Florida Governor Ron DeSantis wants to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss her criticism of the state’s Black history school curriculum standards after she joined widespread outrage over newly approved guidelines that diminish the impact of slavery and racist violence. “In Florida we are unafraid to have an open and honest dialogue about the issues. And you clearly have no trouble ducking down to Florida on short notice,” the governor wrote in a letter on 31 July, referencing her recent remarks in the state. “So given your grave concern (which, I must assume, is sincere) about what you think our standards say, I am officially inviting you back down to Florida to discuss our African American History standards,” he added. The administration also has invited William B Allen, one of the members of the working group that developed the standards who has a long history of inflammatory remarks and partisan rhetoric. The Independent has requested comment from the office of Ms Harris. The vice president travelled to Orlando on Tuesday to deliver remarks at the 20th Women’s Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Quadrennial Convention. Her visit follows remarks in the state on 21 July to condemn the state’s “propaganda” and the “extremist, so-called leaders” who support it. Though she did not name him or any other Florida officials, the vice president’s speech was directly aimed at the governor, whose administration has sought to radically overhaul public education and establish a “parents’ rights” agenda that restricts honest lessons of race and racism, threatens discussion of LGBT+ people and events, targets libraries and reshapes local school boards. A new set of standards for African American history in Florida schools will teach middle schoolers how enslaved people “developed skills” that could be “applied for personal benefit”. Another guideline instructs high schoolers to be taught that a massacre led by white supremacists against Black residents in Ocoee to stop them from voting in 1920 included “acts of violence perpetrated against and by African Americans.” Civil rights advocates, educators and lawmakers have warned that the guidelines present a distorted, revisionist picture of American history. “Adults know what slavery really was. It involved rape, it involved torture, it involved taking a baby from their mother, it involved some of the worst examples of depriving humanity of people in our world,” Ms Harris said in her remarks in Jacksonville. Members of the working group and the Florida Board of Education have defended the unanimously approved standards, assuring that they include comprehensive lessons on American history, including its darkest chapters. Mr Allen, a Black professor emeritus at Michigan State University who also sits on the national advisory board of the right-wing think tank Center for Urban Renewal and Education, has repeatedly defended the working group’s guidelines. A review of his past statements from Popular Information reveals a history of incendiary, contrarian remarks used to bolster and legitimise right-wing ideology. In 1989, he faced protests while participating in a panel titled “Blacks? Animals? Homosexuals? What is a Minority?” on which he claimed that special classes of protection for LGBT+ people and other minorities are a “fatal” mistake that heighten “tensions and antagonism”. Creating legal protections for minority groups “is the beginning of the evil of reducing American blacks to an equality with animals and then seducing other groups to seek the same charitable treatment,” according to prepared remarks. His speech was denounced by the US Civil Rights Commission – on which he was then serving as chair – as “disgusting” and “necessarily inflammatory”. That same year, he also was charged with kidnapping a 14-year-old girl from a Native American reservation in Arizona while she was the subject of a custody battle between her mother and a white couple who adopted her. Mr Allen also has opposed race-conscious admissions in higher education, including leading a campaign with a group that included members of the conservative Christian Hillsdale College and right-wing interest group the Heritage Foundation. He also has criticised The 1619 Project, which is explicitly banned from Florida schools, and has rejected concepts including “systemic racism, institutional racism [and] white privilege.” Mr DeSantis has routinely accused “the left” and Democratic officials of “indoctrinating” students in the state while he promotes an agenda that bans honest discussions of race and racism, sexuality and gender. The governor’s administration also recently approved materials from right-wing political advocacy group PragerU to be included in K-12 classrooms. The founder himself has said that those lessons are explicitly designed to indoctrinate. The campaign for Mr DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican nomination for president in 2024, has fired back at Black Republicans in Congress who have joined criticism of the African American history standards, including US Reps Byron Donalds and John James, as well as 2024 rival and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott. Both Mr James and Mr Donalds have endorsed Donald Trump. Read More Why Florida’s new curriculum on slavery is becoming a political headache for Ron DeSantis Most of Florida work group behind controversial new guidelines on African American history did not agree, report says The GOP primary is already decided. We’re just pretending it isn’t

An unknown settlement is reached after Henrietta Lacks' cells were used for medical advances.

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As it's the first day of August, Taylor Swift commemorated the start of the month on Twitter referencing her song of the same name to the delight of Swifties. The 33-year-old pop star took to the platform and wrote: "get in the car it's august," which already has 12.5m views and counting. Part of the tweet references lyrics from the folklore track: "Remember when I pulled up and said, "Get in the car"/And then canceled my plans just in case you'd call?" Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter As the song is the eighth track on the album, 'August' is about a summer romance from the perspective of the girl (Swift said is named August) who James cheated on Betty with. According to Genius, the storyline is preceded by “cardigan” and followed by “betty.” Of course, this sparked a meme frenzy as Swifties shared their glee at Swift showing the song some love for this month. While fans are left wondering whether Swift is hinting at a new release, with people speculating that she is referencing her song 'Getaway Car,' from her 2017 album Reputation, and believe this may be the next re-recording. Elsewhere, Taylor Swift fans caused an earthquake at her Seattle concert, Taylor Swift fans erupt into song after plane from the concert was delayed, and Taylor Swift becomes the first woman to have four albums chart in the top 10. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

The owner of Regal Cinemas announced Tuesday that it had emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after slashing billions off its debts.

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Lexicographer Susie Dent has destroyed Rishi Sunak in the most subtle way with her “word of the day”. Dent is an expert on all things words, having appeared on the TV word-based game show Countdown since 1992. Dent is known for referencing the news and particularly politics with her daily word posts on Twitter and today, prime minister Sunak appears to be her target. Sunak has made headlines recently by very quickly changing his stance on car usage and green energy. It was so out of the blue, that many suspect it has everything to do with the Conservative party marginally retaining the Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat in a recent by-election, based solely on a campaign against London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Since then, the PM has ordered a review of low-traffic zones, is reportedly considering scrapping 20mph speed limits and has committed to offering more licenses for firms to drill for oil and gas. With this in mind, Dent tweeted: “Word of the day is ‘snollygoster’ (19th century): one who abandons their principles for short-term gain or power.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Many suspect Dent’s post was a dig at Sunak and his apparent abandonment of green policies to win votes. One person tweeted: “Word of the day couldn't be more apt for the snollygosters in the @Conservatives today. “With particular reference to snollygosters in chief @RishiSunak @grantshapps. Burning our future for their immediate self-interest.” Someone else wrote: “Snollygoster Sunak fries the planet for political gain..” “Prime Miniature Snollygoster - has a certain ring to it?” said another. Environmental group Greenpeace described Sunak’s decision to grant oil and gas licenses as “a cynical political ploy to sow division”. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Fans are calling Lana del Rey a "prophet" after Doja Cat, Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello, and Cardi B have all found themselves in controversy in recent weeks. Back in 2020, the 'Video Games' singer posted to Instagram a letter titled 'question for the culture' where she expressed resentment towards the music industry's standards for women saying there was no place for her and her music in the industry. Whilst making her point she mentioned the artists Doja Cat, Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Kehlani, Nicki Minaj and Beyonce, saying they get praised for writing songs about "being sexy, wearing no clothes, f***ing, cheating etc" whilst del Ray gets accused of "glamorising abuse" in her songs. Her post was widely criticised at the time, accusing the singer of being racist for bringing down other female artists, the majority of them being women of colour. But over two years later, the 38-year-old is back in conversations for her post as her fans claim she's a "prophet" after many of the musicians she mentioned in 2020 have found themselves in the middle of controversy. Doja Cat has faced backlash for being rude to fans, as well as dating a Twitch streamer who has had allegations of harassment. Ariana Grande has been accused of cheating on her husband, who had recently welcomed a baby with his wife. Cardi B also was in the middle of a debate after she threw her microphone at a fan who threw a drink at her whilst she was performing. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Del Ray's apparent ability to predict the downfall of these artists has many shocked at the accuracy: Kehlani, Nicki Minaj, and Beyoncé are the three artists seemingly left on the list, so only time will tell if Del Ray truly is a prophet. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Anne-Marie is taking some time off from music to "live a little" and get more inspiration.

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With Margot Robbie glowing her way down the pink carpets for Barbie, there's one question on everyone's minds: What is the secret behind her incredible skin? Well, it'll set you back a cool $1,600 (£1,242). While she's previously confessed to loving budget buys including Johnson's makeup wipes and nipple balm as lip balm (yes, really), some of Robbie's other favourite skincare must-haves include La Prairie's Caviar Luxe face cream (£450), and ZIIP Beauty's GX Series Nano Current, coming in at £425. Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter