AUTOS

Volkswagen Backs Executives: The German car maker said its supervisory board decided that production chief Jose Ignacio Lopez de Arriortura and CEO Ferdinand Piech will stay with the company. Volkswagen reaffirmed its backing for the controversial Lopez and said there is no evidence he is guilty of industrial espionage. VW’s supervisory board had been meeting to discuss the accusations of spying lodged by rival General Motors Corp. Company spokesmen had already denied rumors that VW would sever links with both men following a probe into GM’s claims.