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A teacher has come under fire for handing out an assignment that asked students to identify primates in a grid of photos that included one of former president Barack Obama.

The teacher, who has not been named, was recently placed on leave by The Roeper School in Birmingham, Michigan, WDIV reported.

Students in a biology class were allegedly handed a piece of paper for the assignment titled: Which of the following are primates?

The former US president was pictured alongside monkeys and other animals including a peacock, and according to the report were expected to tick which of the images showed a primate.

Lessons at the school were cancelled on Thursday because of threats reportedly made online following the revelations. Police were also stationed outside the building.

When I saw it I couldnt believe it, the schools diversity director, Carolyn Lett, told WDIV. Im trying to understand this myself. But right away I had a reaction. like, its so wrong I cant understand it.

The school, who have been investigating the incident, said the assignment had been taken from a highly regarded universitys website, Fox 2 reported. No further details were issued about the work.

The assignment worksheet (Duke University Press)

On behalf of Roeper Schools leadership, we want to acknowledge the disturbing racial offence contained in an assignment with an upper school class last week, the school said in a statement on Friday.

The choice to use this piece of curriculum was completely inconsistent with our Schools philosophy and mission and we sincerely apologise for its use and the harm it has caused.

The school added that although the teacher in question had taken responsibility and admits the mistake of not properly vetting the resource, the action warranted the individual being placed on leave.

The Independent has approached the school for comment.

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Michigan teacher placed on leave after including photo of Obama in assignment about primates - Yahoo! Voices

Days after Finland and Sweden formally applied to join NATO essentially ending decades of neutrality on the world stage former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called the development "huge" and a major defeat for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin's decision to invade Ukraine was partly driven by a desire to prevent the country from joining NATO, which would put the military alliance right at Russia's border. But last week's move by Finland and Sweden suggests that plan has backfired, Gates told "Face the Nation" Sunday.

"I think it changes the geopolitics in Europe in a dramatic way. Now he's got NATO on his doorstep, not only in Ukraine and elsewhere," Gates said, referring to Putin.

"He's going to have them on his border in Finland. And it's an amazing thing he's done because he's gotten Sweden to abandon 200 years of neutrality," Gates said. "So I think one of his many, huge miscalculations in invading Ukraine is he has dramatically changed the geostrategic posture of Western Europe. And now that you have the Swedes and the Finns as part of that, he's really put Russia in a much worse strategic position than it had before the invasion."

NATO's 30 member countries are now reviewing Sweden's and Finland's applications. If their bids are accepted, the two once-neutral Nordic nations could become members within a few months.

When the leaders of the two countries visited the White House last Thursday, President Biden offered his "strong support" for their applications.

Gates, who served as defense secretary under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, said Putin's brutal invasion of Ukraine could continue to hurt Russia's economy and affect the country in other ways. He also doesn't believe Putin could win the war by taking over Ukraine and "absorbing it" into Russia, but he said Putin might still walk away with some strategic areas of Eastern Ukraine.

"He has the potential to hold on to a good part of the Donbas. But I think in terms of pushing on to Odessa or trying to bring a change of government in Kyiv or absorb Ukraine, I think if that's winning, I don't see that he can win," Gates said.

"His invasion has weakened Russia and it's got now long-term economic problems," Gates said. "Europe, I think, is very serious at this point about weaning itself away from dependence on Russian oil and gas. So that will weaken Russia significantly."

The former defense secretary expressed doubt that Putin's biggest ally, China, would do enough to rescue Russia's economy partly because it wouldn't want to become dependent on Russia for energy sources.

"China will want to remain diversified," Gates said. "They might buy some more Russian oil and gas, but nothing like what would be required to replace the European market. Putin will remain a pariah ... He has put Russia really behind the 8-ball economically, militarily, and because now people are going to look at the Russian military and say, 'You know, this was supposed to be this fantastic military. Well, they give a good parade, but in actual combat, not so hot.'"

Asked if he believes Putin could resort to using a tactical nuclear weapon against Ukraine, Gates said it's unlikely.

"I think the probability of him using a tactical nuclear weapon is low, but not zero," he said. "There are no large masses of Ukrainian forces that would be taken out by a tactical nuclear weapon. And if [there's no] military purpose, then the only purpose is as a terror weapon to try and break the will of the Ukrainian people. And I think that moment has come and gone. I don't think that there's anything at this point that will break the will of the Ukrainian people."

Gates noted that a nuclear attack on Ukraine could possibly affect Russia's mainland as well.

"In that part of the world, and particularly in eastern Ukraine, the winds tend to blow from the west," he said. "If you set off a tactical nuclear weapon in eastern Ukraine, the radiation is going to go into Russia. So I just hope somebody reminds him of that."

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Robert Gates says NATO expansion "changes the geopolitics of Europe in a dramatic way" - CBS News

The broadcast network upfront presentations returned to New York last week, although theyre not really about broadcast or networks anymore. The media buyers were back, executives were back, talent returned, and members of the press were also there.

But heres what wasnt back: The shows. The entertainment conglomerates shared tiny glimpses of upcoming offerings: A short peek at the revived Night Court and Quantum Leap plus George Lopez comedy Lopez vs. Lopez at NBCUniversal, a taste of Supernatural spinoff The Winchesters at The CW, Foxs soapy Monarch and animated series Grimsburg and Krapopolis, and a first glimpse at Sylvester Stallones Tulsa King at the Paramount Global upfront.

Wait, what network is Tulsa King on? The only new show to get any major attention at Paramount Global wasnt for a network at all, but streamer Paramount+. Media buyers curious about CBS new series So Help Me Todd, Fire Country, The Real Love Boat and East New York had to go online to watch their respective trailers.

At NBCUniversal, a new show for Peacock starring Pete Davidson and Edie Falco got more of a spotlight than just about anything on broadcast. At Disney, we learned very little about new dramas Alaska and The Rookie: Feds, and no one from ABC even stepped on stage. But Marvel boss Kevin Feige and Disney Studios head Sean Bailey had a chance to show clips from upcoming Disney+ offerings.

The marginalization of the broadcasters at the upfronts is nothing new: Presentations have been moving toward a new message for some time, as the congloms sell across broadcast, cable and digital platforms. And the ongoing mergers and acquisitions throughout the business mean that theres a lot more to cover than there used to be.

Warner Bros. Discovery took over the Wednesday morning upfronts slot once utilized by Turner which meant TBS, TNT, TruTV and Adult Swim. Now, those are just four entities in a sprawling company of 40 networks and, of course, two streamers in HBO Max and Discovery+. Even Fox, the most independent of the Big Four,

concentrated on Fox Sports, Fox News and Tubi before getting to the broadcast network.

Network presentations used to be hours long were talking Marvel-movie length featuring generous samples of drama and comedy pilots to give media buyers an immediate feel for what these shows were all about. Sometimes, networks were so bullish on their pilots that they would screen entire episodes right smack in the middle of their presentations. ABC did it with Modern Family, which kicked off the smash hits long run. NBC did it, too, with the Friends spinoff Joey, which well, OK, wasnt such a great idea in hindsight.

CBS would have multiple suits on the Carnegie Hall stage, giving their intense pitch for why moving, say, Survivor to Thursdays opposite NBCs lineup was a masterstroke (for a while, it was) or how the new Friday series The Fugitive was going to be their new smash hit (not quite that turned out to be the lead-out, something called CSI: Crime Scene Investigation).

Perhaps it makes sense to keep these presentations shorter and let media buyers catch the trailers on their own time. Even though CBS didnt share clips of its new shows, the network was the only one of the Big Four to run down its schedule and quickly give the audience a glimpse of its fall strategy.

But really, live sports are keeping the lights on for the broadcasters and even cablers at this point. No surprise, then, that the legacy media companies leaned hard into their sports offerings. Fox Sports touted the eventual arrival of superstar quarterback Tom Brady to the announcing booth and showcased its partnership with the relaunched United States Football League. Disney brought out Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia to reveal their deal to air the revived XFL on ESPN, ABC and FX; the company also leaned heavily on Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, whose Monday Night Football megacast has been a big hit. Warner Bros. Discovery relied on NBA legend Shaquille ONeal to tout its sporting interests.

Recently there have been headlines saying, advertising is back. I didnt know it had left, quipped Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier in a pre-taped upfronts pitch that did hold a kernel of truth: Netflixs recent troubles couldnt have come at a better time for upfront week: Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, HBO Max and Discovery+ all have ad options; Tubi is ad-supported only; and Disney+s ad tier is coming soon. Netflixs entry into the advertising space could also be available shortly.

Perhaps, by next year, Netflix will be in the upfronts game as well. And maybe the streaming giant will spur traditional media companies to bring more sizzle back to their presentations. You might have a stunning platform, amazing reach, tremendous

heft and a growing, global subscription rate. But if you dont have the shows, none of that will last for long. Media buyers left last weeks upfront presentations with a better idea of how the conglomerates are leveraging their streamers and bulking up their consumer offerings. But whats the next must-see show? Theres probably not a single media buyer who could tell you a new series theyre bullish on in the coming season.

This isnt just any business: Its show business. But this year, the networks forgot the show.

Excerpt from:
Upfronts Week Had Everything Except New Shows With Sizzle - Variety

Several prominent liberals took to social media to praise the anonymous individual who leaked the Supreme Courts reported draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization Monday night, which appeared to show that the Court intends to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The unprecedented leak revealed that the majority of justices had reportedly agreed in a December vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, which protects abortion as a constitutional right, though the vote is not yet final and may still change, according to Politico. Some liberals praised the move as a heroic last-ditch effort to derail the Courts decision.

As we started discussing here, it is shocking both in substance and also shocking in terms of what it means about the court, and what it means about the stakes here that someone was willing to do this, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow saidlate Monday. It is just a remarkable thing.

Some liberals saw the public outcry over the leak as a good thing, noting that it could put pressure on justices to reconsider their decisions. (RELATED: States Considering A 15-Week Abortion Ban Anticipate Overturn Of Roe)

Is a brave clerk taking this unpredecented step of leaking a draft opinion to warn the country whats coming in a last-ditch Hail Mary attempt to see if the public response might cause the Court to reconsider? said Brian Fallon, executive director of the liberal group Demand Justice.

All Democrats need to show the same urgency as the clerk who apparently risked his or her career to sound this alarm. Those on the inside know best how broken the institution is. We should listen, Fallon added.

Seriously, shout out to whoever the hero was within the Supreme Court who said fuck it! Lets burn this place down,wrote Ian Millhiser, a senior correspondent at Vox .

A leak like this has never in the modern history of SCOTUS. It is a massive deal that someone thought the public deserved to see what was going on in their chambers. A hero, Jezebel senior reporter Caitlin Cruz said.

Some legal experts speculated that the leak may have violated the law. Mike Davis, a former clerk for Justice Gorsuch, said the leaker was likely guilty of felony obstruction of justice.

Editors note: This story incorrectly identified Mike Davis as a former clerk for Justice Samuel Alito, rather than Justice Neil Gorsuch. The story has been accurately updated.

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Liberals Cheer On SCOTUS Leaker Who Shattered Court Norms As Hero

It is time that my Liberal-National colleagues in Canberra hear the message from the Australian people. The values that the Liberal party represents enterprise, liberty, opportunity, a strong economy and a secure country are as important today as at any time in our history.

The Liberal party suffered massive defeats in our heartland not because these values stopped speaking to the electorate but because the electorate stopped hearing a Liberal party speaking for these values.

Moderate Liberals lost their seats because their electorate thought they hadnt done enough on the issues that mattered to them. Its important that the moderate Liberals still in Canberra now find their voice and assertively represent centre Australia. Great MPs do not put party before principle because political parties are the principles MPs stand for.

Too often the previous government indulged in culture wars, egged on by the rightwing commentariat; failed to hear, respect and act on the concerns of women; and pretended facts for example, that humans are causing climate change didnt exist.

And the facts are these: women earn less than men for the same work; women retire with half the superannuation as men; women take on vastly more of the load when it comes to caring for our children and our seniors. One woman dies every week in Australia as a result of domestic or family violence.

No party can stand for liberty and opportunity if it fails to see these issues and want to address them. A party which truly stands for liberty empowers women and affords them the same dignity, opportunity and respect it affords men.

Similarly, no party can seriously say that it stands for a strong economy and a secure country when it is failing to act on climate change.

Climate change risks an environmental catastrophe. It wont just be future generations who will judge our leaders on the action we take a pretty clear judgment was handed down on Saturday night.

Some will say we cant go further on these issues because of the base. Lets be clear, the traditional Liberal party base watches more ABC than Sky After Dark.

Not a single one of the Morrison governments lost seats went to a rightwing party or candidate. One Nation and Clive Palmers United Australia party performed poorly while Labor and the Greens snatched seats.

These seats are not coming back to the Liberal party until the issues these voters care about are sincerely addressed.

Sincerity does not mean some tweaks. It means supporting universal, affordable and accessible childcare so that women do not have to choose between having children and having a career. It means acting on sexual harassment at work. It means speaking out against dangerous anti-vaccine and Trumpian conspiracies.

It also means adopting science-aligned emissions reduction targets of between 45% and 60% by 2030 and developing the policies to achieve it. The science says that the black summer bushfires were the beginning, not the end. The fact is that, until the federal Liberal partys policy position responds commensurately to the climate challenge, every record-breaking natural disaster over coming years will make that policy seem out of touch with the challenge at hand.

Not only is it possible for the Liberal party to respond to the challenges of the moment the Liberal party should be the natural party to take action on climate change. It is a core conservative value to act as a custodian for future generations and, with our wind and sun, no country has more opportunity from the worlds push to decarbonise than Australia.

In New South Wales, we are building renewable energy zones, have set a 50% emissions reduction target by 2030 and have legislated our electricity infrastructure roadmap. The roadmap will reduce Australias greenhouse gas emissions more than any other policy in Australian history.

I announced the roadmap with Dom Perrottet at a solar farm in Dubbo when he was treasurer, and with the then deputy premier, John Barilaro. This landmark policy was supported across all the wings of the Liberal party, the National party, the Labor party, the Greens and the independents. We built that coalition by ensuring we reduced emissions in ways that supported more affordable, reliable electricity, and created thousands of jobs in the regions.

The NSW government, led by my conservative colleague and good friend, premier Perrottet, has also made no secret of the importance we place on promoting gender equity.

Last year we started a review into womens opportunity led by Sam Mostyn of Chief Executive Women. I may have commissioned that review, but it was something that Dom had started working on as treasurer. And it is something which we will respond to in next months budget.

The Liberal party is at its best when its meeting the challenges of the time with principles which have stood the test of time. That is what the NSW Liberal-National government is doing, and that is what I hope to see a newly elected Liberal-National government in Canberra do in three years time, having learned the lessons of last weekend.

Original post:
Liberals still in Canberra must find their moderate voice and assertively represent the centre - The Guardian