SAN FRANCISCO - A California bill that would have required manufacturers to figure out how to keep the most common plastic junk out of state waterways died in the state Assembly without a vote Friday. Assembly Bill 521 was before the chamber's Appropriations Committee, and the panel failed to act on it, effectively killing the legislation for the session. It had previously passed the Assembly Natural Resource Committee. State Assemblyman Mark Stone, a D-Monterey Bay, one of the proposal's sponsors, was disappointed by the outcome.

Below is information on the current background air quality in some of North America's major cities based on data taken from http://www.airnow.gov recorded at 1:00 pm GMT on May 24. 

France's lower house on Thursday approved a plan to introduce more courses in English at universities despite critics alleging it will undermine efforts to promote French. A majority of lawmakers in the National Assembly approved the second article of a bill on higher education in a show-of-hands vote. The full bill is expected to be approved in the Assembly and the upper house Senate, where the ruling Socialists and their left-wing allies have majorities.

Below is information on the current background air quality in some of North America's major cities based on data taken from http://www.airnow.gov recorded at 12:30 pm GMT on May 23.