Ripped from the Headlines: October 2024: This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 13–October 19, 2024

The convenience store chain 7-Eleven announced it will close over 400 stores in the U.S. For nearly a century, the brand has been known for its small corner shops that stock everyday items including groceries, snacks, newspapers, and toiletries. Customers appreciate the ease of 7-Eleven's long hours, range of items, and handy locations. The chain plans to focus on "fresh food and specialty beverages," and open stores "in areas where customers are looking for more convenience."

On October 14, China enacted military drills as a warning to Taiwan. The large-scale exercises involved 125 aircraft, an aircraft carrier, and several ships simulating air and sea strikes. The intimidating drills followed a speech defending Taiwan's democracy by its president, Lai Ching-te. Though Taiwan functions as an independent country, it's officially a Chinese territory. Drill's root means "to turn," a reference to marching troops turning together in maneuvers.

Eleven members of a Pennsylvania family were hospitalized after eating mushrooms they had foraged. First responders arrived at a home in Peach Bottom Township after a 911 call alerted them that two adults and their nine children had become violently ill after picking, cooking, and eating wild mushrooms. The Amish family had no telephone, and an adult had to walk half a mile to reach a phone booth. All 11 were released after being treated.

Three years after President Biden officially recognized Indigenous People's Day, 17 states and more than 100 cities observed the holiday on October 14. Advocates of replacing Columbus Day with a celebration of Native Americans say the observance helps to correct inaccuracies in the way U.S. history has been taught and shift the focus to people who lived in North America long before Columbus arrived. The Latin root of indigenous means "born in a country."

Vermont border patrol agents stopped a woman who was trying to kayak to Canada with $40,000 worth of federally protected turtles. Wan Yee Ng had begun paddling a narrow, inflatable boat across Lake Wallace, which borders Canada. A second person, believed to be Ng's husband, was approaching in another kayak from the lake's Canadian shore. Ng was arrested with a duffel bag containing 29 eastern box turtles. Kayak is from the Inuit qayaq, "small boat of skins."

Ruth Chepngetich made history on October 13 when she broke the world record for a woman completing a marathon. In her third Chicago Marathon win, Chepngetich ran 26.2 miles in two hours, nine minutes, and 56 seconds — nearly two minutes faster than the record set by Tigst Assefa in 2023. Marathon comes from the Greek hero Pheidippides' epic run, from the battlefields of Marathon to Athens, in 490 BCE.

Twelve people were rescued after being stranded 1,000 feet underground in an inactive Colorado gold mine for six hours. Two tour groups were in the mine shaft when an elevator malfunctioned, killing one tour guide and injuring four other people. One group was brought to the surface, but the second remained trapped for several more hours. The popular attraction allows visitors to learn about Old West gold mining while descending through a vertical mine shaft.

A panel of experts said that nutrition should play a larger role in medical training. The group of 37 educators, nutrition scientists, physicians, medical residency directors, and registered dietitians noted that while diet greatly affects health outcomes, medical education includes almost no information about food. They advocated for giving "evidence-based, culturally sensitive nutrition and food recommendations to patients for prevention and treatment of disease."

A study found that 80 percent of U.S. emergency rooms don't have adequate supplies to handle pediatric emergencies. Researchers surveyed 747 hospital emergency departments across the country, where medical care for kids varied widely in quality. They concluded that training and equipment specifically tailored to young patients would reduce deaths and improve children's lives. Pediatric is derived from the Greek pais, "child."

Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from tennis. The legendary player is ending his competitive career after 22 grand slam wins; his final match will be in Spain at November's Davis Cup. The 38-year-old Nadal, who is considered one of the best tennis players of all time, has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons. The Middle French root of retirement means "to withdraw or draw back."

New analysis showed that FEMA flood maps greatly underestimate how vulnerable many areas are to flooding, including parts of western North Carolina. Scientists say that this mountainous region contains at least seven times more properties that are at high risk of severe floods than government projections show. According to the report, FEMA maps don't account for unusually heavy rain, small streams, or effects of climate change, underplaying the actual danger for thousands of homes.

A study found that the wrinkles in an elephant's trunk function almost like elbows. Scientists examined the trunk creases in Asian and African elephants, noting that babies are already wrinkled at birth. The African species picks up food by pinching it in the end of their trunks. Asian elephants, however, must wrap their trunks around their food and need extra wrinkles to make their trunks more versatile. Asian elephants have about 126 trunk folds, while African elephants have 83.