Volkswagen

Volkswagen sued over emissions

The Volkswagen emission cheating scandal that affects up to 11 million diesel cars globally has spurred investigations, lawsuits and a major leadership shakeup at the company since it was first discovered in September.

The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation said in a three-sentence statement on its website that it has filed a public interest suit in a court in the eastern port city of Tianjin.

AP analysis: Dozens of deaths likely from VW pollution dodge

The software that the company admitted using to get around government emissions limits allowed VWs to spew enough pollution to kill somewhere between 16 and 94 deaths over seven years, with the annual count increasing more recently as more of the diesels were on the road. The total cost has been well over $100 million.

Porsche buys 1.5 percent of VW ordinary shares from Suzuki

The purchase raises Porsche's share of Volkswagen AG's ordinary shares to 52.2 percent, and its stake in VW's subscribed capital to 32.4 percent.

The move comes days after Volkswagen was hit by a scandal over allegedly rigged U.S. emissions tests in diesel vehicles.

Porsche said in a statement Saturday that it considers the purchase "as a strong commitment to its core investment and emphasizes its role as an anchor shareholder" in Volkswagen.

     

Pope meets with family who drove 13,000 miles to see him

Francis spent time with fellow Argentinians Catire Walker and Noel Zemborain and their four children, talking about their visit and praying.

Zemborain told the Associated Press that Francis told her that they were crazy to drive so far with their children. She said it was like meeting an old friend and Francis hugged the children.

Volkswagen CEO steps down, takes responsibility for scandal

No replacement was announced, and VW still has no easy exit from a scandal that has suddenly dented the reputation for trustworthiness it spent decades building.

Winterkorn took responsibility for the "irregularities" found by U.S. inspectors in VW's diesel engines, but insisted he was "not aware of any wrongdoing on my part."

"Volkswagen needs a fresh start — also in terms of personnel," his statement said. "I am clearing the way for this fresh start with my resignation."

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany

The man died Monday at the plant in Baunatal, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Frankfurt, VW spokesman Heiko Hillwig said.

The 22-year-old was part of a team that was setting up the stationary robot when it grabbed and crushed him against a metal plate, Hillwig said.

He said initial conclusions indicate that human error was to blame, rather than a problem with the robot, which can be programmed to perform various tasks in the assembly process. He said it normally operates within a confined area at the plant, grabbing auto parts and manipulating them.