‘Heated Rivalry’ stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie to be torchbearers for Winter Olympics

By The Associated Press
January 22, 2026 | 2:51 PM

MILAN (AP) — The actors co-starring in the hit hockey romance TV series “Heated Rivalry” are set to be among the torchbearers carrying the Olympic flame on the way to the Opening Ceremony for the Milan Cortina Games.

The organizing committee announced Thursday that Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will take part in the torch relay. The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 6.

The series based off “Game Changers” books has captivated viewers with the fictional story of a Canadian and a Russian hockey player sustaining a decade-long secret relationship.

The first season became the the No. 1 series on HBO Max. Originally developed for the Canadian streaming service Crave, the show scored a distribution deal with HBO and has already been renewed for a second season, and it will broadcast in Italy beginning next month.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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

By The Associated Press
July 30, 2026 | 1:51 AM

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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