Authorities say a counterprotester demonstrating against a “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” event Saturday lit and threw a device at the protesting crowd after someone from that group used pepper spray on the counterprotest. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the incident started late Saturday morning when someone from the anti-Islam protest associated with conservative influencer Jake Lang shot pepper spray into a counterprotesting group near Gracie Mansion. Tensions continued to heighten, she said, when someone in the counterprotest lit and threw a device she described as smaller than a football into the protesting crowd of about 20 people.
Muslims across the United States are observing Ramadan under rising fears tied to immigration raids, anti-Muslim rhetoric, and war in the Middle East. Community members in places like Paterson, New Jersey, and Minneapolis say many are striving to maintain the Ramadan spirit while grappling with myriad concerns affecting their communities. In Minnesota, an imam says a mosque has canceled communal iftar meals after local businesses took an economic hit from the federal government's immigration crackdown. National groups are sharing know-your-rights guidance for mosque leaders. Leaders also point to harsh anti-Muslim vitriol during the current election season. Even so, many communities keep praying, fasting and supporting one another.
Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in northern Iraq are preparing for a potential cross-border military operation in Iran, and the U.S. has asked Iraqi Kurds to support them, Kurdish officials have told The Associated Press. Kurdish party leaders have also discussed the Iran crisis with President Donald Trump, according to Iraqi Kurdish officials. One official says Trump has asked them to open the border and back the groups militarily. Iraqi Kurdish leaders fear Iranian retaliation. Recent drone and missile strikes have already hit the region, damaging homes, and disrupting electricity. Iraq also reinforces the border and the Iraqi government has vowed to stop infiltrations.
Iran’s leaders are scrambling to replace Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years before he was killed in the surprise U.S. and Israeli bombardment. It’s only the second time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that a new supreme leader is being chosen. Potential candidates range from hard-liners committed to confrontation with the West to reformists who seek diplomatic engagement. The supreme leader has the final say on all major decisions, including war, peace and the country’s disputed nuclear program.
Iranian state media say Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead. The report without details came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was killed in a major new attack by U.S. and Israeli forces. Khamenei was already under growing pressure long before his compound was among the first targets of Saturday's attack. The 86-year-old leader had no designated successor, and it's not clear what might happen in Iran now. Tehran’s military power and influence across the Middle East have been weakened over the past two years, on top of long-running sanctions and economic troubles.
After Saturday's major attack on Iran by the U.S. and Israel, U.S. President Donald Trump has called on the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” and rise up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979. Israeli officials told The Associated Press that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the attack. The two Israeli officials spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement and gave no further details. Trump announced the death soon after on social media, saying “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country” had arrived with Khamenei’s death. Yet even if Iran’s top leaders are killed, regime change is not guaranteed.
Palestinian Authority officials say Israeli settlers have attacked a West Bank mosque. They set a small fire and spray-painted anti-Islamic insults. Worshippers in the town of Tell near Nablus found smoke damage, broken glass and graffiti at the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque on Monday. A resident says security video shows two people arriving with gasoline and spray paint and running away. The graffiti includes the words “revenge” and “price tag." It's a term tied to settler retaliation attacks. Israeli police and the military say they are searching for the suspects.
Muslims worldwide will begin daily fasting from dawn to sunset as Ramadan starts, marking a period of worship, reflection and charity. The hol…
Muslim Palestinians in Gaza are preparing for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan under a fragile ceasefire deal. Many say the losses of the Israel-Hamas war and the hardships of daily lives are dampening the month's spirit. Some lament the absence of loved ones. Others say they struggle financially. In normal circumstances, Ramadan usually sees families gather to break their daily fast. Israel’s offensive has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and destroyed large parts of Gaza. It was sparked by the deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023. While the heaviest fighting has subsided, there has been almost daily Israeli fire in Gaza.
The Nigerian military says about 100 U.S. troops plus equipment have arrived in Nigeria to help train soldiers in the West African country. The arrival followed a request by the Nigerian government to the U.S government to for training, technical support intelligence-sharing, the military said in a statement Monday. The deployment follows an easing of tensions that had flared between the U.S. and Nigeria when U.S. President Donald Trump had issued threats against Nigeria over allegations that the government was not protecting its Christian citizens.