US stops import of French meats:

"The US has suspended imports of French meat products on safety grounds.

Items such as sausages, hams and foie gras are affected, France's Agriculture Ministry has reported.

The US has introduced the ban after a team of American farm officials visited the 11 French firms allowed to export such products to the States, it said.

Tuesday's move came hours after the European Union introduced a Europe-wide total ban on US poultry and egg imports after a bird flu outbreak in Texas. "