One of the pending bills waiting for California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's signature is a proposal to expand the coverage of medical policies to include maternity service, tests for the HPV virus, which could cause cervical cancer, treatment for mental health and substance abuse problems.

But with the wider medical coverage for 18 million California residents, premiums would go up by $383 million annually, equivalent to 0.5 percent of the $74 billion that employers and individuals pay, according to data from the University of California's Health Benefits Review Program

British-based confectionery company Cadbury on Monday recalled 11 of its chocolate products in Hong Kong shelves as a precautionary step amid mounting fears over Chinese contaminated milk.

The Asia-Pacific regional management of Cadbury said the products include Cadbury Eclairs, dark and milk chocolate, hazelnut and praline chocolate, dark Chocettes, and products made for the Chinese New Year in February

Officials from the Japanese government and a local food manufacturer confirmed Friday that the toxic chemical melamine was detected in some sweet buns imported from China by the firm.

The "Cream Panda," "Matcha Azuki Milk Man" and "Gratin Crepe Corn" sold locally by Marudai Food Co. were the first food products in Japan found tainted with melamine after the chemical was detected in Chinese milk blamed for killing four infants and sickening thousands others in that country

An animal rights group has urged a U.S. ice cream maker to follow a Swiss restaurant's lead by using human breast milk instead of cow's milk in making its products.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) made the call in a letter to the owners of Vermont-based Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc. on Tuesday

The World Health Organization has warned against the illegal entry of Chinese milk contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine that has killed four infants and sickened over 54,000 children in China.

Anthony Hazzard, regional adviser in Food Safety of WHO, said the United Nations health watchdog has already advised the 167 member-countries of the International Food Safety Authority Network to be on guard for the possible entry of 22 Chinese milk products found to be contaminated with melamine