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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California officials say some 482,000 Volkswagen and Audi diesels were engineered to falsify their emissions for federal tests—a violation that opens the German automaker to a theoretical fine totaling $18 billion. The EPA and California Air Resources Board say the affected models had software in its computer engine controls that could sense exactly when it was being tested for emissions quality. At all other times, it would run the diesels in a different mode with illegal levels of pollution; for example, spewing up to 40 times more nitrogen oxide, a key component of smog,...

That’s because Sports Illustrated was announcing Lawley’s appearance in the magazine’s highly anticipated swimsuit edition. And while Lawley’s bikini-clad figure seems like a natural fit, her inclusion is historic. As a U.S. size 12, she’s the curviest model to ever appear in the edition, and she’s doing it while wearing a bikini from her own swimwear line. While a U.S. size 12 would typically qualify as plus-size in the fashion industry — even though the average American woman is a size 14 — Lawley doesn’t like to focus on labels. “I don’t know if I consider myself as a plus-size...

Clay Aiken came in second yet again. The American Idol and Celebrity Apprentice runner-up was defeated by incumbent Rep. Renee Ellmers in Tuesday's election, losing his bid to represent North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District, The Associated Press reports. Aiken, 35, won the Democratic nomination after his opponent in the race died suddenly during the primary campaign. If the Idol alum had won, he would have been the first openly gay congressman elected in the South.

FREMONT -- Tesla Motors, which is on a mission to bring electric cars to the masses, now has another goal -- to become a leading employer of America's military veterans. "We want to be known throughout the veteran community as a great place to work," Arnnon Geshuri, Tesla's vice president of human resources, said in an interview. "Veterans are a great source of talent for Tesla, and we're going after it." "Tesla has risen to the top" among companies known for creating veteran-friendly workplaces, said Ted Daywalt, president and CEO of VetJobs, the nation's leading military job board. "They have...

Football's world governing body Fifa has cleared Mexico of improper conduct charges after claims their fans used homophobic chants at a World Cup match. The fans shouted the Spanish word "puto" ("male prostitute" in Mexican slang) every time Cameroon's goalkeeper took a goalkick at the game on 13 June. But Fifa now said the incident in question "was not considered insulting in the specific context". A leading anti-discrimination organisation criticised Fifa's move. Fare, which brings together activists also fighting inequality in football, said the ruling by Fifa's disciplinary committee was "disappointing". It added that the governing body needed to take...

A Russian official angered over new sanctions that the United States imposed on Russia over the Ukraine crisis is suggesting that American astronauts get to the International Space Station by using trampolines instead of rockets. "The United States introduced sanctions against our space industry... We warned them, we will reply to statements with statements, to actions with actions," Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who heads Russia's defense industry, said on Twitter, according to Reuters. American astronauts depend on Russian rockets to get to the ISS, but after the U.S. imposed sanctions – which deny export licenses for high-tech items that...

CHATTANOOGA (Reuters) -- The UAW said today it is withdrawing its objection claiming undue outside political interference in a February vote it lost among workers at the Volkswagen AG plant in Tennessee. UAW President Bob King, in a statement issued by the union this morning, said the process of objecting to the National Labor Relations Board could have dragged on for months if not years. King and the UAW announced the withdrawal on the morning of the scheduled start of an NLRB hearing in Chattanooga on the union's objection.

Check out what it is like driving a modern Toyota at the link.

Toyota Motor Corp., reeling from two recalls and suspension of sales of many popular models, sold 18,500 fewer vehicles in the U.S. in January . Meanwhile, General Motors Co. saw its sales rise 14.6% to 145,804. Sales of its core Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac nameplates rose 30%, GM said. Ford Motor Co. sales jumped 24.4% in January to 112,149 vehicles compared with last year, according to Autodata Corp., which compiles the numbers. Toyota continued to apologize to customers and said it was concerned about lasting damage to its market position. Analysts said it was unlikely that Toyota would allow...

The consumer advocacy group, Consumer Reports, has announced that it will be removing its recommendation to purchase the eight Toyota models named in the latest 2.3 million vehicle U.S. recall. The move marks the first time that Consumer Reports has removed several models at the same time from the recommended list. Due to the serious nature of the recall, and the fact that Toyota has still not identified a sure fix for the recalled vehicles, CR says it has reversed its decision to recommend the eight Toyota models named in the recall. “This is an unprecedented event, ” said David...

Toyota says it knew there were problems with accelerator-pedal assemblies from supplier CTS late last year, but not enough to warrant a recall. The automaker says it hurriedly announced last Thursday a planned recall of 2.3 million Toyotas, back to 2005 models, because the defect trend had picked up. "The quickness that this all came together is one reason why I don't have numbers" of complaints, the automaker's U.S. safety spokesman, John Hanson, says. "And why we don't have a fix." CTS also supplies throttle assemblies to Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi. Those companies say their designs are different and pose...

GM has come out swinging from its government-induced bankruptcy, but Ford's strength in 2009 makes it a contender in 2010. Things are looking up for the American automakers this year. General Motors is restructuring itself and is winding down its Saab brand. But though there seems to be more confidence in GM now than there was last year, Ford is giving GM a run for its money. These two companies could both be victorious, or one could leave the other badly bruised in the battle for top car company in 2010. General Motors probably wants to forget 2009--the year that...

Retail Sales of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac Up 13 Percent GM Retail Market Share Increased Two Share Points in Q4 vs. Q3 U.S. Dealer Inventory Reaches 385,000 – Lowest Year-End Level on Record DETROIT – GM dealers in the U.S. reported 160,996 retail deliveries in December – a 7 percent increase compared to last year, and a 50 percent increase over last month. Retail sales of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac brands were 146,419 – up 13 percent for the month. In total, GM dealers in the U.S. delivered 208,511 vehicles in December. This represents a total sales decline...

FORD CAPS 2009 WITH 33 PERCENT SALES INCREASE, FIRST FULL-YEAR MARKET SHARE GAIN SINCE 1995 •Ford, Lincoln and Mercury December sales up 33 percent versus a year ago; highest sales month since May 2008 •Ford posts first full-year market share gain since 1995; December marks the 14th time in 15 months that Ford increased retail market share •Record December sales delivered for Fusion (up 83 percent) and Escape (up 75 percent) ; Fusion sets new full-year sales record (180,671); Escape full-year sales (173,044) second best ever •Ford’s F-Series tops best-seller lists again with December sales of 48,209 (up 16 percent)...

Starting today, January 1, 2010, General Motors will be freed of billions in health care liabilities. Last May, as part of GM’s efforts to restructure out of court, they and the United Auto Workers union agreed to an amended version of the 2007 contract. Included in those revisions were for the union to take over nearly all of members’ health care costs. Prior to today GM was liable for nearly $2 billion per quarter in health care costs related to both active and retired UAW members. Starting today the UAW’s Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) Trust will take over responsibility...

Toyota has built a solid reputation for quality and reliability over the past several decades, but that streak hit the skids in 2009. Marking a first for the Japanese automaker, Toyota lead the industry in safety recalls during 2009. According to the Detroit Free Press, Toyota’s 9 safety recalls involving 4,872,583 was tops in the industry this year. Toyota narrowly beat out Ford’s 4,521,993 recalled vehicles to take the title of most recalled automaker for the first time in company history. Of those 4.87 million recalls, 4.3 million were a direct result of an unintended acceleration problem with some Toyota...

Will consumers buy from a bankrupt auto maker? There always are bargain hunters, but I was certain many would stay away. With Pontiac and Saturn out of the picture, I figured General Motors would be down to 16% market share, losing perhaps another 3% as worried potential buyers talked themselves out of visiting a GM showroom. That would have left GM with as little as 13% share. At least, that’s what I figured, and I have a lot of experience covering failing auto companies. So far, I’m wrong. GM’s market share has been climbing since it left bankruptcy, hitting 20.2%...

FOR THE first time since the end of the Pinochet dictatorship two decades ago, Chile looks set to elect a right-wing president and end 20 years of rule by the centre-left Concertación coalition. Billionaire Sebastián Piñera is leading in all opinion polls ahead of a first round of voting tomorrow and though he is likely to face a runoff against his closest challenger he is favourite to win the presidency after a second round in January. After a decade in which South America has been dominated by left-wing governments, such a victory would mark a significant achievement for the region’s...

Will consumers buy from a bankrupt auto maker? There always are bargain hunters, but I was certain many would stay away. With Pontiac and Saturn out of the picture, I figured General Motors would be down to 16% market share, losing perhaps another 3% as worried potential buyers talked themselves out of visiting a GM showroom. That would have left GM with as little as 13% share. At least, that’s what I figured, and I have a lot of experience covering failing auto companies. So far, I’m wrong. GM’s market share has been climbing since it left bankruptcy, hitting 20.2%...

DETROIT – Chevrolet affirms its commitment to fuel solutions and building refined, eco-friendly vehicles with the debut of the U.S. production version of the Cruze sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show, on Dec. 2. The Cruze, along with the much-anticipated Volt electric vehicle, will give visitors to the L.A. show a close-up view of Chevrolet’s expanding lineup of gas-friendly to gas-free products. “With expected highway fuel economy up to 40 miles per gallon, Cruze will be extremely gas friendly while the Volt electric vehicle can be operated gas-free," said Brent Dewar, vice president, Chevrolet. “Chevrolet's focus is on forward-looking...