at all time high - AFP
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hz2keudgNDX8ZMwkFya_yGukqOVQ?docId=CNG.bd15b1abbb014c5d7ae6e1e009b11633.c1
Nearly one in seven shops across Britain is standing empty, a record proportion, according to new figures.
The Local Data Company says its monthly barometer of shop vacancies rose in February to 14.6 percent, reaching its highest level since the company began its index in 2008.

▽Japan readies missile defence system over North Korea rocket - Telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/9161955/Japan-readies-missile-defence-system-over-North-Korea-rocket.html
The nuclear-armed North has announced it will launch a rocket in mid-April to put a satellite into orbit, a move that the United States, South Korea and other nations see as a pretext for a long-range missile test banned by the UN.

▽Europe launches heaviest ever craft into space - Telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/9162313/Europe-launches-heaviest-ever-craft-into-space.html
Europe has undertaken its heaviest ever launch after an automated craft the size of a double decker bus, laden with supplies for the International Space Station, blasted off into space.