News Headlines - 18 May 2015

▽Islamic State 'seizes Iraqi city of Ramadi' - BBC News

The Iraqi city of Ramadi has fallen to Islamic State (IS) after government forces abandoned their positions, officials say.

▽Revealed: the impact of the election on the British economy - Telegraph

Here's how the UK financial markets, the pound and house prices were shaken and stirred by one of the most unpredictable general elections in a generation

▽BOJ chief economist expects Japan to move into expansionary phase | Reuters

Japan's economy is likely to shift to an expansionary phase this fiscal year due to improvements in domestic demand, exports and a windfall from last year's decline in oil prices, the Bank of Japan's chief economist said.

▽Osaka’s residents reject plans to turn city into ‘metropolis’ - FT.com

The people of Osaka have narrowly rejected a plan to abolish their municipality in a vote that highlighted the dilemma of second cities across the globe.
By a margin of just 50.4 to 49.6 per cent — or about 10,000 votes out of the 1.4m cast — Osaka voted against a plan to turn the city into a “metropolis” modelled on Tokyo.

▽NASA: Antarctica's Larsen B Ice Shelf to disappear - CNN.com

One of the last remaining sections of Antarctica's Larsen B Ice Shelf is dramatically weakening, according to a new NASA study.