In this NYC Mayor’s Office video, Mayor Zohran Mamdani makes the case that “New York is a football town” by turning a major city landmark into a public celebration of the world’s game. Speaking to a crowd gathered downtown at Manhattan’s Surrogate’s Court, he says what unites people in the room is both love for Africa—a continent many were born in or connected to—and love for football, which he calls a daily source of energy and meaning.

The moment centers on the city-hosted AFCON final watch party (Morocco vs. Senegal): fans from different backgrounds share one space, one match, and one city. Mamdani frames it as a snapshot of New York at its best—rooting for different teams, but still together—and ties it to what’s coming next: bringing “the world’s game” to New York City in the months ahead, as the region prepares for the 2026 World Cup summer.

January 23, 2026 Morocco-Senegal AFCON final game downtown at the Surrogate’s Court building.

Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

At a City Hall roundtable with ethnic and community media, Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged New Yorkers to act quickly as the application window for 3-K and Pre-K (free early childhood programs for three- and four-year-olds) moves toward its February 27, 2026 deadline. Opening the briefing, City Hall communications staff outlined the agenda, followed by remarks from Emmy Liss (Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Child Care), Simone Hawkins (Deputy Chancellor for Early Childhood), and Travanda Kelly (Chief Enrollment Officer, NYC Public Schools), before the mayor shared parent testimonials and took questions focused strictly on registration and child care access.

The mayor framed the message as both practical and urgent: families with children turning three or four at any point in 2026 are eligible, and applying by the deadline guarantees an offer. He emphasized that the program is not first-come, first-served, and described universal child care as a citywide affordability strategy—helping parents return to work, strengthening children’s long-term outcomes, and easing pressure on household budgets in what he called “the most expensive city in the United States.”

City officials highlighted multiple application routes and language access. Families can apply online through MySchools.nyc, by phone at 718-935-2009, or in person at Family Welcome Centers across the five boroughs. The administration stressed that the system is built to serve New Yorkers who may be less connected to government—especially immigrant families and households where English is not the first language—pointing to 13 languages available online and phone interpretation in 200+ languages.

Several questions from reporters focused on barriers that can discourage enrollment, including fear in immigrant communities amid heightened ICE activity, documentation concerns, and confusion about waitlists. The mayor stated that 3-K and Pre-K do not ask for a child’s immigration status, and reiterated New York City’s sanctuary-city policies, including limits on ICE access to schools and other city facilities absent a judicial warrant signed by a judge. On waitlists, enrollment leaders clarified that being waitlisted often means a family received an offer but is queued for a higher-ranked choice; families can track their waitlist position in MySchools, and the waitlist process can continue beyond the main deadline.

The event also underscored City Hall’s reliance on ethnic and community media as “trusted validators” to reach parents who may not follow traditional press conferences or English-language outlets. Officials described an outreach push—posters, street teams, community-based partners, and direct engagement in places like transitional housing—summed up by the mayor’s campaign-style slogan: “GOTC: Get Out the Child Care.”

Key details for families

• Who can apply: Children turning 3 or 4 in 2026
• Deadline: February 27, 2026
• How to apply: MySchools.nyc | 718-935-2009 | Family Welcome Centers
• Language access: Website in 13 languages; phone interpretation in 200+ languages
• Guarantee: Apply by the deadline and you will receive an offer (not first-come, first-served)

Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

Video: Mayor Zohran Mamdani Holds Weather Briefing at NYCEM.

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Video: Mayor Mamdani Holds Press Conference to Make an Announcement.

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Video: Mamdani Administration Bans Hotel Hidden Fees and Unexpected Credit Card Holds.

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Video: Summer’s coming — sign up for SYEP!.

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Video: Mayor Mamdani Announces a Reactivation of the Just Home Supportive Housing Project.

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In an “America 250” message dated January 17, 2026, the White House commemorates Benjamin Franklin on what would have been his 320th birthday, praising him as a printer, inventor, diplomat, public servant, and patriot whose life helped define the American character. The statement highlights Franklin’s self-education and rise as a leading colonial publisher, along with practical innovations and civic contributions such as the lightning rod, bifocals, experiments with electricity, and the creation of public-serving institutions like a library and volunteer fire department, as well as his role as the first Postmaster General. It also emphasizes his central role in the founding era: service in the Second Continental Congress, involvement in drafting the Declaration of Independence, securing French support, helping negotiate the 1783 Treaty of Paris, and advocating for Constitution ratification. The message closes by framing Franklin’s legacy as enduring through American institutions and the nation’s civic ideals, calling him the “First American” and linking his impact to 250 years of national history.

America 250: Presidential Message on the Birthday of Benjamin Franklin

Today, we celebrate the towering life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin—printer and philosopher, inventor and diplomat, public servant and patriot, and one of the most consequential Americans to ever live.  On what would have been his 320th birthday, we honor his restless genius, his steadfast devotion to liberty, and his legendary contributions to our national story.

Born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, Massachusetts, Franklin grew up the 15th of 17 children.  Raised with little formal education, he taught himself how to read and write, emerging at age 23 as one of the most successful and influential publishers in the Colonies.  He was also a passionate innovator, always striving to improve the lives of his fellow citizens through public service and the marvels of science.  Throughout his life, he invented the lightning rod and the first bifocal glasses, harnessed the power of electricity with his famous “key and kite” experiment, established the first public library and volunteer fire department, and served as the first Postmaster General, binding the Colonies together with an organized mail system long before they were bound together as one Nation.

Of his countless triumphs and successes, his most epic contributions to our Republic were those that fortified the cause of freedom.  While living in England as an ambassador for the Pennsylvania Assembly, Franklin witnessed firsthand the growing British hostility toward the Colonies.  In 1775, Franklin was selected as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, where, together with fellow patriots John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, he helped draft the Declaration of Independence, suggesting to Jefferson that he include the immortal phrase:  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

Franklin’s unshakable commitment to the causes of the Revolution ultimately led him across the Atlantic once more, where he played a pivotal role in securing French support for the patriot cause against the British Empire and acted as a principal negotiator of the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War.  After American independence was finally won, he played a vital role in rallying support for the ratification of the Constitution in 1788.  Franklin is one of only six men to have signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Benjamin Franklin is often remembered as the “First American”—a title that reflects a life devoted to curiosity, industry, and the cause of human freedom.  His intellect and character helped shape an American identity grounded in courage, self-reliance, and civic duty.  Franklin gave the young country confidence and direction, demonstrating how knowledge and public service could advance the cause of liberty.  His legacy endures in our institutions, our Constitution, and the very character of our Republic—a testament to how one man’s ideas and actions can echo through the history of a nation for 250 glorious years.

Happy birthday, Benjamin Franklin!

The White House

January 17, 2026

Sources: WH.gov , Midtown Tribune news

Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

Video: Mayor Zohran Mamdani Hosts Africa Cup of Nations Watch Party.

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