News Headlines - 20 May 2015

▽Is the UK in deflation or negative inflation? Q&A | The Guardian

Inflation in Britain has turned negative for the first time in more than half a century, giving a boost to household finances and bolstering expectations that interest rates will remain at a record low this year. What does it mean for your finances? And what is negative inflation, anyway?

▽Japan GDP data suggests struggle for momentum - FT.com

Overall, the report showed a moderate expansion in consumer and business spending, implying Japan’s economic recovery is still on track.

▽Japan security council approves bid to build Australian submarines | The Guardian

Japan is to exploit the easing of its postwar ban on arms exports by entering the race to jointly develop and build a new generation of submarines for the Australian navy.

▽Hundreds more scholars sign joint statement urging Japan to acknowledge sex slavery

Hundreds of more scholars from around the world have joined their colleagues in a landmark joint statement criticizing Japan for distorting the history of its wartime sexual slavery, bringing the total number to nearly 500.

▽Pitch Perfect 2 Box Office Final Results: $69.2 Million | Variety

Final results have the Universal release opening to a superb $69.2 million, which is slightly less than the $70.3 million that the studio projected the film would bring in when it reported estimates on Sunday. That means, however, that “Pitch Perfect 2,” which marks Elizabeth Banks’ feature film directorial debut, is the the third biggest opening for a female director, not the second. It now falls behind Catherine Hardwick’s “Twilight” ($69.6 million) and Sam Taylor-Johnson’s “50 Shades of Grey” ($85.2 million).