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Israeli Actress Shira Haas Stars in New ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Trailer

Shira Haas in the new trailer for “Captain America: Brave New World.” Photo: YouTube screenshot

Marvel Studios debuted the first teaser for “Captain America: Brave New World” on Friday and it shows Israeli actress Shira Haas as an Israeli superhero alongside the other stars of the film, including Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Sebastian Stan and Giancarlo Esposito.

The upcoming superhero movie is the fourth film in the “Captain America” ​​franchise but the first movie to star Mackie’s character, Sam Wilson, as the new Captain America. Esposito plays the villain in the new film and the final moments of the trailer also gives audiences a first look at Red Hulk catching Captain America’s vibranium shield.

“After meeting with newly elected US President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident,” said a synopsis from Marvel Studios. “He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.”

Marvel announced in September 2022 that Haas will star in “Captain America: Brave New World” as an Israeli superhero named Sabra, whose real name is Ruth Bat-Seraph. The character, who first appeared in the Marvel comics in 1980, is an Israeli mutant who serves as a member of the Israeli Police and an agent for the Mossad, Israel’s spy agency. Her superpowers include superhuman strength, speed, a regenerative healing power and the ability to charge others by transferring her life energy to them. “Sabra” is a term in Hebrew used to describe someone who is native to Israel.

Since Marvel’s announcement in 2022, supporters of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel tried, unsuccessful, to urge Marvel to drop Haas from the film. They also threatened to boycott the new “Captain America” movie if it includes the Emmy-nominated actress, who credits include the popular Netflix shows “Shtisel” and “Unorthodox.” In response to all the backlash, which intensified after the start of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Marvel Studios said in a statement that it would take a “new approach” to the Sabra character in the upcoming Captain America film. Marvel add that “while our characters and stories are inspired by the comics, they are always freshly imagined for the screen and today’s audience.”

Marvel did not elaborate further on its approach to the Sabra character but Israel’s Mako reported on Friday that Haas’s role in the film was in fact expanded and she was given additional parts in the movie.

At the end of 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” Steve Rogers, the original Captain America played by actor Chris Evans, passed the torch to Mackie’s character when he decided to return to the past and live out the remainder of his life peacefully with his partner Peggy Carter. He gives his famous shield to his good friend Sam Wilson, making him the new Captain America. In the television miniseries “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” which streams on Disney Plus, Wilson at first declines to become the new Captain America and it was announced that another person would take on the role, a new character in the Marvel Universe named John Walker. But by the end of the series, the title was stripped from Walker, and Wilson decided to take the title upon himself, transforming him from “The Falcon” to “Captain America.”

Marvel Studios’ “Captain America: Brave New World” opens in US theaters on Feb. 14, 2025.



The post Israeli Actress Shira Haas Stars in New ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Trailer first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Brooklyn Nets Select Israeli Basketball Players Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf in NBA Draft

The opening tip between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York, Dec. 13, 2020. Photo: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

In a landmark night for Israeli basketball, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf were selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets, marking the first time two Israeli players have been drafted in the same year.

Saraf, a 19-year-old guard known for his explosive athleticism and creative playmaking, was taken with the 26th pick. A standout with Maccabi Rishon LeZion and a rising star on Israel’s youth national teams, Saraf gained international attention with his electrifying scoring and commanding court presence.

With the 27th pick, the Nets selected 7-foot center Danny Wolf out of the University of Michigan. Wolf, who holds dual US-Israeli citizenship and represented Israel at the U-20 level, brings a versatile skill set, including sharp passing, perimeter shooting, and a strong feel for the game. After his name was called, Wolf grew emotional in an on-air interview, crediting his family for helping him reach the moment.

“I have the two greatest brothers in the world; I have an unbelievable sister who I love,” Wolf said. “They all helped me get to where I am today, and they’re going to help me get to where I am going to go in this league.”

The historic double-pick adds to the growing wave of Israeli presence on the NBA stage, led by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who just completed a breakout 2024–25 season. After being traded to Portland last summer, Avdija thrived as a starter, averaging 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. In March alone, he posted 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, including two triple-doubles.

“I don’t think I’ve played like this before … I knew I had it in me. But I’m not really thinking about it. I’m just playing. I’m just free,” Avdija told reporters in March

With Saraf and Wolf joining Avdija, Israel’s basketball pipeline has reached unprecedented visibility. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the moment “a national celebration for sports and youth,” and Israeli sports commentators widely hailed the night as “historic.”

Both Saraf and Wolf are expected to suit up for the Nets’ Summer League team in July. As the two rookies begin their NBA journey, they join a growing generation of Israeli athletes proving that their game belongs on basketball’s biggest stage.

The post Brooklyn Nets Select Israeli Basketball Players Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf in NBA Draft first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Iran Denies Any Meeting With US Next Week, Foreign Minister Says

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference following a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, April 18, 2025. Photo: Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS

Iran currently has no plan to meet with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday in an interview on state TV, contradicting US President Donald Trump’s statement that Washington planned to have talks with Iran next week.

The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran was assessing whether talks with the US were in its interest, following five previous rounds of negotiations that were cut short by Israel and the US attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The US and Israel said the strikes were meant to curb Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons, while Iran says its nuclear program is solely geared toward civilian use.

Araqchi said the damages to nuclear sites “were not little” and that relevant authorities were figuring out the new realities of Iran’s nuclear program, which he said would inform Iran’s future diplomatic stance.

The post Iran Denies Any Meeting With US Next Week, Foreign Minister Says first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Ireland Becomes First European Nation to Advance Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements

A pro-Hamas demonstration in Ireland led by nationalist party Sinn Fein. Photo: Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Ireland has become the first European nation to push forward legislation banning trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — an effort officials say is meant “to address the horrifying situation” in the Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday, Irish Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Simon Harris announced that the legislation has already been approved by the government and will now move to the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for pre-legislative scrutiny.

“Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza,” Harris said during a press conference.

The Irish diplomat also told reporters he hopes the “real benefit” of the legislation will be to encourage other countries to follow suit, “because it is important that every country uses every lever at its disposal.”

Joining a growing number of EU member states aiming to curb Israel’s defensive campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Ireland’s decision comes after a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal.

The ICJ ruled that third countries must avoid trade or investment that supports “the illegal situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

Once implemented, the law will criminalize the importation of goods from Israeli settlements into Ireland, empowering customs officials to inspect, seize, and confiscate any such shipments.

“The situation in Palestine remains a matter of deep public concern,” Harris said. “I have made it consistently clear that this government will use all levers at its disposal to address the horrifying situation on the ground and to contribute to long-term efforts to achieve a sustainable peace on the basis of the two-state solution.”

“Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal and threaten the viability of the two-state solution,” the Irish diplomat continued. “This is the longstanding position of the European Union and our international partners. Furthermore, this is the clear position under international law.”

Harris also urged the EU to comply with the ICJ’s ruling by taking a more decisive and “adequate response” regarding imports from Israeli settlements.

“This is an issue that I will continue to press at EU level, and I reiterated my call for concrete proposals from the European Commission at the Foreign Affairs Council this week,” he said.

Last week, Ireland and eight other EU member states — Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden — called on the European Commission to draft proposals for how EU countries can halt trade and imports with Israeli settlements, in line with obligations set out by the ICJ.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the latest move by European countries, calling it “shameful” and a misguided attempt to undermine Israel while it faces “existential” threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas.

“It is regrettable that even when Israel is fighting an existential threat which is in Europe’s vital interest — there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession,” the top Israeli diplomat said in a post on X.

The post Ireland Becomes First European Nation to Advance Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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