Delta buys 49% of Virgin Atlantic, as Virgin's Aer Lingus hookup mocked by Ryanair and Branson bets on future of the brand. American Airlines, meanwhile, says decision on pursuing US Airways merger is coming soon.

HSBC to pay record U.S. penalty on money laundering.

Diageo terminates talks on "future" of Jose Cuervo.

AIG shares yield $7.6 billion to U.S. government, boosting taxpayers' overall profit to nearly $23 billion.

AOL postpones premiere of hip-hop-inspired TV ad.

Boeing faces revived concerns about 787.

Burberry launches Christmas events and global review.

Burger King expands digital marketing.Continue reading...

* Oracle's Larry Ellison will fight HP's lawsuit over Mark Hurd's hiring.

* BP assumes partial blame for the Gulf disaster, citing a series of factors in its just-released report.

* Oprah Winfrey uses clout to launch syndicated talk show featuring her designer, Nate Berkus.

* Vodafone sold its China Mobile stake for $6.6 billion.

* Samsung's Galaxy S phone will be offered by China's three mobile carriers.

* Anheuser-Busch scored a "partial victory" in legal battle with an Illinois distributor.Continue reading...

"Energy Star," a designation the Federal government applies to energy-efficient products, is arguably one of the biggest non-brands in the consumer marketplace. A just-released report shows that 56 percent of consumers recognized the Energy Star label, and 56 percent said it was "extremely important" in making purchase decisions on appliances.

In many respects, Energy Star is not unlike the "UL Approved" designation on electrical wiring, or the Good Housekeeping "Seal of Approval" on a wide range of consumer products. Yet the Energy Star designation seems to affect consumers differently, according to the report. While 40 percent of survey respondents thought the designation represented "energy efficient," only 12 percent thought it meant "protecting the environment."Continue reading...