Google taps David Beckham to promote Google+ as company grapples with social search fallout, and apologizes for Kenyan flub.

Apple's iPad 3 expected to go on sale in March with HD screen and faster chip. Apple also joined the Fair Labor Association, opening suppliers' doors to labor rights watchdog in transparency response to Foxconn fears — the first tech brand to do so.

Bentley courts Maybach fans including Jay-Z — who has just signed on as the face of (and an investor in) Duracell.

British films to be pitched as a global brand.

BT will offer free Wi-Fi at London Olympic Games.

Disney Studios quickly fills CMO position.

Dr Pepper brand name is removed from Texas town.

Easyjet fined for barring disabled passengers.

Excedrin recall expands to Canada.

Olivia Munn strips off for PETA.Continue reading...

Obama attempts to rebrand health care reform proposals. [WSJ]

Switzerland ousts US as the world's most competitive economy in the annual World Economic Forum global survey of business leaders. [AP]

Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom to combine their struggling T-Mobile and Orange UK operations, creating the country's largest wireless provider. [NYT]

Google defends its Books Registry plans to digitize copyrighted but out-of-print books at a European Commission hearing. [NYT]

Kraft fights to take over Cadbury. [FT]

Unilever's China plans target growth rather than profits. [WSJ]

Jaeger chief Tillman's purchase of Aquascutum from Japanese giant Renown restores British ownership of the 158-year-old fashion brand. [Guardian]

Oof! In China, two Wal-Mart employees are fired after beating a suspected shoplifter to death. [AP]

(More headlines: Pret A Manger, Pearson, Harvard University.) Continue reading...