Daily Briefing: 'You're wrong to mess with Black history'

Protestors rallied against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis following his administration's attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Also in the news: One person is dead and three others are injured after a shooting at a shopping mall in El Paso, Texas, while the Michigan State University community mourned three students slain in a campus shooting.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Have you heard about Flaco the owl?

Here's Thursday's headlines.

Black leaders rally against Florida Gov. DeSantis

Hundreds of Black legislators, preachers and activists rallied against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives Wednesday, threatening to pull students from Florida schools and universities.

Demonstrators including Rev. Al Sharpton protested in response to not only the state's rejection of the College Board's Advanced Placement African American Studies class but also the governor's plans to gut college diversity programs, continue his migrant relocation program and pursue policies that are viewed as harmful to the LGBTQ community.

• The rally came after DeSantis’ administration decided in January to reject a new AP course on African American Studies, claiming the class is "inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value."

• While the Department of Education never cited which law or laws the course violates, DeSantis last year signed the Stop WOKE Act into law to restrict how colleges and workplaces talk about race, gender and sexuality.

• A new framework released in February removes many of the topics from the AP course Florida objected to, or they are included only as optional project topics. But the College Board was firm that the changes to the framework have been in the works for a year, in consultation with more than 300 professors.

📷 Photo of the day: Black leaders rally against DeSantis 📷

The protest on Wednesday, which started as a march from Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Tallahassee to the Capitol building, included Rev. Al Sharpton and was led by Tallahassee church leader Rev. R.B. Holmes. "You're wrong to mess with Black history," Holmes said. Read more about the protest and click here for more photos from the demonstration.

1 dead, 3 injured in shooting at El Paso, Texas, shopping mall

Authorities in El Paso, Texas, said one person was killed and three other people were injured Wednesday after a shooting in a shopping mall, adding to the dozens of people already killed this year in mass shootings across the United States. The El Paso Police Department said hours after the gunfire that two people had been taken into custody, though details of what led to the shooting remained unclear. Read more

More news to know now

• 📰 New details of Georgia Trump investigation will be revealed Thursday.

• 📡 NORAD tracks suspected spy balloons, nuclear missiles and Santa.

• 🔵 FDA: Make the overdose-reversal drug Narcan available for retail sale.

• 👉 The case of a Virginia 6-year-old who shot his teacher exposes flaws in how schools treat students with disabilities.

• ⚫ Two whales found dead along the Atlantic Coast were likely hit by boats, NOAA says.

• 🎧 On today's 5 Things podcast, USA TODAY Personal Finance and Markets Reporter Elisabeth Buchwald looks at how to file taxes for your side hustle. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker.

🌤 What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

MSU students rally at state Capitol

Two days after a gunman's rampage left three students dead on the Michigan State University campus, students joined community members at the state Capitol in Lansing demanding to be heard. Sitting on the Capitol steps during a rally, several of those in attendance held signs expressing their anger and frustration about the profusion of gun deaths across the country. Democratic state lawmakers responding to the MSU shooting say they will introduce state legislation to address gun violence that stalled in the past. While they provided a general outline of bills they plan to put forward, exact details on the forthcoming proposals and their timing remain unclear. Read more

• MSU shooting suspect had previous gun charge; family says he was ''secluded.''

• ''I am so mad'': Michigan faith leaders demand new gun control laws after MSU shooting.

• As nation reels from Michigan State shooting, courts wrestle with access to guns.

• The father of the Highland Park mass shooting suspect has been indicted by a grand jury.

Debt limit forecast says US could be in default by summer

Debt ceiling default could come as soon as July. The Congressional Budget Office Wednesday declared that the U.S. Treasury will run out of money to pay government bills such as Social Security and military paychecks by the summer unless lawmakers agree on a deal to raise the debt limit ceiling. That doesn't leave much time to reach a deal and, as it turns out, there's not a lot of places Democrats and Republicans can agree to cut – at least in the short term. Read more

• Here's how the debt limit forecast could impact you.

• Debt ceiling negotiations leave GOP few options. Where can they cut (and where can't they)?

Just for subscribers:

• 👀 ''Pseudomutuality'': Why it takes so long to spot narcissistic abuse.

• 🗨 Uniquely powerful, Iowa governor could be a caucus kingmaker. Why she won't play favorites.

• 🌴 Here's one federal mandate all Americans can love: Workers need paid family leave.

• 🏈 Analysis: Why the terms of Oklahoma and Texas divorce from Big 12 are good for all parties.

These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here. 

Raquel Welch, star of 'One Million Years B.C.' dies at 82

Raquel Welch, the Hollywood star famous for her 1960s roles in "One Million Years B.C." and "Fantastic Voyage," has died at 82. Welch died Wednesday morning following a brief illness, her manager Steve Sauer confirmed to USA TODAY. Welch's career spanned 50 years, 30 films and 50 TV series and appearances. She won a Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy or musical for her role in “The Three Musketeers” in 1975, and was nominated for a Globe in the 1987 TV movie "Right to Die." Read more

• Here's how to watch Welch's five essential roles, from ''Fantastic Voyage'' to ''One Million Years B.C.''

One more thing

• 🏈 Damar Hamlin explained his controversial Super Bowl jacket.

• 😱 She wrote a review about a ballet director's work. He smeared feces on her face.

• 💈 Olaplex hair-care company is facing claims of hair loss, bald spots and skin conditions.

• ⭐ Rihanna is the cover star of British Vogue with A$AP Rocky and their baby.

• 🏆 Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City celebrated their Super Bowl 57 win in a victory parade.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DeSantis, El Paso, MSU shooting, debt, Rihanna, Patrick Mahomes: Daily Briefing