TOULOUSE, France-European planemaker Airbus says its answer to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is on target and on schedule. MORE

DEARBORN, MI-Ford Motor Co. says it is still planning to build compact cars in Louisville, KY, as early as 2011. MORE

DETROIT-General Motors says it will assemble the battery packs for its future plug-in electric cars in Michigan. MORE

WASHINGTON-The U.S. trade deficit fell 12 percent in November as tumbling oil prices and a slump in consumer spending slashed imports. MORE

DETROIT-Dozens of United Auto Workers and their supporters are rallying outside the North American International Auto Show to defend their wages, which could be cut under the current terms of the federal loans to Chrysler and General Motors Corp. MORE

CHATTANOOGA, TN-Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn says his company remains committed to building a new assembly plant in Tennessee, despitethe slumping U.S. economy. MORE

MOSCOW-Russian customs duties on imported cars and trucks have risen 5 percentage points, from 25 to 30 percent. MORE

DETROIT-The first class of the Henry Ford Health System’s nursing recruitment program for displaced auto workers is underway. In partnership with Oakland University, Henry Ford developed the program to assist those seeking a career change and to address the nursing shortage. Oakland University offered places for up to 100 displaced auto workers to qualify for a prenursing program. MORE

DETROIT-The new battery manufacturing plant proposed by A123 Systems for southeast Michigan will be highly automated. About 80 percent of the jobs in the plant are expected to be manufacturing positions. MORE

BLUE SPRINGS, MS-Mississippi will recoup some of the money it put toward Toyota Motor Corp.’s planned automobile assembly plant here, despite the project’s delay. Beginning in 2010, the Japanese automaker will pay its portion of the debt service with $10 million annual payments. At the same time, it will begin making $5 million annual payments to North Mississippi school districts. MORE