All through this week, New York has grabbed headlines across the world, including in the Indian subcontinent.
From being the venue of the annual UN General Assembly where Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on tackling terrorism while his Pakistani counterpart warned of a “bloodbath” in Kashmir, to witnessing a young climate change activist shame global leaders and make a state head admit his country’s army had trained al-Qaida, the Big Apple saw it all.
The city was at the centre of some more action when US President Donald Trump got to know he was facing an impeachment inquiry, and British PM Boris Johnson saw the UK Supreme Court calling his decision to suspend Parliament unlawful, all while they were both in New York.
For these reasons, New York City is ThePrint’s Newsmaker of the Week.
Also read: Modi has convinced the world Kashmir is India’s internal affair – but they’re still watching
Action at UNGA
All eyes were at the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York Friday night as PM Modi asked the world to unite against terror without naming Pakistan. India, he said, has given the world not war but Buddha (message of peace).
Pakistan PM Imran Khan, expectedly, raised the issue of Kashmir and once again used the n-threat. Warning of a “bloodbath” in Kashmir once the communication blockade is lifted, Khan said, “They (Kashmiris) have been boxed in their houses”.
A day before the two heads of state addressed the UNGA, screens at Times Square, the heart of New York City, were lit up with ‘Stand with Kashmir’ slogan.
Also read: There will be a bloodbath in Kashmir once lockdown is lifted, says Imran Khan at UN
Moses and Trump
When one thinks about New York and politics, a name that instantly comes to mind is Robert Moses, the man who was a “master builder” and a “power broker” – a man that Donald Trump probably takes his political cues from.
Trump’s week in New York began with his UNGA speech, where he once again targeted the global liberal order, and declared that the future belongs to “patriots” not “globalists”.
We would later find out that as he was giving his speech in New York, US House Speaker and top Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi was mulling over the credentials of Trump’s own patriotism, finally ordering an impeachment inquiry against him.
Of links & bridges
New York this week also witnessed Imran Khan publicly admitting that the Pakistan Army and the ISI trained al-Qaida to fight in Afghanistan in the war against the Soviets. Addressing the Council on Foreign Relations Monday, the Pakistan PM said, “There were always links between – there had to be links, because they trained them.”
Just two days later, India’s PM Narendra Modi was wooing global investors at the Bloomberg Global Business Forum in NYC, assuring them if “there is any gap anywhere, I will personally act as a bridge”.
Climate change, Greta style
In the same city, 16-year-old Greta Thunberg forced millions of ‘global citizens’ to think deeply about climate change and its unnerving consequences.
The Swedish teenager has already been on the cover of the Time magazine. But one needs to come to New York for the ‘whole world to listen to you’.
Her powerful speech in New York shamed ‘us all’ for ignoring climate change, and sparked a global debate on the subject.
Also read: Greta Thunberg is done with making friends
Things changed fast for Boris
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson too was in New York this week, when he found out that his country’s top court declared his decision to suspend Parliament for five weeks ‘unlawful’. Johnson rushed back to his country to attend the parliamentary proceedings and, well, figure out Brexit.
In New York, the US administration announced a limited trade deal with Japan, which involves tariff cuts on US farm goods and Japanese machine tools. Experts are calling it a ‘rare compromise’ by Donald Trump.
As the song by Don Henley goes,
“In a New York minute
Everything can change
In a New York minute
Things can get pretty strange.”