WASHINGTON-Detroit's Big Three automakers have dramatically shrunk their health care bills since 2005, paring back the number of people covered and bringing costs in line with what other manufacturers are paying. MORE

KALUGA, Russia-Volvo plans to invest $15 million to ramp up excavator production in Russia to tap into the country’s growing heavy machinery market. MORE

SPARTANBURG, SC-BMW Manufacturing Co. is expanding its plant in South Carolina, with an eye toward eventually producing some 240,000 vehicles annually. MORE

LONDON-The current tough economic times in the United States are not hurting the developing world as much as they would have in years past. MORE

WASHINGTON-Against a chorus of congressional criticism, U.S. Air Force officials are defending their decision to award an airborne refueling tanker contract to a team that includes a European company. MORE

DETROIT-American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. and the United Auto Workers union are scheduled to resume contract negotiations at noon today-the first time the two will have talked since some 3,600 UAW workers walked out of five American Axle plants Feb. 26. MORE

WASHINGTON-Orders to U.S. factories were down 2.5 percent in January as a slowing economy prompted businesses cut spending on computers and machinery. MORE

DETROIT-By forcing General Motors to shut down its factories, the ongoing American Axle & Manufacturing strike is allowing the automaker to trim excess inventory. MORE

DEESIDE, Wales-Toyota Motor Corp. plans to invest $175 million to ramp up production of a new environmentally friendly four-cylinder engine. MORE

WINDSOR, Ontario-A five-day-old strike at a TRW Automotive plant in Canada is beginning to be felt by other manufacturers in the region. MORE