AUTO BRIEFS

ORION TOWNSHIP, Michigan (AP)

President Barack Obama and South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak promoted a new trade deal on Friday by visiting an auto plant in Michigan, a state battered by Asian car imports, in a rare joint appearance outside of Washington by a United States (US) president and a visiting head of state.

In choosing General Motors Co.'s Orion assembly plant for the tour, the two leaders drew attention to an aspect of a US-South Korea trade agreement that had been among the most difficult to negotiate.

For Obama, the trip was also an opportunity to highlight the US auto industry's resurgence after he engineered a US$80 billion government bailout for GM and Chrysler in 2009. The Orion plant had been closed before the federal government stepped in and helped guide the two car makers through bankruptcy protection.

The plant now is producing the sub-compact Chevrolet Sonic, the only sub-compact sold in the US that is assembled in the US. It is being built with South Korean parts.

Teen charged after prank accident

HARTFORD, Connecticut (AP):

A Connecticut teenager is charged with making a false 911 call that led to someone being hurt when the responding fire truck was involved in an accident.

The Hartford Courant reports that police said the 16 year-old Shelton boy called 911 on Thursday morning, said "Help! Fire!" and hung up. Police tried to call back, but no one answered. A fire truck dispatched to the home where the number was traced collided with two other vehicles. One person was injured. The accident is being investigated.

Police determined the cellphone owner was a high school student. The youngster told police he gave the phone to a friend who made the call. Police did not identify the 16 year-old because of his age.