Black widow venom is about 15 times as potent as a rattlesnake's, yet these charismatic spiders generally aren't a threat to humans.

Republican US Rep Byron Donalds has repeatedly echoed other GOP officials in a specious crusade against “critical race theory” and “woke” indoctrination in American schools. But on 26 July, the Florida congressman called on Florida’s Department of Education to “correct” newly approved curriculum guidelines for middle school students to learn how enslaved people “developed skills” that could be “applied for personal benefit”. “The new African-American standards in FL are good, robust, [and] accurate,” he wrote on Twitter, now known as X. “That being said, the attempt to feature the personal benefits of slavery is wrong [and] needs to be adjusted. That obviously wasn’t the goal [and] I have faith that FLDOE will correct this.” In an interview with Florida’s WINK-TV, Mr Donalds, who is Black, suggested the standards need “some adjustments” and that Florida’s Board of Education could “bring refinement” to the curriculum standards for African American history lessons that the board unanimously approved earlier this month. The standards have been widely derided by educators, Democratic officials and the White House; Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to the state last week to condemn “propaganda” and the “extremist, so-called leaders” who support it, a not-so-thinly veiled strike against Governor Ron DeSantis and his 2024 campaign for the Republican nomination for president. After his comments, Mr Donalds felt the wrath of the DeSantis campaign and other state officials. “Did Kamala Harris write this tweet?” replied DeSantis aide Christina Pushaw. Florida’s Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr said that the state standards would not be changed “at the behest of a woke [White House], nor at the behest of a supposedly conservative congressman.” “Supposed conservatives in the federal government are pushing the same false narrative that originated from the [White House],” said DeSantis press secretary Jeremy Redfern. “Florida isn’t going to hide the truth for political convenience,” he added. “Maybe the congressman shouldn’t swing for the liberal media fences like [the vice president].” In March, Mr Donalds joined other prominent Florida Republicans to endorse Donald Trump for president. “The Congressman also calls it like he sees it, and if he thinks something is BS, he’ll tell you. That’s why we like him so much,” said Trump aide Jason Miller, who called attempts to “smear” Mr Donalds “a disgrace”. Mr Donalds responded to the inter-party backlash, stating that “anyone who can’t accurately interpret what I said is disingenuous and is desperately attempting to score political points.” Read More Why Florida’s new curriculum on slavery is becoming a political headache for Ron DeSantis DeSantis will headline barbecue billed as the largest annual gathering of South Carolina Republicans Watch: Diver rescues shark hooked to artificial reef Coast Guard calls off search for man who jumped off Carnival cruise ship

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed two bills banning so-called conversion therapy, a scientifically discredited practice intended to change a person's sexual orientation, for minors in the state, the governor's office announced Wednesday.

The 12 'Albums of the Year' shortlisted for the 2023 Mercury Prize are here.

Greece’s wildfires are burning through the country’s natural carbon sinks in the latest sign of how heat waves

Hugh Grant's role in 'Wonka' has been criticised by an actor with dwarfism, who believes the Oompa-Loompas should be portrayed by those with the condition.

Why was a major candidate for the presidency just asked about a lesson set to be taught to middle school students in Florida social studies classes? Governor Ron DeSantis found himself answering yet more questions about his state’s new conservative-friendly social studies curriculum at a press event in Utah over the weekend as the Republican sees continued signs that his record on racial and social issues in the Sunshine State will be an issue in the upcoming GOP primary debates and, potentially, the 2024 general election. Mr DeSantis’s campaign held a summit with donors in Utah this past weekend where top advisers pledged a reboot to the Florida governor’s stagnating presidential bid including cutbacks to pricy expenditures including private events that have not helped his standings in the polls improve. The candidate himself held a press conference on Friday, where the question about Florida schools was directed to him. The Florida Department of Education’s social studies standards for the 2023-2024 school year, released this month, provide lesson topics for middle school teachers including a “benchmark clarification” which instructs educators to teach students that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit”. It isn’t clear what “their personal benefit” would be in this scenario. The line is included as part of a broader lesson entitled: “Examine the various duties and trades performed by slaves (e.g., agricultural work, painting, carpentry, tailoring, domestic service, blacksmithing, transportation).” Mr DeSantis has come under fire for the curriculum changes, from both Democrats and Republicans alike. Last week, Vice President Kamala Harris railed against Mr DeSantis without naming the Florida governor. “There is a national agenda afoot. Extremist so-called leaders for months have dared to ban books. … Extremists here in Florida, passing a law ‘Don’t Say Gay,’ trying to instill fear in our teachers … And now, on top of that, they want to replace history with lies.” And former New Jersey Gov Chris Christie, who is seeking the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, also called out the governor for what he claimed was a lack of leadership. While the change to the curriculum itself is subtle — a single sentence added to a much larger document — the news of its insertion played into a larger narrative of Florida’s right-wing shift under the DeSantis administration. Florida schools, in particular, are the biggest battleground for this war, where liberal groups and nonpartisan experts alike warn that students are increasingly the recipients of a whitewashed educational environment devoid of anything that conservatives find unseemly or uncomfortable, such as discussions of the sins of slavery, representation of LGBT+ persons in the classroom or teaching materials, and other narratives that brush up against conservative belief systems. The changes to Florida schools had already earned the state the condemnation of the NAACP and other civil rights groups, something that has enraged conservatives and drawn the state into an ugly national fight against any group or organisation that the governor perceives to have a liberal agenda, including the Disney corporation. Now, he is officially a candidate for president and facing the reality that his loyally conservative record in Florida has failed to allow him to make serious inroads against Donald Trump and his support base, while he remains engaged in fighting off competitive rivals like Vivek Ramaswamy and others in the crowded Republican primary contest. It remains to be seen whether his campaign reset (which continued this week with layoffs of roughly a third of his staff) will be a necessary fat-trimming measure or the sign of his campaign’s early demise; what is certain is that the issue of the quality of education in Florida’s schools is not going away, at least any time soon. Read More Four cars in Ron DeSantis motorcade crash into each other on way to Tennessee fundraisers Biden laughs off impeachment threat after McCarthy teases inquiry Trump goes on late-night Truth Social rampage against ‘loser’ and ‘lowlife’ Mitt Romney Ron DeSantis: The new Jeb Bush Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his presidency? DeSantis campaign fires aide behind neo-Nazi meme video

The energy industry is warning that efficiency targets are likely to be on the chopping block as Conservative

By Liliana Salgado PHOENIX Arizona's saguaro cacti, a symbol of the U.S. West, are leaning, losing arms and

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced Tuesday that organizers submitted enough valid signatures to put an amendment on the November ballot to enshrine abortion rights in the state's constitution.

The US Department of Education has begun a civil rights investigation into whether Harvard University discriminates in its admissions process by giving preferential treatment to children of wealthy donors and alumni, roughly three weeks after a lawsuit made those allegations.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced new action to guarantee access to mental health care, unveiling a proposed rule that would ensure mental health benefits on private insurance plans more closely mirror physical health benefits.