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Mark Cuban selling Dallas Mavericks to Miriam Adelson, the Jewish philanthropist and casino owner
(JTA) — Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is reportedly selling a majority stake in his NBA franchise to casino magnate and Jewish philanthropist Miriam Adelson.
Cuban, the Jewish billionaire known for entrepreneurial endeavors including his starring role on ABC’s reality show “Shark Tank,” is selling a stake valued at $3.5 billion to Adelson, the widow of longtime Jewish megadonor Sheldon Adelson.
The deal was first reported by NBA reporter Marc Stein.
The deal represents something of a partnership for Cuban and Adelson, whose daughter is on the Israeli version of “Shark Tank,” according to Sports Illustrated. Cuban will retain control over the team’s basketball operations, while Adelson is expected to bring her casino know-how to Dallas, where some lawmakers are seeking to legalize recreational gambling.
The deal means Adelson, 78, will no longer hold a majority of shares in The Sands, the casino business that has generated most of her family’s wealth and allowed her to donate prolifically to Jewish and pro-Israel causes. Earlier on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that she was selling $2 billion in stock in order to “acquire a majority stake in a professional sports team.” Adelson’s net worth is estimated at over $30 billion, making her the richest Israeli in the world.
Cuban, 65, purchased the Mavericks in 2000 for $285 million. The team is the seventh-most valuable NBA franchise, according to Forbes, which also estimates Cuban’s net worth at $6.2 billion. Cuban also announced Tuesday that he would be leaving “Shark Tank” next year.
Both Cuban and Adelson have been involved in Jewish causes, Adelson heavily so.
Cuban, whose paternal grandparents had their last name changed from Chabenisky after emigrating from Russia, has said he encountered antisemitism growing up. Cuban is one of the most outspoken owners in all of professional sports on a variety of political issues — including antisemitism.
The Adelson Family Foundation has been a prolific giver to Jewish organizations, most notably Birthright Israel. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson have also been known for their support of Republican politicians, including Donald Trump. Miriam Adelson scaled back her philanthropy during the pandemic when The Sands was not delivering dividends for its shareholders.
The Mavericks do not have any Jewish players, but one of the team’s stars is Kyrie Irving, the All-Star guard who caused controversy last year after he promoted an antisemitic film online and initially refused to apologize. Irving was traded to Dallas in the midst of the scandal.
“If there was just some dude on the street corner saying what Kyrie said, or Kanye said, you’d just assume they’re crazy and keep on walking, right?” Cuban said at the time, referencing the rapper Kanye West’s months-long antisemitism scandal. “But when they’re a celebrity, you can’t do that, because you have a platform.”
The Mavericks are the third NBA team to be bought by a Jewish billionaire in the past year, following Mat Ishbia’s purchase of the Phoenix Suns (and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury) and Gabe Plotkin’s acquisition of the Charlotte Hornets.
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The post Mark Cuban selling Dallas Mavericks to Miriam Adelson, the Jewish philanthropist and casino owner appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Lebanon Must Disarm Hezbollah to Have a Shot at Better Days, Says US Envoy
Thomas Barrack at the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., November 4, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
i24 News – Lebanon’s daunting social, economic and political issues would not get resolved unless the state persists in the efforts to disarm Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy behind so much of the unrest and destruction, special US envoy Tom Barrack told The National.
“You have Israel on one side, you have Iran on the other, and now you have Syria manifesting itself so quickly that if Lebanon doesn’t move, it’s going to be Bilad Al Sham again,” he said, using the historical Arabic name for the region sometimes known as “larger Syria.”
The official stressed the need to follow through on promises to disarm the Iranian proxy, which suffered severe blows from Israel in the past year, including the elimination of its entire leadership, and is considered a weakened though still dangerous jihadist outfit.
“There are issues that we have to arm wrestle with each other over to come to a final conclusion. Remember, we have an agreement, it was a great agreement. The problem is, nobody followed it,” he told The National.
Barrack spoke on the heels of a trip to Beirut, where he proposed a diplomatic plan for the region involving the full disarmament of Hezbollah by the Lebanese state.
The post Lebanon Must Disarm Hezbollah to Have a Shot at Better Days, Says US Envoy first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Report: Putin Urges Iran to Accept ‘Zero Enrichment’ Nuclear Deal With US
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of a cultural forum dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Turkmen poet and philosopher Magtymguly Fragi, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Oct. 11, 2024. Photo: Sputnik/Alexander Scherbak/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Iranian leadership that he supports the idea of a nuclear deal in which Iran is unable to enrich uranium, the Axios website reported on Saturday. The Russian strongman also relayed the message to his American counterpart, President Donald Trump, the report said.
Iranian news agency Tasnim issued a denial, citing an “informed source” as saying Putin had not sent any message to Iran in this regard.
Also on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that “Any negotiated solution must respect Iran’s right to enrichment. No agreement without recognizing our right to enrichment. If negotiations occur, the only topic will be the nuclear program. No other issues, especially defense or military matters, will be on the agenda.”
The post Report: Putin Urges Iran to Accept ‘Zero Enrichment’ Nuclear Deal With US first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Syria’s Al-Sharaa Attending At Least One Meeting With Israeli Officials in Azerbaijan
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 7, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/Pool
i24 News – Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is attending at least one meeting with Israeli officials in Azerbaijan today, despite sources in Damascus claiming he wasn’t attending, a Syrian source close to President Al-Sharaa tells i24NEWS.
The Syrian source stated that this is a series of two or three meetings between the sides, with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani also in attendance, along with Ahmed Al-Dalati, the Syrian government’s liaison for security meetings with Israel.
The high-level Israeli delegation includes a special envoy of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as security and military figures.
The purpose of the meetings is to discuss further details of the security agreement to be signed between Israel and Syria, the Iranian threat in Syria and Lebanon, Hezbollah’s weapons, the weapons of Palestinian militias, the Palestinians camps in Lebanon, and the future of Palestinian refugees from Gaza in the region.
The possibility of opening an Israeli coordination office in Damascus, without diplomatic status, might also be discussed.
The source stated that the decision to hold the meetings in Azerbaijan, made by Israel and the US, is intended to send a message to Iran.
The post Syria’s Al-Sharaa Attending At Least One Meeting With Israeli Officials in Azerbaijan first appeared on Algemeiner.com.