Who owns Greenland?

Which country owns Greenland, and why is it a hot topic of conversation now in the United States? Plus, we'll chat about the wildfires in California and what else is happening worldwide. As always, you can subscribe to The Friday Brief newsletter on deargirlfriday.com. Be sure to follow us at Dear Girl Friday on Instagram, too. We post episode summaries and sources so listeners can learn more. 

Be sure to follow us on Instagram @DearGirlFriday and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on deargirlfriday.com.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome & World News
• 1:50 Donald Trump vs. Greenland
• 4:16 California Wildfires

Transcript

Welcome to The Friday Brief, a news podcast by Girl Friday. I’m Phoenix Ricks, the CEO of Girl Friday and your host. This is your brief for January 10, 2025. 

In top news in Africa, Benin’s armed forces in the north were fatally attacked this week. According to Reuters, their troops are trying to stop Islamist militants. The West African country shares a border with parts of Togo, Nigeria, Niger, and Burkina Faso. Reuters added that in recent years, Benin and Togo have been attacked by terrorist groups that are expanding further north. 

Looking to Asia, a coal mine in northeastern India collapsed earlier this week, and rescuers are still racing to find survivors. The BBC reported that one body has been recovered. Six other people are believed to be alive but still stuck in the mine, which has flooded with water. 

And in Europe, tensions are escalating, once again, between Armenia and Azerbaijan. You may recall in 2023, Azerbaijan’s military claimed victory in the landlocked Nagorno-Karabakh region. This drew strong criticism from global human rights groups that feared for the ethnic Armenian population. Now, Politico is reporting that in a recent local interview, the president of Azerbaijan called Armenia “a fascist state in its nature.” He was apparently responding to Armenia’s latest arms deals with France. Azerbaijan also accused Armenia of attacking its army on the southeastern border on January 5th. Armenia has said the allegations are disinformation. Armenia’s prime minister said, “We will not use the language of aggression, but the language of dialogue.” 

Now, speaking of rising tensions, I’m tracking conversations about the Arctic and Greenland. You may have seen President-elect Donald Trump declare again that he wants to acquire Greenland. The Financial Times noted that Danish and Greenlandic officials have repeatedly made it clear that Greenland is not for sale, though they are willing to work with the U.S. on Arctic issues. 

That has not stopped Team Trump. Donald Jr. was even in Greenland this week for, as he told CNN, “a little bit of fun.” One of my favorite professional experiences was working on a small Arctic project at the U.S. Department of State. If you’re unfamiliar with the region and wondering why it keeps coming up in policy conversations, it's because Greenland has abundant mineral resources and is a security hub. 

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, which is more commonly known as NORAD, has operations in Greenland. When you hear NORAD, you might think of their famous annual Santa tracker. According to their mission, NORAD is “a United States and Canada bi-national organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America. Aerospace warning includes the detection, validation, and warning of attack against North America, whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles, through mutual support arrangements with other commands.” 

Given Greenland’s location and NORAD’s strategic interest, you’ve probably already figured out the other two nations at play here: Russia and China. I could talk about the gamble for Greenland all day, and we will revisit this topic with a focus on what matters most: the people of Greenland. In the meantime, if you're interested in Greenland, I think you will enjoy the show Borgen: Power and Glory. It is phenomenal! It's the fourth installation of a Danish show called Borgen, but don’t worry, it stands alone very well, and you don’t have to catch up on the initial seasons if you don’t have time. Even though it's fictional, you’ll learn a lot about Denmark’s relationship with Greenland, the Indigenous population of Greenland, and all of the foreign powers, including the U.S., vying to take control. 

Our main story this week, which you will see in The Friday Brief newsletter, is about the wildfires raging through Southern California. The wildfires have claimed lives, livelihoods, and cherished memories for entire communities. I’m thinking of everyone's family, friends, and our Girl Friday partners in Los Angeles who have lost their homes and businesses. I’m also thinking of the courageous first responders running into dangerous fires while residents are forced to evacuate to safety with their loved ones, pets, and keepsakes. 

ABC News reported that 800 incarcerated individuals have joined the first responders to put out the fires. These incarcerated people volunteer through the Conservation (Fire) Camps, and they work with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, better known as Cal Fire. The incarcerated firefighters are paid meager wages and only receive an extra dollar per hour when responding to emergencies like this one. They are not even guaranteed the ability to apply for firefighter roles once released. 

Given California’s dire need for more firefighters, I wonder if the state will consider reexamining these policies and practices. If any of this sounds familiar, you might also be a fan of the show Fire Country on CBS. I’m still catching up on season one, but so far, I think the show does a great job, through fiction, of humanizing these stories. If you want to watch a clip of a real firefighter talking about wildfires and climate change, I highly recommend checking out PBS’s Brief but Spectacular segment with Sarah Jakober, a brave member of a rappel crew in Oregon. She discusses her career path to fighting wildfires, what it's like rappelling from a helicopter into wildfires, and the impact of climate change on her work. Climate change has been politicized in the U.S., and it is well past time for politicians to listen to climate scientists and other professionals, like wildfire experts. 

There are many ways to get involved with California relief efforts and climate change activism globally. Right now, I personally recommend supporting World Central Kitchen’s efforts in Southern California. Whenever there’s a crisis, World Central Kitchen is on the ground distributing much-needed nourishment and comfort. And that concludes your brief for today. 

Make sure you don’t miss an episode! Follow Dear Girl Friday on Instagram, where we post episode summaries and sources. You can sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on deargirlfriday.com. Until next time, I’m Phoenix Ricks signing off from Washington, D.C. Let’s work together for a world of good.