Uruguay's unprecedented plan to put the government at the center of a legal marijuana industry has made it halfway through congress, giving President Jose Mujica a long-sought victory in his effort to explore alternatives to the global war on drugs.

All 50 members of the governing Broad Front coalition approved the proposal in a party line vote just before midnight Wednesday, keeping a narrow majority of the 96 lawmakers present after more than 13 hours of passionate debate.

Afraid there may be peanuts or other allergens hiding in that cookie? Thanks to a cradle and app that turn your smartphone into a handheld biosensor, you may soon be able to run on-the-spot tests for food safety, environmental toxins, medical diagnostics and more.

The handheld biosensor was developed by researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Etihad Airways says it plans to acquire a 49 percent stake in Serbia's JAT Airways in a wide-ranging deal that will bring a new name and expanded routes for the struggling Belgrade-based carrier.

The pact is the latest partnership for fast-growing Etihad, which is locked in competition with other Gulf carriers, the Dubai-based Emirates and Qatar Airways.

Procter & Gamble Co. says its fiscal fourth-quarter net income dropped due to a write down related to its Braun Appliance business and other one-time costs but adjusted results beat expectations.

Its shares edged up 1 percent in premarket trading.

Puerto Ricans are used to wet tropical weather, but the past few weeks have unleashed a series of storms of almost biblical proportions, destroying hundreds of homes, sweeping away cars and leaving tens of thousands without power.

It has been the wettest July ever recorded in the U.S. island territory, with 14 inches (36 centimeters) so far drenching the capital. More rain fell on July 18 than had ever come down in a 24-hour period.

The man who runs Germany's biggest opera house says a chance encounter with an American colleague brought home to him just how fortunate he is.

Nikolaus Bachler, intendant of the Bavarian State Opera, recalled staying at a hotel in Verona, Italy, and finding that the head of a U.S. opera company was also a guest there.

NBC's "Parks and Recreation" is losing two of its cast members.

Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones will leave the series after the 13th episode of the upcoming sixth season.

Queen Latifah says her new daytime talk show is calling on A-list friends for support, including musicians Alicia Keys and Lenny Kravitz.

Keys has already participated in test runs of "The Queen Latifah Show." And Kravitz's design firm created the set.

As a slew of big-name Japanese companies report improved quarterly earnings, one theme is taking the sheen off their rosy numbers: mainstay businesses are still struggling despite the perk from a weaker yen.

The latest example came Thursday from Sony Corp. The Japanese electronics and entertainment company reported a 3.5 billion yen ($35 million) April-June profit, a reversal from the 24.6 billion yen loss it suffered the previous year.

Major German publishers have decided to continue allowing Google to display extracts of their articles despite campaigning to tighten copyright rules for online news.

Google has said it will now only display material from publishers who have "opted in" to have free extracts appear on its news page.