Global automakers unveil local China brands

SHANGHAI (AP) -- Some of the new Chinese cars unveiled at this week's Shanghai Auto Show are affordable for millions of buyers - a happy development for Beijing that might prove costly for the global automakers producing them.

General Motors Co. unveiled the 630 sedan, the first model from its new Baojun badge developed with Chinese joint venture partners. The four-door is based on an older GM car and will have a sticker price of 70,000 to 100,000 yuan ($10,700 to $15,300).

Honda Motor Co. displayed the plain, compact four-door S1 at the auto show, the first from its new Everus line which went on sale this week. Nissan Motor Co. showed off an unnamed car it plans to sell under the Venucia brand next year.

Urgent UN rights meeting on Mideast unrest planned

GENEVA (AP) -- Several members of the U.N.'s top human rights body are pressing for an emergency meeting to examine the government crackdowns against popular protests that have swept the Middle East and North Africa, Western diplomats said Wednesday.

The countries, from Latin America, Europe, North America and Asia, are trying to collect 16 signatures necessary to force a special session of the U.N. Human Rights Council next week, the diplomats said.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, which was underlined by the innocuous title proposed for the meeting - "Promotion and protection of human rights in the context of recent peaceful protests."