US NATIONAL NEWS

First Lady Jill Biden spoke at UNICEF Champions for Children Event

Published

3 years ago

September 19, 2023

Good evening.

I’ve been an educator for 39 years. This past week I started teaching writing at a community college near the White House. So, I’ve seen how one moment can change the trajectory of a student’s learning – when their eyes light up as an idea clicks into place. Education is the key that unlocks the possibilities of the future. It changes lives.

But, in the United States, as in the rest of the world, COVID and its aftermath have had a devasting impact on children’s learning.

I know we all have been working hard to rebuild the systems that were broken, to bring divided communities back together, to put us on a path to a better, brighter future.

Every leader, and every country, must make the world a better place for children.

Children are the smartest investment we can make in eliminating poverty, boosting economic growth, strengthening democracy, and promoting global peace and prosperity.

This is why children must be at the center of the Sustainable Development Goals.

When children are born, we look into their wide eyes and see every possibility.
Infinite dreams. Limitless bounds. As a mother and a nana, I know that feeling well.

But children don’t grow into adults overnight.

Every parent knows that it’s a process – long and winding and sometimes challenging.
When they’re babies, they cry and we meet their needs: food if they’re hungry, sleep if they’re tired, comfort if they’re scared or hurt.

But as they grow, they need schools and educators who can teach them to read and write and think.

And as teens, they need an even larger village: patient ears to listen, strong shoulders to lean on, steady hands to hold and guide them.

They need an education that prepares them for adulthood and the jobs of the future.

It’s a continuum of care and support to ensure that children can grow into healthy and successful adults, so they can create peaceful and stable societies.

Making sure that every child in every corner of the world has access to the support they need to reach their full potential, to thrive, is what UNICEF does.

Cathy, thank you for your leadership and for what you do for children around the world. UNICEF’s work is absolutely critical to making our world safer and more prosperous.

As Second Lady and now as First Lady, I’ve traveled from Latin America to the Middle East, from Asia to Africa, I have seen children and young people in dire circumstances – families displaced by drought, children living in sprawling, urban informal settlements, and children who have survived unspeakable violence.

Yet, despite these truly heartbreaking challenges, I have seen young people who don’t give up, who are optimistic and hopeful and believe that tomorrow will be a brighter day.

Last year, in Ecuador, I talked with teenagers whose families had fled brutal violence in Venezuela, but who dreamed of returning home to rebuild their country.

They were so strong and smart and confident – they were determined to make a difference. And with our help they will.

More than ten years ago, in Kenya, I met a young woman – Aliyah.

At just 25, she was raising a son in a one-room, tin-roof home in Kibera. There was no electricity – no running water. She spent her day teaching girls about teen pregnancy – about sexual abuse and rape. The topic was taboo – but the conversations were powerful.

I asked her if she wanted to leave Kibera. But she said, “No, this is my home. I want to make a difference here.”

Earlier this year, when I returned to Kibera, I met Aliyah again – and I saw her son, now 18, and a young daughter too. All still living in Kibera, where Aliyah now owns and operates a restaurant.

Aliyah continues to make a difference there.

Young people inspire us to greater heights.

They remind us that hope can always overcome cynicism, and that we can achieve anything if we work together.

I know all of you in this room have worked so hard for children and young people across the globe. I know that you’ve given your time, your voice, and your resources.

And I know that despite this, progress on the Sustainable Development Goals has stalled, and the way forward looks steep.

Yet, I also know that you can do miraculous things. In the wake of the pandemic, you operationalized the fastest and largest immunization effort in history. You have nearly eliminated polio across the globe. And, you’ve helped hundreds of millions of out-of-school children continue their education.

And, I promise you that the United States will continue to be a partner with you every step of the way.

The United States has made unprecedented investments in clean technology and delivered more COVID vaccines internationally than any other nation. We have led the fight against HIV/AIDS through PEPFAR, which, in 20 years has saved more than 25 million lives and ensured that 5.5 million babies have been born HIV-free.

And, last year, we made the single largest contribution ever to address acute malnutrition in children – $200 million – and rallied the world to raise an additional half billion dollars.

Those babies we hold just after being born, their eyes wide like saucers, with the tiniest fingers – grow up in a blink of an eye – and they will be our leaders sooner than we think. They will be the ones to keep us out of war.

They will be the ones to cure cancer. They will be the ones who will have to continue fighting climate change.

But they need us – all of us – right now. Yes, young people are our future, but they are also our present. And when we give them the support they need, when we invest in them from the very beginning and every step along the way, we help them become the people they want to be…and they help us build a more peaceful, stable world.

Thank you, UNICEF, for being heroic partners in this effort. Cathy, the President and I miss you in our day-to-day but we know this is the work of your life and we are so grateful for your service.

And thank you, everyone in this room. You’ve saved untold lives. You’ve helped so many children reach for their dreams. But there is more to do, together. And we can’t stop now.

CNN: Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States

Central Florida News

FBI Director Kash Patel Addresses Global Threats, Crime-Fighting Partnerships at International Police Conference in Orlando

Published

6 days ago

October 28, 2026

FNN NEWS

Kash Patel seated onstage in a gray suit and dark tie, speaking with one hand raised against a black and turquoise background.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — FBI Director Kash Patel discussed bureau priorities, violent crime and cooperation across jurisdictions during the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center.

The annual conference and exposition, held Oct. 24-27, brought together law enforcement professionals from the United States and abroad for training, presentations and discussions about public safety.

Patel addressed the evolving global threat environment and the importance of partnerships among federal, state, local, territorial and international law enforcement agencies confronting violent crime and transnational threats.

FBI priorities and violent crime

Violent crime enforcement was among the priorities Patel discussed during his Orlando visit.

Published coverage of his weekly update from Orlando described a broader agenda encompassing cybercrime, fraud and other investigative responsibilities. The update also highlighted cooperation among the FBI, the Justice Department and state and local authorities.

The conference provided an opportunity for bureau leadership to discuss those priorities with police executives whose agencies work alongside federal investigators.

Photo by Florida National News

Cooperation across jurisdictions

Partnerships were a central theme of Patel’s appearance, including coordination among agencies at different levels of government and cooperation with international counterparts.

Transnational investigations can involve suspects, evidence and criminal activity spanning multiple jurisdictions, requiring agencies to work across geographic and institutional boundaries.

Published coverage of Patel’s visit also reported plans for meetings with the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the IACP Board of Directors.

Patel highlights partnerships in X post

“Great to be in Orlando visiting with our brilliant law enforcement partners,” Patel wrote in a post on X about the conference.

Patel described the gathering as drawing more than 20,000 law enforcement professionals, leaders and partners. He credited cooperation with the FBI for reductions in crime.

In the post, Patel cited a 20% reduction in the national murder rate and more than 54,000 FBI violent crime arrests, which he described as a 90% increase.

The post did not specify the reporting periods or underlying datasets for those figures. The statistics were not independently verified for this article..

Global threats and local policing

The changing threat environment was another focus of Patel’s remarks, connecting the FBI’s national responsibilities with challenges facing police departments and their international partners.

The gathering offered law enforcement leaders an opportunity to discuss shared concerns, exchange professional knowledge and strengthen relationships that support investigations.

IACP President David B. Rausch, left, gestures over an open notebook while FBI Director Kash Patel listens from a gray armchair onstage.

FBI Director Kash Patel, right, participates in a fireside chat with IACP President David B. Rausch during the Closing General Assembly of the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Florida National News.

Training and professional development

Beyond executive presentations, the four-day conference featured educational sessions, networking opportunities and an exposition showcasing products and services for law enforcement.

Organizers identified training, networking and exhibit hall education as the conference’s three central components.

The Orlando event brought those activities together to help police leaders develop their agencies and exchange approaches to public safety.

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Florida National News Staff | News@FloridaNationalNews.com

Florida

Trump Plans Fort Myers Rally as Byron Donalds Seeks to Become Florida’s First Black Governor

Published

2 weeks ago

October 17, 2026

FNN NEWS

President Donald Trump, wearing a dark suit and yellow tie, descends aircraft stairs at Palm Beach International Airport with three men behind him.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (FNN) — President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a midterm rally in Fort Myers on Friday, Oct. 23, bringing his campaign efforts to the congressional district represented by his endorsed candidate for Florida governor, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds.

Donalds, the Republican nominee, faces Democrat David Jolly in the Nov. 3 election. If elected, Donalds would become Florida’s first Black governor, succeeding term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Byron Donalds, wearing a navy suit and yellow tie, gestures while speaking behind a Turning Point Action podium.

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds speaks at a Turning Point Action event in Florida. Photo by Roman Garay / Florida National News.

Rally Set for Oct. 23

Trump’s remarks are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., with doors opening at 10:30 a.m., according to the Republican Party’s event registration page. All times are Eastern.

Gulf Coast News reports that the rally will take place at Alico Arena at Florida Gulf Coast University. However, the official GOP registration page still lists the venue as “To Be Announced.” Attendees should check that page for confirmation and updates.

Prominent conservative figures, including Tucker Carlson, then-former President Donald Trump, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and Megyn Kelly, rallied Republican voters during the Turning Point Action Conference at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, July 15-16, 2023.
Photo by Roman D. Garay / Florida National News.

Trump’s Endorsement Connects President to Historic Bid

Trump has endorsed Donalds, whose campaign lists the president among its prominent Republican supporters. The Fort Myers visit places Trump in Donalds’ Southwest Florida political base during the closing weeks of the election.

Following his primary victory, Donalds acknowledged Trump’s influence among Republican voters.

“Obviously, he has the strongest following of anybody in our party,” Donalds said, according to Associated Press reporting.

A Donalds victory would give Florida its first Black governor and extend Republican leadership in the governor’s office. Trump’s endorsement connects the president to that potentially historic outcome, although the rally announcement does not identify the event as exclusively supporting Donalds.

Republican Unity and Voter Turnout

Donalds called for Republicans to unite after the primary, telling supporters, “Tonight we are one united Republican Party,” according to the AP.

The Fort Myers rally will provide Trump another platform to address supporters ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The published event announcement confirms his appearance but does not list additional speakers.

Politics

RNC Chairman Joe Gruters Calls Trump an ‘Absolute Machine’ Ahead of Midterm Elections

Published

2 weeks ago

October 17, 2026

FNN NEWS

WASHINGTON (FNN) — Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters is urging Republicans to focus on voter turnout ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, praising President Donald Trump’s campaign appearances and arguing that the party’s success depends on getting supporters to the polls.

In a Fox News appearance highlighted in an RNC news release, Gruters described Trump as an “absolute machine” and pointed to the president’s rallies as a central part of Republicans’ election strategy.

Gruters: ‘It’s All About Turnout Now’

Gruters expressed confidence in Republican candidates while sharply criticizing their Democratic opponents.

“We have strong candidates; [Democrats] have incredibly weak candidates. It’s all about turnout now. That’s why the president’s going to all these rallies. He’s an absolute machine, getting the job done,” Gruters said, according to the release.

His remarks emphasized voter mobilization as Republicans seek to protect and expand their congressional majorities.

RNC Chairman Highlights Trump’s Policies

Gruters also praised the administration’s policies, particularly its approach to the southern border, presenting those efforts as reasons voters should support Republican candidates.

“This president deserves a lot of credit. He deserves a lot of praise for all these great things that he has done,” he said.

The release included broader claims about border enforcement and drug trafficking but did not provide supporting data. Those statements represent Gruters’ assessment of the administration’s record.

Florida Connection to National GOP Leadership

Gruters, a former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, now leads the national party’s effort to rally Republican voters. The Florida GOP described him as a longtime Trump ally when announcing his election as RNC chairman.

His national role places a political leader with Florida party experience at the forefront of Republicans’ midterm turnout campaign.

Closing Message: Get Supporters to the Polls

“This race all comes down to turnout,” Gruters said.

He framed the election as a choice about the country’s direction and urged voters to continue supporting Trump and conservative leadership.

“If you believe in the American dream, and you still have hope that you or your children could achieve it, then you’ve got to continue the leadership of the conservative party and this president, Donald J. Trump.”