US forces helping to evacuate Afghans desperate to flee Taliban rule braced for more attacks on Friday after an Islamic State suicide bomber killed scores of civilians and 13 US soldiers outside the gates of Kabul airport. Health officials were quoted as saying 60 civilians were killed in the attacks on Thursday. At least two blasts and gunfire here rocked the area, witnesses said. Video shot by Afghan journalists showed dozens of bodies strewn around a canal on the edge of the airport. Islamic State (ISIS), an enemy of the Taliban as well as the West, said one of its suicide bombers targeted "translators and collaborators with the American army". US officials also blamed the group and vowed retribution here. General Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command, said US commanders were on alert for more attacks by Islamic State, including possibly rockets or vehicle-borne bombs targeting the airport. “We’re doing everything we can to be prepared,” he said, adding that some intelligence was being shared with the Taliban and that he believed “some attacks have been thwarted by them.”<br/>
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The IATA urged countries around the world to adopt the European Union’s Digital Covid Certificate as the global standard for vaccine certification. The EU’s vaccine passport should serve as the blueprint for other nations, IATA Deputy Director General Conrad Clifford said Thursday. While multiple certificates or digital applications testifying to the low-risk status of holders have been developed, there’s so far no global standard. IATA said the DCC is particularly effective because it’s available in paper and digital form, with a QR code that can be read in both, and features a gateway for the distribution of encrypted data that can extended to issuers from outside the EU. IATA said up to 60 countries are looking to use the DCC specification for their own certification, in addition to the 27 EU members and states with reciprocal agreements, including Switzerland, Turkey, and Ukraine. The passport also enables holders to access non-aviation sites in Europe that require proof of vaccination, such as museums, sporting events and concerts.<br/>
Britain has issued a notice to airlines to avoid flying below 25,000 feet (7,620 metres) over Afghanistan after an attack near Kabul airport on Thursday. “Following the shocking scenes in Afghanistan today, I have issued a NOTAM (Notice to Aviation) further advising airlines to avoid Afghan airspace under 25,000ft,” said Grant Shapps, the transport minister. “We will continue to keep this under review.” <br/>
Air travelers have faced an unusually high number of disruptions this summer because of widespread labor shortages, bad weather and technical problems. Nearly a quarter of U.S. passenger planes between June and mid-August were delayed, while almost 4 percent of flights were canceled in the first half of August, according to data from Flight Aware, a flight tracking service. Spirit alone canceled nearly 2,500 flights between Aug. 1 and 15. Flight attendants across the country say they are struggling to cope, facing not only these prolonged operational issues, but also an increase in aggressive passenger behavior. Nearly 4,000 unruly passenger incidents have been reported to the Federal Aviation Administration in 2021, a figure described by the agency as “a rapid and significant increase.” Most of those reports deal with attendants enforcing rules on proper masking in the cabin, with passengers who range from careless to belligerent, and at times verbally or physically abusive. Shaky, vertical footage of brawls and insults are now a familiar staple on social media. A 28-year-old American Airlines flight attendant who asked not to be identified for fear of losing her job said she had law enforcement called following verbal assaults twice since June, after six years of flying with no incidents. Both confrontations were related to mask enforcement. “What really hurts are the people who won’t even look at you in the eye,” she said. “I don’t even feel like a human anymore.”<br/>
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has resulted in close to $1t of real estate and infrastructure projects being announced across Saudi Arabia since 2016, according to analysis carried out by global property consultant, Knight Frank. According to the property expert, nearly $300b of the total spend is dedicated to new infrastructure, including vast new passenger rail networks and a brand-new airport for Riyadh which is expected to be the home base for a new national airline. <br/>
India lifted its ban on Boeing’s 737 Max jet, a major boost to the American planemaker that leaves China as the only leading aviation market yet to allow the aircraft to resume service. India’s decision comes after it observed “no untoward reporting” on jets already flying since 17 global regulators allowed it to resume flights, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in an order posted on its website on Thursday. The Max was grounded worldwide more than two years ago following crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people. While the US, Europe and most other major markets allowed the jet to resume flights in late 2020 or earlier this year following extensive fixes, India and China held back. Boeing has met local requirements, including setting up a simulator in the South Asian nation, and India is now satisfied with the jet’s performance, Bloomberg News reported earlier this month. Boeing is still working with Chinese authorities to lift the ban there and has conducted a test flight in the country, though it could take months before commercial flights resume. While Airbus A320s dominate the skies in India, the country is increasingly important for Boeing, where it has only one customer with orders — SpiceJet. The planemaker is in advanced discussions with Akasa, a new Indian airline backed by billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, to sell it as many as 80 Max planes.<br/>
India's air safety watchdog plans stringent new penalties to tackle drug abuse in the aviation industry, including cancellation of licences for third-time offenders, draft guidelines published this week show. The rules for airlines, air navigation service providers, maintenance firms and flight training schools, are expected to be finalised in a little over two months, said Arun Kumar. "While India has some of the strictest rules on alcohol abuse, this is the first attempt to fight drug abuse," said Kumar, adding that it would target several psychoactive substances, such as cannabis, cocaine and opioids. Wednesday's draft rules require random drug tests of flight crew and air traffic controllers, to ensure testing of at least 5% of the total employees of airlines and others in a year. Positive tests will lead to an employee being "immediately removed from the safety-sensitive duty till a confirmatory report is received", the draft showed. First offenders will be referred to a de-addiction centre for rehabilitation, the watchdog said. Those who test positive a second time will have licences suspended for three years, with a third offence leading to cancellation, it added. The agency has allotted 30 days for public comment on the rules before they are finalised over the next 30, Kumar added.<br/>