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          By Bazona Barnabe Bado The Africa Center celebrated Africa Day on May 30, 2026, at its headquarters in Harlem, drawing African communities from across New York and New Jersey for a joyful gathering attended by New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. [caption id="attachment_9669" align="aligncenter" width="300"] NYC mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani.[/caption] "Africa Day is an unquenchable thirst for freedom and independence," said Ambassador Martin Kimani, president and CEO of The Africa Center. He said the center is "a building to build together, to build prosperity, to build all the things African people need to build so that we can change the world we live in." [caption id="attachment_9670" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Africa Center president and CEO Ambassador Martin Kimani,[/caption] Standing alongside Kimani and Yusef Salaam, the New York City Council member for the 9th District, Mamdani said that "Africa means a great... Read more

On Saturday, May 16,2026, a powerful story of resilience will take center stage in East Orange as Yasmine Beauty Salon celebrates its Grand Opening with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, marking the launch of the largest African hair braiding salon in New Jersey. A major milestone for a woman-led, immigrant-founded business rooted in African beauty, culture, and entrepreneurship. Founded by Yasmine Ouedraogo, an immigrant entrepreneur from Burkina Faso, the salon’s expansion to its 4th location and several professional styling chairs represents more than business growth—it reflects job creation, cultural heritage, and the growing economic impact of immigrant-owned small businesses in New Jersey.  Yasmine arrived in the United States over 20 years ago with only a small carry-on bag, without speaking English, with no financial resources, and with no personal connections. Armed with her talent in African hair braiding and an unwavering work ethic, she steadily built a reputation for excellence.  Today, her... Read more

Mali Defence Minister Sadio Camara was killed in an attack carried out by insurgents on Saturday, a government spokesperson said on Sunday on state television, confirming earlier reports by media and relatives. Camara was killed when assailants targeted Camara's house, the spokesperson, Issa Ousmane Coulibaly, said in a statement. West Africa's al Qaeda affiliate has claimed responsibility for the attack. Read more

Today, the United States and Burkina Faso signed a five-year bilateral health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that reinforces regional health security in the Sahel while advancing Burkina Faso’s capacity to independently manage infectious disease threats before they reach our shores. This MOU reflects the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting American health security while building resilient, locally led health systems abroad, as outlined in the America First Global Health Strategy. Through this MOU, working with Congress, the Department of State intends to provide up to $147 million over the next five years to support Burkina Faso’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other infectious diseases, while bolstering disease surveillance and outbreak response capabilities.  Burkina Faso commits to increasing its domestic health expenditures by $107 million, demonstrating significant national ownership of its health system.  The MOU allocates approximately $12 million to global health security initiatives that strengthen community health systems, improve... Read more

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and incoming Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Dina Levy announced a $2.1 million settlement involving A&E Real Estate properties with associated principals Douglas Eisenberg and Margaret Brunn, and registered managing agent Brian Garland, to address tenant harassment and hazardous conditions across 14 buildings in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. In addition to the civil penalties, the settlement requires A&E to correct more than 4,000 building condition violations across these buildings and imposes injunctions prohibiting tenant harassment moving forward.   This enforcement action, led by HPD’s Anti-Harassment Unit, represents one of the tools that the Mamdani administration is bringing to bear to protect tenants across New York. Mayor Mamdani made tenant protection a focal point of his administration on his first day in office, signing executive orders to revitalize the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) and help deliver housing more quickly, including on City-owned sites.... Read more

By Bazona Barnabe Bado Zohran Kwame Mamdani swore in today January 1, 2026, as Mayor of the city of New York. As Mamdani was sworn in as the 112th mayor of the city of New York, Mark Levine and Jumaane Williams were respectively sworn in as comptroller, and public advocate of the city of New York. While Mamdani was sworn in on the Quran, Levine did it on Jews bible, and Jumaane on the Bible. The three, as their hand on different holy books, have promised to defend the constitution of New York. A symbolic act that demonstrates the diversity of the city that never sleeps. The inaugural ceremony has drawn a sea of people that start gathering around 8: 00 Am to 3:00Pm all along Broadway down to Park place despite a hostile weather: 23degree. As journalist, we felt it when a frozen hand struggled to handle the pen... Read more

African diaspora from the New York has converged on September 4, 2025, at the Gracie Mansion, the official residency of the Mayor of New York City, to celebrate the African Heritage Month. Once a year, the celebration of the African Heritage Month is an opportunity to bring African communities together under the leadership of the Mayor of the New York City as one people although sharing different views, religions, and faiths. “You energize; you inspire. Your resiliency is unmatched. You are the cradle of civilization. And with that mindset, we must live up to that. That means re – bridging our gaps, not allowing our ancestries to be divided based on where we are geographically on the globe. No matter where we go, no matter what name we have attached to our name, we must remember and never forget. I may be American, but don’t ever forget that I am... Read more

  Legionnaires’ disease is not contagious and is treatable when caught early Adults who have been in the affected area since late July with flu-like symptoms, fever, cough, or difficulty breathing should seek immediate medical attention Today, the New York City Health Department (Health Department) announced an investigation into a community cluster of Legionnaires’ disease in Central Harlem (ZIP codes 10027, 10030, 10035 and 10037) and bordering communities. Five people have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease within this cluster since July 25, 2025, and results for other individuals are pending. To date, there have been no deaths associated with this cluster. The Health Department is actively investigating these cases and is sampling and testing water from all cooling tower systems in the area of the cluster. New Yorkers with flu-like symptoms, cough, fever, or difficulty breathing should contact a health care provider immediately. People can get Legionnaires’ disease by breathing in water vapor... Read more

On July 12, 2025, the Union of Ivorian Women USA (UFIUSA) hosted the 3rd Edition of La Nuit des Dames, a vibrant celebration honoring International Women’s Rights Day. The event took place in the Bronx and drew many African leaders, local, and city elected officials who came together to recognize outstanding women from the African community. [caption id="attachment_8797" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The office of the Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson   provided a citation of merit to Mme Diallo Maria Berthe[/caption] The evening was filled with inspiration as community members gathered to celebrate those who have made significant contributions to society. Attendees enjoyed artistic performances, a delicious dinner, and the chance to connect with one another in a spirit of empowerment. Among the notable figures in attendance was David Coulibaly, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Community Affairs from the office of Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. Mr.... Read more

President Donald Trump said Friday he wants an “immediate ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine and warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make peace or lose American support. The statement comes after Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy for being “disrespectful” in an extraordinary Oval Office meeting, then abruptly called off the signing of a minerals deal with the U.S. In a Fox News interview, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine won’t enter peace talks with Russia until it has security guarantees against another offensive. White House says Zelenskyy was asked to leave: After the contentious meeting the Ukrainian leader made an effort to try to get the visit back on track, according to a White House official. National security adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio communicated to the Ukrainians that Trump wanted Zelenskyy to leave the White House immediately. It’s unclear what this means for the war: Hours after their Oval Office meeting, Trump said Zelenskyy did not seem like a... Read more

Mory Kouyate the chairman of the African Immigrants’ Commission of New York and Connecticut has received on February 15,2025 the Volunteer Service Award and Leadership during caucus weekend in Albany. The event was hosted by City council member Owusu Anane. “We would like to congratulate, Mr. Mory Kouyate for receiving volunteer service award and leadership today,” Mr. Owusu Anane said. Mr. Kouyate has thanked Mr. Owusu for the award he has received for his commitment to the community. “Community service is part of our daily lives now, as we attend to our daily jobs, we must always dedicate time to organize and serve our own communities. We must make the community ' s business our own, and always be proactive at tending to them,” Mr. Kouyate said. “We must not leave the work that benefits our own communities to others to do for us. We must always be ready to... Read more

Burkina Faso has made history by unveiling its first 100 per cent Indigenous electric car brand, ITAOUA. Burkinabe engineers are in charge of the design and manufacturing processes, showcasing the country’s growing capabilities in the automotive sector. Burkina Faso has made history by unveiling its first 100 per cent Indigenous electric car brand, ITAOUA. This marks a significant milestone in the country’s industrial and technological development.  This achievement highlights the nation’s determination to become a technological hub in West Africa. ITAOUA, the Burkinabe car manufacturer behind this innovation, has designed and manufactured the electric vehicle entirely using local resources and expertise. The car boasts impressive features, including a range of 330 kilometres (205 miles) after just a 30-minute charge, making it ideal for urban and rural environments.  As noted by the company, “Innovation is not the preserve of great powers, but that it can also germinate, grow, and radiate from the heart... Read more

Since day one, this administration has been committed to making New York City a safer, more affordable city. And we have fought to ensure that New Yorkers can pursue their dreams by improving quality of life.   New Yorkers have raised their concerns about public safety across the five boroughs — they asked for more cops on our streets and for us to address the issues that affect their livability. We listened and went to work. We have prioritized the safety issues that communities have raised with us and taken decisive action. We have hired 4,000 new cops this year alone and are taking on issues like illegal vending, retail theft, public substance use, the mental health crisis, scaffolding, and unlicensed cannabis shops. This week, we released our public safety report, “Safer Together: The Adams Administration’s Approach to Community-Driven Public Safety,” showing that our public safety strategy is working, and our communities, streets,... Read more

Last week in New York City, a young girl died, and another was seriously injured while illegally riding on top of a moving subway train. As New Yorkers have seen in far too many headlines — this is not an isolated incident. The allure of social media fame has lured too many young people on top of trains, and the consequences have been deadly. What is worse, the companies whose algorithms promote this deadly content haven’t done nearly enough to put an end to it.  Here in New York City, we’re doing our part to protect young New Yorkers from the dangers of riding atop trains. In November 2023, the NYPD started a program that uses real data from 911 and 311 reports of people riding on top of trains. The police department then deploys drones and field teams to those areas based on the call data, during the busiest... Read more

With New York City’s rental vacancy rate at a historic low of just 1.4 percent and half of all New Yorkers paying more than 30 percent of their income on rent, the Bronx is leading the charge by saying ‘yes’ to more housing and buying a ticket to the future! Earlier this month, the City Council approved our administration’s Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan, a groundbreaking, once-in-a-generation opportunity that will create nearly 7,000 new homes, including permanently income-restricted affordable housing, and 10,000 permanent jobs in the Bronx. Along with the four-brand new Metro-North train stations set up in 2027, this is a game changer for the working people, families, immigrants and young people who live in the East Bronx. The Bronx Metro-North Area Plan will complement these new homes and jobs with hundreds of millions of dollars of investments in public amenities and infrastructure. From enhanced pedestrian safety and transportation access... Read more

A Janaazah ( funeral)  service will be held on June 23,  2023 in  the Futa Islamic Center on 3400 Third Avenue at 1: 15 PM for Alfa Ousmane Barrie who apparently died from drowning. His  body was recovered  in May from the Hudson River in Harlem . The event will be followed by the Maqbarah ( interment) of Barrie at the Marlboro Muslim Memorial Cemetery in New Jersey. Alfa Ousmane Barrie, 11,  and Garrett Warren,13,  went missing on May 12, 2023, and their bodies were found  in the Hudson River. Both boys attended Democracy Prep Public School in Harlem. Read more

The people’s money is NYC’s first participatory budgeting process. You have an opportunity to vote on projects created by fellow New Yorkers and decide how a portion of the budget should be spent. All New Yorkers aged 11 and up, regardless of immigration status, have the opportunity to decide how to spend $ 5 million of mayoral expense funding on projects in their community. Residents in Fordham Heights and University Heights : Zip codes: 10453, 10458, please use the link to vote: www.participate.nyc.gov/. You can walk in to vote in person at the voting station: 14th Council District Office 2065 Morris Avenue Bronx, NY, 10453 Share this information with your friends and family and encourage them to vote. For further information please call: 3476070380   Read more

Have you ever looked around your neighborhood and thought—it would be great if we could have a community garden here, or maybe more afterschool programs for students, or special services for seniors?  Now, you can bring those ideas to life. “The People’s Money” is the first ever citywide participatory budgeting process run by our Civic Engagement Commission (CEC), and from today until June 25th, all New York City residents ages 11 and older - regardless of immigration status - can vote on how to spend $5 million dollars of our city’s budget. To do so, go to our website: on.nyc.gov/pb and vote on projects that your fellow New Yorkers have proposed. You can vote on projects for your borough, and the residents of 33 equity neighborhoods can vote on one additional project that will be funded in their neighborhood.  The projects have been carefully selected from hundreds of proposals that were brainstormed by New... Read more

The death toll from a weekend attack on a gendarmerie post in northern Burkina Faso has risen to at least 53, according to officials. The attack, near a gold mine in Inata, killed 49 military police officers and four civilians, government spokesperson Ousseni Tamboura said on Wednesday, updating a previous estimate of 32 killed. Fortunately, we have found 46 gendarmes” alive, Tamboura said after a cabinet meeting. However, there were fears the toll could yet rise further as reports quoted local sources as saying that approximately 150 gendarmes were stationed at the facility. Sunday’s bloodshed in the northern Soum region was one of the deadliest to hit Burkinabe defence and security forces since violence perpetrated by armed groups erupted six years ago. It has provoked protests about the authorities’ failure to curb the years-long conflict that has killed thousands of people and forced more than a million people to flee their homes.... Read more

KAYA, Burkina Faso -- A 20-year-old woman could no longer live in her village amid the rising violence caused by Islamic extremists. But she needed to return and retrieve the family's cows in hopes of selling them. If her husband went, jihadists would almost certainly kill him. She went instead, and was dragged into the bush, beaten and raped at knifepoint.  “I screamed, but I couldn’t overtake him, so I cried,” she recalled in a phone interview from Barsalogho town in the Center North region where she now lives. The Associated Press does not identify victims of sexual violence. The extremist violence in Burkina Faso linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group is fueling an increase in sexual assaults against women, especially those displaced by attacks. Many are preyed upon as they attempt to collect belongings they left behind. The violence killed more than 2,000 people last year, according to... Read more

Four African nations are target  of a new travel ban by United States president Donald Trump, multiple news sources have reported. An official announcement is expected by next week. Incidentally, only one of the quartets is a Muslim-majority nation i.e. Sudan. The others are Eritrea, Nigeria and Tanzania. During an engagement on the sidelines of the ongoing 2020 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump, told the Wall Street Journal that plans were afoot to upgrade the controversial list. He however remained mute on the affected countries. The measure will largely be affected specific types of visas as and when the list is finalized, sources close to the issue added. Analysts have averred that business or visitor visas could likely be impacted. Barely a year after coming into office, Trump issued his first controversial travel ban which barred people from Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. Libya and Somalia... Read more

The International Committee of Sankara annual Conference was held in December 8, 2019 in Harlem in New York as participants came  from many States of the United States of America as well as Canada. They came  not only to listen to what five panelists who discussed  the  topic about “Thomas Sankara’s legacy today,” but also to  opine on the matter. Paul Sankara the brother of Thomas Sankara was there too. “Education under Sankara’s revolution,  the role of women under Sankara’s revolution, Sankara ’speech in Harlem, Sankara everywhere, Sankara nowhere, terrorism in Burkina Faso,” were the sub topics, which were at the center of the debate.  Basninwende Isonore Dianda, teacher one of the panelists said that education in Burkina Faso before Sankara was functionalist as it was intended to serve the colonizer. Having a chance to attend school  according to Dianda was a privilege. In fact,  school was for the elite... Read more

NEW YORK — The cutthroat competition among Uber, Lyft, other e-hail car services, livery companies and the Yellow Cab fleet bosses has claimed a seventh suicide victim here. Fausto Luna flung himself in front of an oncoming subway train and died Sept. 26. The 58-year-old Uber driver had told friends he was getting depressed in face of mounting debts and increasing overtime. His situation isn’t unusual. Uber drivers’ incomes fell 53 percent from 2013 to 2017, according to a study released by the J.P. Morgan Chase Institute that same month. “Alongside the rapid growth in the number of drivers has come a steady decline in average monthly earnings,” the report said. Uber disputes the findings, saying declining incomes result from drivers “choosing” to work part time. Today more than 100,000 e-hail cars flood New York City streets, compared to 67,500 in 2016. That’s on top of some 13,500 Yellow Cabs,... Read more