Latvia

Israeli Forward Natanel Artzi Prepares Intensely for Upcoming Poland and Latvia Games

Israeli basketball player Natanel Artzi prepares for national team games against Poland and Latvia, highlighting the team's improved experience and size. He stresses the need for…

Israel Basketball Team Falls 101-90 to Georgia in Final Pre-Mondobasket Warm-Up

Israel's basketball team lost 101-90 to Georgia in their final warm-up game before the Mondobasket tournament, despite a strong start. Georgia rallied in the second half to win, w…

Israel Basketball Team Falls 101-90 to Georgia in World Cup Warm-Up

Israel's basketball team lost 101-90 to Georgia in a World Cup warm-up game, with Roman Sorkin scoring 25 points. Georgia pulled away late to win, and Israel now prepares for qual…

Israel Basketball Team Heads to Georgia Ahead of Crucial World Cup Qualifiers

The Israeli basketball team has flown to Georgia for a friendly before crucial World Cup qualifier games in Latvia. Missing key NBA players, the team aims to improve on a 2-4 reco…

Idan Zalmanson Withdraws from Israeli National Basketball Team Due to Injury

Idan Zalmanson is sidelined from the Israeli basketball team due to injury as they prepare in Georgia for World Cup qualifiers against Poland and Latvia.

Israeli Basketball Hall of Fame Inaugurated with Five Legendary Inductees

The Israeli Basketball Association opened its Hall of Fame on August 19, 2026, inducting five legendary players and promoting social basketball initiatives. The national team prep…

Singapore Airlines Tops Global Passenger Choice Awards for 2026

Singapore Airlines leads the 2026 global passenger-voted airline rankings, winning four categories including best economy class and highest passenger trust. Qantas and Etihad foll…

Israel National Basketball Team Prepares for World Cup Qualifiers Against Poland and Latvia

Israel's national basketball team, led by coach Ariel Beit Halami, is preparing for World Cup qualifying games against Poland and Latvia after two losses, with a deep and promisin…

Israeli U16 Girls Basketball Team Falls 74-63 to Latvia at European Championship

The Israeli U16 girls basketball team lost 74-63 to Latvia in their second game at the European Championship after an initial win over Italy. Israel led early but was overtaken in…

Israel Basketball Captain Tomer Ginat Sidelined for Upcoming World Cup Qualifiers Due to Injury

Israel's basketball captain Tomer Ginat will miss the upcoming World Cup qualifying games against Poland and Latvia due to a knee injury, with Yam Madar stepping in as captain. Is…

Israel's U16 Girls Basketball Team Announces Final Roster for European Championship

Israel's U16 girls basketball team announced its final roster for the European Championship in Romania, aiming to build on recent youth successes. Coached by Daniela Reuven, Israe…

Holocaust Survivor and Historian Margers Vestermanis Dies at 100 After Lifelong Dedication to Latvian Jewish History

Margers Vestermanis, a Latvian Holocaust survivor and historian who documented Jewish history and the Holocaust, died at 100. He survived the Riga Ghetto and later dedicated decad…

Israel Basketball Coach Announces World Cup Qualifiers Roster Without NBA Stars

Coach Ariel Beit Halachmi announced Israel's basketball roster for World Cup qualifiers without NBA stars Deni Avdija and Ben Sharf, preparing for upcoming games against Poland an…

Chabad Opens First Permanent Center in Latvian Resort City Jurmala

Jurmala, Latvia, opened its first permanent Chabad House on August 4, 2026, in the city's main pedestrian street, with hundreds attending including the mayor and Jewish leaders. T…

Player Rebellion Erupts at Sitawaa Bucharest After European Defeat

Israeli player Ofri Arad's Romanian club Sitawaa Bucharest faces internal turmoil after a heavy European defeat, with owner Gigi Becali criticizing players and coach Marius Bacho…

Austria Vienna Star Acknowledges Beitar Jerusalem's Superiority Ahead of Conference League Clash

Ahead of their UEFA Conference League qualifier, Austria Vienna's midfielder Reinhold Ranftl admits Beitar Jerusalem is a level above, despite coach Stefan Helm's belief in an eve…

Beitar Jerusalem Holds 0-0 Draw With AEK Larnaca in Conference League Return Leg

Beitar Jerusalem seeks to secure progression in the UEFA Conference League by defending their 1-0 first-leg win over AEK Larnaca in the second leg in Romania. The Israeli team mad…

Israel Faces Shortage of 3,000 Teachers and 200 Kindergarten Teachers Ahead of School Year

Israel faces a shortage of 3,000 teachers and 200 kindergarten teachers, mainly in Tel Aviv and central regions, with unqualified staff filling gaps. Schools may open with one tea…

Slovenian Teen Star Joksimovic Emerges as Key Threat for Israel in U20 European Championship

Slovenian basketball prodigy Stefan Joksimovic, a top NBA draft prospect, is leading his team against Israel in the U20 European Championship quarterfinals. At 17, he boasts impre…

Israel's U18 Basketball Team Eyes Historic Milestones at European Championship

Israel's U18 basketball team advanced to the European Championship quarterfinals after beating Denmark 100-86. They face Slovenia or Latvia next, aiming to qualify for the U19 Wor…

Israeli Duo Leads U18 Basketball Team Toward Historic European Championship Bid

Israel's U18 basketball team, led by David Mossis and Aviv Aronov, is aiming for a historic European Championship win after a perfect group stage. They face Denmark in the round o…

Greek Coast Guard Arrests Four Israelis with Drugs on Catamaran Near Lefkada Island

Greek authorities arrested four Israelis and four other foreigners on a catamaran near Lefkada Island after seizing drugs and cash. The Israeli police were notified of the inciden…

Israeli U18 Team Faces Denmark in Euro Championship Round of 16 with World Cup Spot at Stake

The Israeli Under-18 basketball team topped their group in the European Championship and will face Denmark in the round of 16. A win secures a quarterfinal spot and a chance to qu…

Beitar Jerusalem Returns to Cyprus for European Conference League Qualifier After 10 Years

Beitar Jerusalem Returns to Cyprus for European Conference League Qualifier

Beitar Jerusalem returns to Cyprus for a UEFA Conference League qualifier against AEK Larnaca, their first match there since a 2016 Europa League qualifier. The 2016 match ended 3…

Israeli Basketball Federation Criticizes Players Missing National Team Ahead of World Cup Qualifiers

The Israeli Basketball Federation criticized players who missed recent national team games ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers in August, emphasizing the importance of commitmen…

Beitar Jerusalem Drawn Against Austria Vienna or Liepaja in Conference League Third Qualifying Round

Beitar Jerusalem will face AEK Larnaca in the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round, with the winner set to play either Austria Vienna or Liepaja in the third round. The…

Israeli Referees Shnir Levi and David Fuchsman Assigned to European Football Matches

Israeli referees Shnir Levi and David Fuchsman will officiate UEFA Europa League and Conference League qualifiers this summer, representing Israel in European football matches.

Israeli Films 'Where To?' and 'I Am New' Win Top Awards at 43rd Jerusalem Film Festival

At the 43rd Jerusalem Film Festival, Israeli films "Where To?" and "I Am New" won top awards for best feature and documentary respectively, while the German film "The Dreamy Adven…

Israeli Defense Firms Secure Major Arms Deals with Argentina and Sweden

Israeli defense companies IWI and Rafael's German subsidiary secured major arms deals with Argentina and Sweden, respectively, while Turkey advances a spaceport project in Somalia…

Jewish Community in Riga Defies Soviet-Era Suppression, Thrives Today

The Jewish community in Riga, Latvia, has survived Soviet-era religious suppression and today thrives with active religious life and strong government support. Led by Rabbi Eliyah…

Chabad Opens New Jewish Community Center in Latvian Resort City Jurmala

Chabad has opened a new Jewish community center in Jurmala, Latvia, offering prayer, kosher food, and family activities to locals and tourists. Led by Rabbi Mendy Zilberstrom, the…

Uniting Foundation Supports 150 Elderly Jews in Latvia with Holistic Care and Plans Nursing Home

The Uniting Foundation in Riga supports about 150 elderly Jews in Latvia with social, medical, and daily assistance, operating a holistic day center and planning an independent nu…

Hapoel Jerusalem Faces New EuroCup Format and Tough Group in 2026/27 Season

Hapoel Jerusalem was drawn into a competitive EuroCup group for 2026/27 and must adapt to a new best-of-three playoff format. Concurrently, Israeli teams Hapoel Holon and Bnei Her…

Israel Faces Tough Road to Qualify for 2027 Basketball World Cup in Qatar

Israel’s basketball team, coached by Ariel Beit Halachmi, advances to the next World Cup qualifier stage with a 2-4 record, facing Poland, Latvia, and the Netherlands in Group K…

Israel's Basketball World Cup Qualification Chances Plummet After Heavy Loss to Croatia

Israel's basketball team lost heavily to Croatia, dropping their World Cup qualifying record to two wins and four losses, severely diminishing their chances of advancing. Despite…

Israel Wins European Wheelchair Basketball B Division Championship

Israel's men's wheelchair basketball team won the European B Division championship by defeating Slovenia 64-50, securing promotion to the A Division.

Bania Sarur Embraces Role in Israeli National Basketball Team After Injury Recovery

Bania Sarur, after recovering from a serious injury, has debuted for the Israeli national basketball team and is preparing for a key World Cup qualifier against Croatia. Balancing…

Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans Meet Yam Madar After Medical Tests Ahead of Transfer

Yam Madar met with Maccabi Tel Aviv fans after passing medical tests and before flying to Latvia, expressing excitement about joining the club. He is now awaiting official approva…

Ben Gurion Airport Sees Surge to 2.3 Million Passengers in July Amid Airline Returns

Ben Gurion Airport is seeing a strong rebound in July 2026 with 2.3 million passengers and increased flights as foreign airlines return. Despite security challenges and the delaye…

Yam Madar Signs Multi-Year Deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv After Intense Negotiations

Yam Madar is joining Maccabi Tel Aviv on a multi-year contract after agreeing to terms following a late-night meeting, choosing Maccabi over city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv. The deal…

Israel Basketball Team Faces Croatia Without Captain Tomer Ginat After Injury

Israel's basketball team lost to Germany in World Cup qualifiers and faces a tough match against Croatia without injured captain Tomer Ginat. Insurance disputes sidelined Noam Yaa…

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Attempt to Sign Yam Madar Faces Setbacks Amid Frustration

Yam Madar's transfer to Maccabi Tel Aviv is currently stalled due to disagreements over contract terms, causing frustration on both sides. Meanwhile, Hapoel Tel Aviv's owner expre…

Israel Faces Tough Odds to Advance After Loss to Germany in World Basketball Qualifiers

Israel's basketball team lost to Germany in World Cup qualifiers, dropping to a 3-2 record and facing slim chances to advance if they lose to Croatia next. Poland and Croatia lead…

Israel Hosts Germany in Critical World Cup Qualifier Basketball Match in Latvia

German Forward Luis Olinda Highlights Yam Madar as Key Threat Ahead of Israel Match

German forward Luis Olinda, familiar with Israeli basketball through his time at Alba Berlin, highlighted Israeli point guard Yam Madar as the key player Germany must stop in thei…

Israel Basketball Star Yam Madar Sparks Online Debate After Leaving Hapoel Tel Aviv

Yam Madar’s exit from Hapoel Tel Aviv has triggered a viral online debate with widespread support for the player and sharp criticism of the club’s owner, reflecting broader tensio…

Israel Basketball Team Faces Crucial July Matches Ahead of World Cup Qualifiers

Israel's national basketball team begins crucial July games against Latvia and Germany to secure World Cup qualification, with coach Ariel Beit Halachmi finalizing the roster and…