China successfully launched a Pakistani satellite named PRSC-EO1 into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on January 17.

The launch occurred at 12:07 p.m. (Beijing Time) using a Long March-2D carrier rocket, which successfully placed the satellite into its designated orbit, as reported by the state-run Xinhua news agency.

In addition to the PRSC-EO1, the rocket also deployed two other satellites, Tianlu-1 and Lantan-1, marking the 556th mission of the Long March rocket series.

The PRSC-EO1 satellite, developed by the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), aims to enhance Pakistan’s capabilities in monitoring and managing natural resources, responding to disasters, and facilitating urban planning and agricultural development.

This satellite employs electro-optical sensors to gather data and images of the Earth’s surface by detecting and measuring reflected sunlight or emitted radiation.

Moreover, the Long March-2D carrier rocket’s launch on the same day included two additional satellites, Tianlu-1 and Blue Carbon 1, as stated by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

The earth observation satellite market, currently valued at $5 billion, is among the fastest-growing sectors within the commercial space industry, with Novaspace predicting it to exceed $8 billion by 2033.

Numerous countries, including the United States, China, and India, are advancing their satellite constellations for Earth mapping, with India’s Pixxel recently launching the country’s first privately built satellite constellation.

China has expanded its satellite launch activities for Pakistan in recent years, strengthening its all-weather alliance in the field of space exploration. Notable previous activities include the launch of a multi-mission communication satellite for Pakistan last year and two satellites in 2018—the PRSS-1, which is Pakistan’s first optical remote sensing satellite, and the PakTES-1A, a smaller observation satellite.

Donald Trump is poised to be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, after securing a definitive victory in the elections held on November 5. This inauguration marks a remarkable return for Trump as he embarks on a second term, appearing more formidable and unpredictable than during his first.

The 78-year-old Republican will take the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., amid a grand ceremony, ahead of his return to the White House, which he vacated four years ago under contentious circumstances. The guest list for Trump’s inauguration highlights how the man whose 2016 win surprised many has become integral to the current landscape of American politics. In an unprecedented move, Trump has invited various foreign leaders to participate in the ceremony, a departure from tradition where such leaders typically send diplomats due to security considerations.

India will be represented at the ceremony by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who is expected to engage with officials from the incoming Trump administration. Japan and Australia will be represented by their Foreign Ministers, Takeshi Iwaya and Penny Wong, respectively. Argentina’s President Javier Milei, known for his allegiance to Trump, has confirmed his attendance, while Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban is also contemplating participation.

While Chinese President Xi Jinping has declined the invitation, he will send Vice President Han Zheng to represent China at the inauguration, emphasizing the intention to “enhance dialogue” with the new U.S. administration. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed her hope to attend the event.

Among the attendees will be hard-right Eurosceptic Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform U.K. party, and French right-wing politician Eric Zemmour. Additionally, Tino Chrupalla, co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), has confirmed his attendance, reflecting his party’s desire to strengthen ties with the incoming U.S. administration. Notably, no representatives from the current German government are expected, with Germany’s ambassador to the U.S., Andreas Michaelis, filling that role instead. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will also be absent, opting for representation from the British ambassador.

Neither French President Emmanuel Macron nor European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen will attend the inauguration. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro received an invitation but was unable to secure a temporary passport restoration from Brazil’s Supreme Court that would allow him to travel.

Outgoing President Joe Biden plans to attend the ceremony, a notable contrast to Trump’s absence during Biden’s own swearing-in in 2020. All living former Presidents are expected to be present, including Bill Clinton, whose attendance has been confirmed. Hillary Clinton will also be present, along with Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Trump defeated in the recent elections. George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, will be attending, while Barack Obama will join them; however, Michelle Obama will not be in attendance.

Several influential tech executives are set to attend Trump’s inauguration, indicating the industry’s efforts to mend relationships with the incoming President. Notable attendees will include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, who has emerged as a significant supporter and financier of Trump.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will also be present at the inauguration, alongside OpenAI President Greg Brockman and Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil. Furthermore, Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber Technologies, is expected to be involved in some of the inauguration festivities, as Uber plans to partner with Musk’s social platform and The Free Press for an accompanying event.

Additionally, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is anticipated to attend and will likely be given a prominent seat during the inauguration, amid indications that the new administration may take steps to ensure the app’s continued operation in the U.S. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai are also among the prominent tech leaders planning to be part of this significant event.

A Pakistani court on January 17 sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to seven years after both were found guilty of corruption in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case.

The verdict was delivered by Judge Nasir Javed Rana of the anti-corruption court, which had previously postponed the announcement three times, the latest being on January 13, due to various reasons. The ruling was issued in a makeshift court located inside Adiala Jail.

In addition to their prison sentences, Khan was imposed a fine of Rs 1 million, while Bushra Bibi was fined Rs 500,000. If they fail to pay these fines, Khan could face an additional six months in prison, and Bibi three months. Furthermore, the court mandated the confiscation of land associated with Al-Qadir University, which was established by the couple.

Khan, already incarcerated since August 2023, witnessed his wife being arrested following the verdict. Expressing his views, Khan remarked that the ruling has damaged the judiciary’s reputation, asserting that he derived no personal benefit from the actions in question, nor did the government incur any loss. He indicated his willingness to confront all allegations, claiming, “A dictator is doing all this.”

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed the case in December 2023 against Khan, aged 72, Bibi, aged 50, and six others, accusing them of inflicting a £190 million (approximately Rs 50 billion) loss to the national treasury. Notably, only Khan and Bibi have faced prosecution in this case, as the other defendants, including a property tycoon, were outside of Pakistan.

The case centers on accusations that the Rs 50 billion returned to Pakistan by the UK’s National Crime Agency, following a settlement with the mentioned tycoon, was misappropriated. Allegedly intended for the national treasury, these funds were purportedly misused for the personal gain of the businessman who assisted Khan and Bibi in establishing the university. Bibi, in her capacity as a trustee of the Al-Qadir Trust, faces allegations of benefitting from this settlement by acquiring 458 kanals of land for the university in Jhelum.

Judge Rana concluded the hearings in this case on December 18 but postponed the judgment until December 23. Following this, the verdict date was pushed to January 6, only to be deferred again due to the judge being on leave. The anticipated judgment was further delayed on January 13 when the accused and their legal representatives were absent.

This verdict emerged during ongoing negotiations between Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the government, aimed at resolving the political instability caused by Khan’s imprisonment and that of other PTI leaders. To date, three rounds of discussions have taken place, with the PTI submitting their written charter of demands to the government. Since his ousting as Prime Minister in 2022, Khan has been entangled in multiple legal cases.