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After arriving in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, President Donald Trump indicated he was ready to hold talks with Ahmed al-Sharaa, a onetime high-ranking member of both al-Qaeda and ISIS, who now leads Syria following the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in December.

President Trump announced his willingness to lift economic restrictions that had long targeted Syria. According to officials, Sharaa had been eager to secure a meeting with Trump, offering sweeping incentives including energy agreements with the U.S., diplomatic recognition of Israel, and even permits for a Trump Tower project in Damascus. The White House confirmed that Sharaa was expected to fly into Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to sit down with the president.

Sharaa’s faction, known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has attempted to rebrand itself as a modern governing body capable of moving beyond its jihadist roots. In hopes of gaining Western favor, Sharaa is actively lobbying for an end to the international sanctions that were imposed during Assad’s long and devastating grip on power.

However, leaders in the West remain extremely cautious. Sharaa’s visit to Paris earlier this month drew condemnation, with critics accusing French President Emmanuel Macron of abandoning victims of terrorism. Macron’s handshake with Sharaa was dubbed a “handshake of shame” by opposition lawmakers.

Skepticism continues to swirl around Sharaa’s assurances that he will respect and safeguard Syria’s deeply diverse ethnic and religious communities. His rebel coalition has faced accusations of targeting Christians and other minority groups. Members of the Alawite sect, from which Assad hailed, have reported increasing attacks and now fear violent reprisals for their former status under the regime.

The Druze population, facing oppression under the new leadership, have reportedly turned to Israel for protection. Kurdish communities, meanwhile, remain concerned about their future in the post-Assad political structure. Last month, Sharaa rejected Kurdish appeals for a decentralized government that would offer them greater autonomy and self-governance.

Of all the nations weighing in, Turkey has been one of Sharaa’s loudest advocates. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has voiced support for Damascus, viewing cooperation as essential in curbing Kurdish militias that Ankara deems a threat. Turkey quickly called for global sanctions on Syria to be lifted once Assad was ousted.

Support has also come from other Gulf nations. Saudi Arabia, in particular, has been building stronger ties with Syria’s new leadership. On Sunday, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Sharaa by phone and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s dedication to Syria’s peace and prosperity, as well as expanding their bilateral economic relationship.

A report from Reuters on Tuesday said that Saudi leaders had been instrumental in encouraging Trump to grant an audience to Sharaa during his trip. However, neither the Saudis nor American officials provided details about the scope, length, or nature of the meeting.

According to Palestinian media, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is also expected to join the discussions alongside Trump, Sharaa, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

While addressing investors at a summit in Riyadh on Tuesday, President Trump said the crown prince had convinced him that the sanctions against Syria had outlived their usefulness, having already achieved the goal of weakening Assad’s rule.

“I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness. It’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off,” Trump said.

“Good luck Syria, show us something very special,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

A young Lakewood resident is currently undergoing a very serious surgery. Please daven for Mordechai ben Esther Bluma for a refuah sheleima.

The United States is weighing reviving a controversial arms deal with Turkey, and Israeli officials are raising quiet but pointed objections to the possible sale of advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets to a government they now view with growing suspicion—and no small measure of alarm. According to senior Israeli officials, Jerusalem has conveyed diplomatic messages to the Trump administration opposing any move to approve the sale, citing concerns over the erosion of Israel’s qualitative military edge in an increasingly volatile region. The messages, which have not been made public, reflect mounting unease within Israel’s security establishment as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey sharpens his rhetoric against the Jewish state. In recent months, Erdogan has taken on an increasingly bellicose tone, referring to Israel as a “terror state” and declaring, “May Allah destroy Zionist Israel.” The remarks, while not unprecedented, come at a moment of strained regional diplomacy and have raised questions among Israeli officials about Ankara’s strategic intentions. Yet, the Trump administration appears undeterred. During a recent White House press conference, President Trump struck an affectionate note toward Erdogan, calling him “a friend” and recounting a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I told the prime minister: Bibi, if you have a problem with Turkey, I’ll help you solve it,” Trump said, in what Israeli officials interpreted less as reassurance and more as indifference. Despite these remarks, there is little indication that Washington has sought to temper Erdogan’s rhetoric or policy toward Israel. Secretary of State Marco Rubio continues to speak regularly with Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, and Trump himself maintains direct lines of communication with Erdogan. In Jerusalem, the concern extends beyond language. According to officials briefed on recent intelligence, Turkish fighter jets operating over Syria have reportedly broadcast radio warnings to Israeli aircraft near Damascus—an unprecedented move that has raised questions about the nature and limits of Turkish military posture in the region. Meanwhile, Israel and Turkey have engaged in two rounds of talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, aimed at deconfliction in Syria. The United States has not been invited to participate. The discussions have yielded little progress. Speaking to members of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee last week, Netanyahu confirmed Israel’s opposition to the F-35 sale and described ongoing diplomatic efforts to halt it. Lawmakers present emerged with the impression that the sale may be moving forward regardless. The concern is not without precedent. In 2019, the U.S. suspended Turkey from the F-35 program after it acquired the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system, citing the risk that Russia could gain access to sensitive technology. That decision, made under the Trump administration, marked a significant rupture in U.S.-Turkish defense cooperation. Now, Israeli officials fear that rupture may be quietly healing—and at their expense. “There is a strategic shift underway,” one Israeli official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “If Turkey acquires F-35s, it changes the regional balance. It puts our air superiority—and our deterrence—at risk.” For now, the Trump administration has made no formal announcement, and officials in Washington have not commented publicly on the potential sale. But in Jerusalem, there is a growing sense that decisions are being made behind closed doors—and that Israel, once a privileged partner in such discussions, may be finding itself increasingly on the outside. (YWN World Headquarters […]

President Trump and the Emir of Qatar sign a joint declaration of cooperation between the two countries.

President Trump was greeted by a dramatic display of military honor on Wednesday when Air Force One entered Qatari airspace, with eight fighter jets flanking the presidential aircraft as it made its descent into Doha — the second destination on his current diplomatic tour through the Middle East.

Observers noted that the aerial reception seemed to be a deliberate gesture intended to surpass the welcome offered by Saudi Arabia a day earlier, where only six fighter jets had accompanied the president’s arrival.

Members of the press traveling with the president observed four Qatari jets flying alongside the starboard side of Air Force One, while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted a video clip showing four additional jets on the port side.

During this tour, Trump is scheduled to visit the United Arab Emirates in addition to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but Israel is not on the itinerary.

However, Trump emphasized that the journey would nonetheless benefit Israel, citing recent diplomatic conversations he had with leaders in the region, particularly from Syria and Saudi Arabia, encouraging them to pursue normalized ties with the Jewish state.

“This is good for Israel, having a relationship like I have with these countries; Middle Eastern countries, essentially all of them. I think it’s very good for Israel,” Trump said.

{Matzav.com}

The Biden Administration claimed it added 400,000 jobs from July to September last year, but new data shows a decline of 1,000 jobs.

Reservists of the IDF’s new all-Chareidi Chashmonaim Brigade seen learning during a pause in action.

Rabbi Yehuda Kaszirer of Lakewood Bikur Cholim seen keeping a child entertained during a hospital transport.

There were 30,000 fewer U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2024 than the year before — the largest one-year decline ever recorded. An estimated 80,000 people died from overdoses last year, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Wednesday. That’s down 27% from the 110,000 in 2023. The CDC has been collecting comparable data for 45 years. The previous largest one-year drop was 4% in 2018, according to the agency’s National Center for Health Statistics. All but two states saw declines last year, with Nevada and South Dakota seeing small increases. Some of the biggest drops were in Ohio, West Virginia and other states that have been hard-hit in the nation’s decades-long overdose epidemic. Experts say more research needs to be done to understand what drove the reduction, but they mention several possible factors. Among the most cited: — Increased availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone. — Expanded addiction treatment. — Shifts in how people use drugs. — The growing impact of billions of dollars in opioid lawsuit settlement money. — The number of at-risk Americans is shrinking, after waves of deaths in older adults and a shift in teens and younger adults away from the drugs that cause most deaths. Still, annual overdose deaths are higher than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement, the CDC noted that overdoses are still the leading cause of death for people 18-44 years old, “underscoring the need for ongoing efforts to maintain this progress.” Some experts worry that the recent decline could be slowed or stopped by reductions in federal funding and the public health workforce, or a shift away from the strategies that seem to be working. “Now is not the time to take the foot off the gas pedal,” said Dr. Daniel Ciccarone, a drug policy expert at the University of California, San Francisco. The provisional numbers are estimates of everyone who died of overdoses in the U.S., including noncitizens. That data is still being processed, and the final numbers can sometimes differ a bit. But it’s clear that there was a huge drop last year. Experts note that there have been past moments when U.S. overdose deaths seemed to have plateaued or even started to go down, only to rise again. That happened in 2018. But there are reasons to be optimistic. Naloxone has become more widely available, in part because of the introduction of over-the-counter versions that don’t require prescriptions. Meanwhile, drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacy chains and other businesses have settled lawsuits with state and local governments over the painkillers that were a main driver of overdose deaths in the past. The deals over the last decade or so have promised about $50 billion over time, with most of it required to be used to fight addiction. Another settlement that would be among the largest, with members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma agreeing to pay up to $7 billion, could be approved this year. The money, along with federal taxpayer funding, is going to a variety of programs, including supportive housing and harm reduction efforts, such as providing materials to test drugs for fentanyl, the biggest driver of overdoses now. But what each state will do with that money is currently at issue. “States can either say, ‘We […]

[COMMUNICATED]

In 1946, entry permits to the United States began arriving for the students of the Mir Yeshiva, who had been in exile in Shanghai throughout the years of the Second World War.

Lior Suchard, the world’s best mentalist and one of the world’s most famous Israelis, brings his dramatic sell-out show to Los Angeles on June 18. World-renowned master mentalist Lior Suchard, whose inexplicable feats have astounded sold-out audiences from India, and Russia to Australia and New York City, is preparing to unveil dramatic new material at his first-ever West Coast shows—at Los Angeles’ Saban Theatre on June 18 and San Francisco’s San Mateo Performing Arts Center on June 16. As one of the world’s most famous living Israelis, Suchard has never been shy about his roots. But since October 7th, he’s stood even taller. Appearing on the world’s premier late-night shows and television sitcoms, Lior used his international presence to advocate for Israel in the tragedy’s aftermath. In live performances worldwide, he wears his identity with pride. He’s taken celebrity leaders to visit patients at Tel Hashomer’s Sheba Medical Center, advocated for Israel with influential friends, and brought much-needed positivity, laughter, and motivation to Israel’s frontline soldiers. This one-night-only event on June 18th in Los Angeles will feature Lior’s classic feats of mind-reading and prediction, alongside material he’s spent years preparing for this night. “It’ll pull in the whole audience,” he says. “You’ll be thrilled and surprised.” Tickets are available now at https: https://liorsuchard.com/cal/ VIP and group ticket sales are available through Hatzolair.org/suchard, a volunteer network that provides emergency medical transportation to individuals in urgent need.

POTUS on potential peace talks between Presidents Putin and Zelensky in Turkey tomorrow: “Tomorrow, we’re all booked … That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do it to save a lot of lives and come back … I don’t know that [Putin] would be there if I’m not there.”

President Trump says he had a “very good” meeting with the new Syrian leader: “Young, attractive guy, tough guy. Strong past, very strong past — fighter. He’s got a real shot at holding it together.”

Emir of Qatar to President Trump: “You are the first American President to officially visit Qatar, so we’re very honored.”

*WATCH:* Qatari F-15’s providing honorary escort for Air Force One as it arrives in Qatar. One Qatari pilot was seen snapping a photo of AF1! (See end of clip)

Wild CCTV footage captured the moment of the assassination attempt on Muhammad Sinwar yesterday in the Gaza Strip.

At the meeting, Trump urged Sharaa to normalize relations with Israel, according to a statement from the White House. He also asked him to deport Palestinian terrorists from the country along with all foreign terrorists.