What happens in the year 2024? March 17 – 2024 Russian presidential election. March 31 – 2024 Ukrainian presidential election. April 8 — A total solar eclipse will be visible in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. May 5 – 2024 Panamanian general election. Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will join BRICS.[ Dissolution of the de facto state Republic of Artsakh. January 13 – 2024 Republic of China presidential election January 14 – Bernardo Arévalo will be inaugurated as President of Guatemala.[2] January 19 – February 2 – 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea. January 28 – 2024 Finnish presidential election. February 4 – 2024 Salvadoran general election. February 14 – 2024 Indonesian general election. May 19 – 2024 Dominican Republic general election June 2 – 2024 Mexican general election. June 6 – 2024 European Parliament election. July 26 – August 11 – 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. August 17 – Nusantara will become the new capital of Indonesia, replacing Jakarta. October 13 – 2024 Lithuanian parliamentary election. October 27 – 2024 Uruguayan general election; incumbent President Luis Lacalle Pou is not eligible for re-election. November 5 – 2024 United States presidential election; incumbent President Joe Biden is eligible for re-election. Date unknown January – 2024 Bangladeshi general election. January – 2024 Pakistani general election.[6] Spring – 2024 Slovak presidential election. Early April – Nintendo will shut down the Wii U and 3DS servers. April or May – 2024 Indian general election. May – 2024 Lithuanian presidential election. June – 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election; incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe is eligible for re-election. August – 2024 Rwandan presidential election. Autumn – 2024 Moldovan presidential election; incumbent President Maia Sandu is eligible for re-election. October – 2024 Georgian presidential election. October – 2024 Venezuelan presidential election November – 2024 Romanian presidential election; incumbent President Klaus Iohannis is not eligible for re-election. November – Artemis II, the second crewed mission of the Artemis program and first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since 1972, is planned to launch. On 17 April 2023, the President of the Republic of South Africa signed the Electoral Amendment Bill into law. This is a significant milestone in the evolution of South Africa’s democracy, which expands electoral participation and widens the pool of leadership choice for national and provincial elections. The foremost implications of the Electoral Amendment Act (the Act), 1 of 2023, are as follows: The inclusion and nomination of independent candidates as contesters to elections in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures for the first time; The requirements which must be met by persons who wish to be nominated as independent candidates; The inspection of copies of lists of independent candidates and accompanying documents; Provision for objections to independent candidates; The inclusion of a list of independent candidates entitled to contest elections; Requirement for the appointment of agents by independent candidates; Obligation for independent candidates to abide by the Electoral Code of Conduct; A revised formula for the allocation of seats and their re-allocation in the event of vacated seats and; Stipulation for the Minister of Home Affairs to establish the Electoral Reform Consultation Panel. Following independent investigations and consultations, the Panel will make non-binding recommendations on potential reforms of the electoral system for future elections of the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures after the 2024 elections On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk. Safety is the number one priority when viewing a total solar eclipse. Be sure you’re familiar with when you need to wear specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing by reviewing these safety guidelines. Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing. Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury. When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse directly with your eyes, which happens before and after totality, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times. You can also use an indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector. Major events for this 2024 calendar is the Paris Olympic Games, Euro 2024, America’s Cup Sailing, African Cup of Nations, Copa América, ICC World T20 (men), African Games, as well as the usual annual events. See the current Major World Sporting Events Calendar. Let me know if you think something is missing or needs updating. Date(s) Sport Event Location Jan 13-11 Feb Football (Soccer) African Cup of Nations Ivory Coast Jan 14-28 Tennis Australian Open Melbourne, Australia Jan 19 – Feb 2 Multi-sports Winter Youth Olympics Gangwon, South Korea Jan 26-28 Extreme Sports Winter X Games Aspen, Colorado, USA Feb 2-18 Swimming World Aquatics Championships Doha, Qatar Feb 2 – Mar 16 Rugby Six Nations UK, Ireland, France & Italy Feb 11 Football (American) Super Bowl Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada Feb 16-25 Table Tennis World Championship Busan, South Korea Mar 8-23 Multi-sports African Games Ghana (Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast) Mar 19 – Apr 8 Basketball NCAA finals (March Madness) USA Apr 8-14 Golf Masters Augusta, Georgia, USA Apr 10 – May 6 Snooker World Snooker Championship Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England Apr 13 Horse Racing Grand National Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool May 4 Horse Racing Kentucky Derby Louisville, Kentucky, US May 10-26 Ice Hockey IIHF World Championship Czechia May ? Auto Racing Monaco Grand Prix Monte Carlo, Monaco May 16–19 Golf US PGA Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky May 20 – Jun 9 Tennis French Open Paris, France May 25 Football (Soccer) FA Cup final Wembley Stadium, London May 26 Auto Racing Indy 500 Indianapolis, USA June 1 Football (Soccer) UEFA Champions League Final Wembley Stadium, London Jun 4-30 Cricket ICC World T20 (men) USA & West Indies Jun 13-16 Golf US Open Pinehurst Resort, Course No. 2 Pinehurst, North Carolina Jun 14 – Jul 13 Football (Soccer) 48th Copa América USA Jun 14 – Jul 14 Football (Soccer) Euro 2024 Germany Jun 15-16 Auto Racing 24 Hours of Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France Jun Basketball NBA Finals USA/Canada Jun Ice Hockey Stanley Cup finals Jun 29 – Jul 21 Cycling Tour de France Italy start, France Jul 1-14 Tennis Wimbledon London, England Jul 18-21 Golf The Open Championship Royal Troon Golf Club Troon South Ayrshire Scotland Jul 26 – Aug 11 Multi-sports Summer Olympics Paris, France Jul? Extreme Sports Summer X Games California? Aug 12-18 Cycling Tour de France Femmes France Aug 18-25 Rowing World Rowing Championships Henley Island/Martindale Pond, St. Catharine’s, Ontario, Canada Aug/Sep? Tennis US Open New York, USA Aug 28 – Sept 8 Multi-sports Paralympic Games Paris, France Sep 10-15 Golf Solheim Cup Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia USA Sep 24–29 Golf Presidents Cup Royal Montreal Golf Club, Quebec, Canada Sep ? Australian Football Grand Final Melbourne, Australia Sep? Rugby League Grand Final Sydney Sep? Rowing World Rowing Championships St. Catharines, Canada Sep 21-29 Cycling UCI Road World Championships Zurich, Switzerland Sept-Oct? Cricket ICC World T20 (women) Bangladesh Oct ? Baseball World Series Oct 12-20 Sailing America’s Cup Barcelona, Spain Oct 16-20 Cycling World Track Championships Ballerup, Denmark Nov-Dec? Weightlifting IWF World Championships Manama, Bahrain Nov 5 Horse Racing Melbourne Cup Victoria, Australia Dec? Swimming FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Budapest, Hungary note: any date and time listed represent the local date and time disclaimer: Please note that event dates are believed to be correct at the time of publication, though they are subject to change, particularly this far in advance. A new generation of London Underground trains enters service during 2024,* remaining in operation for 40 years.* The aging Tube network had been underinvested for decades – resulting in ever-worsening delays, overcrowding and safety issues. In the early 21st century, however, a massive programme of upgrades and modernisation was initiated. This included a £16bn ($26bn) project announced by Transport for London in October 2014, intended to fundamentally overhaul its rolling stock. These futuristic new carriages were designed to accommodate the city’s rapidly increasing population (forecast to grow by 37% to 11 million by 2050),* address safety concerns, improve usability for the disabled and offer a more pleasant overall experience for travellers. Step-free trains and wider doors would enable those in wheelchairs to have seamless access from platform to carriage, while door barriers placed on the edge (already introduced on the Jubilee Line) could prevent suicides or accidents. With trains designed to be more spacious and easier to board – in combination with modern signalling and control systems – a faster, more frequent and more reliable service could be provided. The Piccadilly line, for example, serving many of London’s top tourist attractions, would have its capacity boosted by 60%, equivalent to an extra 19,000 customers per hour.* In the past, summer temperatures and humidity on some lines were known to reach levels unsuitable for cattle transport, let alone humans. All of these new carriages now feature air conditioning, for vastly improved comfort. In addition, hi-tech electronic displays provide real-time information, while better lighting creates more of a “living room” feel. The New Tube is first introduced on the Piccadilly line in 2024, followed by the Bakerloo, Central and Waterloo & City lines. Self-driving trains are deployed from the early 2030s.* These had already been present on some parts of the network, such as the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in the Canary Wharf financial district. As they become widespread on the main Tube lines as well, these automated systems bring to an end the notorious union strikes that had caused severe disruption in earlier decades. However, there is criticism over the costs and safety aspects.* Another development in 2024 is access to 4G, which is now available in all stations and tunnels. The final installations are completed this year, with plans now underway for upgrading the network to 5G. Bulgaria adopts the euro On 1st January 2024, Bulgaria adopts the euro as its official currency, becoming the 21st member state of the European Union (EU) to do so.* Bulgaria had joined the EU in 2007. As part of its ascension treaty, it committed to switching its currency, the lev, to the euro. This transition would occur once the country met all the euro convergence criteria. The Maastricht Treaty, which entered into force on 1st November 1993, outlined the five convergence criteria required for EU member states to comply with to adopt the euro currency. The purpose of setting the criteria was to achieve price stability within the eurozone and ensure negative impacts would be avoided when new member states acceded. For example, it placed limits on inflation, government budget deficits, debt-to-GDP ratios, and interest rates. By 2021, Bulgaria had met four of the five criteria, the exception being its membership for at least two years of the EU’s exchange rate mechanism (ERM II), which it joined in July 2021. That same year, Bulgarian government and central bank officials adopted a draft national plan for euro adoption, stating their intention to formerly adopt the currency on 1st January 2024. As part of this transition, Bulgarians would be able to continue paying in the national lev currency a month after the adoption of the single currency. By adopting the euro, the burden of currency exchange fees is removed, improving business with other eurozone countries – Germany, for example, is Bulgaria’s largest trading partner. Tourism, a major part of Bulgaria’s GDP, is also boosted, since tourists no longer have to waste money exchanging currency. In addition, being a eurozone member allows for cheaper borrowing. Since loans are backed by the whole eurozone, investors are more willing to lend money at lower rates to smaller countries. While this had been problematic for Greece, some years earlier, it can be a huge plus for an economy if managed properly. Bulgaria’s fiscal conservatism and very low debt-to-GDP ratio makes this less of an issue in any case. Bulgaria follows Croatia in joining the euro, the latter having acceded in 2023, which had been the first enlargement of the monetary union since Lithuania’s entry in 2015. The eurozone’s total size is now almost US$14 trillion. Future expansion remains possible, with Romania aiming to join by 2029.* A global agreement on plastic pollution In 2024, the most important international environmental deal since the Paris Climate Accord is signed. This follows an earlier meeting of UN Member States in March 2022, during which Heads of State, Ministers of environment and other representatives endorsed a landmark agreement to address the ever-growing problem of plastic waste. In 1950, the world produced around 2 million tonnes of plastic each year. By the early 21st century, this amount had increased more than 100-fold and by 2020, the mass of plastic produced globally exceeded the biomass of all land and marine animals combined. About 10 million tonnes of this now ended up in the oceans – affecting the food chain, marine life, and human health. Plastics had been shown to affect fertility, hormonal, metabolic and neurological activity, while the open burning of plastics contributed to air pollution. Projections indicated that if trends continued, the amount of plastic waste entering the oceans each year would triple by 2040, while the cumulative total in the oceans would exceed the mass of all fish by 2050. A new, landmark resolution – endorsed by 175 nations – aimed to address the full life cycle of plastic, from its design to production and disposal. Based on three initial draft resolutions from various nations, it established an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) which began work in 2022. A draft legally binding agreement is now emerging in 2024.* This, in turn, will soon create a legally binding instrument, reflecting diverse alternatives to conventional plastics. The proliferation of reusable, recyclable and biodegradable products is accelerated, while international collaborations are enhanced to facilitate access to such technology. Other measures are stepped up to improve waste management and leakage, such as the Ocean Cleanup initiative pioneered by Boyan Slat, to intercept and remove plastics and microplastics from rivers, lakes, and oceans. This allows plastic waste production to slow and reach a peak, before entering a long-term decline. Although a turning point is now in sight, this transition requires unprecedented levels of action and cooperation. Much like climate change, the legacy impacts of plastic pollution continue to be a serious and ongoing issue for generations to come. Some waste products remain until at least 2600. Indonesia gets a new capital city In 2024, a new capital city is established for Indonesia – its fourth in the last 80 years. Following World War II, Jakarta had become the de facto capital of the Republic of Indonesia. During occupation by the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration (NICA), the capital was moved to Yogyakarta in 1946 and then later Bukittinggi in 1948. It reverted back to Yogyakarta in 1949. Once independence was secured, Jakarta again became the capital in 1950, a position it would hold for the next 74 years. In 2019, President Joko Widodo officially announced a relocation of Indonesia’s capital to East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. The as-yet-unnamed city – costing tens of billions of dollars to plan and build – was needed due to major subsidence in Jakarta. Due to the combined effects of its location on swampy land, and over-extraction of groundwater, Jakarta had been sinking at an incredible rate: up to 25cm (10in) each year in some of the worst affected parts, and almost half now sat below sea level. Jakarta also suffered from dire pollution, overcrowding and traffic problems. The new capital, on a plot of 40,000 hectares (400 sq km), would be surrounded by greenery in a sparsely populated area, yet at the same time positioned in a more central and geographically unifying part of the country. One fifth of the approximately $34 billion needed would be financed by the state, with international investors contributing the remainder. The government pledged $40 billion to modernise and prevent the sinking of Jakarta, insisting that it was “not abandoning” the city. Without this action, 95% of Jakarta faced inundation by 2050.* Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing organised a design contest, with Nagara Rimba Nusa (‘Forest Archipelago’) by URBAN+ announced as the winner in December 2019.* The masterplan featured strong environmental credentials and the latest in “smart city” technology. It would be developed in phases with construction starting in 2021, official inauguration taking place in 2024 and the last remaining government departments in Jakarta being transferred across by the end of the decade. First crewed flight of NASA’s Orion spacecraft In May 2024,* NASA conducts a first human flight of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV). This test, Artemis 2, follows the uncrewed Artemis 1 in 2022 and the Earth-orbiting prototype in 2014. These missions form part of the agency’s longer-term plan for sending humans to Mars. Artemis 2 is placed in high Earth orbit by a new super heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), for a period of two days. During this time, its crew perform checkouts of the spacecraft’s life support systems, as well as an in-space rendezvous demonstration using the spent Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) as a target. It then fires its main engine to begin a translunar injection manoeuvre, sending it on a lunar free return trajectory. The spacecraft performs a lunar flyby with a mission duration of 10 days – passing within 7,400 km (4,600 mi) of the Moon’s surface – before returning to Earth. This mission is the first crewed spacecraft to travel beyond Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. The four-person crew includes a Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut, the first Canadian to travel beyond low Earth orbit. Artemis 2 is followed by Artemis 3 in the second half of the decade, which delivers a human crew to the Moon’s south polar region. Two astronauts, including the first woman on the lunar surface, spend roughly a week there before returning to Earth. NASA’s proposed timeline includes a total of 11 Artemis missions – running until at least 2033 – with potential for Orion to be used on Mars missions beyond that in combination with a Deep Space Habitat module for additional space and supplies.