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Israel to honor Charlie Kirk with award for fighting antisemitism

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel will honor the late Charlie Kirk for his work combating antisemitism at a conference in late January, four months after the conservative activist was assassinated while speaking at an American university.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Wednesday evening that Kirk will be given an award at the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism in Jerusalem. Several pro-Israeli leaders are expected to attend the event, among them Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

This year will be the second time Israel’s government hosts the conference, which it says is “dedicated to confronting antisemitism and Holocaust denial in today’s world.”

Kirk was a staunch supporter of Israel. After his death, Netanyahu described him as a “lion-hearted friend” of the country and a “defender of our common Judeo-Christian civilization.”

The Turning Point USA co-founder frequently invoked scripture and prophecy to urge American Christians and conservatives to stand by the country against its enemies.

But some of his comments about Jewish philanthropy and Hollywood drew accusations of antisemitism. And as debates over Israel have emerged among American conservatives, his legacy on the issue has become contested. Last year, speaking on The Megyn Kelly Show, he said support for Israel had become so rigid that he felt unable to voice even mild criticism of its policies.

Australian watchdog files legal action against Telegram, saying it failed to remove violent content

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s online safety watchdog has filed legal action against messaging app Telegram, saying the platform failed to remove extremist content including videos of white supremacist mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and the New Zealand city of Christchurch as well as Islamic State group beheadings. The United Arab Emirates-based app, which reports having 1 billion users worldwide, faces a fine of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars ($38 million) if convicted in the Australian Federal Court for “alleged failure to detect and remove pro-terror material,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Thursday. The civil action is a test of Australia's 2021 law requiring tech platforms to work to keep illegal and pro-terrorism material off their networks. Telegram denied the claims. “We reject these allegations and will contest them in court,” a spokesperson said in a written statement sent on Telegram.
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