awaited decision

General Motors is preparing to announce a long-awaited decision regarding its European subsidiary Opel. The decision on whether the subsidiary will be sold is being closely watched in Germany, where Opel employs roughly half of its 50,000 European workers at four plants.

The announcement could be made Thursday.

The Supreme Court on Monday wrapped up its term with a long-awaited decision, ruling in favor of white firefighters who had complained that the city of New Haven, Conn., had discriminated against them on the basis of race by refusing to certify promotion exam scores.

The ruling reversed a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge.