Philadelphia's new measure was approved by a 13 to 4 city council vote.

Public health groups applauded the approved tax as a step toward fixing certain lasting health issues that plague Americans.

Some states require parents or a home tutor to meet teacher certification standards, and many require parents to complete legal forms to verify that their children are receiving instruction in state approved curriculum.

But the Food and Drug Administration has not approved Avastin for use in the eye, and using it rather than the alternative, Lucentis, might carry an additional, although slight, safety risk.

In the US, the House of Representatives Science Committee has approved a bill allocating $10 million a year to studying energy-related behaviour.

The changes would have to be approved or rejected as a whole by Congress, making it hard for narrow-interest lobbies to bend lawmakers to their will.

The good news is that a bill just approved by the House and a bill approved by the Senate finance Committee would implement or test many reforms that should help slow the rise in medical costs over the long term.