Business briefs

Lansing -- Michigan workers eligible for extended unemployment benefits recently approved by Congress will soon get application instructions in the mail. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency said Friday it will send letters to 70,000 to 80,000 jobless workers who have exhausted their benefits this year. Most jobless workers will be eligible for up to 13 weeks of additional unemployment checks. Another six weeks of benefits is being offered in high-unemployment states such as Michigan for applicants whose other unemployment benefits run out before Dec. 31. The state will take applications by phone and online beginning Nov. 23.

Land purchased for new movie studio

Allen Park-- The city of Allen Park has closed on its purchase of 104 acres of land for a new movie studio. The Detroit suburb announced the purchase Friday, a day after the sale closed. The city said $25.3 million in long-term general obligation bonds and $3 million in Wayne County Issued Recovery Zone Bonds were sold to finance the purchase. Ground was broken in August at the site of what is to become Unity Studios & Village .

Nissan unveils electric car in North America

Los Angeles-- Nissan Motor Co. 's LEAF electric car made its North American debut Friday at Dodger Stadium. Nissan will start selling the zero-emission, battery-powered LEAF in 2010. It expects to sell electric vehicles mostly to fleets next year but market them in larger numbers starting in 2012. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, who also runs Nissan's French partner Renault SA, is committed to electric vehicles. Nissan unveiled the LEAF in Japan in August, while Renault showed four electric concepts in September for vehicles it will start building in the next three years.

Deficit hits $21.B at govt. pension insurer

Washington-- The government's pension insurer said Friday its deficit climbed to $21.1 billion -- $10.4 billion more than last year's record. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. , which insures the pensions of 44 million Americans, is a government-owned corporation that oversees 29,000 pension plans and has $70.2 billion in assets.

Staff and wire reports