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.

From former presidents to an NBA Hall of Famer to prominent church pastors, stories of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.’s influence on politics, corporate boardrooms and picket lines loomed large at a celebration honoring the late civil rights leader. Thousands of people gathered Friday at a church on Chicago’s South Side to pay a final public tribute to Jackson. Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden, and former Vice President Kamala Harris, spoke during the program. The ceremony honors Jackson, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate. It follows memorial services that drew large crowds in Chicago and South Carolina.

After James Talarico won the Democratic Senate nomination in Texas, Republicans are racing to paint him as too progressive. Conservatives started flooding social media with old clips highlighting his comments on gender, immigration and race. Republican strategists believe they can use his comments as fodder for attack ads in the general election. On Wednesday, Talarico warned supporters that powerful elites will smear him because they find him threatening. Although Talarico gained prominence through viral videos, Republicans hope to use years of on-camera musings against him.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is urging Latin American countries to take a more aggressive approach against drug cartels. He's warning that the Trump administration would be forced to act by itself if those governments fail to effectively combat criminal organizations that directly threaten the United States and border security. Hegseth's comments came Thursday in Miami at what the Pentagon billed as the first “Americas Counter Cartel Conference.” Representatives from Argentina, Honduras and the Dominican Republic were among more than a dozen conservative governments closely aligned with President Donald Trump.

On its own, the phrase “Christ is king” sums up a core tenet of the Christian faith, that Jesus is the divine ruler of the universe. Many churches celebrate a Christ the King Sunday each year. But the ancient proclamation can morph into something political, controversial or even sinister, depending on the context. In recent years, “Christ is king” and similar phrases have been chanted at political rallies, posted on social media and proclaimed in speeches by voices on the right. At times the phrase is used to support the notion of America as a Christian nation. At other times, activists have paired the phrase with anti-Zionist or negative Jewish stereotypes.

Texas Democrats have picked James Talarico as their Senate nominee, and the state lawmaker now becomes a national voice against President Donald Trump. Talarico won the primary Tuesday over Jasmine Crockett, and the congresswoman is urging Democrats to stay united. Talarico says his victory was driven by a push to change politics. He's emphasized unity, faith language and a “top versus bottom” message. Some voters did prefer Crockett’s sharper attacks on the Republican president. Talarico now faces a tough general election in a state where Democrats rarely win statewide. He will face either Sen. John Cornyn or state Attorney General Ken Paxton in November.

Some of the sharpest criticism President Donald Trump has faced in the early days of the Iran war has come from once-loyal media figures more accustomed to singing his praises. The conservative media infrastructure has grown so influential and valuable to the Republican president when everything runs smoothly that it's noticeable when there's discontent. Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and Matt Walsh are among the notable figures to express some dismay, much of it centered around the influence of Israel. Walsh has also said the messaging around the war was muddled. Trump says he knows MAGA best and these objections don't reflect the views of his supporters.