Ripped from the Headlines: November 2023: This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for November 25–December 1, 2023

A grassroots movement in Russia is protesting long deployments for Russian troops in Ukraine. Soldiers were originally mobilized more than a year ago, and most of them remain in combat. Russian officials have stated that troops will stay in Ukraine "indefinitely." The protesters include women around the country whose family members were deployed in 2022, and who are arguing for deployments to end after one year. The Latin root of deployment means "unfold or scatter."

Starting December 1, Google will start deleting inactive accounts. The tech company specified that any accounts which have been dormant for at least two years will be removed. All content in any Google product will be deleted, including emails, photos, videos, and documents. In order to avoid this, users can reactivate unused accounts simply by signing in. Dormant is derived from the Latin dormire, "to sleep."

Paul Lynch won the Booker Prize for fiction on November 26 with his dystopian novel Prophet Song. The book tells the story of an imagined Ireland where totalitarianism and war have caused society to collapse. Lynch, the Irish author of four previous novels, received a £50,000 cash prize as part of the annual award, which goes to an English-language book published in Britain or Ireland. Dystopian adds the prefix dys-, "bad," to the Greek topos, "place."

The sex of green sea turtles is determined when they are embryos, with warmer sand and the presence of certain metals producing more females. Scientists say global warming and pollution are putting the species in danger of extinction as fewer males are born. Reducing the amount of heavy metals in oceans would ensure that more unhatched sea turtles will be born male, helping to protect the species. The Greek root of embryo means "a young one."

New research shows that students who regularly use videoconferencing technology experience what scientists call "Zoom fatigue," which can affect their brains and hearts. A study compared engineering students in classrooms with others who only attended online lectures and found the remote learners reported extreme exhaustion. Researchers monitored participants' heart rhythms and the electrical activity in their brains, finding notable differences between the two groups.

On November 27, First Lady Jill Biden unveiled the White House holiday decorations, including an 18-foot Christmas tree that was selected to be tall, symmetrical, and extremely fragrant. Displaying a tree in the Blue Room is a tradition that's more than 100 years old, and this year's is a towering Fraser Fir that was chosen from several contenders because it was so aromatic. Fragrant derives from the Latin fragrantem, "sweet-smelling."

The U.S. Navy intercepted the hijacking of a cargo ship by pirates in the Gulf of Aden on November 26. Officials said five armed men attempted to take control of a commercial tanker off the coast of Somalia, fleeing in a small boat when the USS Mason intervened. The Navy ship pursued the pirates, who eventually surrendered. The Greek root of pirate is peiratēs, which literally means "one who attacks."

A plague of rats has descended on a small town in Australia. The population of native long-haired rats exploded across Western Queensland this year. Enormous numbers of the rodents have washed up dead on beaches in Karumba as thousands continue to chew through electrical wires, creating power outages and disabling cars. Experts say the extreme population increase is part of a natural cycle that will subside eventually.

The British television series Doctor Who is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Three new specials will air in the U.S. before the science fiction show launches a new season in 2024. The story follows a time traveler, known as the Doctor, who journeys across space and time attempting to protect the earth from various dangers. In its six decades, the Doctor has been played by 13 different actors; David Tennant, the tenth Doctor, will return for the anniversary episodes.

The snack brand Doritos has created crunch cancellation software that removes the sound of chewing from voice chats and phone calls. The computer app was developed with gamers in mind; it allows them to munch on chips while playing multiplayer games without irritating their friends. Doritos Silent can also be used in Zoom meetings or any call that involves headphones. For now, the program works on PCs, and it will eventually be available for more devices.

Because of an oversupply of apples from 2022 and a recent decline in apple exports, U.S. growers had a large surplus this fall. Millions of apples were at risk of being left to rot until a government relief program agreed to buy $10 million worth of this year's crop from growers in West Virginia. The organization will donate the extra apples to charities that fight hunger. The Latin roots of surplus are super, "over," and plus, "more."

Mediators worked to extend a truce between Israel and Hamas this week. The temporary cease-fire had been set to expire after a hostage exchange on November 29, but the two sides agreed to a seventh day without fighting. Hamas released more captives and Israel freed additional prisoners as part of the deal. The word truce derives from the Old English treow, "truth, pledge, or treaty."