News from January 3–January 9, 2026
Each week, we scan the latest headlines to spot words in action. From major news stories to pop culture buzz, this feature highlights language as it’s unfolding. Stories about heroic dogs, market jitters, and a historically wet winter all contributed to the vocabulary from this week’s news.
allay
verb: put fear to rest; lessen or relieve
From the headlines: A series of winter storms in California has begun to allay worries about an extreme drought this year. Meteorologists warn that it’s still too soon to draw firm conclusions, since the state’s rainy season continues through late February. Even so, the wet winter has eased many residents’ concerns about having enough water during the coming summer.
avian
adjective: of or relating to birds
From the headlines: Two decades after Indian ecologist Dr. Purnima Devi Barman began working to protect the endangered greater adjutant stork (locally known as the hargila), she has mobilized a team of 20,000 women conservationists to assist her. The group, which Barman refers to as the Hargila Army, helps protect chicks, monitor nests, and raise local awareness of the awkward avian scavenger. Though the birds were once believed to bring bad luck, they play a vital role in keeping the ecosystem healthy.
cartilage
noun: a firm, elastic, flexible type of connective tissue
From the headlines: Scientists have developed a drug that can regrow cartilage, which they hope will eventually end the need for knee replacement surgery. In a recent study, researchers found that when old mice received injections of the drug, their knees grew new, functional, flexible tissue. Lab tests also found that human samples from knee replacements responded to the drug by regenerating cartilage.
conglomerate
noun: a group of diverse companies under common ownership
From the headlines: Warren Buffett officially retired as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway at the age of 95. The company was a struggling textile manufacturer when Buffett took control of it in 1964. Over the next 60 years, he turned it into a powerful conglomerate. Today’s Berkshire Hathaway is a massive group of companies, including Duracell, Dairy Queen, and GEICO, and has made Buffett one of the wealthiest people in the world.
cryptocurrency
noun: a form of currency (money) that exists only in electronic form on a decentralized exchange
From the headlines: A massive sell-off has continued to shake the cryptocurrency sector, according to economists. The value of bitcoin and other digital payments nearly doubled from November 2024 until October 2025, when many traders began selling their cryptocurrency. Some experts tie the sell-off to President Trump’s announcement of additional Chinese tariffs, which they say caused some investors to offload what they perceived as risky investments.
deft
adjective: skillful in physical movements
From the headlines: Texas Tech has signed center Stephanie Okechukwu, who at 7 ft. 1 in. becomes the tallest player in the history of women’s college basketball. Beyond her record-setting height, she is praised as an exceptionally deft athlete, combining agility and ball-handling skills with strong passing, rebounding, and dunking ability. Okechukwu surpasses the previous tallest players in the sport — Nicole Dominguez of Middle Tennessee State and Abbie Boutilier of Eastern Illinois — both of whom stand at 6 ft. 10 in.
depose
verb: to remove from office or position
From the headlines: Two days after Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro was deposed by the United States, he pleaded not guilty to drugs and weapons charges in a New York City courtroom. During an overnight military raid on his residence, U.S. forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. After Maduro’s removal from office, his senior official, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim leader.
disinformation
noun: lies told and spread deliberately to influence others
From the headlines: Experts are applauding Finland’s approach to media literacy education, which teaches children as young as 3 how to identify disinformation. Beginning in preschool, students learn skills designed to recognize false news stories and misleading messages. This early training is part of a nationwide strategy aimed at countering Russian propaganda.
efficacious
adjective: capable of having the desired result; effective
From the headlines: Twenty-nine bomb-detection dogs were honored by New Jersey’s attorney general for their service on election day in 2025, when they searched several locations targeted by bomb threats. Their work proved highly efficacious, with most affected polling places reopening within 30 minutes. The dogs — including labs, German shepherds, golden retrievers, and Belgian Malinois — were commended for responding to threats quickly and effectively.
paraplegic
adjective: having total immobilization of the lower half of the body
From the headlines: A paraplegic engineer has made history as the first wheelchair user to travel into space. Michaela Benthaus, who lost the use of her legs following a cycling accident, traveled beyond Earth’s atmosphere alongside five other passengers. The spacecraft was designed with accessibility in mind, allowing Benthaus to float freely and move comfortably during the brief 10-minute journey.
