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A federal jury ruled that Apple has to pay $634 million for infringing smartwatch patents

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In a longstanding and complicated legal battle between Apple and Masimo, a recent ruling from a California jury may be the first step towards a certain conclusion. As reported by Reuters, a federal jury sided with Masimo, a medical tech company known for its patient monitoring devices, when it said that Apple infringed on the company’s patent for technology that tracks blood-oxygen levels.

The case revolves around whether Apple violated Masimo’s patent related to blood-oxygen sensors, which the jury claimed can be seen with the Apple Watch’s Workout and Heart Rate apps. According to Reuters, Apple disagreed with the verdict, adding that “the single patent in this case expired in 2022, and is specific to historic patient monitoring technology from decades ago.” The tech giant is reportedly planning to appeal the decision.

While there may be some closure with this California lawsuit, Apple and Masimo are entangled in a web of related but separate lawsuits. Masimo first accused Apple of infringing on its pulse oximeter patents, leading to Apple temporarily halting sales of its Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches. In August, Apple redesigned its blood-oxygen monitoring feature and rolled it out to the Series 9, Series 10 and Ultra 2. The redesign was approved by the US Customs and Border Protection, but Masimo filed a suit against the agency for overstepping its authority by allowing the sale of these updated Apple Watches without input from Masimo.



This story originally appeared on Engadget

Trump Is Having A Delusional Meltdown Over The Epstein Scandal

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There has always been one question surrounding Trump’s Epstein scandal cover-up.

Why?

Why is Donald Trump so desperate to keep the Epstein files hidden away from the American people? Why won’t Trump release the files? Why is Trump trying to claim that the files are a Democratic hoax when it has been Republicans who have been demanding their release for years?

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The main question is always why?

The generous answer used to be that Trump did not want the files released because they would embarrass him or his rich friends.

If the president didn’t want the files to be made public, he should never have spent the 2024 election campaign promising to release the files.

Donald Trump created this problem for himself, but he promised something to his supporters that he clearly never intended to deliver.

Trump has gotten away with breaking so many promises to his supporters. Hillary Clinton was never locked up, and the wall was never built, to name two. Understandably, he assumed this one would be forgotten, too.

Trump’s supporters haven’t forgotten. They kept the story around because they thought the files were full of Democrats, but it turns out that the files were also full of Donald Trump.

After his efforts to stop the bipartisan discharge petition in the House failed, Trump sounded increasingly desperate before the vote early next week.

Please continue reading below.



This story originally appeared on Politicususa

Masimo awarded $634M in Apple Watch patent infringement verdict

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The legal woes of the Apple Watch are continuing, as Apple has been hit with a $634 million verdict in a trial over alleged infringement of Masimo’s blood oxygen monitoring patents.

The rear sensor of the Apple Watch Series 9

Masimo has repeatedly gone after Apple, believing that the iPhone maker has used its patents in the Apple Watch to detect a user’s blood oxygen levels. On Friday, a federal jury agreed with Masimo and ruled that Apple pays $634 million in compensation.

The trial, which concluded on Friday with the ruling, saw jurors agree with Masimo that heart rate notification features and the Apple Watch’s workout mode violated Masimo’s patents, reports Daily Journal.

Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums


This story originally appeared on Appleinsider

If you think beef is expensive now, just wait until next year when prices could soar nearly 60%

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Beef prices have been giving Americans sticker shock at grocery stores lately, and they are poised to reach even more stomach-churning levels next year, according to Omaha Steaks CEO Nate Rempe.

In an interview Friday on Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria, he pointed out that the U.S. cattle herd is at 70-year lows while beef demand is at all-time highs.

To rebuild herds, ranchers must hold on to heifers rather than sending them out to meat processors. There are signs of that happening, but that also means beef supply will shrink in the near term, Rempe warned.

“So we are headed for what I’m calling the $10-a-pound reality by third quarter of ’26,” he predicted. “Families are going to see $10-a-pound ground beef in the grocery store.”

According to the latest consumer price index data, the average price of ground beef was $6.323 a pound in September. That’s up 14% since January and 26% from January 2024.

If ground beef hits $10 a pound, the price would represent a 58% surge from September’s level.

St. Louis Fed

Anger about worsening affordability delivered stunning losses to Republicans during off-year elections this month.

On Friday, Trump announced that he’s scrapping tariffs on beef, coffee, and a range of other commodities. But non-tariff factors are driving beef’s price spike.

Droughts, high interest rates, and expensive feed have combined to shrink the U.S. cattle herd sharply. At the same time, demand for protein is also soaring and is even showing up in Starbucks lattes.

Wesley Batista, who shares control of the $15 billion meat-packing behemoth JBS, said last month the U.S. needs to import more product from abroad to meet its insatiable demand.

That includes supply from Brazil and Argentina. While Trump eased tariffs on Argentine beef, Rempe pointed out the country accounts for just 2% of U.S. beef supply, meaning the solution to higher prices will depend on domestic producers.

But Trump has also targeted meat producers, accusing them of “driving up the price of Beef through Illicit Collusion, Price Fixing, and Price Manipulation.”

“I am asking the DOJ to act expeditiously,” Trump posted last week on social media. “Action must be taken immediately to protect Consumers, combat Illegal Monopolies, and ensure these Corporations are not criminally profiting at the expense of the American People.”

Meanwhile, Rempe vowed not to raise prices on Omaha Steaks’ primary gift packages, saying the company can leverage inventory stockpiles, vertical integration, and technology like AI, automation and robotics.

He also suggested consumers buy ground beef that’s 80% meat and 20% fat because it represents a better cost per ounce from a yield perspective.

Still, if shoppers see ground beef at the market with price tags that read $10.00 per pound, it will cross a major psychological threshold.

“It’s going to be tough on families,” Rempe said. “I mean that’s going to be quite a shock when that price point hits the four digits. It really feels like it has increased dramatically.”



This story originally appeared on Fortune

This FTSE 100 stock pays a 7.34% dividend yield!

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Image source: Getty Images

Across the FTSE 100, there’s a wide range of income stocks with substantial dividend yields. Among these is Mondi (LSE:MNDI) – a global supplier of sustainable packaging and paper products.

Selling cardboard and other packaging materials is hardly the most exciting business model out there. But often it’s the boring businesses that make for terrific long-term income investments. And right now, this industry titan is offering a pretty big payout.

So, should investors rush to buy this lucrative-looking opportunity? Or is this a hidden high-yield trap?

Investigating the yield

The yield offered by a stock can be increased in one of two ways. Either the company hikes the amount of money paid out to shareholders, or the stock price falls. In the case of Mondi, it seems the latter is responsible for today’s substantial payout.

Throughout 2025, the shares of this packaging enterprise have taken quite a beating, falling by close to 30% since January. And this drop is only the latest chapter in a downward trajectory that started all the way back in 2022.

What happened?

There are a lot of factors at play. But it essentially boils down to cyclical softness, resulting in the thing that investors hate the most – profit warnings. Lacklustre demand combined with excess supply has dragged down both volumes and pricing in a double whammy for this business.

Institutional analysts subsequently cut their share price targets. And with investors concerned about prolonged headwinds due to structural shifts within the European manufacturing sector, it’s not surprising that sentiment surrounding Mondi and the sector as a whole has weakened significantly.

A buying opportunity?

Beyond implementing cost controls and efficiency improvements to boost cash generation, leadership is actively ramping up e-commerce-focused product volumes.

This pivot in strategy adds a bit more diversification to the group’s revenue stream. And it helps reduce its reliance on the manufacturing industry that’s increasingly moving towards just-in-time inventory models that require less packaging material.

Obviously, this switch can’t be flicked overnight. But Mondi does have the advantage of a cash-rich balance sheet to provide some financial flexibility to maintain shareholder payouts as well as cover its debt servicing costs.

However, these resources are ultimately finite. And should global economic weakness hamper demand from the e-commerce sector as well, the company may be forced to cut dividend payouts to meet its financial obligations.

Put simply, while Mondi shares offer a higher dividend yield, it’s a reflection of the high risk attached to its operations. Should demand for packaging materials suddenly pick up, buying shares today could prove to be a highly lucrative passive income decision. But if the soft demand environment continues longer than expected, buying shares could backfire spectacularly.

The bottom line

With a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 8.9, Mondi shares have definitely fallen into value stock territory. And it signals that investors are setting their expectations pretty low, opening the door to a potentially explosive comeback should the cycle turn and the business deliver superior financials.

But the question of when market conditions will improve remains unanswered. So, while I think this business is worth investigating further, I’m keeping it on my watchlist until some early signs of recovery begin to emerge. In the meantime, I’m more interested in other lucrative dividend opportunities.



This story originally appeared on Motley Fool

Bella Hadid’s Orebella Launches Five New Fragrances For Every Mood

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Instagram/@bellahadid

Orebella, the perfume line of Bella Hadid, has made its mark in the industry very smartly with the launching of five new fragrances that follow the changing energy levels of a person. The supermodel made a “scent wardrobe” announcement through her brand’s page and asked her followers to pick a scent that captures every single facet of their character. This is indeed a very big leap for the perfume line that sells directly to retail customers.

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The announcement was like a bombshell, and it triggered immediate and very frequent cheers from her followers all over the globe. The promise of a multifunctional perfume collection without a doubt hit the right spot, as it was the reason for a loud expression of feelings and playful adoration.

One follower very perfectly described the whole feeling of excitement and joy with his comment, ‘OMG this is legendary.’ The comment speaks volumes about the high expectation and the aura of a kind of royalty that the Orebella brand is living up to, indicating that the new aromas are viewed as a blockbuster release event in the world of cosmetics.

A man or a woman, in a way, shared how close he/she felt to the product by saying, ‘How I’m going to smell for the rest my life.’ This kind of statement shows, albeit in an exaggerated way, how alluring the fragrances are and also how successful the brand is in promoting them as person’s exclusive and defining scents throughout life.

The products’ global distribution was, practically, the first evidence of one of the challenges that a new direct-to-consumer launch would have to deal with. A customer from Europe expressed his/her desire, ‘Please ship to Europe!!’ This was soon afterward answered by another buyer asking, ‘Will the perfume be available in all Arab countries.’ These comments reflect the vastness of Bella Hadid’s fame and the impatient worldwide market that is waiting to be supplied with the product, though initially in areas other than the launch ones.

The appreciation for the supermodel was at the highest level. A follower commented, ‘No one does it like you,’ giving the brand’s charm to Bella Hadid’s distinctive look. Another comment, which was addressed to the top model, stated, ‘Oh mother she delivered,’ who used a contemporary way of saying it to strengthen the idea that Bella Hadid had not only fulfilled but also surpassed the expectations with this new launch.

When we talk about the marketing strategy, the new collection was labeled as ‘scent wardrobe’, thus the fragrance can be considered not as a one-time definite selection, but as a luxurious accessory that can be changed in accordance with a person’s mood and energy. This way of thinking about perfumes is in line with the current trends in personal care and self-expression since a person can now create their scent profile just like they create their clothing style.

Orebella is the beauty brand that continues to evolve under the artistic vision of Bella Hadid. By offering a concept that not only welcomes change but also personal development, the brand does not lose its identity among the other perfume houses that are more traditional in their ways. The launch of these five central fragrances gives an extremely strong start for the company, as it introduces a whole sensory experience to its customers.

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The successful revelation of the new fragrance line has not only fortified Orebella’s market presence but also uncovered Bella Hadid’s entrepreneurial talent. The brand is already looking at a bright future since it is strategizing on the initial momentum it has built and trying to cater to the global demand that it has already created. This success follows her recent father Mohamed Hadid’s birthday celebration. Her return to the Middle East fashion scene has been notable, and during her fragrance launch in Kuwait, she expressed overwhelming love for the country. Amidst this professional success, Bella has also been open about her private mental health struggles.




This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider

Bella Thorne Stuns in Back-To-Back Bikini Looks in New Photos

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Recent bikini photos shared by Bella Thorne on Instagram have left fans speechless. The images have taken the internet by storm, with the actor rocking back-to-back beachy looks in the Instagram carousel.

Bella Thorne enjoys the beach life in back-to-back bikini looks

The 28-year-old captioned the pictures, “This year was heavy in ways I didn’t talk about. Working away from home, plus everything happening behind the scenes in my personal life caught up to me. Grateful for a week with my love to breathe and feel like myself again.”

Bella Thorne kicked off the photo carousel by wearing a white and brown bikini with see-through knitted cover-ups. A jute hat, layered accessories, and sun-kissed skin completed the beachy look.

Fans also got a sneak peek at several other looks, like a leopard print bikini and a classic black two-piece. She wore all the outfits like the true star she is. Thorne truly seemed to be in vacation mode, alongside her fiancé, on a mission to not miss a single ray of sun and take a well-deserved break for her mental health.



This story originally appeared on Realitytea

Mexico: Thousands march against crime and corruption in Generation Z protests, with 100 police injured | World News

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Thousands have taken to the streets of Mexico City to protest against crime and corruption – with 120 people left injured, according to authorities.

Pablo Vazquez, security secretary for Mexico’s capital, said that of those injured, 100 were police officers with 40 hospitalised, while 20 people were arrested.

The demonstration, which was mostly peaceful but ended with some clashes with officers, was organised by young people under the banner Generation Z.

Pics: AP
Image:
Pics: AP

Clara Brugada, mayor of Mexico City, said on X that “violent expression violates the rights of others” and condemned any act “carried out by a radical group of protesters”.

One group, calling itself Generation Z Mexico, called for the protests and said in a “manifesto” circulating on social media that it represents Mexican youth fed up with violence, corruption and abuse of power.

What is generation z?

Generation Z – or Gen Z for short – refers to an age demographic of people born between the late 1990s and early 2010s.

While the exact years vary depending on who is recording it, those considered Gen Z were typically born between 1997 and 2012, so would be between 28 and 13 years old.

Mexico has seen a recent spate of high-profile murders, including the fatal shooting of the mayor of the Uruapan municipality during Day Of The Dead festivities at the start of the month.

Supporters of Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodriguez, an outspoken critic of organised crime, were seen on Saturday wearing straw hats – a symbol of the mayor’s political movement.

Eyewitnesses told the Reuters news agency that a small group of protesters tore down fences around the National Palace where Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum lives, leading to clashes with riot police who used tear gas.

Pics: AP
Image:
Pics: AP

Some demonstrators in Mexico City protested against Ms Sheinbaum’s party, while others called for stronger state efforts to stop crime and violence, shouting: “Carlos did not die, the government killed him.”

Other marches took place across Mexico, including in the western state of Michoacan, where Mr Manzo was murdered.

Reuters reported that Mexico’s government is claiming that the protests on Saturday were organised largely by right-leaning political opponents, and were promoted by bots on social media.

Read more from Sky News:
Mexico’s president presses charges after groping incident
Are we becoming too reliant on AI – or too cautious?

It marks the latest instance of mass protests from young people, after a Gen Z uprising ousted the president of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, earlier this month.

And in September, anti-government protests that exploded after Nepalese authorities blocked several social media platforms led to mass unrest and the resignation of the prime minister KP Sharma Oli.



This story originally appeared on Skynews

President Trump issues two pardons related to Jan. 6 investigation : NPR

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Violent insurrections loyal to President Donald Trump break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.

Julio Cortez/AP


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Julio Cortez/AP

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has issued two pardons related to the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021 riot, including for a woman convicted of threatening to shoot FBI agents who were investigating a tip that she may have been at the Capitol, officials said Saturday.

In a separate case, Trump issued a second pardon for a Jan. 6 defendant who had remained behind bars despite the sweeping grant of clemency for Capitol rioters because of a separate conviction for illegally possessing firearms.

It’s the latest example of Trump’s willingness to use his constitutional authority to help supporters who were scrutinized as part of the Biden administration’s massive Jan. 6 investigation that led to charges against more than 1,500 defendants.

Suzanne Ellen Kaye was released last year after serving an 18-month sentence in her threats case. After FBI contacted her in 2021 about a tip indicating she may have been at the Capitol on Jan. 6, she posted a video on social media citing her Second Amendment right to carry a gun and she threatened to shoot agents if they came to her house. In court papers, prosecutors said her words “were part of the ubiquity of violent political rhetoric that causes serious harm to our communities.”

An email seeking comment was sent to a lawyer for Kaye on Saturday. Kaye testified at trial that she didn’t own any guns and didn’t intend to threaten the FBI, according to court papers. She told authorities she was not at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and wasn’t charged with any Capitol riot-related crimes.

A White House official said Kaye suffers from “stress-induced seizures,” and experienced one when the jury read its verdict. The White House said this is “clearly a case of disfavored First Amendment political speech being prosecuted and an excessive sentence.” The official requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss the case.

In a separate case, Trump pardoned Daniel Edwin Wilson of Louisville, Kentucky, who was under investigation for his role in the riot when authorities found six guns and roughly 4,800 rounds of ammunition in his home. Because of prior felony convictions, it was illegal for him to possess firearms.

Wilson’s case became part of a legal debate over whether Trump’s sweeping pardons for Jan. 6 rioters in January applied to other crimes discovered during the sprawling federal dragnet that began after the attack on the Capitol. The Trump-appointed federal judge who oversaw Wilson’s case criticized the Justice Department earlier this year for arguing that the president’s Jan. 6 pardons applied to Wilson’s gun offense.

Wilson, who had been scheduled to remain in prison until 2028, was released Friday evening following the pardon, his lawyer said on Saturday.

“We are grateful that President Trump has recognized the injustice in my client’s case and granted him this pardon,” attorney George Pallas said in an email. “Mr. Wilson can now reunite with his family and begin rebuilding his life.”

The White House official said Saturday that “because the search of Mr. Wilson’s home was due to the events of January 6, and they should have never been there in the first place, President Trump is pardoning Mr. Wilson for the firearm issues.”

Wilson had been sentenced in 2024 to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to impede or injure police officers and illegally possessing firearms at his home.

Prosecutors had accused him of planning for the Jan. 6 riot for weeks and coming to Washington with the goal of stopping the peaceful transfer of power. Authorities said he communicated with members of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group and adherents of the antigovernment Three Percenters movement as he marched to the Capitol.

Prosecutors cited messages they argued showed that Wilson’s “plans were for a broader American civil war.” In one message on Nov. 9, 2020, he wrote: “I’m willing to do whatever. Done made up my mind. I understand the tip of the spear will not be easy. I’m willing to sacrifice myself if necessary. Whether it means prison or death.”

Wilson said at his sentencing that he regretted entering the Capitol that day but “got involved with good intentions.”

The Justice Department had initially argued in February that Trump’s pardons of the Jan. 6 rioters on his first day back in the White House didn’t extend to Wilson’s gun crime. The department later changed its position, saying it had received “further clarity on the intent of the Presidential Pardon.”

U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, criticized the department’s evolving position and said it was “extraordinary” that prosecutors were seeking to argue that Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons extended to illegal “contraband” found by investigators during searches related to the Jan. 6 cases.

Politico first reported Wilson’s pardon on Saturday. Megerian reported from West Palm Beach, Fla.



This story originally appeared on NPR

'One's own room': Afghan women's current reality

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At first, its soft cushions, luxurious rugs and fine china evoke the warm hospitality of an Afghan home. Yet as the immersive theatrical experience progresses, the audience feels the walls closing in, the sky outside darkens and the narrator’s stories become increasingly bleak in tone. “One’s own room: Inside Kabul” is an artistic take on the circumstances Afghan women and girls are currently living in: limited to their homes, with scarce opportunities for education. Its co-creator, Caroline Gillet, tells us about creating this space based on the accounts of Raha and Marwa, the two Afghan women whose stories made up her award-winning podcast “Inside Kabul” after the Taliban seized power in 2021.


This story originally appeared on France24