The Friday Brief with Phoenix Ricks

Girl Friday
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The Friday Brief is a calm news podcast by Girl Friday, a boutique global affairs firm in Washington, D.C. We believe awareness impels action for a world of good.

  1. FEB 10

    The Curious Case of the Epstein Files pt. 2

    Linwood Barnhill, a former DC police officer, was just tried and convicted of child trafficking. For the second time. How do human traffickers get away with kidnapping victims and moving them in plain sight? I worked in anti-human trafficking at the start of my career in global affairs, so in this episode, I'm sharing the lessons I learned from the anti-trafficking movement before we dive into the geopolitical implications of the Epstein files and Jeffrey Epstein's crimes.  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on thefridaybrief.com.

    16 min

  2. JAN 26

    Changed for Good: Americans on ICE

    Will the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota be the catalyst to dismantle or reimagine ICE in the United States? Mayor Jacob Frey seems to think so, and Americans across party lines are demanding answers about ICE's recent actions in Minneapolis. As the U.S. grapples with ICE, we're also faced with the ongoing debate over ice further north: Greenland. What is the Davos Greenland deal, and which negotiating parties have the upper hand? We're talking about ICE and ice today on The Friday Brief, with a side of World War II history Germans want us to remember.  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on thefridaybrief.com.

    13 min

  3. JAN 15

    Denmark calls for aid. And Europe will answer.

    Remember that scene in The Lord of the Rings when Rohan answers Gondor's call for aid? That's what's happening in Europe right now, as troops deploy to Greenland as part of Denmark's Operation Arctic Endurance. Denmark has been a steadfast ally of the United States, so the Trump administration's bizarre move to acquire Greenland has shocked NATO. But, under Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's cool, calm, and collected leadership, Greenland has a fierce protector. Who will win this fight?  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on thefridaybrief.com.

    10 min

  4. JAN 6

    Venezuela's Regime Change Conundrum

    Welcome to Season 3 of The Friday Brief! We're diving into All Things Venezuela today, including an update on the federal prosecution against Nicolas Maduro, the Trump administration's repositioning of the Cartel de Los Soles, and Maria Machado's ongoing campaign to lead her country. When will the U.S. hand over control? Who should Machado ally with now? Do foreign-led regime changes ever end well?  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on thefridaybrief.com.

    12 min
  5. Vanity Scare

    12/19/2025

    Vanity Scare

    While the U.S. debates the merits of close-up photography in Vanity Fair's piece on Donald Trump's circle, we noticed something else in Vanity Fair's coverage. They've teased a curious conversation with Susie Wiles, the White House Chief of Staff, on Venezuela. The timing is interesting because of this week's U.S. military strikes against alleged narco-terrorists and Donald Trump's decision to designate Venezuela's government as a foreign terrorist organization. What is the "dark fleet" of oil tankers Trump is targeting? Will this alter the global oil market? How are Russia, Iran, and China involved? We cover all of this in under 8 minutes.  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on thefridaybrief.com.

    8 min
  6. The Last Sunrise Dance

    12/16/2025

    The Last Sunrise Dance

    The Apache have performed the Sunrise Dance at Oak Flat in Arizona for centuries, but the ceremony that The Washington Post documented might be the last one before their sacred land becomes a copper mine. Why did Congress hand our public land over to Resolution Copper, a foreign mining company? Will the copper mine boost the U.S. economy? Will Resolution Copper adequately compensate the Indigenous tribes that will be affected? We have one request after you hear this episode: please speak up for our public lands and Indigenous neighbors.  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on thefridaybrief.com.

    7 min
  7. The Terrorist Attack on Bondi Beach

    12/15/2025

    The Terrorist Attack on Bondi Beach

    President Lukashenko of Belarus might be "Europe's Last Dictator," but this weekend, U.S. and European leaders negotiated for the release of 123 prisoners in Belarus, including Maria Kalesnikava, a beloved political figure. Meanwhile, in Nigeria, some of the recently-kidnapped Catholic school students were reunited with their families. Who took them, and where are the other children and school staffers? Plus: we're covering the special U.S. military operation in the Indian Ocean, the terrorist attack on Bondi Beach, rising antisemitism in Australia, and the mass shooting at Brown University.  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on thefridaybrief.com.

    12 min
  8. The Proxy War in the Sahel

    11/25/2025

    The Proxy War in the Sahel

    Everyone has an opinion on the latest Ukraine-Russia peace plan. Will it benefit Ukraine long-term? Was it originally written in Russian? Is the U.S. properly advocating for our ally, Ukraine? Something is being left out of this conversation, and it is how this war is impacting the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region of Africa. But now, with European Union leaders in Angola for the EU-AU summit, this is the perfect time to talk about it. In this episode, we explore the links between these crises via the Wagner Group's participation.  Send us a message Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefridaybrief and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on thefridaybrief.com.

    13 min
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About

The Friday Brief is a calm news podcast by Girl Friday, a boutique global affairs firm in Washington, D.C. We believe awareness impels action for a world of good.

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