Ripped from the Headlines: December 2019: This Week In Words: December 21–27, 2019

ISIS appears to be regrouping in Africa. Attacks in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso show that the group is gaining strength in that part of the world. The U.S. will be cutting back on its troops in the area, a move that experts say could allow ISIS and other terrorist groups to become much more powerful, possibly becoming full-fledged armies holding large portions of land. Many regional governments are not particularly strong, making this scenario more likely.

The global rollout of 5G technology will be hampered by a U.S. ban on Chinese company Huawei. Citing security concerns, America has prevented Huawei from joining U.S. networks and is pressuring allies to do the same. 5G was meant to offer a global standard for wireless communication and the Internet Of Things (IOT), but the division of the world into networks with and without Chinese tech looks to make that more complicated.

Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota had a good night at the last Democratic debate, earning her glowing reviews from pundits. While her poll numbers and fundraising have bumped up a bit, observers say that if she can do well in Iowa it would keep her in the running. She's currently polling 3.3 percent nationally, far behind the frontrunners Biden, Warren, Sanders, and Buttigieg.

ToTok, a text and video chat app, is actually a tool for the government of the United Arab Emirates to spy on its users. Google and Apple have removed the app from their stores. Because the app has access to a user's location, contacts, microphone, camera, and other data, it's an incredibly effective spying tool. This story highlights the extent to which some apps use our personal data, often without our knowledge or consent.

The U.K. will leave the European Union on January 31. The remainder of the year will be a period of transition, as customs, security, trade, law enforcement, and other issues all need to be negotiated. The Vice President of the European Commission wrote an open letter to the U.K., saying that it will always be welcome back in Europe if the political tides shift. In Latin, mandatum is a command or proclamation.

Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski expressed concern that Senate Majority Leader McConnell said he'd be coordinating the President's impeachment trial with the White House. Senators are required by the Constitution to swear an oath of impartiality before such a trial, and Murkowski said that McConnell's statement that there is "zero chance" that the President will be removed from office is in violation of that oath.

Large tech companies are coming under increased scrutiny by regulators as their hold on everything from our personal data to journalism, commerce, and media grows ever stronger. Politicians on both sides of the aisle are in favor of increased regulations, though how extensive they will be remains a big question. Nascent is a useful word for describing something that's brand new or just getting started.

The President attacked Speaker Pelosi on Twitter, saying that San Francisco, which is in her district, is infested with crime and homeless people. Advocates for the homeless were outraged, saying that the President has proposed cutting or ending federal programs for low-income housing and that these changes would put 100,000 people out on the street.

After two 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people, Boeing fired its CEO Dennis A. Muilenburg. Faulty software has been blamed for the crashes. The company has been widely criticized for both the corporate culture that led to releasing flawed aircraft and their response to the crashes. A tumult is a commotion, a ruckus, an uproar, from the Latin tumultus.

According to a report, Washington State Representative Matt Shea committed domestic terrorism in helping to coordinate the occupation of federal lands that resulted in a death. In addition, he has advocated for violence. The report has been given to the FBI. Shea has been suspended from the Republican caucus, and calls are growing for him to resign.