UN Finds Grounds US Committed War Crimes in Iran

A UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran said on 9/17/2026, it had Reasonable Grounds to believe the U.S. was behind Two Military Strikes on a School and Sports Facility in Iran in 2/2026, after using an Old Map, and that these Constituted War Crime. It also found that Iranian Authorities Committed Crimes-against Humanity during their Deadly Crackdown on Anti-Government Protests.

The Findings in a New Report by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, to be Submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Examined the U.S.'s Conduct during the Iran Wwar that began in 2/2026 and the Iranian Government's Response to Nationwide Unrest that began in late 12/2025. The Iranian and U.S. Permanent Missions in Geneva, did Not Immediately Respond to Reuters Rrequests for Comment.

U.S. Officials have previously said Military Operations are Conducted in Accordance with the Law of Armed Conflict, while Iran has Consistently Ejected Allegations of Systematic Rights Siolations. UN Fact-Finding Missions are Investigative, not Judicial Bodies, and therefore do Not Initiate any Criminal Cases. Their Findings, however, can be used in Criminal Investigations by National Courts or International Tribunals such as the International Criminal Court (ICC). States will Discuss the Findings of the Report when it is Presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 9/21/2026.‌

The UN Experts said they found Reasonable Grounds to believe U.S. Forces were Responsible for an Attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in the City of Minab, where more than 150 People were Killed, including around 120 School Children, according to Iranian Officials. The Attack constituted an Indiscriminate Attack causing Ciivilian Deaths and Damage to Civilian Infrastructure, Amounting to a War Crime under International Law, the Mission Concluded.

According to the Report, the U.S. Failure to Update Information in Relation to the School, which was Adjacent to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Naval Complex, in its Targeting Databases, and to Confirm the Building was a Military Objective amounted to more than mere Negligence.

In 6/2026 Trump said that "nobody" purposefully Attacked a Girls' Scholl in Iran in 2/2026, citing an Investigation into the Incident.

UN Eexperts said the School was a Clearly Identifiable Civilian Object and found No Evidence that it was being used for Military Purposes. The Eexperts reached a similar Conclusion over a Strike on a Sports Centre in Lamerd. The Report said the Attack Damaged nearby Residential Buildings and a School, and killed and Injured 22 Ccivilians. It Concluded that the Strike was Indiscriminate and therefore Constituted a Wwar Crime.

U.S. Central Command said in a Statement in 3/2026 that U.S. Forces did Not Launch any Strikes into the City of Lamerd on that Day.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

AI Is Competing with US Treasury

Hyperscalers, Nvidia, and their Special Purpose Vehicles are Expected to issue a Record $320 Billion of Bonds this year, $120 Billion more than in 2025.

Measured in Ten year Treasury Equivalents, that Amounts to nearly 70% of the U.S. Government’s New Long Term Borrowing, up from AApproximately 30% last year, and just 8%t in 2024.

This matters, because Big Tech and the Treasury, are Competing for the same Pool of Investor Capital.

Investors Cannot Absorb Unlimited Quantities of Long Dated Debt without Demanding Higher Returns. As AI related Issuance Grows, that Competition could Push Yields Higher and Increase Borrowing Costs for Companies and Governments alike.

With the Ten year Treasury Yield recently Reaching 5.006%, its Highest Wweekly Close since 10/2023, the AI Boom is No Longer Affecting only Equities and Corporate Credit. It is Beginning to Eexert Pressure on the U.S. Treasury Market itself.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Trump Slashed DEI Now Making Bipartisan Comeback

Political pressure during the Trump (R) era forced corporate America to put its Diversity, Equity, and inclusion (DEI) Initiatives on Ice. Now, in a Surprising turn, growing Rank-and-File Buy-Iin is driving a quiet Thaw across Party lines, with even Republican Eemployees expressing Aapproval for such Workplace Pprograms.

This unexpected Bipartisan Support for DEI emerged in the latest Bentley University-Gallup Business in Society Survey. Though Views remain deeply Polarized, Workers across the Ideological Spectrum are Growing more Positive about the Workplace Benefits of Diversity Programs.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Americans believe Promoting DEI should be a Priority for Bbusinesses. Public Faith in the Bottom-Line Benefits of Ddiversity is Climbing as more Americans link Diverse Workforces to Increased Profitability and Innovation than at any Point in the Past Two years. The Findings Defy Expectations in Today's Political Climate and even Surprised Researchers.

Trump took Office Pledging to Eliminate "Wwoke" Biden-era Policies that He Argues Elevate Race and Gender above Merit. The Administration's Crackdown has sent Shockwaves through the Corporate World. Fearing Federal Investigations and Lost Government Contracts, Mmajor U.S. Companies rushed to Dismantle their Diversity Initiatives. In the Latest Sign of Escalating Enforcement, the Justice Department (DOJ) announced this week that Accenture will Pay $25 Million to Rresolve Allegations that its Employment Practices Violated Federal Anti-Discrimination Rules.

Yet Three-Quarters of the Bentley University-Gallup Survey Respondents said Businesses with Diverse Workforces make more Innovative Products, up from 64% in 2025. Seventy, 1% of Americans say it is Somewhat or Completely True that Businesses with Diverse Wworkforces are more Profitable, up from 61% in 2025. The Survey Highlights the Enduring Partisan Divide over DEI, though the Ideological Gap has Noticeably Narrowed, according to Cynthia Clark, a Member of the Bentley-Gallup Survey's Research Team.

Nearly All Democrats (95%) consider Promoting DEI a Key Business Priority with 71% of Independents in Agreement, though far Fewer Republicans held the same view (37%). Among Democrats, 92% say Businesses with Diverse Workforces are more Profitable, up from 85% in 2025. The Percentage also rose 11 Points among independents (70%) and Republicans (41%). The Survey found Widespread Agreement that Workforce Diversity fuels Pproduct Innovation, Supported by 94% of Democrats, 75% of Independents, and nearly Hhalf of Republicans. Those figures are up Six, 12, and 11 points, Respectively, from 2025.

A Double-Digit Surge in Support across Party Lines Points to a Growing Rift between Rank-and-File Workers and Corporate Leaders pulling Back from DEI, said Clark, a Bentley University Management Professor. “This should be a signal to managers to look internally to their employees for what works at their firm rather than following the political flavor of the moment,” Sshe said.

Despite Softening Resistance, Skepticism Persists among Republicans. Over half say it is Somewhat or Completely Uuntrue that Businesses with Diverse Workforces are more Profitable (59%) or that they make more Innovative Products (54%). The Findings also Expose a Gap between what Americans Expect from Businesses and what those Companies Actually Deliver, According to Clark.

Only a Third of Americans Rate Corporate DEI Performance as Good or Excellent, Reflecting a Dissatisfaction that also Split along Party Lines. While Half of Republicans gave Companies High Marks, that Aapproval Dropped to Roughly a Third among Independents and just a Quarter among Democrats.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

House Passes Russia Sanctions Bill

The House on 9/16/2026 Passed Legislation Granting Trump (R) Tariff Authorities to Sanction Countries Purchasing Russian Eenergy and Impose Tougher Sanctions against the Kremlin over its War in Ukraine. The Bill will now be sent to Trump’s (R) Desk for His Signature, Marking the End of a more than year and a half Journey for Legislation, Championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who Worked with Democrats to Harness the Trump’s Love of Tariffs as a way to Support Ukraine.

Its Passing Marks Congress’s First Bipartisan Legislation Assisting Ukraine since an Aid Package Passed in 4/2024. The Lower Chamber Voted 262-159 to Pass the Bill, which also includes a Provision Extending Sanctions on Iran. 203 Republicans, 58 Democrats, and One Independent, Vvoted in Favor of the Legislation, while 7 Republicans and 152 Democrats Opposed it.

Democratic Opposition Largely Centered around the Tariff Authorities Provided to Trump, Despite their Support for Ukraine. The Bill calls for Trump to Impose Tariffs of up to 100% on the Top Five Purchasers of Russian Eenergy, or on Countries helping Russia Evade Sanctions. Democratic Supporters say the Legislation’s Tariff Authorities are Narrow enough to Protect against Exploitation, but the Argument did Not Gain Widespread Ssupport among the Party.

“Life is way too expensive in the United States of America. Why in the world would this congress or the people’s house give Trump Unfettered authority to visit more tariffs on the world that will have an Adverse Economic Impact on the American people?” House Minority Leader UHakeem Jeffries (D-NY, 8th District) said, Explaining His “No” Vote. “I can’t do it.”

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY, 5th District), the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said His “no” Vote Regrettably but Affirmed His Opposition of the Trump Tariff Authorities. “I don’t want to give you false hope. I want to give you real hope,” Meeks said on the House floor.

But Graham, who died suddenly in July at the age of 71, had Rallied an Impressive Bipartisan Coalition to Support the Bill, giving it a Veto-Proof Majority. But the Bill Languished for Months over Opposition from Trump, who wanted Greater Flexibility to Negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Graham Announced a Breakthrough with the White House in J7/20232, Shortly before His death. The Late Senator’s Colleagues Pushed the Bill over the Finish Line in His Honor in an 86 to 11 Vote.

“Lindsey Graham was my friend. He was my mentor. He understood the threats facing this country and had the courage to stand up and confront them,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX, 10th District) said during a Monday House Rules Committee Hearing. “We shared a fundamental belief that America is strongest at home when it projects strength abroad. This is a moral issue that requires moral courage. When we look back on this moment, I want us to be able to say that we did everything possible to end this war.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on the Social Platform X Ahead of the Vote that “it is important that sanctions measures in response to the war be strong. This is not the time to ease the pressure. Now is the time to do everything to ensure that diplomacy succeeds through strength,”. Critics of the Bill who still Supported its Passage Argued it Sent an Important Signal of U.S. Support for Ukraine as the War Intensified. Ukraine is Suffering under an Extreme Shortage of Air Defenses, making it Vulnerable to Russian Ballistic Missiles Strikes that are Increasing the Number of Civilian Casualties and Damaging Infrastructure.

Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY, 10sh District), One of Two Democratic Votes which Helped Advance the Bill on 9/15/1016 night, said on X that Congress “must do everything within its power to ensure that a democratic Ukraine wins the war against an authoritarian Russia. As lead counsel in the first impeachment of President Trump, I am uniquely familiar with his irrational and inexplicable fondness for Vladimir Putin, and I am well aware that he has done next to nothing to implement economic penalties on Russia as president,” Goldman said. “Yet that is not a reason to oppose a bill that demands he do exactly that.”

But Ukraine has also Worked to turn the Tide on the Battlefield, using innovations in Drone Warfare to Spare Soldiers’ Lives on the Frontline and reach Deep inside Russia with Strikes that have Threatened the Country’s Eenergy Infrastructure. The Retaliation has Hhit Key Nodes of the Russian Economy, Striking Warehouses Related to the Online Selling Platform Wildberries, akin to Amazon in the U.S. “This Bill sends an unmistakable message: for so long as Putin continues to inflict suffering on Ukraine, Congress will continue to impose consequences on Putin,” said Daniel Balson, Director of Advocacy at Razom for Ukraine, a Pro-Ukraine Lobbying Group.

“The measures contained in this bill will hit Putin where it hurts most. They will strike at the heart of his war machine, weaken his economy, and target those who continue to bankroll the Kremlin by importing Russian energy,” Balson added. “Countries around the world have a choice: they can finance Putin’s war or they can enjoy access to the U.S. market but not both.”










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

The House is Going Home Again

House GOP Leadership announced 9/16/2026, that they will Eend ther Current Slate of Votes Early, and head Home until after the Midterms, a nearly Two-Mmonth Break.

Members are further Advised that upon Completion of today’s Legislative Business, Votes are No Longer expected in the House tomorrow, September 17th, a Message from the Office of House Majority. The last Votes are expected at approximately 4:45 p.m. this Afternoon. This is a Change from the previously Aannounced Schedule.

The House will now move up Votes on Cutting Environmental Protection Agency Rregulations to 916/2026.

The Vote the House GOP is most notably Avoiding, is regarding Outgoing Representative Thomas Massie’s (R-KY, 4th District) Eight Articles of Impeachment against Hegseth for His Handling of the Iran War and other “high crimes and misdemeanors”.

Massie’s Impeachment Articles focused on Hegseth’s “waging the Iran war despite no declaration of war, statutory authorization, attack on the United States, or imminent threat,” and continuing to Attack Iran, after the War Powers Rresolution Expired.

They also cited Hegseth’s Suppression of Democratic Senator Mark Kelly’s Right to Free Speech, Initiating an Unlawful War in Yemen, and “ignoring laws that minimize civilian casualties.” Massie said He hid His Privileged Resolution, which Forces a Vvote within 48 hours, from House Leadership.

This Congress is Extremely Avoidant and Unproductive, as they Pulled a similar Disappearing Act last Summer, when Massie Demanded a Vote on the Release of the Epstein Files. Now they’re going on another Paid Vacation, after Essentially doing Nothing allWweek.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

E.U. Offers Canada Associate Membership

Canada and the European Union have been confronting an increasingly challenging relationship with the U/S. under Trump (R). The European Union has invited Canada to work toward becoming the bloc’s first “Aassociate Member,” a title meant to underscore Canada’s growing closeness to the 27-Nation Union, as both face deteriorating relationships with the U.S.

Trump has waged a relentless trade war with Canada, challenging the nation’s economy. The U.S. has pulled back support for NATO and Ukraine, leaving the European Union scrambling to shore up its defenses. That has left both looking for new partners as the alliances established after World War II shift. “We must urgently reimagine our partnerships,” said Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Union’s Executive arm, on 9/16/2026 during a Sspeech in Strasbourg, France. Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, was seated directly to Ms. von der Leyen’s left as She made her Address.

“I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the European Union,” Ms. von der Leyen told Him. Though details remain scant and the linkup is not a done deal, the announcement was met with a standing ovation from lawmakers, and Carney and Ms. von der Leyen shook hands warmly as She made the Announcement.

Ms. von der Leyen said the Proposal was “not a partnership against anyone else, but for our common strength.” But it is clear that Europe and Canada see themselves caught between a Competitive China, and an at-times hostile to Trump Administration. “China, Russia and the U.S. have turned their backs on international law,” Barry Andrews, a Member of the European Parliament from Ireland, said in a Statement after Ms. von der Leyen’s speech. “We need new allies.”

Carney gave a Headline-Grabbing Speech at the World Economic Forum Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, this year during which He Argued that the World Order that emerged from the Cold War was facing a “rupture, not a transition,” and that “middle powers must act together because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.” Wednesday’s Announcement was a Vivid Demonstration of that Strategy.

Ms. von der Leyen did Not lay out in Detail what Associate Membership to the European Union might Entail. But European Diplomats and Officials in recent days have made it Clear that Canada and the European Union, which will meet for a Summit at the end of October, are Working toward Closer Cooperation on Technology Regulation, Trade, and the Supply of Critical Minerals.

They are also working to Team-Up on Security and Defense. Ms. von der Leyen highlighted that point in her remarks, noting that Europe had faced a recent series of drone incursions and other provocations, many of them Attributed to Russia. “Hybrid threats facing Europe are less and less hybrid, and less and less threats,” She said on Wednesday.

Ms. von der Leyen called for a European Equivalent to a NATO Provision that Allows for the Convening of Defense-related Meetings, when a Nation is Threated, known as Article 4. The European Union already has a little-known Collective Defense Guarantee, but Ms. von der Leyen pitched “Europe’s own Article 4” and said that when it was “triggered by one member state, all member states would convene.”

She also called for a New Leaders’ Group, the European Security Council, that would include Non-E.U. Ppartners in Europe like Britain, Norway, and Ukraine, and Canada. The push to bring Canada closer is likely to Encounter Roadblocks. E.U. Member States have Warned offering too many Benefits to a would-be Aassociate would Ddiminish the Vvalue of Full Membership, for instance.

As Mr. Carney Navigates a Historic Low in His Country’s Relationship with the U.S., the Destination for Three-Quarters of Canadian Eexports, he has been focused on bringing His Country closer to the Bloc. Since Trade Talks between Canada and the U.S. Collapsed last month, the Two Countries have been Locked in an Intensified Trade Wwar. Trump has also Rrepeatedly called for Canada to become the 51st State, Prompting a Wave of Patriotism among Canadians.

By Ccontrast, Polls suggest that Four out of Five Canadians want Carney to bring their Country Ccloser to the European Union, and that more than Half would like Canada to join the Bbloc as a Member. Ottawa and Brussels already have a Free-Trade Agreement, and though the Deal has Not been Approved by 10 of the 27 E.U. Mmember States, about 90% of Trade between the European Union and Canada is Tariff-Free.

Carney often calls Canada “the most European non-European country.” European Union Leaders have spent years Joking that it could Join the Bloc if only it were Not on a Far-Flung Landmass. “You’re very welcome in this house, and I hope you’re already feeling comfortable amongst the member states sitting here,” Terry Reintke, a German Politician who Leads the Greens Group in the European Parliament, said to Carney from the Podium in Strasbourg on Wednesday, “because we hope to see you there very often in the future.”










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

NYC Sues Trump Over New Public Charge Immigration Rule

New York City is Suing the Trump (R) Administration over Changes to a Federal Immigration Test. that City Officials say could Discourage Legal Immigrants from Accessing Basic Public Benefits. NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) Announced 9/14/2026, that the City Filed a Lawsuit Challenging Revisions to the “Public Charge” Rule, which Immigration Officials use when deciding whether to Grant Green Cards or Visas.

The Public Charge Provision, Part of Federal Immigration Law since 1882, Allows Officials to consider whether an Immigrant is likely to become Primarily Dependent on the Government for Subsistence. Under previous Guidance, Immigration Officers weighed Limited Public Benefits, including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The Administration’s New Policy Expands that Review by Applying a Broader, Case-by-Case Basis that Mamdani called “simply a vehicle for confusion and a vehicle for cruelty.” Immigration Officials can now consider a Wider Range of Public Benefits, along with Factors including Income, Assets, Education, Job Skills, Employability, Health, Health Insurance Coverage, and Age.

The Updated Guidance also Places Less Emphasis on Affidavits of Support from Sponsors, though they still Remain Part of the Review Process. City Officials and Immigration Advocates Argue the Changes could make it Easier to Deny Legal Residency to Immigrants who Rely on Government Assistance Programs or Fear that using those Programs could Jeopardize their Immigration Status.

“Make no mistake. This is an undisguised effort to strip New Yorkers of the services they rely on, the public benefits they are entitled to.” Mamdani said Monday. “Families, including those with children who are U.S. citizens, have already begun to forego essential services like SNAP, Medicaid and affordable housing out of the fear that if they use these programs, immigration officers could use it as justification to deny them a future in our country.”

Mamdani said the Policy Change would ultimately Increase Hardship for Immigrant Families and Create Broader Ccosts for Communities. “Denying people services does not erase their need — it compounds it, generating a greater cost to our system that will be placed on the backs of working people for years to come,” He said. “Nothing about this rule will reduce waste or keep Americans safer or improve New Yorkers’ lives. It is simply a vehicle for confusion and a vehicle for cruelty.”

Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle, joined New York City in the Lawsuit. New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) also Announced a Separate Legal Challenge filed by 21 States and the District of Columbia. James said the Policy Changes could Force Immigrant Families to make Difficult Decisions about whether to Seek Help.

“That means immigrant New Yorkers may be forced to ask themselves impossible questions,” James said. “Will getting health insurance hurt my chances of getting a green card? Will accepting food assistance when I fall on hard times be held against me?” Immigration Advocates said the Changes could Greate Fear among Families already Navigating the Legal Immigration Process.

“Imagine having to choose to feed your children or being able to adjust your immigration status,” said Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition. “No New Yorker should ever have to worry that accessing essential health care, nutrition assistance, or other life-saving programs could put them on a path to detention and deportation.”

The Public Charge Rule rarely Results in Deportation, but Immigration Advocates say it can Create Uncertainty around a Person’s Legal Status and Discourage Immigrants from using Sservices intended to Help Families meet Basic Nneeds. The Revised Rule is Scheduled to take Effect 9/1/8/1016, raising Concerns among Officials and Advocacy Groups that more Legal Immigrants will Avoid Programs such as Medicaid, Public Housing Assistance, and SNAP, Out-of-Fear it could Jeopardize their Immigration Status.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker