News Headlines - 23 January 2019
▽Trump delays State of the Union Address until shutdown ends | Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump said in a late night Tweet on Wednesday that he would delay a State of the Union address until the government shutdown was over, responding to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s move to obstruct his plans for the speech.
More than 100 security forces members have been killed in a Taliban assault on a military base in eastern Afghanistan, an official said.
An interior ministry spokesperson said a suicide car bomber struck the base first, followed by insurgents who opened fire at the Afghan forces in Maidan Shar, the capital of Maidan Wardak province.
An official in the defence ministry, speaking anonymously, told Reuters the death toll was as high as 126.
▽Subaru stops two Japanese factories to address power-steering defect - Roadshow
Subaru has discovered a defect in the power-steering systems of some of its Japanese-built vehicles, and has shut down the plants briefly as it investigates the root cause.
On Wednesday Subaru announced that it had idled two plants in Japan's Gunma prefecture on Jan. 16 when it discovered a defect that may disable a vehicle's power steering and illuminate a warning lamp. According to the automaker's press release, it hopes to have the plant up and running again on Jan. 28.
The two plants comprise a majority of Subaru's global manufacturing, including some models destined for the US. A Subaru spokesperson said approximately 10,000 examples of the Crosstrek and Forester might be affected, but the final number may be smaller.
▽Naomi Osaka sponsor apologises for 'whitewashing' tennis star in ad | The Guardian
One of Naomi Osaka’s sponsors has been forced to apologise after depicting the Japanese tennis star, who is half-Haitian, with pale skin in an advertisement.
Nissin featured Osaka in an ad for its Cup Noodle range of instant ramen. It depicts Osaka, who holds dual Japanese and American citizenship, with pale skin, wavy brown hair and Caucasian facial features.
The company said it had not intended to “whitewash” the athlete, who became a national hero in Japan after beating Serena Williams to win the women’s singles title at the US Open in September last year.
▽Rescuers search for Cardiff striker Sala as final message emerges | AFP.com
As the air search resumed, Argentine media reported that Sala sent a final message before the plane disappeared from radar around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Guernsey on Monday night.
"I'm on a plane that looks like it's going to fall apart, and I'm leaving for Cardiff," the 28-year-old said in a rambling WhatsApp audio message.
"If in an hour and a half you have no news from me, I don't know if they will send people to look for me, because they will not find me, you know... I'm so scared," he added.
