#ourCOG Daily Brief [April 22, 2026]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for April 22, 2026.

Today in U.S. news, President Trump’s “Art of the Deal” approach in his conflict with Iran appears to be giving Tehran leverage, as an impasse over the Strait of Hormuz continues. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are creatively using “reconciliation” to try and end the DHS shutdown, hoping to bypass Democratic opposition on immigration law enforcement funding. Planned ICE mega-jails are facing unexpected pushback even from pro-Trump areas due to logistical and financial concerns. On Capitol Hill, retiring lawmakers lament that fundraising and attention-seeking are eroding policymaking norms, causing Congress to cede its constitutional role. And in higher education, Hampshire College, known for its nontraditional style, announced its closure, highlighting the financial and demographic pressures many small liberal arts colleges are facing. Internationally, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who took office in 2024 promising stability, is now fighting to keep his job amidst accusations of misleading the public. Haiti’s longest-running newspaper is struggling to survive the growing criminal-gang control, a new challenge for a publication that has weathered dictatorships and natural disasters. Finally, a heartwarming story from Mexico where a Mayan women’s softball team, Las Diablillas, is batting away barriers, changing perceptions about women playing on the village ball field.

Our latest video offerings include “Why Your Word Matters,” a message from Jonathan Vorce, highlights from the Alabama Church of God Camp Meeting on June 12, 1986, with R. Lamar Vest, and the Arch – Discipleship Wednesday session, “Hell’s Spells,” led by Bishop Leon Flood.

In FaithNews, we’re tracking the completion of the Executive Council’s April Session, the launch of the First Christian Startup School, a Presidential Message commemorating 250 Years of the Bible in America, and news that City of Refuge will be featured in a new documentary.

Turning to prophecy news, we’ve seen significant developments. On Sunday, April 20th, the Isaac Accords were signed in Jerusalem by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Argentine President Javier Milei, forging a new Jewish-Christian alliance against terrorism and Iran, particularly poignant on the eve of Israel’s Independence Day. Before that, on Monday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas indicated that EU member states would discuss their cooperation agreement with Israel, with Spain leading the call to suspend the deal, though Kallas remained cautious about the outcome. Earlier in the week, President Trump announced that the U.S. Navy had seized an Iranian ship in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz, after firing warning shots. And Pope Leo XIV has expressed regret over misinterpretations of his statements, emphasizing his disinterest in debating with President Trump, after his comments on “tyrants” were taken as a direct response to the U.S. president.

Finally, in Jewish history, looking at April 23rd, Sir Isaac Newton proposed this as the date of Jesus’ crucifixion in the year 34 A.D. We also commemorate the birth of Alfonzo II in 1185, the third King of Portugal, whose dynasty provided a relatively secure environment for their Jewish subjects, with Alfonzo himself appointing the first chief Rabbi of the Portuguese Jewish community, Yahia ben Yahi III, as his royal tax collector. Additionally, in 1229, Ferdinand III of Castile re-conquered Caceres from the Moors, a city that was home to an important Jewish quarter with 140 Jewish families by the start of the 15th century.