US-bound flights to ban most electronic devices

US-bound passengers travelling from about a dozen countries will be banned from carrying most electronic devices, officials have said.

Twelve carriers flying from about a dozen countries will be affected by the new rules, which could be announced later.

Some Middle Eastern airlines are affected, including airlines based in Jordan and Saudi Arabia, although the other countries were not named.

American carriers will not be affected.

Passengers will still be allowed to keep mobile phones and approved medical devices with them but anything larger, such as laptops, cameras and tablets, will only be permitted in checked luggage.

The ban has been under consideration since the US government learned of a terrorism threat several weeks ago.

Earlier on Monday, Royal Jordanian Airlines told its passengers that laptops, iPads, cameras and other electronics would not be allowed in carry-on luggage for US-bound flights from Tuesday.

In a tweet that now appears to have been deleted, the airline said mobile phones and medical devices were excluded from the ban but all other electronics had to be in checked luggage.

The airline tweeted on Monday evening that "further updates will be announced soon".

Al Riyadh, a newspaper close to the Saudi government, quoted a civil aviation authority source as saying that the measures were relayed from senior US officials to the Saudi interior ministry.

The White House would not comment and a US Department of Homeland Security spokesman said they had "no comment on potential security precautions, but will provide an update when appropriate".

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told congressional lawmakers about the plan during the weekend, according to aides.