Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for October 4, 2025. In U.S. news, federal workers are facing heightened anxiety as a potential government shutdown looms, following months of interagency upheaval and layoffs, leaving many uncertain about their future. This financial wrangling in Washington is also reverberating in rural America, where debates over Medicaid […]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for October 3, 2025. In today’s top stories, a government shutdown looms large in the U.S., with Washington’s wrangling over Medicaid deeply affecting rural communities like Spruce Pine, North Carolina, where hospitals are struggling. This shutdown is further complicated by President Trump’s threat of mass layoffs, raising […]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for September 30, 2025. Today in U.S. and world news, discussions continue around a proposed Trump ceasefire plan for Gaza, with a notable concern being the lack of direct input from Gazans themselves regarding their future self-determination. Meanwhile, economic shifts see India and China exploring closer partnerships […]