#ourCOG Daily Brief [May 18, 2026]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for May 18, 2026.

In today’s top stories, U.S. politics sees Marco Rubio solidifying his role in Trump’s inner circle through an evolving foreign policy stance. Meanwhile, Senator Bill Cassidy has lost his Louisiana Republican primary, with Trump-backed Julia Letlow and John Fleming advancing to a runoff. The Epstein case continues to unfold, as prison guard Tova Noel is set to testify before the House Oversight Committee. President Trump also announced a joint U.S.-Nigerian mission successfully killed Islamic State group leader Abu-Bilal al-Mainuki. Domestically, conservative lawmaker Thomas Massie faces a challenging GOP primary in Kentucky, highlighting a clash between his independent streak and Trump’s party influence. On the world stage, Qatar, tested by the Iran war, remains steadfast in its mission of mediation while also acknowledging its security needs. Lebanese first responders, enduring unprecedented casualties from Israeli strikes, continue their vital work with deepened resolve. Finally, a recent summit in Beijing showcased China’s growing willingness to directly challenge the United States, sending a clear message from Xi Jinping to Donald Trump.

For our video lineup, we have a few compelling titles: “We can be Free,” followed by a “NEW OFFER – Breaking The Apocalypse Code” with Perry Stone, and “The anointing makes the difference.”

From our FaithNews RSS feed, we hear that a Korean Church Organization has partnered with the Church of God, while Cuba continues to maintain poor religious freedom conditions. Additionally, a U.S. Army Hymn has been unveiled for the 250th Army Anniversary, and Pentecost Sunday has been designated as ‘Evangelism Sunday’.

Turning to prophecy news, a U.K. pastor, Steve Maile, reportedly faced arrest for preaching the gospel and speaking out against Islam, facing what he calls false hate speech charges. In Israel, Ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Yitzhak Kroizer have made strong public calls for expanded Jewish control on the Temple Mount and even for rebuilding the Temple on Jerusalem Day. Looking to natural phenomena, a “Super El Niño” is predicted for 2026, a forecast linked to a magnetic event on the sun called the “Terminator.” Finally, Cuba’s oil reserves are said to have run out, leading to worsening blackouts and protests amid a tightened U.S. fuel embargo.

And in Jewish history, looking back to May 19th, we find several significant events. In 363 CE, a series of powerful earthquakes, stretching from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba, shook the Galilee region. Some historians suggest these seismic events contributed to the failure of Emperor Julian’s efforts to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Later, in 614 CE, some accounts mark this date as the beginning of a Christian-led revolt in Jerusalem against the Sassanids, resulting in an untold number of Jewish casualties. Fast forward to 1103 CE, or the 10th of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar, when Isaac Alfasi, also known as the “RIF,” passed away. Born in Fez in 1013, the RIF was renowned for compiling the first major codification of Jewish law, the “Sefer Halachot,” a work so foundational that it still appears in every volume of the Talmud today and served as a basis for later legal codes like Joseph Caro’s Shulchan Aruch.