University of Oklahoma instructor on leave over essay citing Bible

A University of Oklahoma graduate instructoris on administrative leaveafter a student filed a complaint, saying the grade she received on an essay where she cited the Bible was a violation of her rights.

In her essay, which was in response to an article about how people are perceived based on societal expectations of gender, junior Samantha Fulnecky wrote that traditional gender roles should not be considered stereotypes,according to an earlier Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, report.She cited the Bible to support her stance that eliminating gender in society would be "detrimental" because that would put people "farther from God's original plan for humans."

She received zero points out of 25 on the essay. The instructor said Fulnecky failed to use empirical evidence and called parts of her essay offensive.

Fulnecky eventually filed a formal discrimination complaint with the university, along with a grade appeal. She alsocontacted Gov. Kevin Stitt.

OU announced on Nov. 30 that the school hasplaced the graduate instructor on administrative leave.

Here's what we know so far:

What was in OU student Samantha Fulnecky's essay?

You can read Fulnecky's full essay below.

Read the essay:OU student says essay grade was a violation of her rights. Read it here

How OU professors responded to essay, Fulnecky's response

In the feedback on her essay, Fulnecky's instructor called her claims on gender "highly offensive," telling her, "I implore you [to] apply some more perspective and empathy in your work."

Both instructors refused to change Fulnecky's grade.

You can read a transcript ofthe conversation between Fulnecky and her professors here.

Gov. Kevin Stitt responds to OU, complaint

In a post on X, Stitt said he was calling on the OU regents to review the results of the investigation to "ensure other students aren't unfairly penalized for their beliefs."

The 1st Amendment is foundational to our freedom & inseparable from a well rounded education. The situation at OU is deeply concerning. I'm calling on the OU regents to review the results of the investigation & ensure other students aren't unfairly penalized for their beliefs.

— Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt)November 30, 2025

Oklahoman reportersAlexia Aston and Alex Gadden contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman:University of Oklahoma instructor on leave over essay citing Bible

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December 02, 2025

University of Oklahoma instructor on leave over essay citing Bible

A University of Oklahoma graduate instructoris on administrative leaveafter a student filed a complaint, saying the grade...

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Lithuania accuses Belarus of 'cynical hybrid attack' as balloons disrupt airport

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Tensions between Lithuania andBelarushave escalated after meteorological balloons from Belarus forced Lithuania to repeatedly shut down its main airport in the past weeks, leaving thousands of people stranded.

While the balloons are used to smuggle cigarettes into Lithuania, officials in Vilnius see their numbers and trajectories as deliberate acts of disruption orchestrated by Belarus, a close Russian ally, as Europe remains on high alert after droneintrusions into NATO's airspacereached an unprecedented scale in September and theRussian invasion of Ukrainenears its fourth year.

'A cynical hybrid attack'

In the most recent incident, operations at Vilnius airport were suspended for 11 hours on Saturday night. Lithuanian authorities said at least 60 balloons were flown from the woods in Belarus, 40 of them reaching areas critical for aviation safety and making it one of the most serious incidents to date. Lithuanian aviation authorities said the balloons appeared to be sent at regular time intervals and directed at the runways.

"This is a cynical hybrid attack against our economy, aviation security, and the entire nation," Taurimas Valys, Lithuania's deputy minister of foreign affairs, said about the incident.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had previously said that Belarus would apologize if its involvement was established.

On Monday, Minsk pointed a finger at Lithuania for allegedly sending a drone into the country's airspace, claiming it was to be used for espionage and the delivery of "extremist materials."

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned Lithuania's chargé d'affaires, Erikas Vilkanecas, and demanded an explanation and a probe into the incident.

"The Republic of Belarus reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security, based on the current situation," the ministry said in a statement Monday.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said Tuesday she had received no information suggesting that Lithuania was involved in the incident, according to the BNS news agency.

High tensions

In October, Lithuaniaclosedits borders with Belarus after balloons repeatedly disrupted activity at the Vilnius airport.

In retaliation, Minsk prevented over 1,000 Lithuanian cargo trucks from exiting Belarus. Those trucks remain in Belarus, although the Lithuanian government gave in to pressure from the national logistics companies and reopened the border less than three weeks after it was shuttered.

Since then, Lithuanian authorities have noted that the number of balloons flying in has continued to rise.

"If necessary, we will close the border, but please understand that we must coordinate every action with our strategic partners," Ruginienė said on Tuesday.

An attempt at a solution

Lithuanian authorities offered 1 million euros to projects that could help defend against the disruption.

IT Logika, one of the beneficiaries, plans to develop an Intelligent Airspace Security System (IOEAS) to detect and identify targets at any time of the day, as well as a high-power laser to safely shoot down multiple balloons during the same flight. Object trajectory prediction and recognition would be performed usingartificial intelligencealgorithms. Real-time information would be provided from drone base stations, radars and other geographically distributed sensors.

Other planned measures include new harsh punishments for any activities that might be linked to cigarette smuggling and changing flight schedules.

"We are considering the possibility of moving night flights to other airports like Kaunas," Ignas Algirdas Dobrovolskas, an advisor to the prime minister, said. "We are now focusing on how to actually help people and businesses," he added.

Associated Press writer Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.

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December 02, 2025

Lithuania accuses Belarus of 'cynical hybrid attack' as balloons disrupt airport

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Tensions between Lithuania andBelarushave escalated after meteorological balloons from Belarus ...

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Anonymous $50M gift will cover some tuition for medical lab students at University of Washington

An anonymous donation expected to exceed $50 million is helping cover tuition costs for medical laboratory science students at the University of Washington for the next half-century.

The dean of the university's School of Medicine, Dr. Tim Dellit, made the surprise announcement Monday to about 30 grateful undergrads, who will each see two quarters' worth of tuition covered for their senior-year clinical rotations, The Seattle Times reported.

"I'm really shocked," said Jasmine Wertz, eyes filling with tears. "Overwhelmed. Extremely grateful."

Students in the program are trained to perform clinical lab tests on patient samples, which are used to help diagnose, treat and prevent disease and other conditions. Their clinical rotations are so time-consuming that it's hard to hold down part-time jobs during them.

RELATED STORY |Trump Administration details plans to further dismantle Department of Education

The gift is the latest in a series of recent donations helping pay for college around the country. Last year, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York received a $1 billion donation from Ruth Gottesman, a former professor and the widow of a Wall Street investor, making tuition there free.

Most medical students at Johns Hopkins University no longer pay tuition thanks to a $1 billion gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies.

In September at Marshall University in West Virginia, President Brad Smith and his wife, Alys Smith, announced a $50 million gift to promote a program aimed at eliminating student debt, in part by covering tuition for West Virginia students with family income of $65,000 or less.

The University of Washington announcement on Monday is worth about $8,000 to $10,000 per student, said UW Medicine spokesperson Susan Gregg. The program will also be able to expand from 70 to 100 students over the next 10 years.

The donor, from Washington state, wishes to remain anonymous, but "had a relationship with this program," Gregg said. The donor is also a fan of the local burger chain Dick's, and burgers were piled high atop platters as the students celebrated.

ICYMI |Brown University rejects Trump administration's higher education proposal

The field of medical laboratory services has faced increasing demand and an aging workforce in Washington, according to UW Medicine. Those factors have resulted in an "urgent need to grow the pipeline of highly skilled clinical laboratory professionals," the health care system said in a news release.

"You are the glue, in many ways, of our entire health system," Dellit told the students. "You are the unsung heroes. You work behind the scenes that allow all of the health care machinery to work."

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Anonymous $50M gift will cover some tuition for medical lab students at University of Washington

An anonymous donation expected to exceed $50 million is helping cover tuition costs for medical laboratory science stu...

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Miley Cyrus Sparks Engagement Rumors With Maxx Morando After 4 Years of Dating

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The Gist

• Miley Cyrus sparked engagement rumors with her longtime boyfriend Maxx Morando.

• The singer appeared to be wearing a diamond ring on her left hand at the Avatar: Fire and Ash world premiere.

• The couple has been linked since 2021.

It looks likeMiley CyrusandMaxx Morandomay have a lot to celebrate this holiday season. At the world premiere ofAvatar: Fire and Ashon December 1, the 33-year-old singer was spotted wearing a diamond ring onthatfinger while posing alongside her rumored fiancé, 27. She posed for several photos on the red carpet with her left hand on Morando's chest—her new ring on full display. Reps for Cyrus and Morando did not immediately respond toInStyle's request for comment.

The couple has been dating for around four years, after debuting their relationship at theGucciLove Parade fashion show in November of 2021 following a blind date setup. "We got put on a blind date," she toldBritish Voguein 2023. "Well, it was blind for me and not really for him. I thought, 'The worst that can happen is I leave.'"

Getty Images

A month later, Morando was captured in a fan video supporting Cyrus during her NBC special,Miley's New Year's Eve Party.

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Over the years, the pair has kept their relationship mostly under wraps, save for the occasional gushing quotes. Last year, Cyrus opened up about the similarities they share, as well as the ways they differ—she is six years older than Morando.

"He's very similar to me. We just don't take life too seriously," she toldHarper's Bazaarat the time. "He looks at life really differently than I do. He grew up with a laptop. I had a desktop computer that I shared with my brothers and sisters. … Honestly, he's raised our dog off Reddit. I'm like,Are you sure we're supposed to be doing this?And he's like,On Reddit it says blah, blah, blah."

Getty Images

Earlier this year, the duo had a rare outing at the2025 Oscars. Cyrus debutedbleach eyebrowson the red carpet in a partially sheer black dress before changing into a differentLBDand rocking baby bangs. Morando, for his part, looked dapper in a black tuxedo before dialing down the dressiness in a double breasted suit and sneakers.

Read the original article onInStyle

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December 02, 2025

Miley Cyrus Sparks Engagement Rumors With Maxx Morando After 4 Years of Dating

Getty Images The Gist Miley Cyrus sparked engagement rumors with her longtime boyfriend Maxx Morando. The singer appeared to be wearing a...

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Dave Coulier Reveals New Cancer Diagnosis Months After Beating Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Dave Coulier announced he has a new type of cancer, this time of the head and neck

NEED TO KNOW

• The news comes after he beat non-Hodgkin lymphoma earlier this year

• The Full House star says the cancer is treatable, and he'll be doing targeted radiation

Dave Coulieris facing another devastating diagnosis, months after beating stage 3 non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

During an appearance onToday, theFull Housestar announced that he was recently newly diagnosed with p16 squamous carcinoma, which is a type of head and neck cancer. He said the new cancer was discovered when he went for a checkup and PET scan.

"Totally unrelated to the previous cancer that I had," he said. "So in October of this year, I went in for a PET scan, just a routine check-up and something flared on the PET scan. It turned out that I have P16 squamous carcinoma at the base of my tongue. So I said to the doctors, I said, 'Well, did this happen because of the lymphoma?' And they said, 'Totally unrelated.'"

Doctors explained he had to undergo 35 rounds of radiation. "I'll be done [on] Dec. 31," he said.

Co-anchorCraig Melvinasked him what the prognosis is. "Prognosis is very good for P16 squamous carcinoma," Coulier said. "So it has a 90+ curability rate. But the thing that has really saved my life, Craig, is that early detection saved my life, not just the first time but the second time as well. So I hope you're getting your check-ups. I hope your colonoscopies and breast exams and prostate exams, they will save your life."

While on the morning news program, the actor also revealed he created a digital marketplace calledAwareMarketthat's devoted to the sale of toxin-free, holistic products. The inspiration came as he tried to rid toxic products from his life as he was going through chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

In November of 2024, Coulierrevealed his stage 3 non-Hodgkin Lymphoma diagnosisexclusively to PEOPLE. He explained that an upper respiratory infection resulted in swelling of his lymph nodes, which led him to get tested and then eventually diagnosed in October 2024.

"This has been a really fast roller-coaster ride of a journey," he said at the time. "I looked at how those words affected my wife Melissa and I thought, you know what, I'm going to be strong throughout this, not just for me, but I'm going to be strong for her."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The two cancer diagnosis are not the first time the beloved actor, has been affected by the disease.

"I lost my mom to breast cancer. I lost my sister Sharon to breast cancer. She was 36 years old. I lost my niece, Shannon. She was 29 years old," he told PEOPLE in 2024, adding that his older sister Karen was also going through cancer alongside him.

"I saw what those women in my family went through, and I thought to myself, 'If I can be just 1/10th of a percent as strong as they were, then I'm going to be just fine,' " he added.

In an March interview withParade, he gave an update on his chemotherapy treatments, noting that they were difficult, and that he had days where he wasn't sure where things were headed.

Tara Ziemba/Getty

He said that he and his wifeMelissa, whom hemarried in July 2014, even started to have "what if" conversations when he was struggling with his treatment.

"After [the fifth round of] chemo, he was like, 'I don't know if I could do this again,'" Melissa told the outlet. "He was like, 'I'm prepared either way. If I die, I die. And if I can stay here, great. I want to.' Those conversations were obviously so tough."

Coulier says that by publicly sharing both of his journey with cancer, he hopes he can inspire others to get tested early.

"Take great care of yourself, because there's a lot to live for," he told fans in 2024. "And if that means talking with your doctors or getting a mammogram or a breast exam or colonoscopy, it can really make a big change in your life."

Read the original article onPeople

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Dave Coulier Reveals New Cancer Diagnosis Months After Beating Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Dave Coulier announced he has a new type of cancer, this time of the head and neck NEED TO KNOW The news comes a...

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Miss Universe Fátima Bosch Slams Claim Her Pageant Win Was Rigged amid Rumors She's Stepping Away from Crown

Miss UniverseFátima Boschis pushing back against the rumors swirling around her headline-making coronation.

Since winning the global title last month, the 27-year-old Miss Mexico sat down withNightlineanchorJuJu Changto address the controversies that have followed her since pageant night — including allegations that the competition was rigged in her favor and reports that she's considering giving up the crown.

A preview of the interview aired onGood Morning Americaon Tuesday, Dec. 2, ahead of the full piece's debut on the ABC evening news show.

In the piece, Bosch began by reflecting on the moment she was crowned at the2025 Miss Universe competition last month. "That moment felt like a dream come true," she told Chang.

But that dream has been shadowed by days of drama, includinga now-viral Nov. 4 walkout that Bosch ledafter a heated confrontation with pageant executive Nawat Itsaragrisil.

While many online viewers praised her fortaking action in the moment, Bosch admitted she was terrified. "Yeah, and I was scared at that time," she said. She also feared speaking out might cost her the crown. "I can't stay quiet because in every case, your dignity is more important than any price or any dream that you have."

Speaking out, though, would only lead to more headlines, including claims thather defiance was rewarded with the crown.

She firmly rejects the idea that her win was anything other than earned. "No," Bosch said. "I make the same effort that all the pageant [participants] make. And this is a joke. But I feel like I made history, so why not?"

Daniel Topic; Mohan Raj/Getty

And then there's former competition judge Omar Harfouch, whoannounced his resignationfrom the judging panel days before the finale, alleging that the Miss Universe Organization formed an "impromptu jury" to choose30 finalists before participants from 136 countries even took the stagefor the preliminaries. The pageant denied his claims,posting a public statementon Instagram.

Additionally, Harfouch claimed thatBosch's win was "fake", alleging that Miss Universe owner Raúl Rocha hasbusiness ties with Bosch's father.

That's something Bosch forcefully denied as well. "They make this campaign of hate," she said. "My father has nothing to do with the organization and it's crazy. How are you going to buy a crown? Maybe in Walmart you can buy a crown, yeah. But not in Miss Universe for sure."

She was equally direct when asked about the rumors that she was thinking about stepping away from her title.

"Of course not," Bosch said. "I will never step away from this crown. I'm not here for fame or modeling or searching for a husband. I'm here because God put a purpose on my heart. I have a mission and I will do that all the years, to serve others, to help."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Itsaragrisilhas since apologizedfor his heated confrontation with Bosch, and the twohappily posed for photosafter her crowning at the pageant. Miss Universe Organization told ABC that his role moving forward will be "limited or eliminated entirely."

Rocha made similar comments aboutrestricting Nawat's participationin the Miss Universe pageant in early November; however, the pageant executive was photographed at numerous Miss Universe events in the lead-up to the crowning, and contestant Melissa Sapini tells PEOPLE that thecontestants regularly saw the pageant executivein the following weeks.

A representative for Miss Grand International, the pageant organization that Itsaragrisil is also the president of, told PEOPLE in a statement, because Itsaragrisil is the "CEO of MGI and the official Host President and primary investor of the 74th Miss Universe competition," he "is obligated to oversee all host-related activities" and that, "as Host, Mr. Nawat had to represent MGI at all venues. Although Raul publicly claimed restrictions, such limitations were never realistic nor enforceable. Ultimately, MUO acknowledged the situation and resumed proper cooperation."

Bosch, meanwhile, says she's focused on using her platform to represent women's empowerment and lift others up as the attention around her historic win continues.

Nightlineairs weeknights (12:35 a.m. ET) on ABC.GMAkicks off on the same network weekdays beginning at 7 a.m. ET.

Read the original article onPeople

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December 02, 2025

Miss Universe Fátima Bosch Slams Claim Her Pageant Win Was Rigged amid Rumors She's Stepping Away from Crown

Miss UniverseFátima Boschis pushing back against the rumors swirling around her headline-making coronation. Since winning the global title...

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3I/ATLAS to make its closest approach to Earth in December. Here's the latest

December is the month thatfans of the 3I/ATLAS interstellar comethave been waiting for.

In a matter of days, thestrange space object that has become a cultural phenomenonis due to get as close to Earth as it ever will.

If you're a professional or amateur astronomer, that means it'll be among yourbest opportunities to catch a glimpse of an ancient objectcomposed of planetary material that formed from another star. And if you're among those buying into theconspiracy theory that 3I/ATLAS could be extraterrestrial technology, that may be the day of the alien invasion – or something?

No, 3I/ATLAS is not an incoming spaceship – at least, according tothe consensus of astronomers and the world's space agencies. But it still isn't very often that an object from outside Earth's solar system finds its way into our cosmic neighborhood.

Vera C. Rubin Observatory reaches for the stars: Take a look

Here'severything to know about 3I/ATLAS' impending rendezvous with Earth andhow you might be able to witness it.

What is 3I/ATLAS?

An object known as3I/ATLASmade news in July 2025 when it wasconfirmed to be the third-ever object discovered originating outside Earth's solar system. When it was spotted, 3I/ATLAS was whizzing at about 137,000 miles per hour, according to NASA.

Observations of 3I/ATLAS' speed and trajectoryconfirmed to astronomers that it formed in another star system and was ejected into interstellar space – the region between the stars, according toNASA. For potentially billions of years, the comet has drifted on a journey from the general direction of the constellation Sagittarius in the center ofthe Milky Waythat recently brought it into our solar system.

Unlike comets bound to the sun's gravity, 3I/ATLAS is traveling on a hyperbolic orbit that will eventually carry it out of the solar system and back into interstellar space.

How big is 3I/ATLAS?

Astronomersdon't yet know exactly how big 3I/ATLAS could be, but estimates range from a few hundred feet to a few miles across, according to theEuropean Space Agency. Datareturned from the Hubble Space Telescopeallowed astronomers to estimate the size of the comet's solid, icy nucleus as anywhere from about 1,400 feet to 3.5 miles wide.

Where is 3I/ATLAS now? Interstellar comet approaches Earth

The comet 3I/ATLAS, which is not a threat to Earth, is projected to pass within about 170 million miles of our planet on Dec. 19 – or about twice the distance between Earth and the sun.

The object alsocame within 130 million miles of the sunon Oct. 30, just inside the orbit of Mars. For reference, the sun is about 93 million miles away from Earth.

Can I see 3I/ATLAS from the ground? Where can I track its position?

Though 3I/ATLAS is not visible to the naked eye, those with even a small telescope can observe the comet in the pre-dawn sky until spring 2026, according to NASA. The agency's "Eyes on the Solar System" online simulation shows the current location and path of 3I/ATLAS as it moves through our solar system.

NASA releases photos of 3I/ATLAS comet

NASA on Nov. 19released a trove of never-before-seen imagesof 3I/ATLAS unveiling new characteristics of the object. The imagery came courtesy of the space agency's fleet of space telescopes and other spacecraft that have spent months observing the comet.

A look at all of the photos NASA has released of 3I/ATLAS since its July discovery, including detailed explanations of each, are available below:

NASA's fleet of telescopes, spacecraft glimpse 3I/ATLAS. See photos of interstellar comet

Is 3I/ATLAS an alien spaceship? NASA leaders reject conspiracy theory

The strange outsider's jaunt through Earth's cosmic neighborhood has sparked plenty of outlandish conspiracy theories regarding its nature.

One particularly infamous idea – put forth by a Harvard astrophysicist named Avi Loeb – is that 3I/ATLAScould be an alien spaceship. Though Loeb has conceded on publishing platform Medium that the object is"most likely a comet of natural origin," he has not ruled out the possibility that it could be extraterrestrial technology.

NASA officials, though, have attempted to put that notion to rest.

In a social media exchangewith reality TV star Kim Kardashian in October, NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy affirmed: "No aliens. No threat to life here on Earth."

Nicola Fox, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, also rejected the alien conspiracy theory during the agency's November news conference, saying "we certainly haven't seen any technosignatures or anything from it that would lead us to believe it was anything other than a comet."

Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS heads toward Earth. How close will it get?

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December 02, 2025

3I/ATLAS to make its closest approach to Earth in December. Here's the latest

December is the month thatfans of the 3I/ATLAS interstellar comethave been waiting for. In a matter of days, the...

Read More