Ripped from the Headlines: February 2021: This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for February 13–19, 2021

The Senate voted 57–43 to convict former President Trump for his role in inciting the riot at the Capitol on January 6. Because 67 votes — a 2/3 majority of the Senate — are required for a conviction, he was acquitted of the charge. Acquit comes from the Old French acuiter, meaning "to liberate or redeem."

Some state Republican parties voted to censure senators who voted to convict former President Trump in the impeachment trial. Pennsylvania and North Carolina Senators Pat Toomey and Richard Burr were both censured by their respective state parties, as was Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. A censure is a statement of disapproval but carries no legal punishment. The word comes from the Latin censura, which is also the root of censor.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that Congress will look into forming a commission to investigate the January 6 riot at the Capitol. The inquiry will be modeled on the one set up after 9/11, which examined the intelligence and law enforcement failures that led up to the 9/11 attacks. Members of Congress from both parties have expressed support for such a commission.

France's largest bank, BNP Paribas, announced that it will no longer provide financing for companies that contribute to deforestation in the Amazon and surrounding areas. The Amazon rainforest, which is critical to the global climate, is being rapidly cleared by logging, mining, and beef and soy farming. Environmental groups said that the bank's decision is a good sign, showing that global markets are responding to the climate crisis.

China is considering limiting its export of rare earth minerals. These metals — like yttrium, terbium, and scandium — are critical for many types of American military technology, including the F-35 fighter. They're also essential for some components in civilian tech, like smartphones and electric cars. China controls the world market for these metals, and this has led some experts to call for the U.S. and other countries to increase production.

Naomi Osaka defeated Serena Williams in straight sets in the Australian Open semifinals, sending Osaka to the final and bringing her one step closer to her fourth Grand Slam trophy. She will face Jennifer Brady, who has never made it to a Grand Slam final before, in Saturday's championship match. Osaka holds a 2–1 lead over Brady in their three previous meetings.

A huge winter storm brought heavy snow and frigid temperatures to large parts of the country. Texas was particularly hard-hit, as the state's power grid failed when gas power plants froze and could not produce electricity. Thousands of people suffered days without heat or power in buildings lacking proper insulation against unusually frigid conditions.

New River Gorge in West Virginia was designated as America's 63rd national park. The new park covers about 72,000 acres along 53 miles of the gorge. The area is popular for whitewater rafting, kayaking, and other activities. The park designation is expected to boost the local economy as it attracts more tourists to the area. The word gorge comes from the French word for "throat."

Britain and Canada imposed sanctions on the military junta that took control of Myanmar on February 1. The E.U. and U.S. are expected to follow suit. The sanctions freeze the foreign-held assets of the top generals responsible, and prevent the officials from traveling to many parts of the world. The word junta comes from the Latin juncta, meaning "joined."

The night sky over Melbourne, Australia lit up as a meteor streaked over the city and burned up. The fiery explosion did not cause damage, and many eyewitnesses recorded videos that circulated widely online. Meteor comes from the Greek metéora, meaning "high up." Unlike a meteor, a meteorite is a piece of space rock that doesn't burn up in flight, instead landing on the ground — sometimes creating a good-sized impact crater in the process.

Iran says it will ban snap inspections of its nuclear facilities, raising pressure on the U.S. to rejoin the deal that the Trump administration left in 2018. President Biden signaled during his campaign that he would rejoin the agreement, and U.S. officials are meeting with their European counterparts to discuss what steps to take. The nucleus is the center of an atom and in Latin it means "kernel or core," from nux, meaning "nut."

Although the country has a large supply of N95 masks, many hospitals are still rationing them, giving doctors and nurses only one per shift — or sometimes even one per week — instead of a new one for each patient, which was the norm before the pandemic hit. Critics say that hospitals are putting staff at risk. Ration comes from the Latin ratio, a mathematical term describing the relative size of two quantities.

President Biden met with labor leaders and other officials to discuss the details of the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill working its way through Congress. The economic relief bill contains money for states, cities, towns, and individuals, as well as funds for vaccine distribution, unemployment insurance, research, and many other projects. The word stimulus is Latin, meaning "goad," a poke or prod to encourage something to move.

Michael McDowell won the Daytona 500 in a startling upset. By narrowly missing a huge, multi-car crash near the end of the race, he was able to beat two other cars for the win. This was his first win in 357 races; the odds against him at the beginning of the race were 100-1.

The Swiss company Nestlé announced that it will be launching a dairy-free version of its KitKat bar. This move comes after other companies like Mars, Cadbury, and Lindt have all introduced similar products to appeal to vegans and capture some of the growing market for plant-based foods that do not use animal products.