By Gloria Pazmino, CNN

(CNN) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani used his executive powers to revoke a handful of orders put into place by his predecessor after the former mayor was federally indicted, including a directive that expanded the definition of antisemitism and another that barred city employees and agencies from boycotting or divesting from Israel.

Mamdani signed the orders on Thursday afternoon, just hours after his inaugural ceremony at City Hall. As part of the move, he rescinded directives signed by the former mayor, Eric Adams, after September 26, 2024 – the date Adams was indicted.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mamdani said “that was a date that marked a moment when many New Yorkers decided politics held nothing for them.”

Adams has denied any wrongdoing, and the Trump administration later sought to drop those charges against Adams, which were eventually dismissed by a judge.

Mamdani also signed additional executive orders Thursday concerning housing – an issue that he focused on heavily during his campaign.

The orders require the administration to do an analysis of how housing development can be sped up and to create an inventory of city-owned land where housing can be built and submit the report by the summer.

Adams’ executive orders, meanwhile, issued in the closing days of his term, were seen by Mamdani supporters and some lawmakers as an effort to undercut Mamdani’s agenda.

It was also a chance for Adams to tout his support for Israel in contrast to Mamdani, who is a fierce critic of the Israeli government. The 34-year-old democratic socialist had been eyed with concern by many Jewish leaders since his meteoric political rise began last year.

One of the revoked orders blocked all city agencies from divesting from Israel and the other expanded the definition of antisemitism to match the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition, which classifies some criticism of Israel as antisemitic.

The move by Mamdani so early in his new administration raised concern and criticism from some Jewish leaders. In a social media post, Israel’s Foreign Ministry accused Mamdani of fueling antisemitism.

“On his very first day as @NYCMayor, Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel. This isn’t leadership. It’s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire,” the ministry posted on X.

As mayor, New York City’s chief executive has wide powers at their disposal. While some orders can be seen as somewhat symbolic, they can also have a more sweeping impact through the outright implementation of policy, the reorganization of municipal agencies and enforcement action that local government must take.

Mamdani has said he believes in Israel’s right to exist but that the Israeli government should not give preferential treatment to Jewish people, saying it should guarantee equal rights for all citizens. He is also a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement – a global campaign calling for using nonviolent tactics in support of Palestinian human rights. While supporters believe the movement puts pressure on Israel, critics argue it is antisemitic.

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By Billy Stockwell, CNN

(CNN) — Swiss authorities have said that a deadly fire at a ski resort bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, rapidly developed into a “flashover” – a dangerous phenomenon in which everything in a room ignites almost simultaneously.

The blaze quickly grew into a “flashover fire” after likely being caused by sparklers in champagne bottles that came too close to the ceiling, Béatrice Pilloud, the attorney general for Valais canton, said Friday.

A flashover occurs when hot gases rise to the ceiling and spread across the walls, according to the US-based National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The heat then intensifies until all combustible items in the room reach their ignition point and catch fire.

Authorities have also discussed “backdraft” as another potential contributing factor for why the fire spread so fast. A backdraft is an explosion that occurs when oxygen is introduced into a room full of hot gases, according to the NFPA.

As temperatures soar to as high as 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, even firefighters in full protective gear are unlikely to survive, NFPA said.

Ripples of smoke

Independent fire consultant Stephen MacKenzie told CNN Friday a flashover creates ripples of smoke which spread laterally across the ceiling and start to “preheat” everything in front of it.

As the fire spreads, it starts to seek out more oxygen, MacKenzie said.

If an opening is made to admit oxygen – such as a door being opened as people try to escape – this could have created a “chimney effect,” he said, which accelerated the flow of smoke and combustible gases upward.

“You’ve got a hot gas layer developing, you’ve got the heat radiating down on you. People start to realize, I need to get out of here,” he said.

The fire will also have generated a mix of combustible gasses, MacKenzie said, which will start to ignite. “The smoke is actually on fire,” he said.

Asked how long it takes a flashover to develop, MacKenzie gave a grim forecast. “Seconds,” he said. “We’re looking at seconds to minutes.”

Medical staff said Friday that some of those in hospital appear to have injuries consistent with a flashover.

“Most of our patients appear to have been victims of the flashover, with injuries typical of this phenomenon,” a spokesperson at Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) told CNN, adding that a backdraft could also have been possible.

Dr. Robert Larribau, the head of the emergency services at the HUG, said those impacted by a flashover typically display severe burns “predominantly affecting exposed body areas such as the face, neck, and upper limbs.”

Meanwhile, backdraft injuries typically include “severe blast trauma, extensive thermal damage, and lethal inhalation of toxic gases,” he said in a statement.

CNN’s Martin Goillandeau, Caitlin Danaher, Mitchell McCluskey and Lauren Chadwick contributed reporting.

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