VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: July 16, 2019

PAKISTAN

Pakistan reopens airspace for civil aviation after nearly five months: Dawn
July 16, 2019

Pakistan's airspace has been reopened to civil aviation with immediate effect, the Civil Aviation Authority said on Tuesday, following months of restrictions imposed in the wake of a standoff with India earlier this year. "With immediate effect Pakistan airspace is open for all type of civil traffic on published ATS (Air Traffic Service) routes," according to a notice to airmen (NOTAMS) published on the authority's website. An official at the authority, reached by telephone, confirmed that the change was in effect. Click here to read... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Afghan Returnees Face Economic Difficulties: Report: Tolo
July 16, 2019

Afghan refugees who returned to Afghanistan between 2014 and 2017 tend to be worse off financially and face multiple economic difficulties compared to refugees who stayed in Pakistan, the World Bank and UNHCR in Afghanistan said in a new report released on Sunday. The report entitled “Living Conditions and Settlement Decisions of Recent Afghan Returnees” is the first joint report resulting from the collaboration between UNHCR Afghanistan and the World Bank. The report shows that despite high poverty and limited employment opportunities, most Afghans returned to their home provinces, with Kabul and Nangarhar provinces together hosting a third of all returnees. Click here to read... [3]

BANGLADESH

Bangladesh Border Force Says Cross-Border Smuggling Cannot Stop Entirely, Seeks BSF's Help: News 18
July 16, 2019

Bangladesh's border force has said that cross-border smuggling cannot be stopped completely at the Indo-Bangla frontier and sought greater cooperation from the BSF to tackle the menace. Smuggling of cattle, drugs and narcotics, leather, arms and ammunition has been a major challenge for the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) the border guarding forces of the two countries. On July 11, a BSF soldier lost his hand and suffered serious injuries in a bomb attack by Bangladeshi cattle smugglers along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal. Click here to read... [4]

CHINA

Trump claims trade war is working as China's growth hits 27-year low: Guardian
July 16, 2019

Donald Trump has claimed that his tariff battle with China is working after official data from Beijing showed growth in the world’s second biggest economy dropping to its slowest pace since 1992. The US president said the impact of his protectionist measures had been to cause an exodus of companies from China, as Beijing announced that its annual rate of expansion had slowed from 6.4% to 6.2% in the second quarter of 2019. In tweets that were immediately challenged by economists, Trump said his tough action had forced China’s leaders to the negotiating table. Click here to read... [5]

New recoverable satellite to lift off in 2020: china Daily
July 16, 2019

China is developing a new type of recoverable satellite that is reusable and intends to use it for commercial purposes, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, a State-owned space giant in charge of the program. The company said the new model will be designed to meet growing demand for space-based scientific experiments from a wide range of industries, including space science, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and energy. The first such satellite is scheduled to be launched in 2020, it said. Click here to read... [6]