The spotlight is very much on education this week, with the release of the 2024 National Senior Certificate results and learners heading back to school. Abroad, the US bids farewell to President Joe Biden and prepares for the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
Monday 13 Jan
MPs kick off the year with two weeks of constituency work before Parliament begins on 27 January.
Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube, accompanied by Deputy Minister Regina Mhaule, will announce the overall results of the 2024 National Senior Certificate examinations.
Education quality assurance body Umalusi will brief the media in Pretoria on the 2024 examination results.
Minister of Social Development Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe concludes her assessment of South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) services in Cape Town with a special oversight visit to Gugulethu.
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson and KwaZulu-Natal MEC Martin Meyer will visit the Westown development in Shongweni, Durban. The R15 billion development includes interconnected mixed-use precincts and approximately 20,000 residential units.
The Competition Commission of South Africa will launch the final report of the Fresh Produce Market Inquiry in Pretoria.
US President Joe Biden will deliver a major foreign policy address reflecting on his administration’s global legacy and outlining a vision for future U.S. global leadership.
Iran will hold nuclear talks in Geneva with France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, focusing on its uranium enrichment activities and the potential revival of the 2015 nuclear agreement.
Tuesday 14 Jan
Individual 2024 matric results will be available to learners via the Department of Basic Education’s website, schools, examination centres and – following last week’s Pretoria high court ruling – the media.
Leaders from NATO Allies in the Baltic Sea region will meet in Helsinki to discuss regional security and cooperation.
The impeachment trial of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for alleged abuse of power begins. President Yoon has announced that he will not attend the opening session, citing safety concerns.
Wednesday 15 Jan
South African public schools and most independent schools reopen for learners.
US President Joe Biden will deliver a prime-time farewell address to the nation, reflecting on his administration’s achievements and challenges.
The UK and US both release December Consumer Price Index (CPI) data which will shape their respective monetary policy expectations. UK inflation remains above the Bank of England’s 2% target, while US CPI is forecast to rise year-on-year.
The World Economic Forum will launch the 20th edition of its Global Risks Report, offering insights into the most pressing immediate, short-, and long-term risks facing the world.
Thursday 16 Jan
South Africa’s Treasury will host a pre-World Economic Forum Annual Meeting media breakfast in Johannesburg, attended by government ministers and business leaders heading to Davos.
Stats SA will publish electricity production and distribution data for November 2024, expected to show an improvement on the previous year.
South Africa will host the G20’s first Sustainable Finance Working Group meeting of the year.
Human Rights Watch will release its annual World Report, providing an overview of human rights developments in approximately 100 countries over the past year.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) will release its World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2025 report, covering challenges such as the slowdown in labour market recovery, persistent youth unemployment, and the widening global jobs gap.
The public funeral for Jean-Marie Le Pen, co-founder of France’s far-right National Front, will be held in Paris amid tight security measures.
Vanuatu’s rescheduled election, delayed by December’s earthquake, will see 217 candidates compete for 52 seats amid ongoing political instability.
Friday 17 Jan
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will visit Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and sign a strategic cooperation agreement. The meeting takes place amid shifting dynamics in the Middle East, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria.
Saturday 18 Jan
A large-scale protest against President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, known as the People’s March, will take place in Washington, D.C.
Sunday 19 Jan
US President-elect Donald Trump will hold a “victory rally” in Washington, D.C. on the eve of his inauguration. The event, expected to draw a large crowd, comes amid heightened security ahead of the inauguration ceremony on 20 January.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce Oscar nominations following a two-day delay caused by the Los Angeles wildfires.
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