Iraq bans poultry imports from 24 countries over avian flu threat

Iraq has extended a ban on imports of frozen and live poultry products to cover two dozen countries, including China and South Africa, the government said on Sunday. Baghdad last month restricted poultry imports from France, where an outbreak of avian flu has been reported. The agriculture ministry could not be contacted for immediate comment, but a ministry spokesman previously said that the ban on French poultry was because of avian flu.