The Friday Brief with Phoenix Ricks

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 (ALA) has a Show Up #ForOurLibraries campaign. You can find advocacy resources, including how to contact your members of Congress, on ala.org/showup. 

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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 African ambassador to the U.S. for being a "race-baiting politician," without evidence. But, the real question is, did they decide to declare him persona non grata in a Signal chat? Yes, we're covering the group chat debacle, too! 

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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 Venezuelan immigrants with these mass deportation efforts? The answer is Tren de Aragua. We cover their origin story and more in this episode of The Friday Brief. 

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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, Huawei. We'll also cover Iran's dress code enforcement, Washington, DC's budget shortfall, Elon Musk's failed attempt to takedown U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, and Rep. Lauren Boebert's latest antics. All in under 10 minutes! 

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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 the U.S. side with our allies or with Russia? We also cover the latest news from Sudan, South Korea, and New Zealand. 

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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. 

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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, the U.S. will also be impacted by USAID's illegal closure. American farmers are paid handsomely for crops (wheat, rice, soybeans, to name a few) USAID uses for humanitarian aid assistance abroad. Did those farmers know that voting for "small government" meant closing USAID and losing those contracts? What will happen to farms that rely on USAID's government contracts? 

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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. 

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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. 

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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.-funded mine clearance in Asia, and Donald Trump's proposal for Gaza. 

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