BEIJING-Trade disputes between Beijing and Washington over exports of tires, chickens, steel, nylon, autos, paper and salt are multiplying and further damaging the already tense relationship between the two economic powers. MORE
MOGADISHU, Somalia-A cargo ship carrying nearly 2,400 new Hyundai and Kia automobiles was hijacked by Somali pirates last week, en route to Saudi Arabia. MORE
WASHINGTON-Factory orders rose by a reasonably healthy 1.1 percent in November, which marked the seventh increase in eight months, according to the Commerce Department. Among the sectors reporting the strongest growth were computer and electronic products. MORE
ELKHART, IN-Electric car maker Think has chosen a site here for its first North American manufacturing facility. The Norwegian company plans to invest $43.5 million in a former glass factory in Indiana and start building the Think City electric car there in 2011. MORE
WASHINGTON-The U.S. Department of Labor is providing a $3.2 million grant to assist the retraining of autoworkers displaced by cutbacks in the industry, including the closing of the Chrysler assembly plant in Fenton. MORE
DETROIT--GM’s assembly plant for its Chevy Volt battery is set to begin production on Thursday. The company claims it will be “the first lithium ion battery pack manufacturing plant in the U.S. operated by a major automaker.” MORE
SALINA, KS-Employees at the Exide Technologies battery manufacturing plant in Salina were evacuated for more than an hour Saturday night after a fire. MORE
HOLLAND, MI-Resumes are pouring into Johnson Controls Inc. for what will be the site of its largest plant to assemble lithium-ion batteries for hybrid and electric cars. A joint venture of Johnson Controls and French manufacturer Saft, the project is expected to generate 550 well-paying jobs by 2014. MORE
VAN BUREN, AR-A manufacturer specializing in technology to help increase oil and gas production plans to build a $15 million assembly plant here, employing about 50 workers by the summer. Oxane Materials Inc. plans to expand the plant through 2014, with an expected total investment of $32 million and additional employment of up to 300 workers. MORE
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