The Friday Brief with Phoenix Ricks

What do private security forces do around the world? We've recently discussed mercenaries in Africa, but today, we're looking at what American contractors are reporting from Gaza. What are they telling the press? Why aren't journalists allowed on-site to verify or refute their accounts independently? The interdependent relationship between global governments and private military con...

Today, much of the country was waiting to see how Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted on the One Big Beautiful Bill. Across party lines, concerns have been raised about the budget bill, with members like Senator Tillis of North Carolina breaking ranks to express their thoughts while still supporting Donald Trump's overall vision. Some people hope Senator Murkowski would do the same, but wa...

U.S. funding cuts to humanitarian aid programs have had dire consequences, especially in Sudan. The U.S. previously funded community soup kitchens. Without those community kitchens, babies and children have now starved to death. In this episode, we discuss The Washington Post's latest reporting on Sudan and other options for funding. European nations? Persian Gulf countries? Russia or China?...

Today, we're looking at the protests in Kenya and conflicting reports from Kenya's government and civil society groups that are tracking security violence against civilians. We're also covering the earliest known information about the so-called Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention center, which is set to be built in Florida. How do Indigenous leaders feel about it? What have env...

Did NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte call Donald Trump "daddy?"  Well, it seems that recollections may vary. We're also reviewing the latest news from the NATO summit, including Trump's win on increased defense budgets. In this episode, we discuss the healthcare impacts of One Big Beautiful Bill, the back-and-forth between China and Taiwan, and the differences in opinion over...

Did you know this week is World Female Ranger Week? Less than 22% of global wildlife rangers are women, and there's an organization determined to increase those numbers. We fully support this! We'll also cover the latest on the Israel-Iran ceasefire deal, the European Union's new comments about Israel and human rights, and what the U.S. Supreme Court decided about deporting immigran...

Today's episode includes updates on two wars: Israel vs. Iran and Russia vs. Ukraine. What do these countries say about the other wars? Which countries are taking sides and why? We also dive into the history of Juneteenth, why corporations are nervous about sponsorships this year, and why studying the U.S. Reconstruction Era is essential today.  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Insta...

Last weekend, there were No Kings rallies in the U.S., but there's one monarch in the Middle East that leaders could learn from today. King Abdullah II of Jordan is quietly giving a masterclass on supporting allies while defending human rights. In this episode, we talk about his recent address to the European Parliament on Gaza and Jordan's role in stopping Iranian missiles en route to I...

Russia's Wagner Group is leaving Mali, but that doesn't mean Russian mercenaries won't remain there. Why does Mali need to rely on mercenaries? We're also looking at this week's trade talks between the U.S. and China in London and exploring the Los Angeles immigration protests. Trump invoked Title 10 of the U.S. Code to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles. Will it esc...

Why is the Georgetown Law Center on Privacy and Technology part of a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security? It turns out that the Trump administration is using DNA technology to find and arrest immigrants, including children. Is this legal? Are they being transparent? Should Americans have the right to weigh in on this? We're also diving into the latest human rights debacle...

Amnesty International is one of the human rights groups calling for an investigation into civilian executions this month in Mali. Who killed these people and why? Which armed groups are fighting in Mali and why? In today's episode, we're exploring the rise of violent Islamist groups and deadly counterterrorism measures in Mali and other parts of Africa.  Send us a message Be sure to foll...

What is Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile defense project, and why did South Africa's president bring golf professionals and a billionaire to his Oval Office meeting today? We're breaking down both topics in under 10 minutes! Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on thefridaybrief.com. 

In this episode, we're looking at the present-day impacts of wars in the 1990s. From Jared Kushner's Serbia real estate deal (gone wrong) to repatriation to Rwanda, we're still talking about genocides, civil conflicts, and grave humanitarian issues that occurred in the 1990s. What can we do today to ensure our near future is more peaceful? We've got some advice, courtesy of eve...

Welcome to Season 2 of The Friday Brief! In this episode, you'll learn more about the latest news from the Pentagon, Sen. Fetterman's push to engage Iran, and the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. Why is Kashmir one of the most militarized regions in the world? Tune in and don't forget to share The Friday Brief with friends who want a global affairs overvi...

This episode of The Friday Brief is a call to action to support U.S. libraries and museums, which risk federal funding cuts under the Trump administration. Libraries and museums are generally not a political issue, and there's still bipartisan support to protect them. However, we must tell Congress members that we care and that this matters to our communities. The American Library Association...

There are anti-Hamas protests in northern Gaza, with Palestinians calling for Hamas leaders to step down from power. Gaza isn't the only place with protests right now. This episode also covers the latest news from Turkey, where protestors are upset about the arrest of a prominent opposition leader. While the Trump administration has a lot on its plate, officials found time to oust the South A...

Did the U.S. Department of Justice disobey a judge's verbal and written orders to stop deportations in progress? Some legal scholars believe the answer is yes, implying that the U.S. is on the brink of a constitutional crisis, with the judicial and executive branches at odds. Venezuelan Americans supported Trump during the election, so why is the Trump administration explicitly targeting Vene...

As promised, we're keeping track of the Trump administration's fixation with Greenland. After yesterday's debacle in the Senate, is there anything U.S. Democrats can learn from Greenland's latest response to Trump? We've got interesting news from Belgium, where an alleged bribery plot was uncovered between members of the European Parliament and China's telecom giant,...

This episode of The Friday Brief covers two world leaders' addresses to their nations. While Macron's address to France was about defending Ukraine and Europe from Russia, Trump's address reiterated his "America First" policy goals. Given what Macron said, is Europe preparing for a potential war? And, given Trump's treatment of Ukraine's president, Zelensky, will...

In most episodes, we cover several issues. But today, we're going to unite for Ukraine. Who started the war in Ukraine: Russia or Ukraine? Will the U.S. remain a steadfast ally for Ukraine? How are European leaders and historians responding to Putin's allegations about Ukraine needing to be "denazified?" We're covering All Things Ukraine today in under 10 minutes.  Send us...

This episode of The Friday Brief by Girl Friday covers the impacts of U.S. aid freezes and administration changes. In Thailand, a Burmese refugee died because a U.S.-funded clinic closed. In Ukraine, there are renewed concerns about the end of the war with Russia, as Trump met Putin without Zelensky. In Sudan, a network of communal kitchens might close because of a lack of U.S. funding. Meanwhile,...

In this episode of The Friday Brief by Girl Friday, we cover the Australian government's thoughts on China's AI darling, DeepSeek; "death saint" altars at drug raid sites in Ecuador; Trump's real estate plans for Gaza; and, finally, what (unelected) Elon Musk is doing around Washington, DC.  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up fo...

This episode has updates about USAID and Trump's new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. Will this lead to more tariffs against the United States? How will these tariffs impact U.S. consumers? How do tariffs work? We answer those questions and more in the first part of our new series on U.S. tariff wars.  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up for Th...

With funding from the U.S. for foreign assistance on pause, critical programs like PEPFAR are frozen. HIV/AIDS clinics in Africa rely on PEPFAR to offer testing and treatment. Will former President George Bush speak up on behalf of one of his administration's best initiatives? In this episode, we also discuss Holocaust Remembrance Day, conflict in the Congo, the importance of continuing U.S.-...

What is an executive order? Do they have the same power as a law? Why did Donald Trump sign so many on his first day? In this episode, we talk about executive actions, look at lessons from the past, and review the White House's current policy priorities on its website.  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on thefriday...