News from March 28–April 3, 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 ancient dogs, hopes for peace, and jerseys that aren’t jerseys all contributed to the vocabulary from this week’s news.
condolence
noun: an expression of sympathy with another’s grief
From the headlines: After a deadly collision on a runway at LaGuardia Airport that killed two pilots and injured dozens of passengers, Air Canada’s CEO offered his condolences in a recorded statement. Michael Rousseau faced criticism for delivering the message only in English, even though French is an official language of Canada and the sole language spoken by one of the victims’ families. A few days later, Rousseau announced that he will step down by September.
de-escalate
verb: lessen in size, scope, or intensity
From the headlines: Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt convened over two days in an effort to de-escalate the war in the Middle East. Held in Islamabad, the talks are part of a broader regional push to encourage negotiations between U.S. and Iranian leaders. In the near term, officials are focused on reducing tensions, with a ceasefire being the next objective.
epilepsy
noun: a neurological disorder characterized by recurring seizures
From the headlines: In a clinical trial, an experimental drug improved the conditions of children with a treatment-resistant form of epilepsy. The drug was given to eighty-one young patients with Dravet syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes medicine-resistant seizures starting in infancy. After three doses, their monthly seizures were reduced by 80 percent and their quality of life improved in meaningful ways.
homily
noun: a sermon on a moral or religious topic
From the headlines: On March 29, Pope Leo XIV gave a homily in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican that focused on peace. Leo’s first Palm Sunday Mass sermon stated that God, as the “king of peace,” does not justify war and always rejects the use of violence. Leo’s homily was seen by many as a rebuke to leaders who defend military action using religion.
imbroglio
noun: an intricate and confusing situation
From the headlines: An insurance snafu delayed cleanup after a highway spill dumped twenty tons of tofu, resulting in an extremely smelly problem for the town of Jerome, Missouri. The imbroglio began when a tractor-trailer veered off Interstate 44 and down a steep ravine. The truck and the increasingly stinky tofu sat for weeks as towing companies waited for confirmation that there was enough insurance to pay them.
Paleolithic
adjective: of the early period of the Stone Age, through 10,000 BCE
From the headlines: New research shows that Paleolithic humans had dogs before they began farming. Scientists analyzed DNA from ancient canines and found evidence that Stone Age hunter-gatherers were exchanging dogs with each other. The discovery confirms that the domestication of dogs happened at least 5,000 years earlier than previous evidence had shown.
permeate
verb: spread or diffuse through
From the headlines: New research suggests that deep plowing harms soil by disturbing the channels that normally allow water to permeate it. Using seismic sensors, scientists compared fields that were left unplowed, lightly tilled, or deeply tilled, monitoring how rainfall moved through each. In the heavily worked soil, water tended to collect on the surface and evaporate, while in the untouched plots it was able to permeate the ground and spread more evenly.
stalemate
noun: a situation in which no progress can be made
From the headlines: As the stalemate over funding the Department of Homeland Security dragged on, President Trump signed a memo authorizing pay for TSA workers. Lawmakers remain at an impasse, with Republicans demanding immigration enforcement money be included and Democrats rejecting any measure that supports ICE without reforms. The deadlock left airport security personnel working for weeks without pay.
surrealism
noun: an artistic movement using fantastic and incongruous images
From the headlines: In a tribute to René Magritte, Belgium’s new away game World Cup jersey includes text reading “Ceci n’est pas un maillot,” which translates to “This is not a jersey.” Magritte was a Belgian artist in the 20th-century surrealism movement whose art was known for taking familiar objects and making them strange or dreamlike. One of Magritte’s most famous paintings is of a realistic pipe with the words “This is not a pipe” in French.
thwart
verb: hinder or prevent
From the headlines: Paris police thwarted an attempted attack outside a Bank of America corporate office, stopping a suspect before he could detonate explosives. Officers found the man on the sidewalk around 3:30 a.m. carrying fuel, explosive powder, and an ignition system. They intervened before he could set off the improvised device and arrested him on charges related to attempted terrorism.
turbulent
adjective: characterized by, or showing disturbance, disorder, etc.
From the headlines: President Trump fired Pam Bondi on April 2, following her turbulent fourteen-month tenure as U.S. Attorney General. Bondi’s time in the position was marked by internal disputes, policy clashes, and ongoing controversy within the department. Her handling of matters tied to Jeffrey Epstein drew intense scrutiny, with critics arguing that her past decisions and public responses raised questions about judgment and transparency. Additional controversies, including clashes with Justice Department officials and alleged politically motivated investigations, further contributed to the perception of a turbulent tenure leading up to her dismissal.
