Despite an agreement signed last week to impose tough standards on toy safety in the European Union, the European Consumers Association said the rules were not sufficient.

Monique Goyens, director-general of the ECA, said while it acknowledged the new rules will bring some improvements on the safety of European children, it is focused more on the interests of the toy industry than on EU tykes

Boston Medical Center announced that 240 employees will be laid off or have their work hours slashed because they have lost $114 million in state money.

Boston Medical Center is is laying off staff in primary care, OB/GYN, pediatrics, geriatrics and other departments. Officials say that patients will be affected by the changes, which will result in longer waits for treatment as well as longer waits before anyone answers the phone

Soy-based imports from China intended for babies and young children will no longer be allowed throughout the 27-member European Union. The European Commission banned on Wednesday the entry of all foods that are soy-based after the discovery of melamine in a soybean meal in China.

Aside from the prohibition, the EC also required laboratory testing for all soy-related foods and shipments or baking powder. The tested food must contain less than 2.5 milligrams of melamine per kilogram to be allowed entry into the EU. The ban is expected to be in force by the end of this week

China's Ministry of Health said Monday the death of six of 11 babies across the country since September may have been caused by melamine poisoning.

The ministry said results of medical examination of the dead infants indicated that five of the victims did not die from taking milk contaminated with the toxic chemical used in making plastic products

U.S. Health officials have found traces of the toxic chemical melamine in one sample of infant formula and in several samples of medical supplements for the elderly, but say they pose no health threat.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists performed a second test on the formula sample that tested positive. The first test found a melamine level of 137 parts per billion (ppb) and the other found levels of 140 ppb