Israeli basketball teams, sports officials, and President Isaac Herzog applauded the announcement on Tuesday that EuroLeague and EuroCup basketball games will return to Israel starting Dec. 1, following a two-year hiatus in which Israeli teams played their “home” matches throughout Europe due to the war with Hamas in Gaza.

“This is the right move. It is an important move,” Herzog said. “I call on all sports organizations around the world, in all sports: it is time to strengthen the shared spirit of sport, and the message that sport connects people, rather than divides them. Sport serves as a bridge of hope, fairness, and fraternity. Let’s play!!”

Herzog sent a letter to EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejūnas earlier this week, officially requesting the immediate return of EuroLeague games in Israel, the president shared.

Since the start of the Gaza war following the Hamas-led Palestinian terrorist attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the Jewish state has been playing EuroLeague and EuroCup games in neutral venues outside of the country. Euroleague Commercial Assets (ECA) member clubs met on Tuesday to discuss the current situation in Israel and Gaza, following the recently announced ceasefire, and after “thoughtful deliberation,” ECA clubs decided to resume games in Israel in December, they announced in a released statement.

“Until then, Euroleague Basketball will continue to carefully monitor developments, stay in close contact with local and foreign authorities, visiting teams, and all relevant organizations … and ensure that the safety and well-being of everyone involved remain the top priority,” the statement read. “Euroleague Basketball and its participating clubs welcome the recent peace plan with optimism and hope. The organization reaffirms its belief in the power of basketball to bring people and communities together, and its commitment to contributing to peace through the shared values of sport, respect, and unity.”

Israel’s Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar said the decision “reflects the new international reality Israel is in following the signing of the agreement to bring the hostages home.”

“Sport is a bridge that connects us all, and the return of the games carries with it a powerful and meaningful message,” he added in a statement shared with The Algemeiner. “The State of Israel warmly welcomes the teams, athletes, staff, and fans who will be arriving in Israel.”

The last European basketball game played in Israel took place on Oct. 5, 2023, a mere two days before the Hamas-led massacre in Israel. Maccabi Tel Aviv, six-time champions, and Hapoel Tel Aviv are the Israeli basketball teams in this season’s Euroleague, while Hapoel Jerusalem is competing in the EuroCup.

“With the announcement of the end of the war, behind the scenes began strong work against the Euroleague in collaboration with all the factors in order to return the games to Israel as quickly as possible,” said Hapoel Jerusalem. “We are happy that the efforts have paid off, and after more than two years of wandering – we are coming home.”

Hapoel Tel Aviv thanked EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejūnas, the organization’s management, and all EuroLeague clubs “for their understanding and support.” The team’s owner, Ofer Yannay, said the move “is an important step towards returning to normality, and it is especially exciting to know that our fans will once again be able to attend EuroLeague games up close, right where they belong.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv said it had been working quietly “behind the scenes” to enable Motiejūnas to make the decision to resume top European basketball competitions to Israel.

“This is an achievement of great importance for Israeli sports and the State of Israel, also from a diplomatic perspective,” the team stated. “The Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball club has proven once again that it is one of the leading and most influential forces in European sports. We will meet soon at the arena.”

Ari Steinberg, president of the Israel Basketball Super League, said: “This is a right and fair decision in favor of European basketball and the joy of hundreds of thousands of fans in Israel.”

“Over the past few weeks, we have done everything we could, working with clubs and other partners, to bring matches home, and I am delighted that these efforts have paid off,” Steinberg noted. “We all hope that FIBA [International Basketball Federation] will also make a similar decision and will announce the return of the Champions League games (BCL) and national team games as soon as possible. This is an important moment for all of Israeli sports. Am Yisrael Chai (Long Live Israel).”

Disturbed lead singer David Draiman had some choice works for actor John Cusack after the latter criticized him for writing “F–k Hamas” on an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) artillery shell last year.

The “Serendipity” actor, who has been accused of antisemitism in the past, shared on X early Tuesday morning a picture of Draiman writing the expletive for Hamas while visiting IDF soldiers in Israel in June 2024. The Jewish musician – who has been vocally supportive of Israel and the IDF following the deadly Hamas-led terrorist attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 – shared the same image on social media last year.

Cusack reposted a message on X that included the photo and called for the cancellation of Disturbed’s concert on Wednesday in Dublin, Ireland, as part of the heavy metal band’s world tour. The actor wrote in the caption, “Anyone who signs a bomb is pyycotic [sic].”

The “Sound of Silence” singer responded to Cusack’s post by telling the “Must Love Dogs” actor, “You want psychotic? Look in the mirror.”

“It isn’t psychotic to defend oneself from a genocidal death cult, hell bent on slaughtering you,” he explained, referring to the terrorist group Hamas, which openly seeks to destroy Israel. “What’s psychotic, is you defending that genocidal, Jew hating death cult, the way you have for years.”

The watchdog group StopAntisemitism named Cusack its “Antisemite of the Week” in January 2024 after he repeatedly denied the mass sexual violence inflicted upon Israeli civilians during the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks; claimed Hamas was a charitable organization “funded and supported” by Israel; and claimed the IDF participated in the Oct. 7 massacre. The American actor, writer, and producer has accused Israel of “genocide” in the Gaza Strip and previously called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “Zionist pig.” He also once said that he looks at the obituaries of Zionists with “great pleasure.”

In June, Cusack wrote on X: “Iran will surely rush to get a nuclear weapon- and they should get one – it’s the only way to deter US and Israel from bombing every country in Middle East.”

Draiman has never been hesitant to call out others who have been critical of Israel and the Jewish people. He has criticized Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters several times for his anti-Israel views and called rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, a “pathetic Jew hater without a soul” for his promotion of Nazi swastikas. Draiman has also spoken in the past about losing friends in the music industry because of his unwavering support for Israel, especially after the Oct. 7 attack, in which Hamas-led terrorists murdered more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostages back to Gaza.

Iran‘s economy is at risk of simultaneous hyperinflation and severe recession, officials and analysts say, as clerical rulers scramble to preserve stability with limited room to maneuver after a snapback of UN sanctions.

They followed a breakdown in talks to curb Iran‘s disputed nuclear activity and its ballistic missile program. Diplomacy to resolve the deadlock remains possible, both sides say, though Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rebuffed US President Donald Trump’s offer to forge a new deal.

Three senior Iranian officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tehran believes the US, its Western allies, and Israel are intensifying sanctions to fuel unrest in Iran and jeopardize the very existence of the Islamic Republic.

Since the reimposition of UN sanctions on Sept. 28, multiple high-level meetings have been held in Tehran on how to avert economic collapse, circumvent sanctions, and manage simmering public anger, the officials told Reuters.

Deepening economic disparities between ordinary Iranians and a privileged clerical and security elite, economic mismanagement, galloping inflation, and state corruption – reported even by state media – have fanned discontent.

“The establishment knows protests are inevitable, it is only a matter of time … The problem is growing, while our options are shrinking,” said one of the officials.

Iran‘s leadership is leaning heavily on its “resistance economy” — a strategy of self-sufficiency and closer trade with China, Russia, and some regional states. Moscow and Beijing back Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy and condemned US and Israeli strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites in June.

But analysts warn that such workarounds may not be enough to shield the sprawling country of 92 million people from the renewed economic blow.

“The impact of the UN sanctions will be severe and multifaceted, deepening the country’s longstanding structural and financial vulnerabilities,” said Umud Shokri, an energy strategist and senior visiting fellow at George Mason University near Washington.

“The government is struggling to maintain economic stability as sanctions disrupt banking networks, restrict trade and constrain oil exports – the country’s main revenue source, resulting in escalating social and economic pressure.”

OIL LIFELINE UNDER THREAT AS UN SANCTIONS RETURN

Iran has avoided wholesale economic meltdown since 2018 when, during his first term, Trump withdrew the US from Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers and reimposed US sanctions.

But the revival of wider UN sanctions is inflicting shocks that will stymie economic growth, accelerate inflation, and the collapse of the rial currency, pushing the economy toward a recessionary spiral, one of the Iranian officials said.

Iran’s economy contracted sharply after 2018 due to renewed US sanctions. It rebounded in 2020 to grow modestly at times, largely due to oil trade with China.

But the World Bank this month forecast a shrinkage of 1.7 percent in 2025 and 2.8 percent in 2026 – sharply down from the 0.7 percent growth it had projected in April for next year.

While Tehran still relies heavily on oil exports to China – its biggest customer and one of the few countries still doing business with it despite Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy, doubts reign over the sustainability of that trade.

Although sold at a discount, crude remains a vital source of income for Tehran, with oil and petrochemicals making up about a quarter of GDP in 2024.

Despite public assurances that oil sales to China will continue, one Iranian official said the reimposed global sanctions could stifle that flow.

Shokri said that if China seeks to ease tensions with the Trump administration, it may tighten its stance on Iranian oil — demanding steeper discounts or cutting imports altogether.

For Tehran, the costs could be devastating. Every dollar shaved off the price of oil translates into roughly half a billion dollars in lost annual revenue, he said.

The rial has shriveled to 1,115,000 per dollar from 920,000 in August, stoking inflation to at least 40 percent and gutting purchasing power. Persistent currency depreciation and trade sanctions are driving up prices and sapping investor confidence.

HARDSHIP SPREADS, PUBLIC ANGER SIMMERS

Few Iranians can escape the attendant hardships. A sense of desperation is rippling through society, affecting urban professionals, bazaar traders and rural farmers alike.

“How much more pressure are we supposed to endure? Until when? I’m a government employee, and I earn just 34 million tomans (around $300) a month,” said Alireza, 43, speaking by phone from the capital Tehran. Like others, he asked not to be further identified for fear of retribution from authorities.

“My wife is jobless. The import-export company she worked for shut down last month. With just my salary and two kids, we’re struggling to even pay rent and school expenses. What are we supposed to do?” ”

Iran’s official inflation rate is around 40 percent though some estimates exceed 50 percent. Official data in September showed prices for 10 staple goods – including meat, rice and chicken – rose 51 percent in one year. Housing and utility costs have also surged. Beef now costs $12 a kilo – too expensive for many families.

The clerical elite increasingly worry that mounting public distress could reignite mass protests that have erupted periodically since 2017 among lower- and middle-income Iranians, the second Iranian official said.

Many Iranians like Sima, 32, a factory worker in the central city of Shiraz worn down by years of economic strain, worry that the expanded sanctions will push them past the breaking point.

“Now they say we’re facing new sanctions again, but we’re already struggling to provide for our three children. Prices go up every single day and we can’t even afford to buy meat for them once a month,” said Sima.

Many business owners fear deeper international isolation and further Israeli airstrikes if diplomacy fails to resolve the nuclear standoff.

“With the constant fear of a possible attack and not knowing whether I’ll even be able to export this month or next, how am I supposed to keep my business running?” said Mehdi, who ships fruit to neighboring countries.