News 18:00

BULLETIN 14 January 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Information Regulator investigates an alleged leak in the matric results
# COPE in Gauteng is concerned about the Education Department’s online registration system
# And Tennis: Rybakina, Raducanu and Paolini are all into the second round at the Australian Open

# The Information Regulator has written to the Department of Basic Education seeking details on the alleged early release of the 2024 matric results. Johannesburg-based company, Edumarks, reportedly charged 100-rand to provide early results, which differed from the official release. The department has confirmed a possible breach but assures that it won’t impact the integrity of the results. An investigation, involving State Security and the Hawks, is underway, while the regulator continues to seek more information from the department to address potential data compromises.

# The Congress of The People in Gauteng says it is concerned by the provincial Department of Education’s online registration system, especially its impact on communities and parents. The party’s, Tom Mofokeng, says the online system has failed to effectively serve the people. He says the system is particularly disadvantageous to parents and learners from townships, rural areas, and informal settlements:

# A 21-year-old Norwegian woman has become the youngest person to reach the South Pole on skis, solo and without assistance. Karen Kylleso, who is 1,52 metres tall and weighs just 48 kilogrammes, covered the one-thousand-130 kilometres in just under 54 days while pulling a sled weighing twice her weight. She dethroned Pierre Hedan of France, who, according to Guinness World Records, set the record in January last year at the age of 26.

# Tennis: Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina raced into the Australian Open second round after beating teenager Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-1. A rusty Emma Raducanu meanwhile racked up 15 double faults but managed a 7-6 and 7-6 first-round victory over Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova. Also into the next round is the 29-year-old Italian Jasmine Paolini after an almost flawless 6-0, 6-4 victory over Chinese qualifier Wei Sijia. In 2024, world number four Paolini became the first Italian woman to make the last 16 at all four Grand Slams in the Open era.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-95-cents and the euro at 19-rand-44-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-3-cents and Bitcoin trades at 96-thousand-423-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-663-dollars-38-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-62-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The DA has congratulated Cape Town Pride, for bringing the World Pride event to Cape Town in 2028. The DA’s, Nicholas Gotsell, says World Pride was started in Rome in 2000 and is described as an event dedicated to raising global awareness and visibility for LGBTQIA+ issues. He says it comprises a human rights conference and several outdoor events to mark the celebration of equality and human rights:

Stay tuned for more news………….