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The White House seized on Team USA’s dramatic Olympic hockey victory over Canada to take a swipe at former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reviving a past social media post after the Americans captured gold.

In a thrilling overtime finish at the Milan Cortina Winter Games on Sunday, the United States defeated Canada 2-1 to claim its first men’s Olympic hockey gold medal in 46 years. The winning goal came off the stick of Jack Hughes, who sealed the victory in overtime and ended the decades-long championship drought.

Following the triumph, President Donald Trump placed a congratulatory call to the team to mark the achievement.

The celebration extended beyond the ice. The official White House X account resurfaced a message Trudeau had posted last year after Canada defeated the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off. At the time, Trudeau had written, “You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game.”

On Sunday, the White House reposted that statement and paired it with an image of a bald eagle standing atop a Canadian goose, signaling a pointed response to the earlier remark.

Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III also weighed in, sharing Trudeau’s previous message alongside a photo of himself holding an American flag and adding the caption, “We took your game.”

Hughes scored the decisive goal after receiving a cross-ice pass from Zach Werenski, sending the crowd in Milan into a frenzy and thrilling viewers across the United States who tuned in early Sunday morning.

Speaking after netting the game-winner, Hughes expressed pride in representing the country. “This is all about our country right now.”

“I love the USA,” he said. “I’m so proud to be American today.”

“I love my country; I love my teammates,” he added.

“That’s American hockey right there,” said Hughes.

“That’s a great Canadian team, but this means so much. We are such a team.”

Among those in attendance was FBI Director Kash Patel, who watched the game from the stands in Milan and later joined the team in its postgame celebration. Patel, an avid hockey enthusiast and amateur player himself, took part in the locker room festivities.

Video circulating online shows Patel celebrating with the players, drinking and spraying beer before pounding on a table and having a gold medal placed around his neck.

Patel later addressed media attention over his presence in the locker room, posting on X: “For the very concerned media — yes, I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys — Greatest country on earth and greatest sport on earth,” Patel wrote.

{Matzav.com}

The Israeli Competition Authority announced Monday that it plans, pending a formal hearing, to levy a financial penalty of NIS 109,623,501 against El Al over alleged violations of competition law.

In addition to the corporate fine, the authority is weighing personal sanctions ranging from NIS 449,000 to NIS 548,000 against two senior executives at the airline.

According to the regulator, El Al declined to allow Arkia to use its aircraft maintenance hangars, despite a long-term agreement under which Arkia leases those facilities from El Al. Beginning in August 2024, amid the “Iron Swords” war, El Al repeatedly rejected Arkia’s requests for access. The authority said the justifications provided were inadequate and that the airline conveyed the impression that the existing agreement remained in effect, even as access was denied.

El Al holds a dominant position in Israel’s passenger aircraft hangar sector and competes directly with Arkia on numerous international routes. During the war, as many foreign carriers curtailed flights to and from Israel, domestic airlines became the primary players in the market. The authority noted that blocking Arkia’s access to hangars could have led to flight delays or cancellations, forced the leasing of replacement aircraft, and exposed the company to financial losses and reputational damage — expenses that might ultimately have been passed on to travelers.

The regulator stated that El Al’s conduct amounted to an unreasonable refusal to provide a service within a market in which it holds monopoly power, constituting an abuse of that status in breach of the Economic Competition Law. Before any final determination is made, El Al and the two executives will be given the opportunity to present their case at a hearing.

El Al pushed back against the allegations in a statement, saying: “We disagree with the claims in the authority’s letter. El Al always acts according to the law, including competition law. We are convinced no wrongdoing occurred. Throughout the war, El Al assisted other Israeli airlines far beyond legal requirements, out of solidarity and commitment to passengers, and continues to provide services-including hangars-to Arkia wherever possible.”

{Matzav.com}

WATCH: Chaverim of Rockland volunteers were seen assisting a motorist who became stuck in the snow on Rock Hill Road in Monsey, working quickly and safely to get the vehicle back on the road amid the challenging winter conditions.

A Parks Dept. truck used to plow snow partially fell into a sinkhole near City Hall in Manhattan.

NYPD officers braving the elements across NYC, as the blizzard continues to drop snow over the city.

NYC Mayor Mamdani announced the city is raising pay to $30 an hour for emergency snow shovelers to help clear streets as crews work to dig out from a major snowstorm.

❄️ WATCH: Two NYPD cops having a snowball fight as NYC gets hammered by historic blizzard.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford on President Trump: “How can one person, one man, create so much turmoil around the world…I can’t wait for the midterms.”

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu used a special Knesset session Monday evening to deliver a stern warning to Iran’s leadership, declaring that any direct attack on Israel would trigger a response beyond anything Tehran could anticipate.

Speaking during a plenary debate convened by the opposition with 40 signatures, Netanyahu said Israel has made its position unmistakably clear to the Iranian regime.

“I have clarified and sent a message to the Ayatollah regime that if they make perhaps the gravest mistake in their history and attack the State of Israel, we will respond with force they cannot even imagine,” Netanyahu declared.

The prime minister stressed that the country is facing a volatile and sensitive period and urged unity rather than political infighting. He said Israel stands ready for any development and called on the public and political leadership to rally together, particularly as the holiday of Purim approaches.

He added, “We are in complex times, we are prepared for any scenario. This is not the time for debate. In those days, on the eve of Purim, as in this time, we need to close the ranks of the people and stand shoulder to shoulder. I am confident in our strength and in our warriors. When we stand together – we achieve great things. On the eve of Purim, we will stand together – and with God’s help we will ensure the eternity of Israel.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid responded by addressing the prospect of a military confrontation with Iran, signaling that despite deep political divisions, he would support decisive action if necessary.

“There is a good chance that we are facing a campaign in Iran. If this campaign comes – and it must come – we will all put everything aside. All differences of opinion will be put into deep freeze, until the crisis passes. As in the past, I will mobilize for Israel’s PR and strengthen Israel’s international status. As with the previous attack, I will go wherever necessary, from CNN to the British Parliament, and tell them: ‘You know that I am the leader of the opposition, you know that Netanyahu and I are rivals, but Iran must be attacked with all force, the rule of the ayatollahs must be overthrown.'”

However, Lapid also delivered a pointed rebuke to Netanyahu over the October 7 massacre, arguing that the events of that day would ultimately define the prime minister’s legacy.

“What will define you in history is October 7th. I understand the attempt to write a different history – it won’t work, it doesn’t work that way.” He continued: “No success, no failure, will resonate in the national memory like the October 7th massacre. Let’s be clear – the word is massacre.”

Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman likewise directed sharp criticism at Netanyahu, branding him the “Prime Minister of October 7” and holding him personally responsible for the Hamas attack.

“This was a massacre on your watch,” Lieberman lashed out. “This is the most terrible massacre in the history of the state, and you are the main culprit in it.”

Lieberman also referenced Netanyahu’s written response to the state comptroller, contending that it omitted crucial decisions made years earlier. He pointed specifically to a 2014 cabinet meeting in which he says he urged decisive military action against Hamas.

“You wrote a 50-page answer, but you forgot about the cabinet meeting on November 13, 2014,” Lieberman recalled. “At that meeting, I demanded to begin a large-scale operation to eradicate Hamas, and you decided on a ceasefire over my head, and proposed a policy of arrangement and transferring money from Qatar to Hamas.”

He went on to cite his resignation as defense minister in 2018, which he said stemmed from similar disagreements over policy toward Hamas.

“On November 14, I resigned from my position and said that a ceasefire with Hamas is surrender to terrorism. I tried dozens of times to reach that protocol, and I was prevented from reaching it, but don’t worry – we will get there.”

Lieberman concluded by questioning the government’s handling of the current war effort and challenging its claims of success.

“What is happening now, where is the complete victory? Why is there reconstruction of the Gaza Strip? Why is the State of Israel providing electricity, water, fuel and trucks every week?”

{Matzav.com}

Several vehicles — including snowplows — are stranded along the lakeshore in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Providence, Rhode Island, has officially set a new snowfall record, with 33 inches and counting — surpassing the 28.6 inches recorded during the historic Blizzard of 1978.

BREAKING: On Feb. 23, under orders from SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out a targeted strike on a vessel linked to designated terrorist organizations in the Caribbean. The boat was confirmed to be operating along known drug-trafficking routes. Three suspected narco-terrorists were killed. No U.S. forces were injured.

Israeli police have dismantled a suspected drug laboratory in Bnei Brak, arresting two young men and seizing dozens of cannabis plants. Police said detectives from the Bnei Brak–Ramat Gan station, operating under the Israel Police, raided an apartment on Dangur Street on Sunday after obtaining a court-issued search warrant. Inside the residence, officers discovered what […]

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is opening up about his Jewish faith at a pivotal moment in his political rise. The Democratic governor is marching toward reelection in one of the nation’s most important swing states, a victory that could propel him into the very top of his party’s presidential nomination fight. But he’s also navigating […]

American refueling and cargo aircraft were spotted at Ben Gurion Airport on Monday.  The aircraft arrived over the past 24 hours as Washington increases its regional footprint while President Donald Trump weighs potential military action against Tehran. Israeli authorities have not publicly commented on the presence of the U.S. planes at the country’s main civilian […]

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Lieberman directly accused Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of bearing primary responsibility for the October 7 massacre, describing him as “the main guilty party in [the October 7] massacre” and asserting that it was “the largest and most terrible massacre in the history of the Jewish people after the Holocaust.”

Lieberman delivered the remarks during a “40-signatures” debate in the Knesset plenum, a monthly parliamentary procedure that allows lawmakers to require the prime minister to appear and respond after collecting the necessary number of supporting signatures on a petition.

In his address, Lieberman criticized a 55-page document Netanyahu recently published outlining his responses to State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman as part of the comptroller’s now-suspended probe into the October 7 attack. Lieberman argued that the document left out key details, including a November 2018 cabinet meeting at which, he said, he had “demanded to begin a large-scale operation to eradicate the Hamas regime.”

According to Lieberman, Netanyahu omitted the episode from his testimony because “you want to escape from responsibility and rewrite history.”

Rather than pursuing decisive action at the time, Lieberman charged, Netanyahu chose to facilitate the transfer of Qatari funds to Hamas in an effort to maintain calm. He further claimed that in the period leading up to the assault, Netanyahu had sought “to increase the money that is transferred every month to Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”

Continuing his criticism, Lieberman said, “You created a zone of immunity for terrorists when you pledged never to attack Qatar again. Thanks to you, the Qataris won a defense agreement from the United States that no country in the world has.” He concluded with a pointed rebuke: “Where is the total victory? You promised us total victory, you brought total disgrace.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States has begun evacuating nonessential personnel and family members from its embassy in Lebanon, signaling growing concern over regional instability as Washington intensifies its military buildup in the Middle East. The United States Department of State confirmed Monday that dozens of staff were flown out through Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport. “This is a […]

Zohran Mamdani on the need for ID from snow shovelers: Federal law requires that employers get authorization and documentation to pay people for their work. We are not allowed to just cut checks to individuals for their work.

A federal judge in Florida has ruled that the second volume of special counsel Jack Smith’s final report examining Donald Trump’s handling of classified materials at Mar-a-Lago will remain sealed and not be made public.

In a decision issued Monday, US District Judge Aileen Cannon determined that the portion of Smith’s report dealing with the classified documents investigation cannot be released. Cannon had previously dismissed the criminal case Smith filed against Trump prior to his return to office, and her latest ruling represents another legal victory for Trump in preventing the public disclosure of the special counsel’s conclusions.

Before departing his role in early 2025, Smith submitted a two-part final report to then-Attorney General Merrick Garland. The first volume, which focused on Trump’s alleged attempts to challenge the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, was made public before Trump reentered the White House. However, the second volume — addressing the classified documents case in South Florida — remained under seal following legal challenges brought by Trump and others charged in the matter.

In her 15-page opinion, Cannon wrote that “it is certainly not customary” for a prosecutor whose case was thrown out to later be allowed to “publicly disseminate large swaths of discovery generated in the case.”

She further stated, “The Court strains to find a situation in which a former special counsel has released a report after initiating criminal charges that did not result in a finding of guilt, at least not in a situation like this one, where the defendants contested the charges from the outset and still proclaim their innocence.”

Cannon, who ruled in 2024 that Smith’s appointment as special counsel was unlawful, criticized the preparation of the report itself, asserting that it ran counter to her prior orders ending the work of his office in connection with the classified documents investigation.

“The Court need not countenance this brazen stratagem or effectively perpetuate the Special Counsel’s breach of this Court’s own order,” she wrote.

At the same time, Cannon rejected a motion from two former co-defendants of Trump seeking to have the report destroyed altogether.

In response to the ruling, Trump’s personal attorney, Kendra Wharton, praised the decision, saying Cannon was correct to “permanently prohibit the release of Volume II of Jack Smith’s illegal report,” and adding that “all fruit of Smith’s poisonous tree should be treated accordingly and should never see the light of day.”

Despite the ruling, the question of public access to the second volume — often referred to as Volume II — remains the subject of ongoing appellate proceedings initiated by government transparency advocates.

One such organization, American Oversight, criticized Cannon’s decision, saying it “continues a troubling pattern of decisions that shield the president from public scrutiny and place secrecy above the public’s right to know.”

“American taxpayers funded this investigation, and they have a right to know what their government uncovered, particularly on matters of national security,” said Chioma Chukwu, the group’s executive director, in a statement.2

{Matzav.com}

Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court told judges on Monday that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte encouraged death squads to carry out extrajudicial killings using fear and financial rewards. The court in The Hague is holding pretrial hearings for the ex-leader, who is facing three counts of crimes against humanity for deadly anti-drugs crackdowns he […]