Ripped from the Headlines: March 2021: This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for March 20–March 26, 2021

A 2,000-foot-wide asteroid, the largest expected to come close to Earth in 2021, passed safely on March 21. Asteroid 2001 FO32 hurtled past at 77,000 miles per hour, much faster than average. The enormous space rock made its closest approach, about 1.25 million miles away from Earth, at 12:03 p.m. The Greek root of asteroid means "star."

Observers say they can hear sounds from the aurora borealis, or northern lights, but there has been little research into the phenomenon. In places where these curtains of light and color are seen in the night sky — like Lapland, parts of Alaska, and northern Canada — people report sizzling and crackling noises. This summer, an EU-funded project in Finland will record these sounds in hopes of pinpointing their origin. Aurora derives from a root meaning "to shine."

As a record number of people from Mexico and Central America seek to cross the U.S. border, the Biden administration's immigration policy has faced criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. In interviews on March 21, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said, "The border is closed," urging asylum seekers not to attempt a crossing. President Biden stated that his plan will reestablish opportunities for people to apply for asylum from their home countries.

In response to overwhelming crowds of spring break revelers, Miami Beach officials established an emergency curfew on March 20. The curfew, which will remain in place for at least three weeks, is in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Since the weekend, police have made hundreds of arrests for curfew violations. Despite a recent increase in positivity rates, Governor Ron DeSantis has ended all Covid-related restrictions in Florida and encouraged spring break tourism.

NCAA president Mark Emmert announced an independent review in response to sharp criticism of disparities between the men's and women's basketball tournaments. Renewed controversy over inequities began after players shared photos on social media illustrating the stark contrast between amenities — like weight rooms and meals —provided for the men's and women's teams. Coaches and players said these disparities reflected a deeper, systemic lack of NCAA support for women's sports.

After AstraZeneca announced vaccine trial results showing a 79%efficacy rate against coronavirus symptoms, U.S. health officials questioned the accuracy of data presented by the company. Experts believe outdated information was included in the drugmaker's findings. In response, the company revised its efficacy rate to 76%. The confusion is considered a "scientific misstep" that threatens to erode public trust in what is still a highly effective vaccine.

Since President Biden set a May 1 deadline for states to begin opening vaccinations to all adults, eligibility has expanded across the country. On March 23, Indiana, Georgia, and Texas announced that residents 16 and over will be eligible for vaccines by the end of the month, joining a growing list of states with increased eligibility. The Late Latin source of eligibility is eligibilis, "that may be chosen."

A volcano on Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland erupted for the first time in 6,000 years. The eruption, considered small by scientists, sent lava spilling down two sides of the volcano. The bright orange glow was visible even by NASA and NOAA satellites. An Icelandic man captured dramatic video footage as the volcano erupted by flying a drone directly through the spewing lava.

Heavy flooding in eastern Australia forced at least 40,000 people to evacuate this week. Days of torrential rain caused rivers to swell and overflow, submerging houses and roads and cutting off entire towns. Evacuation orders remain in place for many areas, including western regions of Sydney. The flooding comes just one year after the country endured punishing wildfires that caused thousands to evacuate their homes.

President Biden announced he'll unveil a new infrastructure plan next week in Philadelphia. The proposal, which will cost at least $3 trillion, will include funding for traditional physical infrastructure improvements (like roads and bridges), as well as social programs, economic development, and fighting climate change.

Some people who have recovered from Covid-19 continue to experience olfactory effects long after their other symptoms have resolved. Loss of smell is a well-known early symptom of the virus, and sufferers are finding it can linger for months. Others experience parosmia, an olfactory disorder that makes normally pleasant scents smell terrible, or phantosmia, which causes people to smell things that aren't really there.

After a year’s absence, traffic cops have returned to an iconic Roman piazza. The Piazza Venezia is famous as a pedestrian and automobile traffic hub in downtown Rome. For years, white-gloved traffic officers have taken shifts atop a pedestal, directing cars around the busy circle. It's the last such traffic pedestal in Italy, and its fame has made it as widely photographed as any other Roman tourist site. Piazza has a Latin root meaning "broad street."

Editors of the 2021 World Happiness Report see evidence of global resilience in its surprising results. Despite a historically difficult year, life satisfaction in 95 countries remained steady with the previous year. The report, compiled by economists, uses data from the Gallup World Poll. U.S. respondents were particularly optimistic, anticipating a happy future, despite a slightly lower ranking of current well-being. The Latin root of resilience means "to rebound."

The prosecutor formerly in charge of investigations into the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol said that evidence supports sedition charges against suspects. Law enforcement officials confirmed that the Justice Department has been considering such charges against the militia known as the Oath Keepers. No one has been successfully prosecuted for sedition in over 20 years.

Due to the pandemic, international spectators will be barred from attending the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo. Organizers will issue refunds for more than 600,000 tickets, and thousands of would-be spectators are on the hook for hotel cancellation fees. Local spectators will be admitted. Olympic officials, who postponed the Games last summer, have been criticized for holding them this year as Japan faces a third wave of the virus and a slow vaccine rollout.

After last year's unusual spring, which included the earliest arrival of a vernal equinox in 124 years, many observers saw spring's official start on March 20, 2021 as a hopeful sign of a return to normalcy. The vernal equinox occurs at the precise moment when the sun is positioned directly over the Earth's equator (this year it happened at 5:37 a.m. EDT). It's the day when both day and night last 12 hours. Vernal derives from the Latin ver, "springtime."