Briefcase

Facebook finally launches version for iPad users

NEW YORK – One of the big, enduring questions of the technology world: “When will iPad users get their very own Facebook app?”

The answer is: now.

Facebook released an updated version of its iPhone application on Monday, one that’s also designed to fill out the larger screen of the iPad. Like the previous iPhone version, it’s free.

The lack of an iPad app for the most popular social network in the world has been a mystery, ever since Apple launched its tablet computer a year and a half ago. Third-party developers have made money selling their own apps that present Facebook data.

Associated Press

Union, Chrysler talks extended

WARREN, Mich. – Union leaders from Chrysler plants around the country were told to park in Detroit for two more days as negotiations toward a new labor contract continue with the company.

Around 200 local leaders assembled in a Detroit suburb Monday expecting to hear details of a new four-year contract. But instead, UAW President Bob King and Vice President General Holiefield said there was no deal they could recommend to the membership and asked attendees to stick around until another meeting on Wednesday, according to two officials who attended the meeting. The officials asked not to be identified because the meeting was private.

UAW spokeswoman Michele Martin said bargaining will resume this morning after negotiators rest from a weekend of near around-the-clock bargaining. Neither the union nor the company would say what’s holding up a deal.

Associated Press

Wal-Mart stores in China fined

SHANGHAI – Wal-Mart has been ordered to temporarily close some stores in the Chinese city of Chongqing and to pay $421,000 in fines following an investigation into the mislabeling of tons of regular pork as “organic.”

The retail giant said Monday in a statement that Chongqing police had detained some of its employees over what has been dubbed the “green pork” incident. It apologized to shoppers for any inconvenience and said it was cooperating with authorities.

Wal-Mart has 10 stores and two affiliates in Chongqing, a massive metropolis of 32 million people in western China. The company said it was ordered to close some of its stores in the city, but did not say exactly how many. State media reported all 12 stores were temporarily closed.

China is reporting constant problems with mislabeling, repackaging of expired food, counterfeit and substandard food and other issues despite repeated efforts to improve enforcement of food safety rules. Such cases are common in markets and smaller stores, but alleged violations by big foreign stores tend to draw more attention.

Associated Press

BlackBerry has outages

LONDON – Large numbers of BlackBerry users across Europe, the Middle East and Africa have been cut off from Internet and messaging services, phone companies in the affected regions said Monday.

BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. gave few details beyond a brief statement saying that customers were “experiencing issues,” but telecommunications companies in the Middle East and Europe laid the blame at the Canadian company’s door.

Khaled Hegazy, Vodafone Egypt’s spokesman, said “there is a problem with the servers in Canada which is affecting service” in the region.

The extent of the outage wasn’t clear. Vodafone UK said that customers across Britain appeared to be unable to access BlackBerry Messenger, a free-to-use instant messaging program which has helped make the handset popular with young people.

Asssociated Press