Lithuania Prepares to Fight Back Russian Attack

Lithuania, where my Father's Mother is from, has drawn up Plans for a Mass Elderly Evacuation amid repeated Warnings of Russian Threats to the Baltics. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius said His People feel "constantly threatened" by neigbouring Russia, as Drones repeatedly Cross over into Lithuania's Airspace. Just last week, Nato Jets were Scrambled and Emergency Alerts sent out, as a Drone Shot over from Belarus into the Country's South.

Mr Sinkevicius told the BBC that if His Country was Attacked, "we will fight back," and "we will engage". Plans had been made for a "number of scenarios" He said, describing how the Country might need to Evacuate Elderly Citizens "smoothly" out of Cities. He added: "We're thinking about a variety of scenarios, not all of them are being discussed very much publicly. "We face concrete threats, not on a daily basis, but we're experiencing them and it's a true reality for us."

The Lithuanian Prime Minister said that while Britain needed its own "shift in the mindset" when it comes to Defence, His Country was "closer to the border and closer to the threat". After last week's Drone Incursion, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda thanked the Italian Pilots at the Controls of the Jets for their quick response. He added: "With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region. "Together with our Nato allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace."

While Moscow as standard, has Not commented on the Drone Incursion, Belarus is a Key Ally to Vladimir Putin Thousands of Belarusian Troops are carrying out Drills with Tanks and Drone units near a Stretch of Land dubbed Nato's "weakest link" on Poland's Border. The Exercises are taking place partly near the Suwalki Gap, a 104-kilometre stretch of the Polish-Lithuanian Border which is the Only Land Link between the Baltic States and the rest of Nato.

It also separates Russian-allied Belarus from Kaliningrad, an Exclave of Russia on the Baltic Coast. Germany has Pledged to send Thousands of Troops to Lithuania, Warning that Europe was "living through decisive weeks or months for the defence of freedom and peace". By the end of 2027, the 45th Panzer Brigade is expected to be Permanently based in Lithuania, with German's Ministry of Defence Confirming Compulsory Deployments would form a Unit of nearly 5,000 Troops.

Around 80% of German forces currently in Lithuania, are there on a Voluntary basis, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said: "Thanks to the swift and professional actions of Lithuanian and Italian forces, Nato once again demonstrated our readiness to protect our airspace. "We stand united, around the clock, in defence of every inch of Nato territory."

Britain launched a Torpedo from an Unmanned, Uunderwater Drone for the first time on 9/21/2026 as the UK Strengthens its Defences against Russia.

The New Weapon would Protect the UK from Attacks on Underwater Cables and Infrastructure, after an Attempt by Russia was Thwarted.

Sir Richard Dearlove, the Former Head of MI6, said Moscow had "sophisticated means for attacking undersea cables" as He Acknowledged it was a "Vulnerability".










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Ukraine First Airborne Robot Assault Behind Russian Lines

Ukraine launches World First Airborne Robot Assault behind Russian Lines in its “Operation Vivaldi” Counteroffensive. Ukraine’s Third Army Corps said on 9/20/2026 that Attack Ground Robots were Deployed from Heavy Bomber Drones Steep into the Russian rear, where they Acted as Payloads for Larger Aerial Drones. Unmanned Ground Vehicles are increasingly playing a Larger Role in Ukraine’s Assault Tactics, taking on Roles once Assigned to Infantry.

“The Third Army Corps was the first in the world to begin landing ground-based robotic systems,” Corps Commander Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi said, according to United 24 Media. “Our heavy bomber drones deliver suicide ground drones more than 10 kilometers into the enemy’s rear.” Despite Biletskyi’s Claims of a World First, Ukrainian Outlet RBC Ukraine reported that Air Delivery of Ground Robots is Not entirely New for Ukrainian Forces, “but it is the first time it has been used for kamikaze unmanned ground robotic systems over such a distance.”

After Weeks of Stealthy Gains in the Donetsk Ooblast in Eastern Ukraine, Biletskyi Revealed last week, Details of Operation Viability which has been ongoing over the Summer, He said Ukraine’s Forces had Stopped the Russian Salient North of Lyman in Donetsk, Preventing Russian Forces from encircling the “Fortress Belt” of Well-Defended Cities Key to Kyiv’s Defense of the Donbas Region.

On 9/20/2026 Biletskyi gave further Details, this time on the Second Phase of the Operation, saying that Three Settlements Northwest of Lyman, 19 square miles, had been Liberated and 800 Russian Troops Eliminated. Biletskyi said His Forces had prepared for Ground Operations by Landing a Wave of Drones and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) over Six Miles behind the Frontline to Harass the Russian Tactical Rear and Help Kyiv’s combined Arms Operations.

The Robot Deployment was part of a Plan to Disrupt Russian Defenses before Ukrainian Troops Advanced. Biletskyi added that His Troops are Grinding down Three Russian Armies at once, the 20th, 25th, and 1st, Tank Artillery and unmanned systems hit Russian command posts, communication centers, logistics, crossings, and Reserves while Ukraine’s Air Defense, and Electronic Warfare created a Protective Dome over the Area, according to the Third Army Corps.

“The blinded enemy failed to rveal the plan of the operation, and our uUnits were entrenched on the liberated borders”, the Corps said in a Statement on Telegram, according to a Translation. A Map by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) shows some of the Ukrainian Third Corps’ Reported Gains, including the Recapture of Shandryholove and Derylove and establishing Control over Drobysheve in the Lyman Sector for a Total of 48 square miles since Operation Vivaldi Started.

Military Analyst Giorgi Revishvili, said the Substack Russia Analyzed, said last week, that Operation Vivaldi showed that, with effective planning and proper execution, maneuver warfare was still possible even on a battlefield with drones and persistent surveillance.

However, He Said "that even successful Ukrainian local counteroffensives, such as the operation around Lyman, will not alter Putin’s maximalist demands in the coming months as the Kremlin looks convinced that time is on Russia’s side. Consequently, there is little prospect for any real negotiations, at least until spring next year.”.

Another Military Analyst, Retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan, wrote on His Futura Doctrina Substack, that whether Operation Vivaldi’s next Movement expands on Current Operations, or just Consolidates what has already been taken, will be Oone of the more interesting Bbattlefield Questions for the coming months. “We may be approaching, or in the midst of, a shift to a new phase of this war,” Ryan wrote.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

NY AI Protections with Kill Switch

Strengthening New York's Artificial Iintelligence protections (AI) is front of mind for several State Officials this week, as the Trump (R) Administration recently announced Plans to plow ahead with its Development. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D)and Attorney General Letitia James (D) joined Assembly Member Alex Bores (NY-73d District) and Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D-26th District), 9/21/2026, to share more Information about the Sstate's New Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act, which goes into effect in 1/2027.

Included in the Announcement was the Appointment of Marc Gilman (I) as the State's Deputy Director for the RAISE Act, as well as a Vow from Hochul to Explore ways to Expand the Legislation in the coming months. "We'll look closely at additional ways to build on the RAISE Act and strengthen our AI laws," Hochul said. "May even explore safeguards like AI kill switches if they're deemed feasible and in the best interest of our state."

Over the weekend, Trump said He Plans to Create an "AI Force" and Appoint a New AI Zzar, both intended to Support the Country's Growth of AI, in response to recent Calls to Slow Down the Development of AI. "It's not about being first, it's about being first to get it right," Hochul said when Speaking about the State's AI Development on 9/21/20226.

The RAISE Act, which was Signed by the Covernor in 12/2025, increases AI Transparency and Strengthens AI Protections in New York by placing Regulations on Large Frontier AI Developers. Specifically, these Developers will be Required to Register with the Sstate starting in November in preparation for the enactment of the new law in January.

Then, as of 1/1/2027, they will be Required to do the following: Establish Safety and Transparency Frameworks that are then Posted on their Wwebsites. Report Critical Safety Incidents to the State's Office of Digital Innovation, Governance, Integrity, and Trust, within 72 hours and other Related Government Authorities File Quarterly Assessments of Catastrophic Risks to the DIGIT Office and Pay the Assessments. File a Disclosure Statement at least every other year. If the Developers Don't Ssubmit the Required Reporting or make False Statements, the AG's Office can bring Civil Actions against them. Penalties for First Violations are up to $1 million and up to $3 million for any Subsequent Violations, according to Hochul's Office.

In July, Hochul Signed an Executive Order Banning New Hyperscale Data Center Development Statewide for One year. Through the Moratorium, State Environmental Permits for Data Centers that can use 50 or more Megawatts of Power will be Temporarily paused for up to a Year to better understand how New York Ratepayers as well as the Environment, Energy Grid and Communities will be Impacted Statewide.

Last month, Hochul Announced the State would be taking a Closer Look at how Artificial Intelligence will affect New York's Workforce through a Series of Listening Sessions. The information gathered through these listening sessions will be collected and help inform a set of recommendations to be released by the end of this year by the FutureWorks Commission, or a group of experts selected by the state to "identify real-time data strategies for monitoring AIs impact" on New York's workers.

And most recently, James stressed to New Yorkers who Work in the AI industry last week, to Report Uunsafe and Illegal Conduct by Companies Developing AI Technology to Her Office's Secure Whistleblower Portal. "The extraordinary promise of artificial intelligence is not an excuse for big tech to break the law, ignore serious safety risks or put New Yorkers in danger," James said on 9/21/2. "My office will hold companies accountable when they cross that line."










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Trump Administration Sued Over White House Access

The three national news outlets Trump (R) banned from the White House: CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, filed a critical First Amendment lawsuit to restore their access. The emergency request is set to go before a federal judge in the DC District Court and could result in hearings and legal arguments from the administration as soon as this week.

“This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles,” the outlets said in their lawsuit, which is asking the court to act immediately to revive their journalists’ access to the White House. The lawsuit will allege Trump’s ban violates the First Amendment and the Constitution’s due process protections.

“This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” the three news organizations said in a joint statement on Monday. “Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting,” the news outlets said. “Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”

The standoff is one of the administration’s most high-profile attacks on the press to date, with implications extending far beyond the three banned news outlets. Trump said last Friday, when he announced the ban, that he might add others to the list. “The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish. It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America,” Trump posted to his social media account Monday morning. “It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!”

CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters are unable to access their workspaces inside the White House. CNN and MS NOW are also blocked from using their television equipment and camera locations on the grounds. CNN was removed Monday from pooled coverage responsibilities that are shared by major news outlets. CNN was scheduled to have TV pool duty and travel with the president to New York on Monday.

“The ban inflicts an injury on all news media organizations—which now risk a similar fate if they engage in fact-based, independent reporting the President deems insufficiently favorable,” the outlets said in a request for a temporary restraining order that was filed on Monday. “And the public at large suffers for however long the unconstitutional ban restricts access to current and complete information about the government.”

Some first amendment and legal experts have already widely called the ban unconstitutional and condemned it as abrupt, discriminatory and harmful to the media’s ability to cover national issues. The lawsuit from the outlets will rely heavily on the vague reasoning for revoking access that Trump gave on Friday, saying he didn’t like “negative stories “If they want to write them, that’s fine. I don’t have to let them into the people’s house,” the President also said. br />
At least one Trump administration official said in a TV interview Sunday that he believed a Supreme Court opinion from 1965 about the government refusing to validate passports for travel to Cuba would support Trump’s stance. After Trump announced he was barring the three outlets from the White House because he didn’t like their coverage, reporters’ press passes to access the White House grounds were deactivated. On Saturday, MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner, CNN reporter Betsy Klein and Politico reporter Cheyenne Haslett each tried to enter the White House grounds to cover news and were denied entry by the Secret Service, which seized their press passes.

Similar prohibitions that Trump and other White House officials have attempted to put on individual reporters or outlets have been rejected by the courts, even recently. The courts have been clear that journalists cannot be prohibited from covering the White House because of what they say or publish in the coverage itself. The current dispute centers on a First Amendment legal concept known as viewpoint discrimination, since Trump has been explicit about his reasons for wanting to ban certain outlets over coverage he deems “negative.” Courts have forbidden viewpoint discrimination and protected the rights of journalists in case after case.

The DC District Court, where the three news outlets’ case will land on Monday, has several judges who’ve ruled in favor of press freedom and against the Trump administration for discriminatory policies, especially since Trump took office last year. The law previously set by the federal appellate court in DC has said the White House also can’t revoke press credentials without giving the journalists due process, especially when areas of the White House are accessible to the general press and there isn’t a national security concern.

That case law dates to 1977, when the Secret Service revoked the press pass of Robert Sherrill, a reporter for The Nation. The federal courts in Washington restored it, with the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruling at the time, “denial of a White House press pass is violative of the first amendment only if it is based upon the content of the journalist’s speech or otherwise discriminates against a class of protected speech.”

“Not only newsmen and the publications for which they write, but also the public at large have an interest protected by the first amendment in assuring that restrictions on newsgathering be no more arduous than necessary, and that individual newsmen not be arbitrarily excluded from sources of information,” the court also wrote. In Trump’s first term, journalists Jim Acosta, who worked for CNN at the time, and Playboy correspondent Brian Karem had their press passes suspended, triggering lawsuits. In Trump’s second term, The Associated Press was denied access to the Oval Office and Air Force One, also kickstarting litigation.

The courts largely sided with the journalists in every case, based upon the 1977 precedent, though the courts haven’t gone so far to say that White House press pass access can be unfettered. Monday’s legal filings pointed to the precedent set in the Karem case to argue that the press badge deactivations under the current ban are unconstitutional. Acosta’s case, meanwhile, was overseen by Judge Timothy J. Kelly, the Trump appointee now assigned to the latest lawsuit brought by the media outlets. During that first Trump administration, Kelly granted a temporary restraining order restoring Acosta’s press badge. But that lawsuit never reached a full resolution on the merits.

The First Amendment attorney who represented CNN in court during the Acosta case in 2018, Ted Boutrous, has been brought on board by CNN, MS NOW and Politico for Monday’s lawsuit. “The President’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO from the White House is a direct assault on the First Amendment and a blatant violation of due process. The President has been explicit that this ban is intended to punish reporting he doesn’t like and to intimidate journalists and news organizations covering him and his administration,” Boutrous said in a statement Monday.

“This ban on the free press harms the American people, who are entitled to rigorous, fact-based coverage of the President of the United States,” he added. “The law is on our side across the board, and we look forward to presenting our arguments to the court as soon as possible.” The three news organizations have emphasized that their coverage of the Trump administration will continue regardless of the access restrictions.

“CNN’s mission to report on the U.S. government will continue regardless of any attempts to restrict physical access to the White House and other government buildings, or any other attempts to impede our journalism,” CNN said in a statement over the weekend.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Arctic Security under Greenland Deal

Denmark, Greenland, and the U.S. are set to sign a deal on Greenland's security on Tuesday, an agreement Denmark says will put Arctic security under NATO's watch rather than leaving it solely to Washington and Copenhagen. The agreement, expected to be signed at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, has not been made public, though Trump (R) says it grants the U.S. "permanent control". Denmark and Greenland have not commented on Trump's claim, but said the deal will benefit the Arctic island and respect its sovereignty.

The deal follows months of pressure from Trump, who has said the U.S. should control Greenland and at times refused to rule out using military or economic force to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. His threats, which peaked in January, triggered a diplomatic crisis within NATO and pushed Denmark and Greenland into negotiations with Washington aimed at defusing the pressure.

"It (the agreement) will be in a form where responsibility for security in the Arctic is not only Danish or American," Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told national broadcaster TV2 on Sunday. He added that to a large extent "it would be NATO that looks after the Arctic A NATO spokesperson said on Saturday that the alliance welcomed the agreement, which would "help advance security, stability and cooperation in this vital region". Rasmussen, who travelled to New York overnight, declined to discuss the contents of the agreement.

"But we have said from the start that we are open to accommodating the United States' legitimate security interests," Rasmussen told Danish news agency Ritzau on Monday. Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday the agreement gives the United States "permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland," and that no US adversary could have a base or military presence there without Washington's written approval.

Denmark has not responded to Trump's claim, though Copenhagen has earlier acknowledged it underinvested in Greenland's defence for decades and has pledged to expand its military presence on the island, including more NATO troops. Key details have not been made public, including whether the deal amends the 1951 defence agreement that is the legal basis for the US presence in Greenland.

Greenland's government has sought to reassure the public about the deal. Erik Jensen, an opposition lawmaker in Greenland, wrote on Facebook that he had read the draft agreement: "I feel reassured and am not worried," he said, adding that the island's foreign minister was handling the work well.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

CA Disclosure Rules for Who Post Political Ads

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) Signed a Bill, Imposing Criminal and Civil Penalties on Content Creators who Fail to Disclose Paid Political Advertisements, a Measure aimed at bringing Greater Transparency to the growing use of Influencer Marketing in Politics. The Bill, AB1130, was Signed into Law 9/19/2026, as part of a Series of New Measures that Newsom’s Office said are Aimed to “protect elections in California from interference and political meddling.”

Though Existing Laws required someone to Disclose whether they were being Paid to Post, there was No Liability Provision that Officials could use to Enforce the Rule. Now, Authorities will be Allowed to Impose Penalties under the Political Reform Act of 1974, that can include a Misdemeanor Charge, according to the Law’s text.

Influencers are Playing a Growing Role in Political Campaigns, as Candidates and Political Groups, seek to reach People who increasingly turn to Social Mmedia for News and Information. Some Creators are Paid by Campaigns or Outside Groups, to produce Political Content, while others Post about Candidates and Issues without Compensation.

Assembly Member Marc Berman (D-23rd District), who Proposed the Legislation, said the Growing Influencer Industry has “changed the way candidates communicate with voters. As more candidates pay influencers to post content supporting their campaigns, it is imperative that voters have the right to know whether or not that content is organic and authentic or pPaid Political Messaging,” Berman said in a Sstatement in 8/2026, as the Bill wasHheaded to the Governor’s Desk.

The Issue came to the forefront earlier this year, during billionaire Climate Activist Tom Steyer’s more than $200 million Campaign for California Governor, which He Lost. Steyer’s Campaign paid Social Media Influencers to Post Favorable Content about Hhim, but many of the Posts did Not Disclose that the Creators had been Paid, according to a May Report by the Los Angeles Times.

The Undisclosed Posts prompted a Complaint to California’s Fair Political Practices Commission, Alleging that the Campaign had Violated the State’s Disclosure Requirements for Paid Political content. A Campaign Spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times, that All the Rules were followed in Hhiring Content Creators, describing the Complaint as “baseless.” The Case involving the Complaint remains Oopen, according to the Commission’s website.

Researchers at the Information Integrity Institute at the University of Tennessee’s College of Communication and Information Published a Report last month, in which they examined what Transparency Measures Social Media Uusers in the U.S. want from Paid Political Influencers.

Their Sstudy, in which they Surveyed about 1,000 U.S. Social Mmedia Users through the Platform Prolific, found that “participants who placed a greater value on authenticity were also more likely to support disclosure when political content was paid for.”

“One of the more real problems is not just you see something that’s completely false or you see something that’s completely true, but you see inauthentic or misleading propagandist-type opinions pushing people’s perspectives in different directions,” Associate Professor Benjamin Horne said in a Blog Ppost about the Findings.

The institute’s Director, Catherine Luther, added that She Bbelieves “any movement towards transparency in online information is a good thing. I think it can only be beneficial for democratic societies.”










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Trump Bid to Dismantle International Criminal Court

The Trump (R) Administration is preparing to Impose Sweeping Sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), a Sharp Escalation in Washington’s efforts to Dismantle the Institution, after it issued an Arrest Warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The sanctions would Fforbid most Transactions with the ICC after a Grace Period of Six to Seven months. That could Potentially Cripple the Court by Prohibiting it from Conducting Transactions in U.S. dollars, cutting it Off from much of the Global Financial system.

It is Unclear when a Final Decision and Announcement might come, though some U.S. Officials said the Move could be Finalized, as soon as this week during the United Nations General Assembly Meeting or in the following days. A State Department Spokesman wouldn’t Preview any Sanctions Decisions, but noted Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s (R) View that the ICC poses a Threat to American Sovereignty. The Treasury Department Declined to Comment.

The U.S. already has Sanctioned a number of ICC Officials in its Assault on the Court. They include the former Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, whom the ICC Ousted in 6/2026 over Sexual Assault Allegations against Him; the President of the ICC, Tomoko Akane, and several other judges; the Court’s Two Deputy Prosecutors; and the Lead Prosecutor in the Case against Netanyahu and other Israeli Officials. Khan has Ddenied any Sexual Misconduct.

The Trump Administration is now preparing Sanctions that are expected to be far more Punitive, Officials said. They would Apply to a Range of Transactions with the ICC rather than Individual Officials. TheM Measures would Exempt Transactions related to Communications Services, according to the Documents. European Nations and other Major Backers of the Court such as Japan, have Pledged to Protect ICC from the Trump Administration’s Onslaught, but it’s nclear how they plan to do that. The European Union could require the Bloc’s Banks to continue working with the Court.

Rubio in 7/2026 said the Administration was preparing a wide-ranging Campaign against ICC, saying it would Dismantle the Court “brick by brick” if necessary. Rubio said the Court’s Decision to go after Officials of ICC Non-Member States set a Dangerous precedent and posed a Threat to U.S. Sovereignty. Neither the U.S. nor Israel are Members of the ICC. Rubio, however, wasn’t Bothered by the Precedent in 2022, when as a Senator He Co-Sponsored a Resolution calling for the Court to Investigate War Crimes in Ukraine committed by Russia, another Non-Mmember State of the ICC. The Court in 2023, issued an Arrest Warrant for Vladimir Putin and other Russian Officials.

It was the Case against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant that Destroyed the U.S. Relationship with the Court. In 2024, the Court issued Warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, who were Accused of War Crimes and Crimes against Umanity for their Conduct of the War in Gaza. The Court Alleged the Two Men Blocked HumanitarianA Aid from entering the Palestinian Territory to put Pressure on Hamas, potentially a Violation of Humanitarian Law. Khan, the former Prosecutor, had also sought Warrants for the Leaders of Hamas for their Role in the Attack of 10/7/2023, but they have since been Killed in Battle or by Assassination. Netanyahu and Gallant have Denied the Allegations.

The ICC also has been Investigating Two Far-Rright Members of Netanyahu’s Government, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, for their Roles in Expanding Jewish Settlements in the West Bank, which the U.N. says Violate International Law.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker