
Trump ‘harming' US IQ with attacks on education
His latest novel, James, is a reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn told from the perspective of the enslaved character Jim. It earned him this year's Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and Author of the Year award at the British Book Awards.
Just last year, his novel Erasure was adapted into the Oscar-winning film American Fiction, a biting satire about a frustrated Black author who pens a wildly stereotypical novel about inner-city life as a joke, only to see it become a runaway success. The film calls out the publishing industry's racial biases and questions the tendency to limit Black storytelling to trauma and poverty narratives.
He is also a literature professor at the University of Southern California – one of many academic institutions facing major budget cuts from the Trump administration.
We asked him if the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should still be taught and whether 'James' should be taught alongside it.
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Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Eve Jobs and Harry Charles' wedding preparations in full swing ahead of huge event
Team GB Olympic champ Harry Charles and American model Eve Jobs are set to swap vows in front of family, friends and even a failed American President candidate in one of the most lavish weddings of 2025 This weekend, the UK will play host to one of the most lavish weddings in the 2025 society calendar as Harry Charles and Eve Jobs become husband and wife. A List stars have already jetted to the Cotswolds where the lavish event is due to take place. With the groom reportedly worth as much as $2.5 million (£1.8 million) and the bride worth a reported $2 million (£1.5 million) the pair can afford to host a lavish party. However, the fact that Eve's mum is reportedly worth over $14 billion (£10.4 billion), it may be less of a surprise that the nuptials are set to cost several million. The couple have been an item for almost three years and have been engaged for less than a year. However, their romance has been clear for all to see as they have shared cute snaps of themselves on social media where they have openly declared their love - and they will become husband and wife on Saturday 26 July 2025. As the pair prepare to swap vows and begin their happy future together, photos have emerged of their wedding venue and church in the UK. Ariel shots of the St Michael & All Angels Church in Great Tew, Oxfordshire, show huge flower displays at the entrance of the almost 1,000 year old place of worship. The church was originally built in 1170 - and restored in 1827 by Thomas Rickman and stands proudly among the trees and green grass of the English countryside. Further snaps have shown huge tents and structures placed - with a red carpet stretching through the countryside. Eve is the youngest child of the late Apple business founder Steve Jobs and his businesswoman wife Laurene Powell. She has an older brother named Reed, 33, sister Erin, 29, and a 47-year-old half-sister named Lisa Brennan-Jobs. Eve's father died in October 2011 at the age of 56 after a battle against cancer. He had an estimated wealth of $7 billion (£5.2 billion) at the time of his death. Eve is a fashion model by profession and a keen equestrian. Her love for horses led to her meeting British Olympic show jumping competitor Harry Charles, 26 - who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games where he won gold in team jumping. He achieved the impressive feat with his arm strapped up having broken it four weeks before the games. The pair reportedly began dating in September 2022 - and Harry popped the question soon after winning gold at the 2024 Olympics. The happy couple have reportedly spared no expense for the event - splashing a reported $6.7 million (£5 million) on their big day. The pair have reportedly taken over the charming town of Witney and will host their wedding at Estelle Manor. Pre wedding celebrations reportedly took place in the nearby Soho Famhouse - with VIPs among those attending the celebrations. Celebs and high powered politicians are among those said to be jetting to the British countryside to watch the model and show jumping hunk say "I do". Failed American Presidential candidate Kamala Harris and music legend Bruce Springsteen are just two of the big names tipped to attend the ceremony. Estelle Manor is described as "Oxfordshire's most exclusive hotel" - helping the couple build a luxurious feel to their celebrations. The hotel has impressive amenities including a 25m pool, two paddle courts, and over 60 acres of land. The Grade II listed building boasts 108 bedrooms, 4 restaurants, and a spa - and it's real name is Eynsham Hall. Built in 1908, the country home initially hosted hunting parties - but was used as a maternity hospital rest and relaxation centre during World War II before becoming a police training centre and then, ultimately, being converted into a hotel. Ahead of their wedding, Eve enjoyed a sun-soaked hen do - heading to a luxury hotel on a sun soaked beach with close family and friends. She shared highlights from her fun-feulled trip last month, showing her cavorting around in a little white dress with a wedding veil and splashing in the sea with a lilo with the word "Bride" written on it. While it is unclear if Eve's proud mum, Laurene, is footing the wedding bill, she has previously suggested her children won't inherit much of her $14 billion fortune. She previously told the New York Times: "I inherited my wealth from my husband, who didn't care about the accumulation of wealth. "I'm not interested in legacy wealth building, and my children know that... Steve wasn't interested in that. If I live long enough, it ends with me." Steve and Laurene were married in 1991 and stayed together until his death in 2011. He died following a long fight against pancreatic cancer - which resulted in respiratory arrest. Steve was previously in a relationship with American memoirist and painter Chrisann Brennan, 70, with whom the Apple founder shared his first daughter, Lisa.


Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
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James Haskell almost bares all as he shows off weight loss in very revealing snap
Former rugby union star James Haskell split from his wife of five years, Chloe Madeley in 2024, but it looks like he has been working on his revenge body in recent months Former rugby union star James Haskell has shown off his weight loss transformation by leaving very little to the imagination in a daring towel snap. Fans had noticed the 40-year-old he was looking like he'd slimmed down in photos from a tennis event earlier this month. James, who split up with his wife of five years Chloe Madeley last year, wore a tight-fitting t-shirt to the event, held at 601 Queen's Road in London, for Lady Wimbledon's Rooftop Tennis Party. But the I'm A Celebrity star has gone one step further this morning, sharing a photo of himself naked in a hotel room. Dad-of-one James was completely in the nude, except for a necklace and a tiny portion of a white towel, which he held over his crotch to make the photo just about SFW. He smiled into the camera has he strategically placed the towel at his front but didn't caption the photo. His other Story posts saw him DJing at an event and watching the rugby. James' weight has yo-yoed over the years. From his muscular rugby days, to his leaner physique when he left the I'm A Celebrity jungle, to his current toned-up body now. The sports star, who became a tech-house DJ in recent years, has spoken openly about his changing body. After leaving his rugby career behind, having spent most of his years with the London Wasps, he announced he was retiring in 2019. He joined the I'm A Celebrity cast the same year, and his diet drastically changed from gorging on 4,000 calories a day, to eating the measly in-camp meals of rice and beans. Dropping to around 700 calories a day, James looked visibly slimmed down when he left the jungle - but admitted later his 10kg loss was mostly muscle mass, telling the presenters Joel Dommett and Emily Atack he was "wasting away." He told Extra Camp while he was on the ITV reality show: "I never thought I would look at a menu and chose crocodile feet. We're still only getting 700 calories per day. "We're slowly wasting away, but wasting away with dignity!" Speaking about the campmates' attempts to spruce up their meals, he added: "We're literally scraping the barrel of discovering different ways of cooking rice and beans and trying to add some flavour." Just after leaving the jungle, the UK was plunged into lockdown amid the Covid pandemic, causing him to lose another 19lbs thanks to a strict diet. He shared some comparison photos of his body on Instagram, writing: "I got bored in lockdown 2 and saw how big I could get... 130kgs. "Lockdown 3 I have gone the other way. I'm 8 weeks in and have gone from 122kgs to 113kgs." He added that he had been training remotely with a PT, adding: "The idea is to get leaner now and then build back up slowly over the coming week. It's been really fun to have a goal and stick to it. It gives you purpose, routine and discipline. All things we strive on as humans." Haskell split up with his wife of five years Chloe Madelely in 2024, with the former couple still co-parenting their two-year-old Bodhi, who turns three in August. Recently, James has admitted that he was to blame for the end of his relationship with Chloe, who is the daughter of former This Morning hosts Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. He revealed to the Mail: "If I put more time into my marriage than I did Guinness, then I wouldn't be divorced now. It's one of those things in life where some things don't work out, but I have so much love for my daughter and Chloe. It's teamwork. 'What we all forget is when you have children and a marriage finishes, it's all about the kids. Chloe and I are amazing co-parents. Our priority is always Bodhi."


Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
The 1% Club fans baffled as they're left feeling like 'absolute geniuses'
The 1% Club, hosted by Lee Mack, has left viewers seriously divided after a question from the 10% round was shared on social media. The 1% Club enthusiasts have confessed they're "worrying for society" following a particularly contentious question. The popular ITV quiz show, hosted by the witty Lee Mack, often splits viewers with some left scratching their heads and others quickly identifying the correct answer - and this latest conundrum was no exception. The programme's unique format involves 100 participants tackling a series of questions that have been previously answered by the public, with each round increasing in difficulty, culminating in a final question known only to an elite 1%. As host Lee Mack presents the 15 questions, contestants are gradually eliminated. Each contestant starts with a £1,000 stake and must secure their answers within a tight 30-second window, either advancing to the next stage or using a pass after the 50% mark. Reaching the final round not only brings prestige but also the chance to bag up to £100,000 or a share of the prize money. Typically, the 10% question proves to be one of the toughest, with an average of just 10 contestants getting it right on the show, reports Bristol Live. However, one particular question has sparked debate among fans on social media, leading to a split opinion over whether it should be more straightforward to solve, while leaving others utterly perplexed. Circulating on Facebook, a fan posted the puzzling query: "Two has 3, three has 5, and four has 4. Logically, how many does five have?" Upon realising the answer was based on the number of letters in the word (with five having 4), one person commented: "If that's 10% then I worry for society." Echoing the sentiment, a fan responded: "That was my thought too," while another quickly boasted: "4 quickest I ever got one." Yet, someone offered a different take: "If 3 has 5, then 5 would have 3." To which another retorted: "You would deffo be out," and someone else chuckled: "Better use your pass mate." Confusion reigned for some, with a comment reading: "Is this an American question," and another admitting defeat: "I can't work it out." Many felt the question was far too simple for its supposed difficulty level, with remarks such as "too easy" for a 10% question and one stating: "I got it instantly when reading. That was easy as, how is that a 10% question?" Others suggested a higher difficulty rating, with one adding: "Definitely like a 50% question at most though." The low difficulty rating baffled many, prompting one to jest: "How is this only 10%? Like seriously are they asking chickens, toddlers and dogs?" And amidst the mixed reactions, one individual humorously declared: "I must be an absolute genius."