At least 7 killed in shoot-out in Jordan

AMMAN • Security forces pulled the bodies of three suspected militants from the wreckage of a building in a central Jordanian city yesterday following a shoot-out in which at least four security personnel were also killed. In a huge security operation, Jordanian forces laid siege to the building in a residential part of Salt last Saturday night in search of those responsible for a bomb attack on a police van last Friday.

REUTERS

Russia to further cut holdings of US securities

MOSCOW • Russia will further decrease its holdings of US securities in response to new sanctions against Moscow but has no plans to shut down US companies in Russia, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said yesterday, RIA news agency reported. Last Friday, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Russia would regard any US move to curb the activities of its banks as a "declaration of economic war" and would take retaliatory action.

REUTERS

France to set penalties on non-recycled plastic

PARIS • France plans to introduce a penalty system that would increase the costs of consumer goods with packaging made of non-recycled plastic.

Under the new plan, products with recycled plastic packaging could cost up to 10 per cent less, an environment ministry official said yesterday.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE