News bites: Apple's 'pinch to zoom' patent rejected

The Patent and Trademark Office issued a preliminary ruling against Apple's "pinch-to-zoom" patent, which was central in its billion-dollar suit against Samsung, The Wall Street Journal reports. 

The New York Times writes that the Federal Trade Commission has put strong penalties back on the table in its probe of Google.

The European Union is set to charge Samsung in an antitrust patent case, according to Reuters. 

Google will sell Motorola Mobility's TV set-top business for $2.35 billion, The Associated Press writes. 

Apple CEO Tim Cook was a runner-up to President Obama for Time's "Person of the Year" award.