The U.K. is joining the U.S. in its ban restricting passengers from bringing some electronic devices onto flights from the Middle East.

Phones, laptops, and tablets that are larger than 16 cm (6.3 inches) in length and wider than 9.3 cm will no longer be allowed in the cabin on select flights coming from several Middle Eastern countries, the U.K.'s department of transportation said on Tuesday.

The U.K. said it was in "close contact" with the U.S. since the country announced its own ban on Monday. However, the U.K. made no mention of any specific risk, only that it faces "evolving" terrorism threats.

The six countries included in the ban are Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Tunisia.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced a similar action that will apply to flights from 10 airports in the Middle East and Africa starting later this week. It also bans consumer devices larger than a smartphone.

Terrorist groups "are aggressively pursuing innovative methods to undertake their attacks, to include smuggling explosive devices in various consumer items,” the DHS said.

However, the electronics ban reportedly stems from no "specific, newly discovered threat," but instead general caution.

Last year, a bomb built into a laptop slipped past an airport security check and exploded on a Somali passenger flight, injuring two and killing the suspected terrorist. A Somali terrorist group with ties to Al-Qaeda reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.

The U.K.'s transportation department didn't say how long its restriction might last. "We understand the frustration that these measures may cause and we are working with the aviation industry to minimize any impact," it said.

However, the new regulations from the U.S. and U.K. only apply to electronics brought into airplane cabins and doesn't appear to affect any devices checked in baggage.

That's raising some questions over the efficacy of the bans.

"If there is a threat, you need a much, much wider, universal ban -- and explain why iPads & Kindles, but not phablets," tweeted Zeynep Tufekci, a professor at the University of North Carolina who studies technology. </s> Controversial ban preventing Middle Eastern passengers carrying their laptops on flights to the US officially ends

The United States has ended a four-month ban on passengers from certain Middle Eastern and North African countries, from taking their devices onto flights to America.

Under the leadership of the Trump administration, the US in March had banned the carrying of laptops in aircraft cabins on flights from eight predominately Muslim nations, due to security concerns.

However the US had stopped short of banning laptops on all flights to America, much to the relief of passengers from European countries travelling to the US.

The US ban on laptops from certain countries had stemmed from previous concerns over bombs being carried in laptops.

That concern had required people to turn on their laptops if requested by airport personnel, in order to prove the battery pack had not been replaced with explosives.

But the US decision to end the laptop ban altogether came after officials from the US department of homeland security (DHS) confirmed in a Tweet that King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) was the last of 10 airports to have the ban lifted.

The DHS also lifted the ban on nine airlines including Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Kuwait Airways, EgyptAir and Royal Air Maroc.

Those were apparently the only airlines to fly direct flights to the United States. DHS officials had apparently visited 10 airports in Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey to confirm new security measures were being implemented, before they decided to lift the ban.

These new security measures include enhanced passenger screening at foreign airports, increased security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas, and more checks by sniffer dogs.

And airlines that fail to comply could face electronics restrictions.

However it should be noted that a travel ban on citizens from six Muslim-majority countries – Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen – remains in place. Although this ban is currently hampered because of various court proceedings in the US.

Meanwhile it worth noting that the United Kingdom continues its ban on in-cabin electronics on flights from a number of Middle Eastern airports including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.

That said, there are reports in the Turkish media that British authorities will soon lift the ban on flights from Turkey.

Carrying electronics on airlines has become a touchy subject in recent times.

Travel safety experts for example have long argued that rules that forced laptops to be placed in plane holds could cause its own safety issues, since lithium battery fires would be difficult to extinguish there.

Earlier this year United Airlines and Delta Airlines both banned the bulk shipping of lithium-ion batteries over safety concerns.

Quiz: What do you know about the new US President Donald Trump and his relationship with technology? </s> LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) – Beginning Wednesday, passengers on all direct flights coming into the United States from Mexico can expect more stringent electronics screening at Mexican airports.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security informed the Mexican Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that extra security screenings will be required for large electronic devices, such as laptops and tablets.

Passengers traveling to the U.S. should arrive at the airport three hours before their flight due to the extra security procedures, the DGCA said.

While the devices aren’t banned, if possible, the DGCA advises travelers to check any electronics larger than a phone in order to save time getting through security.

In March, the Transportation Security Administration issued a laptop ban on passengers coming into the U.S. on nonstop flights from 10 airports in eight Middle Eastern and North African countries. Under the ban, passengers cannot have any electronics bigger than a phone in their carry-on luggage.

The affected countries are Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait.

The ban is due to the threat of terrorists smuggling explosives into such electronic devices. </s> Travelers heading to the U.S. from 10 international airports are feeling the impact of a new electronics ban.The new ban ordered passengers from bringing most types of electronic devices into the cabin for U.S.-bound flights. Instead, those devices are wrapped up and stored in the cargo hold.The U.S. ban covers flights from 10 airports, including major global hubs like Dubai. The other airports affected are Cairo International in Egypt, Abu Dhabi International in Abu Dhabi, Istanbul Ataturk Airport in Turkey, Hamad International in, Qatar, Queen Alia International in Jordan, Kuwait International in Kuwait Mohammed V International in Morocco, King Abdulaziz International and King Khalid International in Saudi Arabia.Smartphones will still be allowed in the cabin, but any electronic devices bigger than that will have to be checked in either with your luggage or at the gate. That includes laptops, cameras, gaming devices and tablets such as iPads and larger smartphones, like the iPhone 7 plus, are also not being allowed on board.Medical devices will still be allowed in the cabin after security screening.Officials said the ban is after concerns about potential terrorist attacks, using electronic devices.The U.S. government officially notified the airlines on Tuesday and had a deadline to comply by Saturday.There have been reports that airlines have been scrambling to implement the new rules, so the best advice is, if you're flying internationally to the U.S. or the U.K. is to arrive earlier than normal. </s> United States lifts laptop and electronics ban from Middle East flights Developers and games firms from the region now able to bring the equipment they need into US

The United States government has lifted the restrictions imposed earlier this year preventing passengers from packing laptops, games consoles or other electronics into their hand luggage.

The controversial ban was targeted specifically at people travelling from ten Middle East airports or using nine airlines from that area. While it affected professionals in all kinds of industries, it has proven to be particularly troublesome for game developers and publishers, who need to be able to transport equipment for demonstration purposes - most notably for E3 2017 last month.

TechCrunch reports the US lifted the ban for three major airlines earlier this month and has now removed the restrictions entirely. The Department of Homeland Security has now declared itself satisfied "with enhanced security measures in place".

The ban was originally introduced on the grounds of increasing national security, based on the administration's evaluation of the potential for terrorist threats from the Middle East. A, similar and perhaps more controversial, ban was imposed on all persons travelling from seven predominantly Muslim countries earlier this year.

This affected several developers heading for GDC 2017, with the conference's organisers offering to refund those who were prevented from attending. Unity, meanwhile, promised to fly 50 affected developers to its Unite Europe conference in June - GamesIndustry.bizspoke to some of these creators during the event.

TechCrunch notes that a similar laptop ban instigated by the UK on direct flights from the Middle East and North Africa still stands. </s> DALLAS -- The ban on laptops in the cabins of planes flying from the Middle East to the U.S. is over, federal officials said Thursday as large airports in the region have taken other steps to increase security.

Those measures include checking electronic devices to make sure they don't contain a bomb, and pulling more people out of airport lines for additional screening.

A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that all airlines and airports with flights departing for the U.S. had met the agency's first phase of new security measures, which were announced in late June but not described in any detail.

No airlines are under restrictions for large personal electronic devices anywhere in the world because each has implemented additional security measures that ultimately make the global aviation community more secure, CBS News transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave reports.

Officials released a statement to CBS News saying communication between the DHS and Transportation Security Agency led to the increase in airline safety.

"The quick and decisive action taken by airlines, nations, and stakeholders are a testament to our shared commitment to raising the bar on global aviation security. Airlines were able to implement the necessary enhanced security measures because of the close coordination and extensive communication between aviation partners and DHS/TSA," the statement read. "As we continue to secure global aviation in the coming weeks and months, this communication and partnership between the private sector and the U.S. government will be imperative."

In March, the U.S. imposed a ban on laptops in the cabins of planes coming into the country from 10 Middle Eastern airports. This week, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was the last of the 10 to comply with U.S. security measures and exit the laptop-ban list.

Electronics ban on U.S.-Saudi Arabia flights lifted

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said the laptop ban was a "pause," a stopgap measure until airports could make other security improvements. It grew from fear that terrorists were working on bombs that can be hidden in devices such as laptop and tablet computers.

"We tested it on a real airplane on the ground, pressurized (as an airliner is during flight), and to say the least it destroyed the airplane," Kelly said Wednesday at a security conference in Colorado. He added that intelligence reports indicated terrorists lacked the ability to detonate such a bomb remotely -- meaning they couldn't trigger a bomb in the cargo hold while sitting in the cabin.

Some safety experts cautioned, however, that putting devices with lithium ion batteries that are prone to overheating in cargo increased the risk of fire.

More terrorists gaining knowledge to build laptop bomb, source says

Now the Federal Aviation Administration is telling airlines that that devices with lithium batteries should be put in carry-on baggage and not placed in checked luggage -- the advice that existed before the March order covering large electronics devices in the cabin.

Kelly said most of the new security measures will not be visible to passengers. He said, however, that there will be additional testing of devices -- to make sure they are working computers and not a disguised bomb -- and more people will be pulled aside for extra screening. He did not say how agents will decide who gets pulled aside. </s> The UK has followed the lead of the United States and is now starting to ban passengers from carrying electronic devices like their laptops and cameras onto planes to and from specific Middle Eastern countries. The list of countries that will be affected by the U.S. ban includes Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Authorities in the United States have told airline companies privately that they must forbid passengers from carrying electronic devices other than their phones onto planes. The Guardian reports that TSA (the US Transportation Safety Administration) are the specific authorities behind this recent ban on electronic devices on planes from the Middle East and that the specific details of the ban were found inside a confidential email.

Electronic devices that would be banned in flights from the Middle East to the United States include Kindles, iPads, laptops, and any cameras that are larger in size than phones. The airlines which will be the most affected by this ban include Turkish Airlines, Saudi Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Egyptair, Kuwait Airways, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Morocco, Emirates, and Etihad.

While this new rule banning electronic devices is not an “official” regulation, it is nevertheless something that the American government is expecting airlines to comply with in the next 96 hours and it will affect travelers both to and from the Middle East.

An agent from one of the Middle Eastern airlines that is affected by this new ban has explained that from this day forward, passengers will be forced to put their laptops and other electronic devices into their checked baggage.

On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement explaining the American government’s reasoning behind the new laptop travel ban.

Now that the United States has banned electronic devices on Middle Eastern flights, the UK has also decided to place their own ban on them as well. The countries which will be affected are Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia. This means that if you are flying in or out of one of these countries on a UK flight, you will not be allowed to carry anything electronic inside the cabin of the plane besides your phone.

As well as eight foreign carriers, The Guardian says that six British airlines will be affected by the new electronic devices ban. These include British Airways, Thomas Cook, Thomson, EasyJet, Monarch, and Jet2.

Many are questioning the UK’s decision to enact a ban on electronic devices to and from the Middle East and question whether this is in some way connected with Donald Trump’s recent travel ban. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has stressed that this is not the case but did admit that the UK had been speaking with government officials in the U.S. to learn more about their recent electronic device ban.

This recent UK ban on laptops is also not reported to be due to elevated levels of threats from terrorists in the Middle East. Rather, it is alleged to be in response to general worries over the evolving technological prowess of terrorists. Prime Minister Theresa May has so far conducted several meetings to determine what the UK’s response should be to air security in the future, and this resulted in Tuesday’s ban on all large electronic devices to and from the Middle East.

Do you think the US and UK ban on electronic devices on flights to and from Middle Eastern countries is a good or bad idea and why? </s> Following the US government’s ban, Britain is now set to ban passengers from carrying most electronic devices on flights from certain countries in the Middle East, reported Sky News Tuesday. The US government temporarily barred passengers from bringing devices other than mobile phones on planes coming in from 10 airports in eight Muslim-majority countries of the Middle East and North Africa. The US ban, which was in response to unspecified threats, said that laptops, iPads, cameras and other electronic devices would not be allowed as carry-on luggage.

Sky News reported that security sources have said the details of the UK ban might differ from the US government’s measures, and would be confirmed later in the day.

The reason for the US government’s ban was not immediately clear and US security officials would not comment. The ban was revealed Monday through statements from Royal Jordanian Airlines and the official news agency of Saudi Arabia. A US official told AP that the ban would apply to non-stop flights to the US from 10 international airports in Cairo, Egypt; Amman, Jordon; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Casablanca, Morocco; Doha, Qatar; Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Istanbul, Turkey; and Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE.

The ban would affect nine airlines in total, another US official said, adding that the Transportation Security Administration would inform the affected airlines at 3 am, ET Monday.

Royal Jordanian said cellphones and medical devices were excluded from the ban. Everything else, the airline said, would need to be packed in checked luggage. Royal Jordanian said the electronics ban affects its flights to New York, Chicago, Detroit and Montreal.

Brian Jenkins, an aviation-security expert at the Rand Corp, said the nature of the security measure suggested that it was driven by intelligence of a possible attack. He added that there could be concern about inadequate passenger screening or even conspiracies involving insiders – airport or airline employees – in some countries.

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App now </s> To boost aviation security against terrorist attacks, the Trump administration imposed an indefinite ban of electronic devices on all airlines flying directly from eight countries in the Middle East and Africa to the United States. The ban entails a total ban of electronic devices in the cabin.

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Citing improved airport security, U.S. officials lift the ban on electronics on certain flights to some Middle Eastern countries.