BRIEFCASE.

Byline: -Staff and Wire Services

Barbie to appear on Universal DVDs

Mattel Inc. has signed a deal with Universal Studios to market and distribute DVDs based on two of the toy maker's doll lines, Barbie and Polly Pocket, the companies said Tuesday.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

The multiyear deal gives Universal worldwide distribution rights for the movies. The company's previous distribution deal with Mattel was limited to Barbie DVD releases outside the United States. Film studio Lionsgate handled domestic releases.

Mattel has seen sales of its flagship Barbie dolls slow in recent years. It has released seven feature-length, animated Barbie films straight-to-DVD since 2001 that have sold more than 27 million units globally, the company said.

The next Barbie DVD, ``The Barbie Diaries,'' is due for release next month under Mattel's previous distribution deal with Universal and Lionsgate.Two DVD releases under the new Universal-Mattel deal are slated for the fall.

Jeans-maker sues Jessica Simpson

NEW YORK - A California-based clothing manufacturer is suing Jessica Simpson for $100 million, claiming she breached their contract by failing to support lines of apparel she developed with the company.

Tarrant Apparel Group (TAG) of Los Angeles says in court papers that an agreement it signed in December 2004 with Jessica Simpson Brand Management LLC lets it use Simpson's name to make, sell, market and distribute women's sportswear.

TAG says it has already paid Simpson $2.2 million with an additional $1.6 million guaranteed as a sales royalty for 2004 and 2005 and an $4.4 million more guaranteed for the remainder of the contract.

Simpson's lawyer, Jed Ferdinand, said: ``She denies it. It's absolutely untrue. That's what the evidence will show, and she will vigorously fight the lawsuit.'' Ferdinand and TAG's lawyer, Jack Gordon, said the parties had tried to resolve the dispute but negotiations failed.

IRS to ask PayPal for accounts info

WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service won approval from a federal court to ask PayPal to turn over information about people who might be evading taxes by hiding income in other countries, officials said Tuesday.

A federal court in San Jose gave the IRS permission to ask PayPal Inc. - a company that enables online money transfers - for account information for American taxpayers who have bank accounts, credit cards or debit cards issued by financial institutions in more than 30 countries reputed to be tax havens.

Wal-Mart opens its hiring books

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has opened its books to show exactly how many women and minorities in the United States work for the world's largest employer, the first time it has released the data it files each year with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Wal-Mart's move comes amid calls from religious investors and workers-rights groups for the Bentonville, Ark.-based company to prove it is meeting verbal commitments to increase diversity and prevent discrimination.

Wal-Mart also faces a class-action discrimination lawsuit on behalf of all current and former U.S. female employees.