IBT Staff Reporter

Just three weeks after the global launch, bootleg versions of Apple Inc's hot-selling iPad tablet PCs have begun showing up on the shelves of online and real-world shops in piracy-prone China.

Republicans will eventually vote for financial reform, paving the way for the completion this year of a massive rewrite of rules for banks and financial markets, the head of the American Bankers Association said on Monday.

Google Inc's Nexus One smartphone will be sold in Vodafone retail stores in Britain at the end of the month and the company said there are no longer plans to offer a version of the phone that uses the Verizon Wireless network in the United States.

BlackRock Inc , the giant money management firm, reported weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings as its funds businesses saw outflows and customers shifted to passive funds over more actively-managed ones.

The share of empty U.S. homes fell slightly in the first quarter, a government report on Monday showed, though vacancies remained at elevated levels amid continued weakness in the housing sector.

Pay czar Kenneth Feinberg sees early signs some Wall Street firms are voluntarily toughening up on the way they pay executives, but he cautions it remains to be seen whether such behavior becomes permanent.

Republicans will eventually vote for financial reform, paving the way for the completion this year of a massive rewrite of rules for banks and financial markets, the head of the American Bankers Association said on Monday.

The Dow industrials rose on Monday on Caterpillar's strong results, while weak bank shares left the broad S&P 500 index little changed.

Caterpillar Inc reported a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit on Monday and raised its full-year profit and sales forecasts, citing an improving global economy, especially in Asia and Latin America.

Massey Energy Co , owner of the West Virginia coal mine where 29 miners were killed three weeks ago, accused unions on Monday of spreading a big lie that the company had traded safety for profit.

Differences over how Europe and the United States plan to regulate derivatives is muddying the picture for buyers, who could be saddled with higher costs, a top industry official told the Reuters Global Financial Regulation Summit.

General Electric Co and Nissan Motor Co on Monday announced a three-year agreement to collectively research development of charging stations for electric vehicles.

Germany said on Monday it could offer aid for Greece within days if it agreed to painful new austerity measures, but rescue jitters pushed the cost of insuring against a Greek debt default to a record high.

Canadian auto parts maker Magna International said on Monday it has won contracts to supply a variety of components and systems for Volkswagen Group of America's new mid-sized sedan, expected to hit the U.S. market in 2011.

BlackRock Inc ., the giant money management firm, reported weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings as its quantitative and cash management funds businesses saw outflows.

The most sweeping overhaul of financial regulation since the Great Depression was on track to fail its first procedural test on Monday in the Senate, where Republicans vowed to block the Democratic bill.

Germany set tough terms on Monday for Greece to secure emergency aid, increasing uncertainty over a financial rescue that pushed the cost of insuring against a Greek debt default to a record high.

The Dow industrials rose on Monday on strong results from Caterpillar, while weakness in financial shares left the broad S&P 500 index little changed.

(Reuters) - Rock singer and TV reality star Bret Michaels remained in critical condition, but was conscious and talking with slurred speech after suffering a brain hemorrhage, his publicist said on Sunday.

(Reuters) - Barely a twentieth of the estimated $3.2 billion needed is put into preventing drug users spreading the AIDS virus, experts said on Monday, and the shortfall is fuelling HIV epidemics in parts of Europe and Asia.

AMSTERDAM, April 26 - Dutch navigation device maker TomTom is turning competitive pressure to its advantage, selling content and services to the very same mobile phone providers which are eating into its traditional market for satnav devices.

Caterpillar Inc reported a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit on Monday and raised its full-year sales forecast above Wall Street estimates, citing an improving global economy, especially in Asia and Latin America.

Whirlpool Corp's quarterly profit and full year forecast surpassed Wall Street estimates, helped by sales in Brazil, Asia and North America, sending shares in the world's largest appliance maker up 14 percent.

Germany called on Monday for a financial rescue to be ready for Greece by a May 19 debt deadline after uncertainty over the terms and implementation of the aid package pushed Athens' borrowing costs up to a 12-year high.

German carmaker Volkswagen will build two new plants in China as part of a 1.6 billion euro ($2.15 billion) expansion plan to capture growth in the world's most dynamic auto market.

U.S. stocks rose on Monday on strong results from Caterpillar and a flurry of merger-and-acquisition activity, though weakness in financial shares limited gains.

Caterpillar Inc , the world's largest maker of earth-moving equipment, reported stronger-than-expected quarterly profit on Monday and raised its full-year forecast, saying economic conditions are definitely improving, especially in Asia and Latin America.

Fabrice Tourre and his girlfriend talked like a couple very much in love.

Mell Lawrence Architects in Austin manages to achieve that delicate balance of combining traditional barn vernacular with a relevant, modern style.