FRESNO, California (AP) ― The Supreme Court on Monday overturned a California law that would require euthanizing downed livestock at federally inspected slaughterhouses to keep the meat out of the nation’s food system.California strengthened regulations against slaughtering so-called “downer” animals after the 2008 release of an undercover Humane Society of the United States video showed workers abusing cows at a slaughterhouse.In a widely expected decision, the high court ruled that the state’s

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ― Tablets and e-readers were a popular gift over the holidays, so much so that the number of people who own them nearly doubled between mid-December and January, a new study finds.A report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, released on Monday, found that 29 percent of Americans owned at least one tablet or e-reader as of the beginning of this month. That’s up from 18 percent who said the same in December.The iPad from Apple Inc. is perhaps the best-known example

 New RIM CEO stays course, but analysts doubt new software can revive the BlackBerryNEW YORK (AP) ― In the trend-setting North American market, BlackBerry phones have gone from must-have messaging toys to outdated clunkers ― all in the space of a few years. The new CEO of Research In Motion Ltd., the company behind the phones, says it can claw its way back to the top with new software, but analysts are deeply doubtful.The two co-CEOs of the Canadian company resigned Sunday. The new CEO is Thorst

 TEHRAN, Iran (AP) _ Senior Iranian lawmakers have stepped up threats that Islamic Republic warships could block the Persian Gulf's oil tanker traffic after the latest blow by Western leaders seeking to rein in Tehran's nuclear program: A punishing oil embargo by the European Union that sharply

COLUMBIA (AFP) -- Former Republican House speaker Newt Gingrich decisively won a keenly-watched South Carolina Republican presidential primary Saturday with 40.4 percent of the vote, according to nearly complete official returns.Republican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gi

NEW YORK (AP) ― Apple Inc. on Thursday launched its attempt to make the iPad a replacement for a satchel full of textbooks by starting to sell electronic versions of a handful of standard high-school books.The electronic textbooks, which include “Biology” and “Environmental Science” from Pearson and “Algebra 1” and “Chemistry” from McGraw-Hill, contain videos and other interactive elements.But it’s far from clear that even a company with Apple’s clout will be able to reform the primary and high-

U.S. company ousts Toyota by selling more than 9 million vehiclesDETROIT (AP) ― General Motors Co. has retaken the title of world’s top-selling automaker, selling just over 9 million cars and trucks across the globe. The company said Thursday that it sold 9.03 million vehicles worldwide last year, up 7.6 percent from 2010. That’s more than 1 million better than Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp., which took the title away from GM in 2008. GM had held the global sales crown for more than seven decades be