Afghanistan's only five-star hotel is also a virtual fortress, surrounded by blast barriers, metal detectors, multiple reinforced gates and heavily armed guards.

ECONOMIST: A bombing in Kabul

Worldwide, airlines have been slowly but steadily putting into operation two next-generation aircraft -- Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350 -- both of which have shells made heavily of composite materials, such as carbon-fibre reinforced plastic, instead of aluminium.

BBC: Increased comfort in the sky