AUTOS

Weather Forces Ford, GM Plants to Halt Work: The auto makers said some plants have been idled as heavy snow and subzero temperatures prevented supply shipments. Thirteen Ford Motor Co. parts and assembly plants, mostly in the Midwest and Ohio River Valley region, have been affected. Other plants from New Jersey to Michigan were running partial shifts. General Motors Corp. closed its Moraine assembly plant near Dayton, Ohio, idling 1,500 workers who build sport utility vehicles. A Kentucky supplier could not ship body side panels, since Ohio highways remained closed following a record snowfall this week, a plant manager said. GM expected its plant to resume operation today and Ford said it hopes to reopen its plants soon.