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Economist
6 days ago
- Business
- Economist
The four years when old New York died and a new one was born
Mike Bloomberg once mused that New York was 'a luxury product'. The former mayor meant that businesses—and, by extension, their staff—should be willing to tolerate higher costs in exchange for the advantages of living in a megacity. But many voters crave Manhattan buzz at Midwestern prices. This is one reason why New York's Democrats recently backed a young, charismatic, far-left mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani, whose plans to ease the cost of living (such as a rent freeze) would surely make things worse (by discouraging new construction).
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Prince William calls for more united action on the global environmental crisis as he opens London Climate Week
The Prince of Wales said today that saving the planet is a 'team game' as he called for more united action on the global environmental crisis. The heir to the throne spoke out during a panel discussion at the start of London Climate Week as he highlighted the 'optimism' of his passion project, the Earthshot Prize. He said: 'Everything we want to do here starts with a team game. And the prize is just the pinnacle of the ability to showcase all the brilliant people around who are working in this space to better the planet, to better our futures, and to make life more sustainable in all walks of life. 'A lot of people think the Earthshot Prize is just about climate change; it really isn't. 'It's about waste. It's about plastic pollution. It's about the health of our oceans. It's about the air we breathe. 'It's all the things that we as human beings care about. And so it takes a village to raise a family. If you take that into the concept of a planet, it takes all of us who are living on this planet to raise that planet and look after it.' The future King was also in audience when other speakers openly criticised President Trump's green credentials. Welcoming William to the event, Mike Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, said: 'I'm lucky enough to have known [the Prince of Wales] for a long time and his father and I think the UK is very well served.' He added that while there was 'good reason to be optimistic' about the state of the planet, 'America has not been doing its share lately.' Eduoardo Paes, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian city that will host the next awards ceremony for the Earthshot Prize, also waded in, saying: 'Local governments We don't want to do any politics here, but we saw what Donald Trump did in his first term. 'If it was not for the local governments, for the mayors, the U.S. would be in big trouble. 'We're going to try to announce also in Rio what the local governments, especially the mayors in the US, have been achieving. So finance is our biggest challenge. 'We need to look at climate change and sustainability…as something that means a way to develop your country. So I look at Brazil. I see that we've got a big opportunity here.' His comments came during a panel discussion with Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, who said critically: 'Cities and mayors are doers. I say it in a respectful way. Presidents, prime ministers and countries are delayers.' Sir Sadiq also had a few tips for Paes when it comes to hosting the next Earthshot award. He joked: 'A word of warning and advice. So Prince William, in his wisdom, arranged for Coldplay to play at the first Earthshot, but then said 60 cyclists had to power their performance. And these poor cyclists were cycling away because they were worried the lights may go off. So, a word of warning.' William added that he was 'excited' about travelling to Rio de Janeiro later this year when the city will host the Earthshot Prize ceremony. The prize looks to highlight and reward some of the best and most innovative environmental solutions with £1 million prize pots and world-class mentoring. He added: 'I think South America as a whole, the amount of ecosystem, kind of environmental interest and passion that is there. 'I think that's really important. And I think they epitomize the approach to what we can be doing more sustainably. The vibrancy, the energy, the enthusiasm. I think the awards will be spectacular.' Earlier in the day, William also recorded a voice note to mark climate week which was played on BBC Radio 2 while environmentalist Robert Irwin, son of the late Steve Irwin, was a guest on the show. During their panel discussion at Bloomberg's London HQ, Irwin, 21, thanked the Prince for his ecological efforts on behalf of the next generation, saying: 'As a young bloke I want to say a huge thank you.' Speaking afterwards, Irwin responded to some of the comments that the prince heard about Trump. The prince burst into laughter while meeting with some of the finalists of the 2024 competition The son of Steve Irwin, the late Australian conservationist, said: 'That's something that Prince William heard loudly and clearly today, even if he obviously isn't in his position able to comment on that himself. 'But we don't have climate leadership from America from the American president.' Irwin added: 'What Prince William is really good at is he is a universal voice that can speak to everyone. He can really work to break down barriers. He does a really good job at talking to anyone from any walk of life from any demographic anywhere in the world because he's been On the front line. 'He's seen the working face of conservation and he can use all of that knowledge to spread a message on a huge platform. His platform is incredible and he uses that for good and I really admire that.'
The Guardian
23-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Socialist Zohran Mamdani could be New York's next mayor. This is what the western left could learn from him
The Zohran Mamdani phenomenon should not be happening, if received wisdom is a reliable predictor of events. He's the 33-year-old Muslim leftist and Queens assemblyman running for the New York mayoralty with the support of the Democratic Socialists of America, and the vitriolic campaign against him suggests his momentum has caused panic in gilded circles. His chief opponent for the Democratic nomination, Andrew Cuomo, could not scream party establishment more loudly: he's New York state's former governor – just like his father was – and a former cabinet secretary. He married into that classic Democratic royalty, the Kennedys; his endorsements include the former president Bill Clinton; and billionaires such as Mike Bloomberg are pouring millions into his Super Pac. In another age, someone like Mamdani would have been a no-hoper. What changed was the 2016 presidential campaign of the long-marginalised socialist senator Bernie Sanders, which re-energised the US left. But Donald Trump's recent victory on a more extreme platform led to predictions of a general rightwing lurch in US politics, with progressive positions scapegoated for the Democratic loss (even though Kamala Harris ran on a squarely corporate, 'centrist' ticket). I was scheduled to interview Mamdani on the night of the US presidential election, but his campaign asked to postpone as results started to come in suggesting a Trump victory was likely. Presumably, they wanted to reassess strategy in the coming US political winter. But just a few months later, Mamdani is surging, and his campaign offers lessons for the western left in an age of chronic economic insecurity, rising far-right authoritarianism, war and genocide. The primary election vote is tomorrow, but a poll released during crucial early voting shows Mamdani overtaking Cuomo in 'ranked choice' voting: it's within the margin of error, but five months ago the insurgent candidate was polling only 1% support. In only a month, Mamdani has leapt from 22% to 32%, particularly powered by a 2:1 lead among the under-50s. Yes, the millennial has been helped by Cuomo's chronic liabilities – the former governor resigned in disgrace after an investigation by the state attorney general found that he had sexually harrassed several women – but rival candidates with bigger profiles and more political experience could have gained from that instead. The New York Times pleaded with readers not to rank Mamdani in the preferential voting system, rich New Yorkers are threatening to flee the city if he wins, he's been attacked for inexperience, and smeared over his championing of Palestinian rights. 'Zohran Mamdani is a public menace,' screeches rightwing magazine the National Review. So what's the universal lessons for the western left? Three Ms are key: messaging, medium and movement. Grace Mausser is the co-chair of New York City Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). When I suggested that Mamdani's campaign would surely originally have been driven by revitalising the left, rather than the prospect of an actual election victory, she disagrees. 'When we started, we knew the path to victory was narrow,' she conceded. But, she emphasised: 'We don't run races for purely moral reasons or to make a point like the Green party in the US which has failed in their project.' Indeed, the DSA played a pivotal role in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's shock defeat of another Democratic luminary, the former chair of the House Democratic Caucus Joe Crowley back in 2018. In turn, Ocasio-Cortez has bolstered Mamdani with her endorsement, underlining how progressive victories feed off one another. 'Super-clear messaging' is how Mausser sums up the Mamdani strategy. The early campaign settled on three main messages: 'Fast and free buses, freeze the rents, free childcare. That's so easy to remember. People know it, and it's said over and over and over again.' Mamdani has other pledges, too – such as launching publicly run grocery stores – but key to his success are core, endlessly repeated commitments focused on a cost of living crisis triggered by a broken economic system. This strategy is essential in combating a 'culture war' designed to force leftists into a defensive posture. It doesn't mean abandoning marginalised minorities – Mamdani has unequivocally committed to transgender rights, for example. It just means emphasising unifying economic messages. Anger is redirected from the disenfranchised to thriving economic elites, whom Mamdani seeks to tax to fulfil his pledges. The campaign has settled, too, on not backing down to bad faith attacks: Mamdani has not given an inch in his pro-Palestinian advocacy. Then there's the medium. What Mausser calls 'high-quality video production' has been pivotal. Across the west, the far right has proven adept at using platforms such as TikTok to radicalise supporters, with the left mostly not even playing catch-up. Mamdani's campaign made slick videos that are witty, sassy and snappy, communicating its messages to wide audiences. 'All the conversations after the election [were] about needing a 'Joe Rogan of the left', how people aren't getting their news from traditional media, how they're getting their news from TikTok, Instagram and YouTube,' says Democratic strategist Waleed Shahid. 'And that is exactly the story of Zohran.' When Sanders endorsed Mamdani, he declared how he was 'very impressed by the grassroots movement that he has put together'. Mamdani's campaign has an army of door-knockers, often visiting districts traditionally ignored by Democratic machine politicians. For many of these canvassers, this is their first political experience. Mausser reports: 'If you ask them, 'How did you hear about Zohran?', it's like: 'Oh, I saw his video on Instagram or TikTok.'' The message and the medium raised an army. There's another factor, too: Mamdani, like Ocasio-Cortez, is charismatic and telegenic. It's not fashionable to discuss this on a left which prioritises the collective over the individual, but we need compelling communicators who look the part. Mamdani may not win the Democratic nomination. Even if he does, Cuomo will stand as an independent candidate, although the socialist challenger may do this, too. His campaign's weaknesses reflect those of the wider US left: too little inroads among Black and older voters, as well as those with little online political engagement. But Mamdani's against-the-odds success underlines why the far-right surge doesn't have to weaken the left – far from it. Indeed, Mamdani positions himself as best-placed to resist Trump, rather than kowtow to his agenda. When the Republicans won, one of Mamdani's first viral videos was visiting local districts where Trump enjoyed his biggest swings. Whatever happens, Mamdani shows that the US left lives on after what Shahid calls 'a shitty year': along with Trump's triumph, there have been dispiriting primary defeats of progressive representatives Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush at the hands of notorious pro-Israel lobbyists Aipac. Mamdani has built a movement in New York, but his campaign has also given a shellshocked western left a gift: a strategy to take on the establishment even in adverse circumstances. Owen Jones is a Guardian columnist
Irish Examiner
23-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Mike Bloomberg said Ireland is writing a new chapter as the US worries about growth
The former mayor of New York City and owner of the financial services firm Bloomberg, Mike Bloomberg said Ireland is 'writing a new chapter in its history' as the economy here continues to grow while America is now 'the one that's worried about growth'. Speaking at a Bloomberg event in Dublin, the former US Presidential candidate praised the workforce and employee skills available in Ireland, which makes it so attractive for businesses to invest here, while at the same time criticising US President Donald Trump and the actions taken by his administration. "Ireland is now writing a new chapter in its history, and the roles are being increasingly reversed. Ireland is the one that's growing, and America is the one that's worried about growth. Bloomberg certainly is glad to be one of the investors here,' he said. "America is in a difficult situation in terms of politics and our international relations, and it's not clear how everybody works themselves out of it. 'America has just spent the last 70 years trying to build relationships with other countries. We benefit, and those other countries all benefit, and here we're throwing away a lot of that, which I can't explain.' Mr Bloomberg took repeated shots at US President Donald Trump, saying he has known him for decades in New York and pointing to the numerous times Mr Trump has declared bankruptcy. Bloomberg currently employs 150 people in its Dublin offices, and they are looking to recruit 25 more. 'We are hardly alone. Since 2015, the number of finance jobs here has increased by about 50% to more than 52,000 jobs across the country, while 20 of the top 25 financial service companies have hubs here now. So it really is growing,' Mr Bloomberg said. He also said Ireland has benefited massively in this area due to Brexit, which he called 'the single stupidest thing any country has ever done'. Read More House price inflation hits highest levels in a decade
Fox News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Billionaire ex-Mayor Bloomberg endorses Cuomo in NYC Democratic primary showdown
Former three-term New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is taking sides in New York City's Democratic mayoral race. Bloomberg, the billionaire entrepreneur and media magnate who launched a brief and unsuccessful run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo Tuesday. The move came two weeks before the June 24 primary in the nation's most populous city and four days ahead of the start of early voting June 14. "I care deeply about the future of our city, and since leaving office, it has been difficult to watch its struggles, especially since the pandemic. In sizing up the field in the race for mayor, there is one candidate whose management experience and government know-how stand above the others: Andrew Cuomo," Bloomberg said in a statement. Bloomberg, in his statement, acknowledged past political "differences" with Cuomo during their overlapping tenures as New York City mayor and New York State governor. But he highlighted that "I also know his strengths as a leader and manager. Of all the candidates, Andrew has the skills our city needs to lead us forward." Fox News confirmed that Cuomo and Bloomberg met Monday to discuss the mayoral race after the former governor stopped by Bloomberg Media's offices in New York City to record a radio segment. Cuomo, in a statement, called Bloomberg New York City's "preeminent statesman" and highlighted that "after 9/11, when New York City was in crisis, torn apart and broken, under Mike Bloomberg's leadership our city was rebuilt — both our buildings and our soul." The former three-term governor, who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals, is aiming for political redemption as he works to pull off a campaign comeback. Cuomo has spent the past four years fighting to clear his name after 11 sexual harassment accusations, which he has repeatedly denied, forced his resignation. He was also under investigation at the time for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic amid allegations his administration vastly understated COVID-related deaths at state nursing homes. Last month, the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Cuomo after Republicans accused him of lying to Congress about the decisions he made as governor during the coronavirus pandemic. But thanks in part to his near-universal name recognition among New Yorkers, Cuomo was topping the mayoral polls even before he announced his candidacy March 1. Bloomberg, a lifelong Democrat, ran for mayor in 2001 and re-election in 2005 as a Republican. He had become an independent by the time he won a second re-election in 2009. Bloomberg later switched his voter registration back to the Democratic Party. Similar to Cuomo, Bloomberg is no fan of the Democratic Party's left flank and is also a strong supporter of Israel. That may have been a motivating factor in Bloomberg's endorsement of Cuomo, which comes as Zohran Mamdani has been rising in the most recent public opinion polls in the mayoral primary race and is now a clear second to Cuomo. Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assembly member from Queens, is a person of color and a democratic socialist who is originally from Uganda. His primary bid was boosted last week after landing an endorsement from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive champion and New York City's most prominent leader on the left. With multiple progressive candidates in the primary race, the endorsement of Mamdani by Ocasio-Cortez was seen as a move to unite fractured progressive voters toward a single candidate in an attempt to block the more moderate Cuomo from returning to power.
