A newly released AP-NORC survey reveals that most Jewish adults in the United States do not feel adequately represented by their political leaders during what many describe as a deeply concerning time for their community. Sixty-three percent of respondents said that anti-Jewish prejudice is an “extremely” or “very” serious problem in America. Despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of Jewish voters identify as Democrats, only 15 percent believe the Democratic Party is doing a good job of supporting Jewish people. Few respondents had confidence in either major party on the issue. That dissatisfaction may help explain a recent trend of Jewish voters shifting toward the Republican Party, with many casting ballots for President Trump in the 2024 election.
Nicaragua’s government has expanded its ongoing crackdown on dissent — which has largely targeted clergy and religious organizations in recent years — to now include the legal profession. Authorities have revoked the licenses of numerous lawyers in recent days, a move that a United Nations expert has characterized as a purge. Since 2018, more than 5,000 organizations have been shut down by the government for speaking out against widespread corruption in the country. The majority of those organizations have been churches and faith-based ministries. An increasing number of clergy members have been arrested, and some have been forced out of the country altogether. The nation is governed by husband-and-wife co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
The British government has announced that an Iran-backed proxy group is responsible for a series of recent arson and vandalism attacks targeting Jewish locations across the United Kingdom. In response, the government has moved to ban the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, as well as Iran’s powerful paramilitary force, the Revolutionary Guard. Supporting either organization is now illegal under British law, and anyone who carries out sabotage on their behalf could face up to a life sentence in prison. The decision to outlaw the Revolutionary Guard comes well after both the United States and the European Union had already designated it a terrorist organization. Anti-Semitic incidents have been on the rise throughout Europe.
Voters in several states will have the opportunity to weigh in on abortion rights this November. In Idaho, residents will vote on whether to roll back the state’s existing abortion ban. Virginia and Nevada — where abortion is currently legal up to at least 24 weeks of pregnancy — are both considering constitutional amendments that would formally protect the procedure. Missouri, which struck down its abortion ban in 2024, is now asking voters whether to bring that ban back. The abortion industry is investing heavily in all of these states in an effort to persuade voters to support expanded access to the procedure, even as other states continue to pursue restrictions.
