Tuesday 31 May 2022: News, Wordle hint, today in history, SA Constitution and more

Today – 31 May 2022 – is the 151st day of the year. It’s also the 22nd Tuesday of 2022, which incidentally falls within the 22nd week. That’s a mouthful!

Taking to Twitter, Musk said Tuesday “will be the first sunrise of the rest of [your] life – make it what [you] want”.

While we don’t have an explanation for his cryptic mutterings on social media, we can tell you what is happening today in South Africa and the rest of the world.

Tuesday 31 May 2022 at a glance

In South Africa today

The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will hold a virtual plenary sitting, while the National Assembly (NA) will consider the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Bill.

Statistics South Africa will release the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for 2022’s first quarter. Meanwhile, we wait with bated breath for some fuel price relief this week.

ALSO READ: Food prices adding to burden of higher fuel rates

Today in history

• 1902: The Treaty of Vereeniging ends the Second Boer War and ensures British control of South Africa
• 1910: The South Africa Act comes into force, establishing the Union of South Africa.
• 2008: Usain Bolt breaks the world record in the 100m sprint, with a wind-legal (+1.7 m/s) 9.72 seconds
• 2013: The asteroid 1998 QE2 and its moon make their closest approach to Earth for the next two centuries.

WATCH: ‘Potentially hazardous’ asteroid zip past Earth today

On this day in 1961, the South African Constitution of 1961 came into effect, thus creating the Republic of South Africa.

It was Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd’s dream for SA to be ruled by the Afrikaner, free from British interference. 

In April 1961, former President Nelson Mandela made a final attempt to stop the process and reminded Verwoerd, in a letter, of the ANC and its allies’ call for a national convention of elected representatives.

He said: “No constitution or form of Government decided without the participation of the African people who form an absolute majority of the population can enjoy moral validity or merit support either within South Africa or beyond its borders.”

Wordle hint, Tuesday 31 May 2022

If today’s Wordle is tripping you up, fret not; we’ve got your back. Wordle 346 is not a common word, so you’ll have to choose wisely.

Before you give up, though, try these tips:

• Use a word with the most popular vowels – A and E – and make sure the same letter doesn’t appear twice in your guess.
• Avoid letters such as X, Z and Q until later on; these aren’t used as often as A, E, R, S and T.
• I personally start the game with ARISE and TOUCH.
• However, the words RAISE and MOUNT are worthy contenders too.

Today’s Wordle starts with the Letter M. It contains two vowels, and none of letters appear twice.

Synonym: Château.

From our readers

SA a violent country like the US

John writes:

The United States has a population of about 330 million. With such a large population, there are bound to be a large number of cranks and crackpots, as well as those who suffer from other mental illnesses such as bearing a grudge against humanity, or specific institutions, or people.

That’s life all over the world. It is not only American culture that is based on mindless violence. South Africa immediately comes to mind.

In South Africa, almost 57 people are murdered every day, while 800 to 900 children are gruesomely murdered a year.

South Africa has one of the highest rape rates in the world. Violent demonstrations are the norm. Vigilantes stone, beat or burn alleged criminals to death.

Recently, the world’s largest cost of living database, Numbeo, found that five of the top 20 most dangerous cities in the world were in South Africa.

Although we have no mass school shootings, school violence in SA is endemic. School stabbings have become commonplace.

Tuesday 31 May 2022 is…

National Macaroon Day

It’s easy to see why macaroons – which originated in Italy but are currently the most popular sweet in Paris – have their own commemorative day.

In their original form, they are gluten-free, and there are a smörgåsbord of recipes to try from all over the world, including the Dominican Republic and Scotland.

World No Tobacco Day

Observed annually on 31 May, World No Tobacco Day is used to raise awareness around the health risks of tobacco use.

Food for thought: lung cancer is believed to be the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with tobacco being responsible for 22% of all deaths from cancer.

Smoking also increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, oesophagus, liver, stomach, pancreas, and more.