Ripped from the Headlines: August 2023: This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for August 12–August 18, 2023

Punctuation perfectionists around the world celebrated International Apostrophe Day on August 15. It's a holiday meant to draw attention to the small, curved mark that replaces missing letters in contractions like don't and they're. Apostrophes also turn a regular noun into a possessive: "Tom's writing is sloppy — his sentences' lack of apostrophes is appalling!"

Two years after the Taliban seized control in Afghanistan, the country's humanitarian crisis is growing worse. Taliban leaders celebrated the anniversary, calling it their "independence day." UN human rights experts noted the "systemic…system of segregation, marginalization, and persecution" under Taliban rule. Women are not allowed to work, go to school, or participate in sports. Humanitarian means "having concern for the well-being of humans."

At least 110 people have been confirmed dead after last week's massive fire that incinerated much of Lahaina, on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Authorities warn that the number of victims may rise, as searches continue of homes and cars that were burned to ashes. The wildfire, the deadliest in more than a century in the U.S., spread rapidly from drought-ravaged grassland to urban areas. The Latin roots of incinerate mean "in" and "ashes."

In a landmark decision, a judge ruled that young Montana residents have a constitutional right to a clean, healthful environment. The ruling means the state is obligated to consider climate change when it approves fossil fuel projects. Montana is a major producer of coal and gas, whose emissions harm the environment. The case has legal significance as the first in a wave of lawsuits against state and federal governments which plaintiffs say have failed to protect residents' health.

Weeks after a small-town Kansas newspaper investigated the new Marion county police chief on allegations of misconduct, it was raided by his officers. Eric Meyer, publisher of the Marion County Record, said the paper ran background checks on chief Gideon Cody after receiving tips about unethical behavior from several of his former colleagues. Computers, phones, and other reporting materials were seized in the raid, which is being criticized by free speech advocates.

The USA Mullet Championship announced its 25 finalists in the under-12 category. More than 900 kids with the classic "business in the front, party in the back" hairstyle entered the contest. The winner will receive a trophy and $5,000. The Beastie Boys are credited with naming this iconic haircut in their 1994 song Mullet Head. Earlier, a mullet head was a "stupid person," after a flat-headed fish, also called a mullet head.

Michigan State students discovered the remains of a 142-year-old observatory buried on campus this summer. The undergraduates were working with the Campus Archaeology Program when they found part of the building's cobblestone foundation. Once housing the university's first telescope and astronomy classes, it was demolished in the 1920s. The location will become a dig site for archaeology students next summer. Observatory has a Latin root meaning "to watch."

Former President Trump and 18 other people were indicted on August 14 on racketeering charges. A Georgia district attorney used the state's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO, to charge Trump with conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results. Racketeering comes from racketeer, a Prohibition-era word meaning "member of a criminal gang," and racket, "dishonest activity."

Climate experts say renewable energy will be the world's largest source of electricity by 2025. Currently, most electrical power is generated by coal, an unsustainable fuel. As more governments invest money into cleaner energy, wind and solar are growing more and more affordable. These endlessly renewable sources of electricity have advanced more quickly than predicted, a bit of good news for the environment.

An unconventional candy, described as "flavorless," was discontinued after briefly being sold in Japanese convenience stores. The unusual confection was not sweet, nor was it sour, salty, or bitter; in fact, it had no taste at all. Aji no Shinai? Ame, which translates to Tasteless? Candy in English, was intended to help people moisten their mouths while wearing masks. Unconventional is from roots meaning "not" and "be suitable" or "agree."

China will stop publishing certain unemployment data this month, after the country's youth jobless rate rose to a record high of more than 21 percent in June. Specific numbers about citizens between the ages of 16 and 24 who can't find work will no longer be released, as Chinese officials move to suppress bad news about the country's struggling economy.

In California, goats are being enlisted to help prevent wildfires by eating excess vegetation. The strategy, known as targeted grazing, uses large herds to tackle dry brush and plants, in an effort to reduce combustible material that might feed flames in a fire. The goats can devour acres of flammable vegetation, including invasive species — even the prickly star thistle and poison oak. The Latin root of vegetation means "grow or quicken."