Julian Assange, the controversial founder of WikiLeaks, delivered his first public remarks on October 1, 2024, since being released from a UK prison earlier in June. Speaking to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, Assange addressed his tumultuous legal journey and reiterated the core principles that led him to his years-long battle with U.S. authorities. His speech, laden with a critique of the legal system, emphasized his unwavering belief in the role of journalism in exposing corruption and holding governments accountable. Assange began by reflecting on the decade of legal struggles that have defined his life. “I am not free today because the system worked,” he told lawmakers. “I am free today after years of incarceration because I pled guilty to journalism.” In his address, Assange stressed that his imprisonment and legal fight were a direct result of his pursuit of information, saying, “I pled guilty to seeking information from a source, guilty to obtaining information from a source, and guilty to informing the public what that information was”. Breaking: The Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly has voted to confirm that Julian Assange was held as a political prisoner. pic.twitter.com/UkHdmD1aI5 — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 2, 2024 Assange’s release in June 2024 came after years of high-profile legal battles. Most notably, he had been charged under the U.S. Espionage Act for publishing classified military documents. These documents included revelations about U.S. conduct in Iraq and Afghanistan, which many have argued exposed war crimes committed by American forces. The leak, one of the largest in U.S. military history, put Assange at the center of an international firestorm​. In his remarks, Assange portrayed his plea deal with U.S. prosecutors as a grim necessity. The deal led to his freedom after over a decade of confinement, which included years of self-imposed exile in Ecuador’s London embassy, followed by his arrest and detention at the UK’s maximum-security Belmarsh prison. While the deal allowed him to return to his native Australia, Assange expressed a deep sense of injustice over the outcome. He lamented that he would never have the opportunity to challenge the U.S. espionage accusations in court, effectively barring him from ever defending his actions in full​. NEW: Julian Assange just exposed the CIA in his first public hearing since his release. He says that they tried to assassinate him within the embassy, tried to attain DNA from his sixth-month-old son, had a CIA asset permanently track his wife, and attempted to hack and plant… pic.twitter.com/VWCNwPIR1Q — Green Lives Matter (@Ultrafrog17) October 1, 2024 The WikiLeaks founder’s release was met with widespread attention. Assange’s wife, Stella, who had long campaigned for his freedom, had previously stated that he would need time to recover both physically and mentally from his years in solitary confinement. During his address, Assange hinted at the toll that this period had taken on him, mentioning that he was still grappling with the effects of his long imprisonment. “Isolation has taken its toll which I am trying to unwind,” he said, reflecting on the years he spent fighting extradition​. Assange’s remarks also touched on broader themes of whistleblower protection and the role of the press in holding governments accountable. He emphasized that the pursuit of truth through journalism had led to his predicament, but also to significant global conversations about the importance of press freedom. WikiLeaks, founded in 2006, became internationally famous in 2010 after it published hundreds of thousands of classified U.S. military documents, revealing the inner workings of U.S. military actions and diplomatic efforts​. Assange’s story is one that has sparked debate over the limits of press freedom and government transparency. While many view him as a champion for free speech and a defender of the public's right to know, others see him as a criminal who endangered lives through his reckless dissemination of classified information. U.S. authorities, in particular, have long argued that his leaks endangered the lives of soldiers and diplomats, while Assange and his supporters maintain that his actions were in the public interest. Looking ahead, Assange said his appearance at the Strasbourg hearing marked the first step in his efforts to raise awareness about the need to protect whistleblowers and journalists. Though he acknowledged that his personal legal battles might never fully be resolved, he expressed hope that his case could inspire broader reforms to ensure that those who expose government wrongdoing are protected, not persecuted​. The post Julian Assange Declares ‘I Pled Guilty to Journalism’ in First Public Address Since Release appeared first on The Conservative Brief.

Despite the devastating flash floods overwhelming Southwest Virginia, one resident’s outdoor BBQ is still standing tall! She caught some impressive footage of the sturdy appliance holding its ground against the water rushing into her backyard. Although the current seemed incredibly strong, the BBQ was stronger. This woman’s videos of her stubborn backyard grill are providing some much-appreciated levity as her community deals with the effects of intense flood waters. @rainbowfrogbtq Our entire yard may have been under water, but our Charcoal Grill held on for its life That sucker didn’t budge even when a 5ft culvert passed through our backyard. Who would have ever imagined a hurricane from Florida hitting SW VA like this. #hurricane #helene #hurricanehelene #virginia #southwestvirginia #flashflood ♬ original sound – The Bocas Breeze “Our entire yard may have been under water, but our Charcoal Grill held on for its life,” wrote the Virginia resident in one of her captions. “That sucker didn’t budge even when a 5ft culvert passed through our backyard.” Commenters were truly impressed that the flood waters couldn’t seem to wash away the heavy grill. Many joked that the footage would make an excellent commercial for the BBQ brand. “You should send the company of the grill this video,” wrote one user. In another post, the Virginia woman shared an update. After the flood waters in her backyard subsided, her BBQ was right where she left it. Although it may not be the most conventional symbol of hope, seeing this outdoor item untouched by storm damage has brought smiles to many faces. @rainbowfrogbtq The update eveeyone has been asking for! Sergeant Char-Broil still stands #hurricane #helene #hurricanehelene #virginia #southwestvirginia ♬ original sound – Movieclips – Movieclips It looks like the residents of Virginia are pretty tough, too. According to WTVR, winds and flooding from Hurricane Helene have already destroyed over 200 homes in the state of Virginia alone. Virginia’s Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) is hard at work trying to get the affected communities back on their feet. “We saw huge sinkholes that just exposed all the utilities, bridges completely jammed up with debris coming down the water,” said VDEM Director Shawn Talmadge. “The force of the water was just remarkable, and the damage was absolutely extreme.” However, he noted that the dire situation seems to have been bringing out the best in the people of Virginia. “You know, they are faced with probably the worst disaster of their life, the worst day of their life, yet they are worried about other people,” Shawn said. “It’s just amazing.” You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Built Tough: Flood Waters Sweep Through Backyard, But They Can’t Take Out This BBQ! appeared first on InspireMore.

'Made it more difficult'

'What this bill is going to end up doing is taking money away from hard-working, caring, loving family members'

A post shared on X claims Iran destroyed 20 Israeli F-35 aircraft. BREAKING: More than 20 5th generation F-35 fighter jets were destroyed in Israel Say goodbye to your American taxmoney! pic.twitter.com/bXFeF5IZ9c — Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis (@DrLoupis) October 1, 2024 Verdict: Misleading There is no evidence that F-35s were destroyed in the Iranian attack. The Israel […]

'This was done knowing full well media and Democrats would seize on provocative details'

In rock music, artists have long paid homage to their peers and inspirations, weaving tributes and references into their songs. Whether as a nod to their influences, a friendly rivalry, or a way to connect with the musical tradition, these moments create a shared history that bridges generations of musicians. This article brings together ten essential rock songs that mention other musical artists, highlighting the creativity and respect musicians have for one another. Each track on this list not only stands out in its own right but also carries the weight of a broader musical conversation. From Bruce Springsteen name-dropping The post 10 Essential Rock Songs That Mention Other Musical Artists appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

During an annual half-marathon in Newfoundland, a strange individual was seen among the runners during the final few miles. A goat, seemingly excited by all the motion, was happily trotting along between the sneaker-shod bipedals on the road through Conception Bay South. The occasion was the annual T’Railroad Trek Half Marathon on Newfoundland’s east coast. […] The post Goat Named Mr. Joshua Runs Last 4k of Local Marathon Winning Medal and Local Adoration appeared first on Good News Network.

I realized something very important about the human condition when I was in high school. I realized that people tend to hate those who fight evil far more than they hate those engaged in doing evil. What made me come to this conclusion was the way in which many people reacted to communism and to anti-communism. To my amazement, a great many people—specifically, all leftists and many, though not all, liberals—hated anti-communists far more than they hated communism. Because of my early preoccupation with good and evil, already in high school, I hated communism. How could one not, I wondered. Along with Nazism, it was the great evil of the 20th century. Needless to say, as a Jew and as a human, I hated Nazism. But as I was born after Nazism was vanquished, the great evil of my time was communism. Communists murdered about 100 million people – all noncombatants and all innocent. Stalin murdered about 30 million people, including 5 million Ukrainians by starvation (in just two years: 1932-33). Mao killed about 60 million people. Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge (Red Cambodians) killed about 3 million people, one in every four Cambodians, between 1975 and 1979. The North Korean communist regime killed between 2 million and 3 million people, not including another million killed in the Korean War started by the North Korean communists. For every one of the 100 million killed by communists, add at least a dozen more people—family and friends—who were terribly and permanently affected by the death of their family member or friend. Then add another billion whose lives were ruined by having to live in a communist totalitarian state: their poverty, their loss of fundamental human rights, and their loss of dignity. You would think that anyone with a functioning conscience and with any degree of compassion would hate communism. But that was not the case. Indeed, there were many people throughout the non-communist world who supported communism. And there was an even larger number of people who hated anti-communists, dismissing them as “Cold Warriors,” “warmongers,” “red-baiters,” etc. At the present time, we are again witnessing this phenomenon—hatred of those who oppose evil rather than of those who do evil—with regard to Israel and its enemies. And on a far greater level. Israel is hated by individuals and governments throughout the world. Israel is the most reviled country at the United Nations as well as in Western media and, of course, in universities. Israel is a liberal democracy with an independent judiciary, independent opposition press, and equal rights for women, gays and its Arab population (20% of the Israeli population). Its enemies—the Iranian regime, Hamas and Hezbollah—allow no such freedoms to those under their control. More relevantly, their primary goal—indeed, their stated reason for being—is to wipe out Israel and its Jewish inhabitants. Hamas and Hezbollah have built nothing, absolutely nothing, in Gaza and Lebanon, respectively. They exist solely to commit genocide against Israel and its Jews. Why did so many people hate anti-communists more than communism? And why do even more people hate Israel more than Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah? The general reason is that it is emotionally and psychologically difficult for most people to stare evil in the face. Evil is widely described as “dark.” But it is not dark; it is easy to look into the dark. What is far harder to look at is blinding bright light. Perhaps that is why Lucifer, the original name of the Christian devil, comes from the word “light.” Why this is so—why people will not call evil “evil”—is probably related to a lack of courage. Once one declares something evil, one is morally bound to resist it, and people fear resisting evil. The fools who mock Christianity—whether through a work of “art” like “Piss Christ” (a crucifix in a jar of urine), or the Paris Olympics opening ceremony that mocked the Last Supper, or the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” (men in drag dressed as nuns)—would never mock Islam. They fear Muslim wrath; they do not fear Christian wrath. Yet Islamic wrath has done and is doing far more evil in our time than Christian wrath. And there is one additional reason for hating Israel—one that is specific to Israel—rather than those who seek to exterminate Israel: Jew-hatred, better known as antisemitism. The people who introduced a judging God and gave the world the Ten Commandments have been hated for thousands of years. Not those who systematically violate those commandments. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post People Hate Those Who Fight Evil Far More Than Those Who Are Evil appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Israel Said Planning Massive Retaliation, Likely Targets Include Oil & Gas Rigs, Nuclear Sites