World Cup Meets New York Politics: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani says his administration is reviewing whether it can legally order the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits for the UN General Assembly in September, calling him a “war criminal” and saying the city won’t “write our own laws” while his Law Department weighs options. Storms and Smoke Disrupt the Final: Flash flooding and severe thunderstorms paralyzed parts of NYC and New Jersey hours before the World Cup final, with travel chaos and subway flooding reported; wildfire smoke from Canada also raised air-quality concerns for fans heading to MetLife Stadium. Housing and Energy Fight: Nassau County Executive and GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman attacks New York’s all-electric building rules, promising to restore natural gas if elected, while NYC continues pushing eviction crackdowns and tenant-focused measures amid rising rents. Data Centers as the Next Political Flashpoint: A week after Gov. Kathy Hochul signed New York’s first statewide moratorium on new data centers, the debate over costs, power strain, and AI infrastructure risk keeps heating up. Cost-of-Living Politics: A proposal would require some grocery stores to offer a 10% discount when shoppers use self-checkout, turning consumer tech into a political talking point. Mandela Day in City Hall Orbit: Mamdani marked Nelson Mandela International Day with UN-linked community service messaging, tying civic leadership to inequality and trust in institutions.