US NATIONAL NEWS

Secretary Blinken At the Conservation, Climate Adaptation, and Just Energy Transition Forum

Published

4 years ago

December 13, 2022

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, thank you. Good afternoon, everyone, and a big thank you, Hayde, to you for keeping us moving, and I will try to stay on your good side. (Laughter.) But it’s an honor to be joined at this table by so many leaders, so many colleagues – among other, President Tshisekedi – it’s very good to be with you – President Ramkalawan, President Hichilema, President Buhari, President Obiang, President Bongo Ondimba – thank you, thank you, thank you for your partnership, for your partnership to help preserve our planet.

We’re also joined today by members of Congress, members of the Biden Cabinet – I think Congressman Meeks is about to join us if he’s not already here – we have representatives from multilateral organizations, philanthropies, private sector leaders, activists, academics, youth leaders. To each and every one of you, welcome.

The diversity of this group is heartening – a statement not merely of how we’re all affected by the climate crisis, but how committed we all are to working together to address it.

Last month many of us were in Egypt for COP27. An African COP was a recognition that, as the urgency of the climate crisis grows, our focus must increasingly be on Africa.

As we know, 17 of the world’s 20 most climate vulnerable countries are on the African continent.

Four straight years of drought in the Horn of Africa have left more than 18 million people facing severe hunger.

Communities across the continent are feeling the impact of a changing climate. Severe storms have battered southern Africa; surging temperatures kindle wildfires in northern Africa; rising seas threaten lives and livelihoods on island nations, while extreme weather events in central Africa worsen already-dire food crises and fuel tensions that feed and fuel violent conflict.

We know that African nations have contributed relatively little to this crisis but are disproportionally harmed by it. It’s both unfair and unrealistic to ask them to turn their backs on economic development and opportunity in the name of a clean energy transition, to ask them in effect to forego what many of us have done in the past in developing our countries and our economies.

And so we believe that the best way – indeed, the just way – to address the climate crisis in Africa is to work together.

Earlier this year, in South Africa, I had an opportunity to set out President Biden’s new Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa. It’s based on a simple idea: we can’t achieve any of our shared priorities – tackle any of our biggest challenges – unless we do it together as equal partners.

That’s true of every major issue we face today, and it’s particularly true of climate change. So here’s how we’re addressing this crisis together.

First, we are partnering to conserve ecosystems. Africa is home to some of the world’s most precious ecosystems, which are critical for combating climate change. This summer I visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, where forests absorb more carbon than is emitted by the entire continent of Africa. The Congo Basin is also a place of tremendous biodiversity, a lifeforce for agriculture across the region.

To support the sustainable management of the Congo Basin rainforest, we’ve invested over $600 million in the Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment, which brings together the U.S. Government and African and U.S. NGOs.

And we’re building new coalitions between African governments, the private sector, civil society to protect other vital ecosystems across the continent.

Oceans are also a key part of this fight. That’s why we’ve launched the Ocean Conservation Pledge to encourage countries to commit to protect at least 30 percent of their ocean waters by the year 2030.

Second, we’re partnering to make commitments and communities more resilient in the face of climate change. The President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience is working with national governments to help more than half a billion people in developing countries manage the impacts of climate change. This and other initiatives to support climate-resilient agriculture are increasingly critical as Russia’s war of aggression compounds the impact on food security.

At COP, the President also announced a doubling of our pledged contributions to the Adaptation Fund, which has deployed nearly $1 billion to help over 36 million people in the most vulnerable communities around the world. And we committed to begin discussions on loss and damage funding arrangements to support low- and middle-income countries.

Third, we’re partnering to advance a just transition to a clean energy economy that both saves our planet and fosters inclusive economic opportunity.

Africa will be at the center of the clean energy transition. Its renewable energy potential is second to none. It’s home to roughly a third of all critical minerals, essential to the technology that will power the clean energy economy, like batteries for renewable energy storage and wind turbines. But with nearly half of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population lacking reliable access to electricity and the population set to grow to more than two billion people by 2050, how that transition is made will be decisive in shaping our future climate.

The United States will work closely with African countries as they determine how best to meet their specific energy needs – understanding that, for many, the clean energy transition will be a transition to consistent, reliable energy in the first place. We’ll do so through programs like Power Africa, which has mobilized the public and private sectors to deliver cleaner, more reliable electricity to over 165 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa who previously didn’t have access. We’re proud to announce a new investment of $290 million in that program.

Too often, those who are most vulnerable to the impacts of these changes have been denied a seat at the decision-making table. We’re committed to changing that, including through the new Accelerating Women’s Empowerment in Energy project, which is making sure that women have a say in how their countries move forward on clean energy.

All of these efforts recognize that combating the climate crisis, like so many other challenges we face, was actually championed by Africans in the first place. Indeed, in Africa, we see not only the stakes of this crisis, but also the solutions. Gabon has led the way in conserving its forest resources, which now absorb 140 million tons of CO2 every year. That’s the equivalent of taking 30 million cars off the road.

The Seychelles has pioneered the world’s first sovereign blue bond to marshal public and private investment for sustainable marine and fisheries projects. It’s on the way to conserving 30 percent of its ocean waters – that’s an area the size of Zimbabwe – by 2030.

Zambia is harnessing the power of its wetlands and forests to mitigate climate impacts, benefiting tens of thousands of people vulnerable to both floods and to droughts.

Nigeria has set bold targets and robust regulations for methane reductions – the first country in Africa to do so – which could reduce air pollutants by a third and avert tens of thousands of deaths.

Equatorial Guinea just raised its commitment to cut emissions by 35 percent by 2030. And the DRC has hosted the pre-COP27 meetings in Kinshahsa. It’s teaming up with the United States on a broad scope of these issues through our Sustainable Development Solutions Working Group.

Today, and throughout this summit over the course of this week, I look forward to hearing from this group on how we can most effectively deepen our partnership to the benefit of all of our people, and indeed to the benefit of people around the world. And I look forward to continuing this conversation in the months and also the years to come. This is an enduring project for all of us, but I think we also all feel the fierce urgency of now. And that determination is reflected in so much of the work that is being done and is being represented in this room.

With that, it is a pleasure and honor to turn the floor over to President Tshisekedi to offer some remarks. Mr. President, the floor is now yours.

Florida

DeSantis’ Political Star Rises as Florida GOP Holds Statewide Offices Amid National Defeats

Published

19 hours ago

November 5, 2026

FNN NEWS

Republicans retain Florida’s statewide leadership despite Democratic gains in the Legislature, giving the outgoing governor a platform in the debate over the GOP’s future.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Gov. Ron DeSantis pointed to Florida’s Republican victories Wednesday as evidence that his governing approach helped withstand a national Democratic surge, highlighting the state as a remaining Republican stronghold after major defeats elsewhere.

Speaking a day after the election, DeSantis described the national Republican losses as approaching an “extinction-level event.” He contrasted those setbacks with Florida, where Republicans retained the governor’s office, all three Cabinet offices and the U.S. Senate seat on the ballot. abcnews.com

The results give DeSantis a platform to promote his record as Republicans assess their future. However, narrower statewide margins and Democratic legislative gains complicate any claim of an unqualified Republican mandate.

Florida Holds Statewide Republican Leadership

Republican Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly for governor, while U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody defeated Democratic challenger Angie Nixon. Republicans also won the races for attorney general, chief financial officer and agriculture commissioner.

The sweep left Florida Democrats without a statewide victory despite a more favorable national environment for their party. floridaphoenix.com

DeSantis, who was not on the ballot, argued that Florida Republicans benefited from the record established during his administration. His assessment places the state’s performance at the center of a broader question: What can Republicans learn from the places where they retained power?

DeSantis’ Political Star Gains Visibility

DeSantis’ remarks offered a defense of his governing approach as Republicans confronted the election’s consequences.

He credited Florida’s resilience to policy achievements and voter trust, while emphasizing that his immediate focus remained completing his term. wusf.org

Florida’s results strengthen his opportunity to participate in the national leadership debate. They do not, by themselves, establish that Republican voters have chosen him to lead the party or that he will launch another presidential campaign.

The distinction matters: Electoral success in Florida provides a political argument, while a national campaign would require support extending well beyond the state.

Texas Defeats Increase Florida’s Importance

DeSantis singled out Texas as a particularly consequential Republican setback. Once a dependable foundation of GOP strength, Texas delivered Democratic victories in the governor’s race, a U.S. Senate contest and other statewide offices.

He warned that those losses could weaken Republicans nationally for years. www.orlandoweekly.com

Against that backdrop, Florida’s Republican sweep gives its leaders greater prominence. The state’s emerging role as a Republican “Southern Star” is an interpretation of that contrast, rather than a designation DeSantis used.

For the outgoing governor, Florida offers evidence of political durability during a difficult election. For the national party, it offers a case to examine alongside the states where Republican support collapsed.

DeSantis Credits Amendment 3 With Turnout

DeSantis also credited voter-approved Amendment 3, the property tax measure, with attracting voters who subsequently supported Republican candidates.

He said implementation would require further legislative action and discussed protecting homeowners’ savings from being offset by other local charges. cbs12.com

His explanation remains an assessment of the election. Determining how much the amendment affected turnout and individual races would require additional analysis.

Democratic Legislative Gains Temper GOP Celebration

Florida’s statewide sweep did not prevent Republican losses elsewhere on the ballot.

Democrats gained seats in the Legislature and ended the Republican supermajority in the state House. Their leaders argued that the close statewide contests demonstrated Florida remained competitive and warranted greater national investment. floridaphoenix.com

Republicans therefore emerged with continued governing authority but less room for complacency. Retaining statewide offices and losing legislative ground are both part of the election’s outcome.

2018 Offers Democrats a Benchmark

Florida Democrats’ 2018 results provide a historical comparison between narrowly losing a statewide contest and winning governing authority.

Republican Ron DeSantis won the governor’s race with 4,076,186 votes, or 49.6%, while Democrat Andrew Gillum received 4,043,723 votes, or 49.2%. DeSantis prevailed by 32,463 votes, approximately 0.4 percentage points. results.elections.myflorida.com

In the agriculture commissioner’s race, Democrat Nikki Fried won 4,032,954 votes, or 50.04%, defeating Republican Matt Caldwell, who received 4,026,201 votes, or 49.96%. Fried’s winning margin was 6,753 votes, approximately 0.08 percentage points. uselectionatlas.org

2018 statewide race	Candidate	Party	Votes	Percentage
Governor	Ron DeSantis — winner	Republican	4,076,186	49.6%
Governor	Andrew Gillum	Democratic	4,043,723	49.2%
Agriculture commissioner	Nikki Fried — winner	Democratic	4,032,954	50.04%
Agriculture commissioner	Matt Caldwell	Republican	4,026,201	49.96%

Table lists the two leading candidates in each race. Governor’s percentages include votes cast for other candidates. results.elections.myflorida.com

Those results give substance to the discussion about investment and competitiveness. Campaign funding can support organization and outreach, but these election totals alone do not establish how much national spending influenced either outcome.

Gillum nearly captured the governor’s office; Fried secured a statewide Cabinet seat. That difference remains central to evaluating political progress: Smaller losing margins can indicate opportunity, while victories determine who exercises authority.

A Stronger Platform, With Challenges Ahead

Florida’s results give DeSantis a stronger position from which to argue that his approach deserves attention within the Republican Party.

Yet the election also supplied a warning for his party at home. Republicans preserved statewide leadership while Democrats demonstrated greater strength in legislative contests.

As Donalds prepares to succeed him, DeSantis leaves with Florida’s Republican governing structure intact. Whether that record becomes the foundation for a larger national role will depend on how Republican voters and leaders respond to the party’s defeats.

Politics

Voters Give Democrats Congressional Majorities as Affordability and Iran War Shape Trump Rebuke

Published

2 days ago

November 4, 2026

FNN NEWS

Chuck Schumer raises both fists beside Hakeem Jeffries, with American flags behind them

Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer prepare for a shift in congressional power, with voters demanding economic relief and stronger presidential oversight while Trump retains his veto.

WASHINGTON (FNN) — Democrats won control of the House and Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections, delivering a major setback to President Donald Trump and positioning congressional Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer to challenge his administration during the final two years of his presidency.

The victories extended into traditionally Republican territory, with economic anxiety and opposition to the Iran war helping reshape the electoral map. Reuters reported Democratic breakthroughs in states including Texas, Kansas and South Carolina.

The results put Democrats in position to control both chambers when the new Congress convenes in January. Several contests remained unresolved Wednesday, leaving the final size of their majorities unsettled.

Jeffries positioned for historic House speakership

The Democratic House victory puts Jeffries, a New York congressman, in line to become the first Black speaker of the House.

His elevation is not automatic. Winning a congressional majority gives Democrats the opportunity to elect the speaker, but Jeffries must secure the necessary support in a House floor vote.

Jeffries will also face the task of uniting moderate and progressive Democrats around an agenda that can survive divided government. Reuters reported that his priorities include addressing affordability and reversing Republican cuts to Medicaid.

“We’re going to fight to make sure that we make this country affordable for every single American,” Jeffries told supporters, according to NPR.

Senate victory expands Democrats’ leverage

The Senate result gives Democrats influence over legislation, presidential nominations and committee investigations.

Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, described the outcome as a “generational remake of the Senate map,” according to reporting published by WTTW. His leadership position in the incoming Congress remains subject to the Democratic caucus’s selection process.

Democratic Senate victories included Republican-held seats in North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, Texas and South Carolina, according to Roll Call. The gains give the party an opportunity to scrutinize administration nominees and shape the chamber’s agenda.

A majority, however, does not eliminate every procedural obstacle. Under existing Senate rules, ending debate on most legislation generally requires 60 votes, making Republican cooperation important for many proposals.

Affordability crisis moves to the center of the agenda

The election creates pressure on Democrats to demonstrate that congressional control can produce practical relief.

Jeffries has outlined priorities involving affordable housing, education, health care and retirement security. Those subjects reflect the household expenses that helped drive the campaign and will shape expectations for the incoming majority.

But passing bills through Congress and delivering changes in law are separate challenges. Democrats will need agreement between their chambers, a workable approach to federal spending and, in many cases, negotiations with the White House.

Their political test will extend beyond opposition to Trump: Voters will be able to judge whether the new majority advances credible proposals and explains the costs, benefits and obstacles involved.

Iran war raises questions about congressional authority

Opposition to the Iran war helped fuel the Democratic gains, according to Reuters. The outcome increases pressure for congressional scrutiny of military objectives, spending and the administration’s strategy.

For lawmakers seeking to prevent wars they consider unnecessary, Congress has constitutional tools that extend beyond public criticism.

The Constitution gives Congress authority to declare war, raise and support armed forces, and control appropriations. The president serves as commander in chief, creating a division of responsibilities rather than placing every military decision in one branch.

A Democratic Congress could hold hearings, examine the administration’s legal justifications and consider legislation governing military operations or funding. Such measures would face their own legal, procedural and political constraints; an election result alone does not end a conflict.

Trump retains veto power

Trump will remain president, and the change in congressional control does not remove his constitutional authority to veto legislation.

A veto can be overridden only with a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate. Democratic majorities therefore do not, by themselves, guarantee enactment of their legislative agenda.

Trump signaled resistance to the incoming majority’s proposals after the election, sharing an image of a cap bearing the word “VETO,” according to WTTW’s reporting.

The result sets up negotiations and potential confrontations over spending, domestic programs and national security. Congress can also conduct oversight without first obtaining the president’s agreement to new legislation.

“No king”: Voters seek stronger checks and balances

The election offered evidence of substantial public demand for Congress to exercise greater independence.

About seven in 10 voters said Congress was not doing enough to provide checks and balances on the president, according to the AP Voter Poll. The finding also carries a caution for Democrats: Dissatisfaction with Republican governance does not necessarily translate into unconditional support for the opposing party.

The phrase “no king in America” expresses a principle underlying the constitutional system: Presidential authority exists alongside the powers of Congress and the courts. The same constitutional limits apply regardless of which party controls an institution.

For Jeffries, Schumer and the incoming majorities, the task will be to translate electoral success into accountable government — addressing economic concerns, examining military commitments and exercising congressional authority within the Constitution.

Central Florida News

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

Published

1 week 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