Apple loses iPad Mini trademark, and finds a fan in Kim Jong-un as North Korea rattles saber and tensions rise with U.S., while increased China headaches include hacking threat and iPad regulation.

Discovery Communications expands global channel reach and launches scripted programming.

Novartis loses cancer drug patent battle in India.

Amazon buys Goodreads community-driven user reviews website.

AMC reveals new tagline and logo.

Armani hires Cate Blanchett for $10M campaign.

AT&T scores with March Madness Twitter campaign.Continue reading...

BMW projected to beat Mercedes-Benz for US luxury crown.

PepsiCo reportedly mulls layoffs and salary freeze to appease Wall Street.

Kodak bankruptcy report in WSJ slams stock price.

Apple hires Adobe exec to oversee iAds, threatens to sue company behind Steve Jobs doll and rises at Foxconn's expense.

Australia's Commonwealth Bank crowdsources customer ideas.

Arm & Hammer ordered to pull TV commercial criticizing cat litter competitor.

Audi's China sales outstrip Germany.

Boeing closes premier factory in Wichita.

Burberry is now the most popular luxury brand on Facebook, as YouTube, MTV and Coca-Cola lead in FB engagement.Continue reading...

Apple's new app store subscription policy gets pushback from Rhapsody.

Bauer and Conde Nast seek new UK revenue opportunities.

Bernie Madoff's first prison interview claims banks "must have known."

Borders files for bankruptcy.

Coca-Cola disputes NPR's secret recipe claim.

Costco squabbles with Coca-Cola over pricing.Continue reading...

Disney, undoubtedly one the brands that's best known to young children, is looking to work its marketing magic at an even earlier age by bringing new mothers into their brand family with a new venture called Disney Baby.

The company launched the business last month by going around to 580 U.S. maternity hospitals, offering new mothers a Disney Cuddly Bodysuit free of charge, reports the New York Times.

The bodysuit, resembling the popular newborn onesie, is cheerily presented to the new mother by a bilingual representative, who asks mom to sign up on the splashy Babyzone website for email alerts, or participate as "Momgineers" to help spread the word.Continue reading...

Al Jazeera plays 'galvanizing' role in Middle East, as Egypt blocks web and messaging as unrest escalates, and WikiLeaks releases US/Egyptian cables.

Amazon grows at the cost of profits; announces winners of first script contest.

Borders seeks possible bankruptcy financing.

BP spill claims in the thousands challenged as fraudulent.

Caterpillar beats analyst estimates on China sales.

Bratz/Mattel trial is underway in Los Angeles.Continue reading...

The Disney mouse is going to school…actually pre-school, as the company most famous for animated entertainment shutters its sudser channel and replaces it with Disney Junior.

Disney's new channel, geared to the 2-7 year old age group, is due to launch in 2012. It will replace the now-cancelled SoapNet, a mix of soap opera reruns and supporting original programming, is currently in 75 million homes.

Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC Television Group, tells today's New York Times that “This represents the next step in a global preschool strategy that started 10 years ago with the introduction of dedicated channels overseas.”

It's also a sign of the times, as technology has made the network's original purpose obsolete.Continue reading...