British man sentenced to 15 years for smuggling artifacts out of Iraq

Samya Kullab

The Associated Press

Jim Fitton, a British retired geologist, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by an Iraqi court on Monday.

Fitton had been convicted of attempting to smuggle artifacts out of Iraq.

A German national tried with Fitton, Volker Waldman, was found not to have had criminal intent in the case and will be released.

BAGHDAD — A British citizen was sentenced Monday by an Iraqi court to 15 years in prison after being convicted of attempting to smuggle artifacts out of the country, in a case that has attracted international attention.

The verdict handed down to retired geologist Jim Fitton, shocked the court in Baghdad, including his defense attorney. He and his family have argued that Fitton, 66, had no criminal intent.

“I thought the worst case scenario would be one year, with suspension,” Fitton’s lawyer Thair Soud, visibly shocked, told The Associated Press.

Soud said Fitton would appeal the verdict.

A German national tried with Fitton was found not to have had criminal intent in the case and will be released.

Judge Jabir Abd Jabir found that, according to the government's investigation, Fitton had criminal intent to smuggle the artifacts that he had picked up and intended to transport them out of the country.

Libyan artifacts:US returns smuggled ancient artifacts, some thousands of years old, to Libya

The trial has grabbed international attention at a time when Iraq seeks to open up its nascent tourism sector. The two men first appeared in court on May 15 wearing yellow detainees' uniforms, telling judges they had not acted with criminal intent and had no idea they might have broken local laws.

Fitton said he “suspected” the items he collected were ancient fragments, but that “at the time I didn’t know about Iraqi laws,” or that taking the shards was not permitted. Fitton said as geologist he was in the habit of collecting such fragments as a hobby and had no intention to sell them.

In his defense, Soud said Fitton waited for weeks while in custody before hiring him as his legal counsel, arguing that this makes the point that the Briton had no idea of the severity of the case or the value of the goods found in his possession.

The judge, however, did not consider Soud’s arguments that laid out Fitton’s ignorance of Iraqi laws and the value of the items he picked up. Fitton and the German national, Volker Waldman, were arrested at Baghdad's airport on March 20 after airport security discovered the items in their luggage. They had been part of a tourism expedition around the country’s ancient sites.

Video:S.S. Central America Artifacts

Their tour guide, also a British citizen who was in his 80s and in poor health, died in police custody for reasons unrelated to his detention. He was found with over 20 archaeological fragments in this possession.

Fitton’s family grew worried when he did not arrive on a scheduled flight back to Kuala Lumpur, where he resides with his wife, on March 20. They later learned that Fitton, a well-traveled geologist for oil and gas companies, had been taken to an airport holding cell where he was still being detained, Fitton’s daughter Leila told The Associated Press last month.

Fitton missed his daughter's wedding in Malaysia, which took place in early May. Leila said at the time she was “heartbroken” by his absence.

Her hope for her father's return home has been a near-daily fixture on her social media. Nineteen hours before Fitton was sentence she posted a photo of her parents to mark their wedding anniversary. In another, at a family hiking trip she wrote she hoped her father would be able to join them on the next venture.

Frustrated by perceived inaction on the part of the British Foreign Office to intervene and assist in Fitton’s case, his family started a petition that has garnered over 100,000 signatures. The British diplomatic mission in Baghdad has not commented on its involvement in the case and the British consul in Iraq, who attended the court session Monday, left following the sentencing without making any comments.

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In total, 12 fragments of pottery and other shards were found in Fitton’s possession by Iraqi authorities, all of them collected as souvenirs, Fitton’s family says, during a group tourism expedition to Eridu, an ancient Mesopotamian site in what is now Dhi Qar province. The site is said to be among the oldest sites belonging to that civilization.

Controversy, however, remains about the items that Fitton had picked up. A report by the Iraqi Culture Ministry stated they were over 200 years old, without offering any further explanation about their provenance. But any item less than 1,500 years old disqualifies it from being from antiquity, a period from the beginnings of Western civilization to about 450 A.D.

The trial has also divided Iraqi public opinion. Some see the punishment as just, saying Iraq has long been a looting ground for invaders and foreigners with impunity. Others said Iraq lacked proper site management to inform tourists of the laws.

More:Museums must return stolen artifacts, experts say. That requires an 'institutional transformation.'

“Eridu is a UNESCO world heritage site in Iraq and it requires a better site management plan,” said Ali Makhzomy, the founder of BilWeekend, a touring company. “It is the Iraqi government's responsibility to do that."

The items were not shown in court. Amir Abdul Razaq, an archaeologist in the southern province of Nassriyah, said he believed the items in Fitton's possession dated back to 1,800 B.C. after The Associated Press shared images of the shards shared by his family. Government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Waldman’s defense team has said the German tourist had been carrying two pieces for Fitton but that he did not pick them up from the site. Both men were charged with smuggling based on the country’s antiquities laws, and could have potentially faced the death penalty. However, officials had said that was only a remote possibility.

It wasn't clear if Fitton can serve out his sentence in his home country. In 2017, Iraq signed a prisoner swap agreement with the U.K.

Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 7 June 2022 | The Week UK

US cops ‘watched man drown’

Three police officers in the US have been placed on leave after they failed to rescue a homeless man from drowning. Bodycam footage and transcripts show 34-year-old Sean Bickings getting into Tempe Town Lake, Arizona, and warning police he was “going to drown”. None of the officers attending the scene intervened to save him and one is heard telling him: “I’m not jumping in after you.” Bickings was later declared dead. A human rights group told The New York Times that the incident was another reminder of excessive policing in the city.

Why India is in damage-control mode with Arab nations - CNN

A version of this story first appeared in CNN's Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the region's biggest stories. Sign up here .

Abu Dhabi, UAE and New Delhi, India (CNN) It took India less than 24 hours to discipline two politicians after a controversy that had been brewing at home for over a week caught the attention of its Arab trade partners.

India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday suspended a spokesperson and expelled another official after derogatory comments they made about Islam's prophet led to an outcry in Arab countries.

"India was taken aback by the response," said Kabir Taneja, a fellow with the Observer Research Foundation, a think tank in New Delhi. "Communal issues are not new in India and in previous cases, we have not had such a response [from Arab states]."

On May 26, BJP spokeswoman Nupur Sharma made comments on an Indian news channel about Prophet Mohammad that were deemed offensive and Islamophobic. Qatar, Kuwait and Iran summoned India's ambassadors, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation issued statements of condemnation. At least 14 countries have so far condemned the remarks.

Sharma said on Twitter she had "said some things" in response to comments made about a Hindu god but it was "never my intention to hurt anyone's religious feelings."

"If my words have caused discomfort or hurt religious feelings of anyone whatsoever, I hereby unconditionally withdraw my statement," she said.

Most Indian news outlets reporting on the story didn't directly quote Sharma's original comments.

Naveen Jindal, a BJP leader, was expelled from the party over comments he made about Islam on social media, the BJP office said.

Analysts said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has walked a tight rope between keeping his Muslim international allies happy while pushing his party's Hindu nationalist agenda at home.

"Modi has tried very hard to prevent his party's domestic political agenda from spilling over and poisoning India's relations with the Gulf states," said Hasan Alhasan, a Bahrain-based fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies who researches Indian foreign policy in the Gulf. "The extent to which Sharma's comments have clouded India's relations with the Gulf states is unprecedented, and that's of course because she is, or was, the spokesperson of the BJP."

Taneja said the Indian government has realized that a lot of religious rhetoric "has been taking place for a while and has been going unnoticed, but it will not go so anymore."

The hashtag "Anyone but the prophet, oh Modi" was trending on Twitter in all six Gulf countries, and as far away as Algeria, with residents in Muslim nations calling for a boycott of Indian products. Oman's outspoken Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Al-Khalili, the chief religious figure in the country, called Sharma's comments "a war on all Muslims" and a matter that "calls for all Muslims to rise as one nation."

Offending depictions of Islam's prophet have in the past led to mass boycotts , diplomatic crises, riots and even terror attacks.

The controversy comes as Gulf states and India look to significantly enhance their economic partnership. India, the world's third-biggest importer of oil, looks to the Middle East for 65% of its crude imports . On the other hand, the Asian nation sends millions of workers to the Gulf states who send home billions of dollars in remittances.

"There are over 8 million non-resident Indians across the Gulf . The Gulf states are key sources of India's oil and gas imports, and bilateral trade is over $100 billion," said Alhasan. "So it is a very important set of relationships from the Indian perspective."

The UAE alone, where some 3.5 million Indians live, accounts for 33% of remittances to India, at more than $20 billion a year.

The UAE has singled out India among seven other nations as its future economic partner . India's Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has said the Gulf nation plans to invest $100 billion in his country, in part for manufacturing and infrastructure.

This year, India signed a free trade agreement with the UAE, its first in more than a decade, and has eyed the rest of the Gulf states for similar agreements, according to news reports. The UAE pact aims to see annual trade rise to $100 billion in five years and contribute to the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs in India.

Abdulaziz Sager, chairman and founder of the Gulf Research Center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, said that nature of India-Saudi relations gives Riyadh political and economic leverage over the Indian government.

"I don't think that will have a jeopardizing effect in terms of the economic or political relations because India is still an important country," said Sager. "It is an important relationship but Saudi Arabia is not going to accept any sort of insult to the Prophet or undermining of religious Islamic issues," said Sager.

There are more than 2.2 million Indians in Saudi Arabia, according to Indian officials.

Taneja said India knows the clout Gulf states have over it because of the diaspora in those countries. "That is why we saw such a brisk response from the government."

CNN's Esha Mitra contributed to this report.

The digest

Biden's meeting with Saudi crown prince pushed back to July

meeting between US President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), is now expected to happen next month, according to an administration official.

Background: CNN reported earlier that Biden and the crown prince were planning to meet at the end of June as part of a broader summit of Gulf countries. Officials said the July trip would allow for more time to plan and set a schedule and agenda. Biden on Friday defended the prospect of meeting with MBS.

Why it matters: An in-person meeting with MBS would mark the first time Biden directly engages with the de facto Saudi leader since taking office. Biden has so far opted instead to speak directly with King Salman, the crown prince's father. The meeting would represent a turnabout for Biden, who once suggested that Saudi Arabia be made a "pariah." Two key deals were also reached last week -- OPEC announcing it would increase oil production and the extension of a truce in Yemen -- that laid the groundwork for the meeting between Biden and the crown prince.

Iran's Khamenei says unrest caused by foreign 'enemies' trying to overthrow Islamic Republic

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that recent protests across the country are caused by foreign "enemies" seeking to overthrow the Iranian regime.

Background: Protests have in recent weeks erupted across Iran over skyrocketing inflation. Anti-government demonstrations also broke out last month after a 10-story commercial building located in the city of Abadan collapsed and killed at least 37. "Today, the enemies' most important hope for striking a blow at the country is based on popular protests," Khamenei said in a televised speech on the 33rd anniversary of the death of the leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Why it matters: Iran has suffered one economic blow after another amid a strong budget deficit, rising food prices, and uncertainties about its main oil buyer China amid looming sanctions on Russia's oil after its invasion of Ukraine. Protesters have accused the government of negligence and have repeatedly chanted slogans against the Islamic Republic and its rulers.

Briton sentenced to 15 years in prison in Iraq for artifact smuggling

A retired British geologist was sentenced to 15 years in prison by an Iraqi court on Monday for attempting to smuggle ancient artifacts out of the country.

Background: 66-year-old James Fitton was arrested in March by Iraqi authorities at Baghdad airport for carrying small fragments and ancient pottery in his luggage. Fitton's lawyer said that he did not know that the fragments were artifacts, and that he will appeal the verdict on the grounds that there was no criminal intent.

Why it matters: Iraq's ancient heritage has been hurt by years of conflict, and many of the country's artifacts were looted amid the fighting, especially after the US invasion of 2003. The Iraqi government has been on a quest to locate and retrieve its many lost treasures, including those previously smuggled out of the country.

Around the region

Extreme drought has wreaked havoc in Iraq, causing sandstorms that have sent thousands of people to the hospital . But for some archaeologists it has been a temporary blessing.

As water levels in the Mosul reservoir dropped late last year, an ancient city emerged, and scientists rushed to study it before it disappeared underwater again.

A team of German and Iraqi-Kurdish archeologists was in a race against time after the 3400-year-old city under the Tigris River in Iraq's Kurdistan region was uncovered this year.

As the water levels began to rise again, scientists rushed to excavate and document what is believed to be the urban center of the Mittani Empire, which stretched from northern Iraq through Syria and into Turkey.

The researchers, who announced their findings last week, were able to map a massive fortification of walls, storage facilities and an industrial complex. The team was stunned at how well preserved the city walls were, made from sun-dried mud bricks.

"This good preservation is due to the fact that the city was destroyed in an earthquake around 1350 BC, during which the collapsing upper parts of the walls buried the buildings," the researchers said in a statement.

To prepare for the city's looming reflooding, excavated buildings were covered with plastic sheeting and gravel fill. The city is once again underwater, waiting to be rediscovered.

By Mohammed Abdelbary

Photo of the day

Samaritan worshippers lift up Torah scrolls as they gather at dawn on June 5 to pray on top of Mount Gerizim near the northern West Bank city of Nablus. Worshippers celebrated Shavuot, which according to Samaritan tradition marks the giving of the Torah to the Israelites at Mount Sinai seven weeks after their biblical exodus from Egypt. Samaritans are a community of a few hundred people living in Israel and in the Nablus area, who trace their lineage to the biblical ancient Israelites.

This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Kabir Taneja's name.

Nadeen Ebrahim
Abbas Al Lawati
Swati Gupta

50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: The Alabama Forestry Commission issued a statewide fire alert Wednesday because of extremely dry weather. It was an upgrade from a previously issued fire danger advisory. The extremely dry weather means any fire can quickly spread out of control. The commission said over the last week firefighters responded to 182 wildfires across the state, burning about 2,608 acres. Those included a 470-acre fire in Talladega County and a 39-acre fire in DeKalb County. The commission said permits for outdoor burning will be restricted and issued on an individual basis at the discretion of the state forester. Anyone who burns a field, grassland or woodland without a permit could face prosecution.

Alaska

Anchorage: Two pilots have been fined $3,000 apiece for flying airplanes low over walruses on the shore near Point Lay two years ago. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman Andrea Medeiros said names of the pilots who disturbed walruses can’t be released, but didn’t explain why. Residents of Point Lay in September 2017 saw two airplanes flying near resting walruses. Cameras that monitor the marine mammals captured photos of the airplanes and walruses leaving the remote beach in response. Low-flying aircraft can cause stampedes that crush young animals. Walruses’ preferred habitat is sea ice. Ice since 2007 has retreated beyond the shallow continental shelf to water too deep for walruses to dive for clams. Walruses this year began showing up on shore in July. On Saturday, about 40,000 walruses were near Point Lay.

Arizona

Phoenix:A miniature pig “craze,” paired with a lack of education on how to raise them, has led to owners surrendering or releasing them into the desert at an alarming rate, said Danielle Betterman, owner and director of Better Piggies Rescue, a pig sanctuary in Phoenix. The overflow of miniature pigs is so bad, she said, that her sanctuary has had to stop accepting owner surrenders. The Ironwood Pig Sanctuary in Marana has more than 100 pigs on its surrender waitlist to date, said Mary Schanz, its president and co-founder. Most of them aren’t spayed or neutered. Schanz, who has been in the pig rescue business for 18 years, said her sanctuary has largely been able to keep up with the incoming pigs, “but now, it’s just beyond our capability.” The problem, she said, is that there are no regulations for pig breeding. Backyard breeders rear too many pigs and then sell them to people who mistakenly think they will stay small. The Arizona Department of Agriculture saw an increase in pickups of stray pigs in the last year. There have already been 17 pig pickups in 2019, compared to 15 in all of 2018, said Cody Egnor, an assistant state veterinarian for the agriculture department.

Arkansas

Hot Springs: Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort is raising the minimum wage for its nearly 1,000 employees. The racetrack and casino said it would increase the minimum wage for nontipped employees from $9.25 an hour to $13 an hour starting at the end of the month. Tipped employees will see their minimum wage increase from $2.76 an hour to $6 an hour. Oaklawn said the change affects about 970 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees. Oaklawn is expanding after voters legalized casino gambling in four counties in 2018. Construction is underway on a $100 million expansion, which includes adding a hotel and event center. In 2018, Arkansas voters approved an initiative to gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $11 an hour by 2021.

California

San Francisco: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said California is falling short on preventing water pollution, largely because of its problem with homelessness in big cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler outlined the complaints Thursday in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom. Wheeler is demanding a detailed plan for fixing the problems within 30 days. The letter said “piles of human feces on sidewalks and streets” could cause water contamination. It criticized San Francisco for routinely discharging inadequately treated sewage into the Pacific Ocean. Wheeler said if the state doesn’t meet its responsibilities, the EPA will have to take action. The letter escalated a feud between the Trump administration and California, a predominantly Democrat state that has fought the administration’s efforts to weaken environmental regulations.

Colorado

Denver: A flight was diverted to Denver after a passenger was found trapped inside the airplane’s bathroom. KUSA-TV reported that Denver International Airport spokeswoman Emily Williams said the door to one of the airplane’s bathrooms got stuck, but could not confirm why or how. Officials said United Flight 1554 was scheduled to travel from the District of Columbia to San Francisco before it made an emergency landing Wednesday in Denver. Williams said the flight crew called for assistance and the Denver Fire Department responded to the airport and helped open the door. Williams said there were no calls for medical assistance. United Airlines confirmed that someone was in the bathroom.

Connecticut

Hartford: A service dog that was the subject of several books by an Iraqi war veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder has died. Tuesday, a golden retriever, was 13 when he died Tuesday in Burlington, according to Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities, a service dog training organization that places dogs with veterans. Tuesday gained fame touring the country with former U.S. Army Cpt. Luis Carlos Montalvan, who wrote the memoir “Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him.” The book, the first of four written by Montalvan about his life with Tuesday, became a bestseller in 2011. It was credited with helping raise awareness of PTSD and the availability of service dogs for veterans. Montalvan, who was wounded in Iraq, earned two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. Montalvan became a leading advocate for military veterans’ mental health and increasing access to more service animals. Montalvan took his own life in 2016. He had left Tuesday with family members and the dog was not with him at the time. Tuesday was later placed as a service dog with a Connecticut cancer patient. He died in the arms of that man, Gordon Schafer, at their home after being diagnosed with a mass in his abdomen.

Delaware

Seaford:The Seaford School District issued an apology for a mix-up and is investigating why a parody version of the national anthem sung by Rosanne Barr was used before a volleyball match Tuesday between Seaford and Milford high schools. In a letter to the district and community, Superintendent David Perrington said pregame proceedings will be improved to prevent it from happening again. Called “disgraceful and disrespectful” by parents on social media, the incident sparked uproar from spectators wondering how it was allowed to happen, and whether not it was an honest mistake made by students. “The district plays the National Anthem prior to sporting events to honor our country and in support for the men and women who serve in the nation’s armed forces,” Perrington wrote in the apology. “In the future, the district will utilize our district-approved version at athletic events.” The school district also reached out to Milford School District on Tuesday night to apologize. Performed in 1990 before a San Diego Padres game, Barr’s screeching rendition rocked the country before there was such thing as a viral video. Complete with spitting and midsong laughter, Barr’s off-key shrieks often are ranked among the worst performances the anthem.

District of Columbia

Washington: A technology developer who filed a lawsuit against the District’s $215 million no-bid sports gambling contract has requested a temporary restraining order to stop the district from upholding it. WTOP-FM reported that Dylan Carragher filed the motion Tuesday, stating the single-source contract awarded to Intralot violates the city’s procurement laws that ensure competitive bidding. Carragher’s attorney, Donald Temple, said if the contract is illegal, and the government shouldn’t be allowed to execute it. Carragher’s lawsuit said the contract illegally bars him and other potential vendors from participating in the “potentially lucrative enterprise.” The D.C. Attorney General’s Office declined to comment. Court documents said the order, if granted, will block Intralot from receiving a $30 million payment due Oct. 1.

Florida

Melbourne:A local zoo assisted 39 green and loggerhead sea turtle “washbacks” that were pushed ashore when heavy waves disrupted their habitat. Brevard Zoo’s sea turtle manager Shanon Gann said in a news release that the washbacks were found on Brevard County’s beaches over the last week. Gann said staff members and volunteers cared for the turtles, which were then sent to Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton. They were expected to be taken by boat to the weed line and released on Thursday. Sea turtles rely on energy stored in their yolk sac upon hatching to make the multimile swim to offshore weed lines. If the seaweed is disrupted by strong winds or waves, they might get washed back onshore.

Georgia

Savannah: A Georgia sheriff’s employee has been fired over a video that showed him confronting a 19-year-old Latina for speaking Spanish at a McDonald’s and then admitting to being a racist. Chatham County Sheriff John Wilcher told reporters that the man has been fired from the department, but declined to identify the man or provide his job title. The expletive-filled video shared on Twitter showed the white man confronting Cristina Riofrio for speaking Spanish to her friends, saying she probably came over on a boat. At one point, Riofrio said“I’m videoing this. You’re a racist,” to which the man replies, “I know I am.” Riofrio said the man shouldn’t be proud of that fact just before an off-screen employee told the man he needs to leave.

Hawaii

Honolulu: Wildlife officials on Tuesday euthanized two emaciated, sick dolphins that stranded on a Maui beach less than a month after another mass stranding in the same area. The two animals were breathing heavily and had abnormal heart rates, said David Schofield, the regional stranding coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They also had critically low levels of an enzyme called alkaline phosphatase, which in dolphins and whales indicates inflammation, illness or poor nutrition, Schofield said. Veterinarians who examined the animals determined the most humane thing to do would be to euthanize them, he said. The two were among six pygmy killer whales, a species of deep-ocean dwelling dolphin, that agency officials had been monitoring for about 10 days in shallow waters off Maui. The remaining four were still in the area off Sugar Beach in the coastal town of Kihei. Pygmy killer whales are often confused with false killer whales and melon-headed whales. The species is found primarily in deep waters throughout tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Eleven pygmy killer whales stranded on the same beach on Aug. 29. One calf died and officials euthanized four adults after that stranding. Dorsal fin marks showed different individuals were involved in the two stranding events.

Idaho

Boise: Idaho Humane Society officials said they’re seeing an increase in the number of people surrendering their pets because of housing issues. Kristine Schellhaas with the Idaho Humane Society told KBOI-TV in Boise that some owners can’t afford pet insurance or the higher rental rates they must pay with pets. So far this year, the shelter has taken in more than 1,500 owner-surrendered cats and dogs. Schellhaas said it’s heartbreaking because the families love their animals even though they need to rehome them. For pets needing temporary help, the Idaho Humane Society has a pet food pantry. Owners facing financial issues can get six months of access to the pantry. The shelter’s animal clinic also provides veterinary care to low-income pet owners.

Illinois

Springfield: The Illinois State Museum has agreed to return 42 culturally significant objects to Australia. The gesture comes nearly a century after they were brought to the United States. The museum said in a news release that it’s the first institution in the world to repatriate artifacts as part of the Australian government’s Return of Cultural Heritage Project. It’s an attempt to bring back indigenous materials taken from the country. Boomerangs, necklaces, shields, spears and other items that will be returned were collected in Australia between 1929 and 1931 by University of Chicago linguistic anthropologist Gerhardt Laves. They were transferred by the university to the state museum in 1942 for incorporation into its rotating exhibit series on international cultures. They haven’t been exhibited by the museum since 1981.

Indiana

Indianapolis: Marketing research firm J.D. Power released its 2019 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, and Indianapolis International Airport ranked highest in customer satisfaction for medium-size airports, which service 4.5 million to 9.9 million passengers a year. This is the second time the airport received this honor, topping the list in 2016. Indianapolis International earned 833 points, ranking first in the cleanliness of terminal concourses, hallways and restrooms, as well as comfort in the terminal, ambiance, Wi-Fi service and clarity of signs and directions. Jacksonville International Airport in Florida was second with 831 points and Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York came in third with 829 points. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport topped the satisfaction list for mega airports and Portland International Airport in Oregon earned the title for large airports. Indianapolis International Airport first earned a top J.D. Power ranking in 2010 for the best small airport in North America. It landed in the top three each year except for 2011 through 2014, when no study was published. In July, the airport landed at No. 2 on the Travel + Leisure Top 10 Domestic Airports list. In April, construction began on a refresh of the airport’s dining and retail options. The three-year plan will see new restaurants, including Shake Shack and Bub’s Burgers. At an Indianapolis Airport Authority Board meeting this month, officials said some restaurants would start to close in October, replaced by temporary food and beverage vendors.

Iowa

Des Moines:Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation Wednesday naming Sept. 28, 2019, as “Carson King Day” in Iowa to honor the 24-year-old Altoona resident who has raised more than $1 million for charity. “Individuals like Carson King demonstrate how ‘Iowa Nice’ isn’t just a slogan, but our way of life,” the proclamation reads. Reynolds, joined by King, read it aloud and signed it in her formal office in the Capitol on Wednesday afternoon. She also signed a proclamation designating September as “Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.” King rose to prominence after hoisting a sign on ESPN’s “College GameDay” in Ames that read “Busch Light Supply Needs Replenished,” and requesting beer money be sent to his Venmo account. When he received several hundred dollars, King said he would donate it to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, a move that prompted more donations to start pouring in, along with matching donations from Busch Beer and Venmo. King now is hoping to raise $2 million for the hospital by the end of the month.

Kansas

Lawrence: A couple from Emporia, Kansas, has committed $1 million to the internal medicine program at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita. The university on Wednesday announced the gift from Scott and Julie Smiley. The money will be divided into three funds. One will benefit the Department of Internal Medicine, another will support residents in the internal medicine program, and the third will fund student scholarships, with preference given to students interested in internal medicine. Scott Smiley, a native of Newton, Kansas, who graduated from the school of medicine in Wichita, is a physician in Emporia. Julie Smiley is a veterinarian who also practices in Emporia.

Kentucky

Mammoth Cave: A historic Baptist church at a state park has been vandalized with orange spray paint. WBKO-TV reported graffiti now covers parts of Mammoth Cave Baptist Church’s exterior and interior, along with its windows and benches. One wall now reads “I heart Satan,” with a drawing of a heart. Mammoth Cave National Park Superintendent Barclay Trimble said the church is one of only three that remain from the time before the park was established in 1941. Park officials said the process of removing graffiti can destroy the historic wood, making the graffiti’s complete removal nearly impossible. Repairs are estimated to cost at least $10,000. The station said those caught spray painting surfaces in the park can face up to six months in jail and fines of up to $5,000.

Louisiana

Fort Polk: A helicopter crashed on an Army base, killing one person and injuring three others, military officials said Thursday. The Army chopper crashed early Thursday in the Fort Polk training area, Fort Polk officials said in a statement. There were four crew members on board, authorities said. Their names weren’t being released until relatives are notified. The fort said the cause of the crash is under investigation, and no further details were immediately released. About 8,000 soldiers are stationed at Fort Polk, its website states. The base is in central Louisiana, about 150 miles northwest of Baton Rouge.

Maine

Castine: A referee who was hit in the face by a cannon blast during a Maine Maritime Academy football game is recovering from his injuries. The referee was taken to a hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries Saturday. The Hancock County Sheriff’s Department told WCSH-TV that an academy alumnus brought the cannon to the game in Castine. The alumnus reportedly loaded the cannon with black powder and a substance that had been made into a wad. It is a tradition for a cannon to be fired with a blank shotgun shell when the academy scores.

Maryland

Baltimore: A Baltimore official said the city is still looking for an organization that wants to acquire the Confederate monuments it removed in the middle of the night two years ago. The Baltimore Sun reported the statues have been hidden in a city-owned lot since their August 2017 removal. Historical and Architectural Preservation official Eric Holcomb told the newspaper a museum expressed interest in the bronze statues but they were too large. He said the commission is looking for any organization that will provide a “historically accurate interpretation” of them. Former Mayor Catherine Pugh ordered the monuments taken down following violent clashes over similar statues in Charlottesville, Virginia. Since then, suggestions have ranged from destroying them to adding contextual markers, to melting them and turning them into statues of civil rights figures.

Massachusetts

Boston: State public health officials said a fourth Massachusetts resident has died of the mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis virus. The state Department of Public Health announced Wednesday that the latest victim was an Essex County resident. No additional information about the person was disclosed. Officials also said they have confirmed an 11th human case of the virus, a Worcester County man in his 70s. As a result, the communities of Auburn, Charlton, Dudley, Leicester, Southbridge and Spencer have been elevated to high risk for the disease. There are now 35 communities in the state at critical risk, 46 at high risk and 122 at moderate risk. State epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown said residents should continue to protect themselves from mosquito bites until the first hard frost.

Michigan

Holland: High water along a west Michigan river has forced Hope College to move its annual tug-of-war contest for the first time in more than a century. The Holland Sentinel reported the Pull traces its roots back to 1898 and the 122nd installment is Saturday. But instead of being held across the Black River, the competition between the freshman and sophomore classes will take place along a Holland street. The newspaper said the Pull has only been held in two locations, with teams competing across a stream in the early years. The Pull’s staff adviser, Richard Frost, said “students agonized over this.” He said they’re dedicated to tradition but “mindful of the safety of the participants.” Frost said the competition is expected to return to the Black River.

Minnesota

Albany: Officials are monitoring a farm near Holdingford where about 20,000 gallons of liquid manure leaked from an above-ground storage tank. The Stearns County sheriff’s office said the farmer, Mark Leukam of Albany, reported Wednesday that he had a manure leak from a tank that holds 400,000 gallons. An estimated 20,000 gallons leaked out and drained into a low area, which contains an intermittent stream that flows through several miles of swampy area before connecting with a creek. The leak was stopped with a temporary fix. A trench and dirt berm were dug to contain any future leaks until the tank can be fixed. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will continue to monitor the spill and pumping efforts, and work with the farm owner to mitigate the impact.

Mississippi

Gulfport: A heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician found a slithering surprise while repairing an outdoor unit at a home. WLOX-TV reported that what started as a typical day for technician Conner Smith quickly turned into an episode on National Geographic after Smith found a ball python inside the HVAC unit. Homeowner Steve Ramos said he heard Smith say “whoa,” but he thought Smith was shocked by the repair work. Smith told Ramos he found the homeowner’s snake. But Ramos doesn’t own a ball python. Smith said it’s not uncommon to find animals, especially reptiles, inside AC units. Ramos said finding the snake explained a few household mysteries, such as why his dogs were barking at a nearby tree.

Missouri

Springfield:A homegrown program that mixes international business, entrepreneurship, community development – and chocolate – will mark its 10th year by taking another crop of area high school students to Tanzania. Chocolate University, a partnership between Askinosie Chocolate and Drury University, is now accepting applications for the immersive program that includes an overseas trip next summer. The deadline to apply is Monday. Missy Gelner, chief kinship officer for Askinosie Chocolate, said students from Greene and Christian counties – who will graduate in 2020 or 2021 – are eligible to apply for one of 14 spots. Founded in 2009, Chocolate University completed its first immersion program with a trip in 2010. The trips are offered every other summer and the 2020 trip will be the sixth in the history of the program. The selected students will participate in a 10-day immersion of entrepreneurship, craft chocolate and cacao agronomy during a trip to rural Tanzania, where they will meet with farmers who provide raw ingredients for Askinosie Chocolate. They will also learn about leadership, the Tanzanian culture and the Swahili language. Before the trip, the students gather for learning sessions regarding direct trade and the ways a local business can give back and invest in the people of another culture. Shawn Askinosie, the founder of Askinosie Chocolate, said students get to know farmers that partner with the Springfield-based company and help harvest cacao. The 2018 trip cost $4,000 per traveler with scholarships available through grants and private donations. To apply, visit www.chocolate university.org. The online application process requires an essay and recommendation letters, from which a narrowed pool of applicants are chosen for in-person interviews.

Montana

Bozeman: State wildlife officials have been unable to locate a grizzly bear that mauled an Ohio hunter in southwestern Montana. Fish, Wildlife and Parks wardens began investigating Tuesday, shortly after the attack was reported in the Gravelly Mountains. FWP spokesman Morgan Jacobsen said Thursday the hunter reported he was walking through blown-down timber when he was attacked by a bear at close range. The hunter said he fired several shots at the bear until it left. Investigators did find evidence the bear was injured. The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest has posted signs warning visitors of bear activity. Tuesday’s mauling happened about 8 miles south of where three hunters were injured in two separate attacks on Sept. 16. The bear or bears involved in those attacks were not found.

Nebraska

Lincoln: The Nebraska Capitol Commission has approved spending $181,000 on emergency repairs, in part to keep gold tiles from falling off the dome. Work will begin soon to protect the dome from moisture and winter’s freeze-thaw cycles now that the state’s Capitol Commission voted to shift around funding. A July inspection discovered caulking applied to expansion joints in 2001 had deteriorated so much that water was getting inside the inner dome structure. Some exterior tiles had been moved out of place, raising the risk they could fall off, Ripley said. The caulking had been replaced as part of a masonry restoration project completed in 2010. But current caulking products don’t last as long as previous formulations, which contained more toxic ingredients, he said. Recaulking of joints in the lower parts of the building has been done every year, but budget limitations prevented the commission from checking the dome previously, Ripley said. To inspect the dome, contractors use rope harnesses and rappel down from the base of the Sower statue. He decided this year that the dome inspection could wait no longer. Plans for the emergency repairs call for workers to rappel down the dome and temporarily seal the expansion joints to keep the tiles in place. The longer-term solution will require scaffolding so workers can remove the tiles, fix the underlying structure and put the tiles back in place, he said. Caulking work also will be needed on the tower.

Nevada

Las Vegas: Officials said that the number of passengers using McCarran International Airport was up in August compared with the same month a year ago. The Clark County Department of Aviation on Wednesday reported 4.4 million arriving and departing travelers last month. That’s a 3.1% increase from August 2018. The airport has handled nearly 34.2 million passengers this year, keeping it on pace to surpass 50 million for the year for the first time. McCarran handled a record 49.7 million passengers in 2018. It’s one of the 10 busiest airports in the U.S. based on passenger count. Southwest Airlines was the busiest carrier at McCarran in August. Spirit overcame Delta for second, followed by American and United.

New Hampshire

Concord: The New Hampshire Office of the Child Advocate has started a review of how restraint and seclusion are being used on about 400 children in behavioral health settings. The review will look at children placed in private residential facilities and the Sununu Youth Services Center by the Division for Children, Youth and Families. Child Advocate Moira O’Neill said the patterns of how restraint and seclusion are used in New Hampshire are poorly understood. She said the only statewide data available is an aggregate number that shows the total incidents of restraint and seclusion across all facilities. Since 2014, there have been more than 20,000 incidents of restraint and seclusion across all residential facilities. But it’s not clear what that means.

New Jersey

Atlantic City: New Jersey horsemen could get millions of dollars in damages after a federal appeals court ruled that the horsemen were financially harmed while the legality of sports betting was being litigated. In a ruling Tuesday, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals said that the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, representing owners and trainers, is entitled to damages. The association has sought the payment, with interest, of a $3.4 million bond that the four major pro sports leagues and the NCAA posted in 2014. It was intended to secure losses that might be suffered during the month that a restraining order was in effect, prohibiting the horsemen from offering sports betting at Monmouth Park Racetrack. A lower court ruled against them, but the appeals court reversed that ruling, kicking the case back to U.S. District Court in New Jersey to determine the appropriate amount of damages. New Jersey ultimately won a U.S. Supreme Court case in May year clearing the way for legal sports betting in all 50 states. The horsemen also are seeking economic damages over not being able to offer sports betting from the time the restraining order expired in Oct. 2014 until the Supreme Court ruling in an amount Drazin estimated at $150 million. That amount was not covered in Tuesday’s ruling. When the association returns to court, it will seek to prove it should receive the $3.4 million from the bond. But it also will seek extended damages, intending to argue that the leagues acted in bad faith, something the leagues have denied in previous court filings. No hearing date has yet been set.

New Mexico

Carlsbad: New Mexico’s U.S. senators want the Trump administration to defend the state’s pecan growers from tariffs during ongoing trade negotiations with India. U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall, both Democrats, recently signed on to a bipartisan letter from 12 senators urging U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to negotiate the lifting of a trade barrier, the Carlsbad Current-Argus reported. The senators argued that rising imports from Mexico, Chinese tariffs and tree loss after Hurricane Michael strained U.S. pecan prices, and India’s growing middle class represented a market that could help minimize the economic damage. Records show India charges a 36% tariff on pecan imports, while other tree nuts such as pistachios and almonds are charged tariff rates of 10% or less. New Mexico became the largest pecan-producing state last year after Hurricane Michael ravaged Georgia’s crop. New Mexico was estimated to have produced about 90 million pounds of pecans in 2018, down about 2 million from 2017.

New York

New York City: A gilded coffin that was featured at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is on its way back to Egypt after it was determined to be a looted antiquity. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. and Egypt’s foreign minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry held a repatriation ceremony in New York on Wednesday for the Coffin of Nedjemankh. The Met bought the piece from a Paris art dealer in 2017 for about $4 million and made it the centerpiece of an exhibition. It was removed last February. The Met has apologized to Egypt. Investigators said the coffin was smuggled from Egypt through the United Arab Emirates, Germany and France. They said the museum was given fraudulent documents, including a forged 1971 Egyptian export license. Prosecutors said they’ve found evidence of hundreds more antiquities thefts.

North Carolina

Raleigh: Officials said nearly half of North Carolina’s counties are experiencing a moderate drought because of a lack of rainfall. Klaus Albertin, chairman of the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council, said in a news release issued by the Department of Environmental Quality on Thursday that water supplies, agriculture, fire threat and stream-flows statewide are beginning to reflect the lack of precipitation. Forty-five counties in the western and central parts of the state are in moderate drought stage, the least detrimental of four categories used in federal drought maps. Twenty-two counties are experiencing abnormally dry conditions, which means a drought could emerge without adequate rainfall. Albertin said although Hurricane Dorian left heavy rainfall along the coast, almost none fell west of Interstate 95. He said conditions could worsen before they improve.

North Dakota

Bismarck: The flags of North Dakota’s five tribal nations will be on permanent display outside the governor’s office at the state Capitol. Republican Gov. Doug Burgum announced the decision to display the flags during his State of the State address in January. The bipartisan Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee approved making the display permanent on Thursday. They represent the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation; the Standing Rock Sioux; the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa; the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate; and the Spirit Lake Nation. The relationship between North Dakota officials and tribes has been strained in the past, especially during protests three years ago against the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. Burgum said the tribal flag display was done “in the spirit of mutual respect.”

Ohio

Reynoldsburg: The Ohio Department of Health has confirmed the first human death in the state this year from the West Nile virus. Authorities said Wednesday that a 68-year-old Lucas County man hospitalized with encephalitis also was the first human case in the state this year. Health officials said Ohio had six fatalities among 65 human West Nile cases in 2017, after five deaths among 34 human cases in 2016. On Tuesday, Agriculture Department officials reported two confirmed West Nile cases among horses in the state. Most West Nile cases are transmitted by mosquitoes. Authorities urge using repellant and protective clothing and eliminating standing water and other potential mosquito breeding areas. Most infected people don’t have symptoms, but some get flu-like symptoms. A few will develop a serious neurologic illness.

Oklahoma

Stillwater: The life of Oklahoma State University alumnus and benefactor T. Boone Pickens has been celebrated on the campus where the late energy industry billionaire donated hundreds of millions of dollars to support academic and athletic programs. Pickens, who died in Dallas on Sept. 11 at age 91, was lauded at a memorial service Wednesday for his legacy of philanthropy and inspiration that university President Burns Hargis has encouraged other donors to transform the university. During his lifetime, Pickens donated $652 million to the university, including a $165 million gift in 2005 that at the time was the largest athletic gift in NCAA history. Since then, the university has raised $2 billion in cash and pledges. Pickens was a 1951 graduate of the university’s School of Geology, now known as the Boone Pickens School of Geology.

Oregon

Portland: The pregnancy of a 26-year-old elephant known as Chendra at the Oregon Zoo has ended in miscarriage. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported veterinarians at the zoo grew concerned earlier this month when they noticed a drop in some of the Asian elephant’s reproductive hormones. Last week, more definitive tests showed that she was no longer pregnant, said Bob Lee, who oversees the elephant program at the zoo. Chendra was around eight months along, which would correspond to the first trimester in humans. The gestation period for elephants is around 22 months. Chendra came to Oregon in 1999. She was found as a young calf wandering alone near a palm oil plantation in Borneo. Twenty-five elephants have been born at the Oregon Zoo since 1962.

Pennsylvania

Hegins Township: Police said more than 136,000 eggs splattered on a road when they shifted and fell out of a tractor-trailer driving through Pennsylvania. The Republican Herald reported that 11,340 dozen eggs and 2,260 gallons of egg product were ruined when a 66-year-old driver lost control of the rig Tuesday. Hegins Township police said driver Joseph Miles had just picked the eggs up at Carl Faus Farm and was on his way to Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Police said Miles was driving north on Route 125 uphill. As he approached the Route 25 intersection, the load shifted causing the eggs and egg products to fall and roll down the hill. Miles reportedly did not realize the eggs had fallen and continued his drive. A section of Route 125 was closed for several hours after the incident. An investigation into the unsecured load is ongoing.

Rhode Island

Providence: Several models and actresses have sued a Rhode Island strip club they said used their images in social media and advertising campaigns without permission. The models, including Tara Leigh Patrick, who is better known as Carmen Electra, said by using their images, the Cadillac Lounge in Providence made it appear as if they either worked at, endorsed or were otherwise affiliated the club. The plaintiffs are alleging misleading advertising, violation of privacy, defamation and unjust enrichment. The suit filed last week in federal court in Rhode Island seeks unspecified damages, an end to the use of their images and a jury trial. No attorney for was listed for the club or owner Nancy Shappy in court records. A listed number for the club was not in service.

South Carolina

Columbia: A national organization said Gov. Henry McMaster is violating the Constitution by holding prayers before news conferences. News outlets reported the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the governor’s office concerning two prayers earlier this month before news conferences regarding Hurricane Dorian. Foundation attorney Ryan Jayne said the practice violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from favoring one religion over others. A spokesperson for the governor, Brian Symmes, said as long as McMaster is governor and the state has to prepare for dangerous storms, there will be a chaplain saying prayers before news conferences. The foundation also sent McMaster a letter in January concerning prayers before news conferences for Hurricane Florence last September.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls:An incident that prompted Southeast Technical Institute officials to alert students of a police investigation on campus Wednesday morning was determined to not be an immediate threat. Sioux Falls police officers investigated a “potential incident” on the campus after a suspicious item was found in the Technology Center on the west side of campus, STI president Robert Griggs said. The Technology Center is home to the New Tech High School, which is where the item was found, said Capt. Mike Walsh with the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, which provides security for the STI campus. Walsh did not say what the found item was that caused the incident. The initial release, sent to students at 10:29 a.m., read “The Sioux Falls Police Department is on campus to investigate a potential incident. Reminder: If you see something, say something!” At 10:57, an all-clear was sent: “The Sioux Falls Police Department has investigated the situation and it has been determined there is no immediate threat to safety or security.” Southeast Technical Institute serves more than 2,000 students and offers more than 60 programs as one of two technical colleges in the region. The school is overseen by the Sioux Falls School District’s school board.

Tennessee

Chattanooga: The guardian of an autistic kindergartener said the 5-year-old boy was for punished for hugging a classmate. Chattanooga resident Summery Putnam told WTVC-TV a teacher accused the boy of sexual activities after he hugged one child and kissed another on the cheek. Putnam said the teacher told her the child was overstepping boundaries and she said a report was filed with the state Department of Child Services. Hamilton County Department of Education spokesman Tim Hensley released a statement that said school personnel are required to report concerns regarding children. Putnam said the child doesn’t understand normal social cues and boundaries. She said he has now switched classrooms and teachers and is enrolled in special education services.

Texas

Caddo Mills: Emergency officials said several airplanes have been destroyed in a hangar fire at a small airport in North Texas. Fire officials said no one was injured in Wednesday’s blaze at Caddo Mills Municipal Airport, about 35 miles northeast of Dallas. Authorities are trying to determine what sparked the fire, which was brought under control after about two hours. Hunt County Fire Marshal Richard Hill said no foul play is suspected in the fire that destroyed three aircraft, an automobile and a motorcycle. Caddo Mills is a town of about 1,600.

Utah

Salt Lake City: State officials said they have shaved $100 million off the estimated price of a proposed pipeline that would pull water from Lake Powell. The Utah Division of Water Resources said in a news release Wednesday the cost savings come from scrapping plans for two reservoirs that would have generated hydropower at peak demand times. Division spokeswoman Marcie Larson said the project is estimated to cost $1 billion to 1.7 billion, down from as much as $1.8 billion. It would be repaid over 50 years. A legislative audit found it will require a large fee, rate and tax increases in Washington County in southern Utah to pay for the project. Critics call the pipeline an unnecessary use of funds and said the emphasis should be on getting residents to use less water. The project is pending regulatory reviews.

Vermont

Montpelier: An after-school active shooter drill at an elementary school has raised concerns from several parents who were upset that some children heard words like “intruder” and “active shooter.” A school resource officer said the children, who were on the playground during the drill, were not meant to hear what was happening, but direct language is needed to avoid confusion in a real crisis. Several parents complained on social media about the terms that were broadcast at Union Elementary School during the drill Monday, the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus reported. Superintendent Libby Bonesteel said the drill was part of state-mandated training for all four schools in the Montpelier-Roxbury Public Schools District. The drill was meant to train faculty and staff, so students in an after-school program were sent to the playground, school administrators said. But some students could still hear the public address system, they said. Cpl. Matthew Knisley, a Montpelier Police Department school resource officer, said it was a standard drill that uses direct words to describe the threat. But he said children were not meant to be a part of the drill, which is why they were sent outside.

Virginia

Richmond: A Canadian-owned timber company is spending $32 million to expand sawmill and wood drying operations at two lumber mills. Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday that Teal-Jones Group will create a total of 126 new jobs with expansions in Martinsville and Kinsale. The company will receive various state grants worth $650,000 to secure the project. Northam’s office said Virginia beat out Oklahoma and Washington for the projects. Northam said the company plans to buy more than $100 million in timber from Virginia sources in the next four years.

Washington

Bremerton:U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have arrested multiple people in Kitsap County, a move critics said was based on racial profiling. The Kitsap Sun reported Tuesday that immigration advocates have criticized ICE activity in Kitsap County for racial profiling during targeted operations. Two immigrant advocacy organizations have urged residents to know their rights. American Civil Liberties Union officials said a judge-signed search warrant is required to give police and immigration officers’ access to search property. Officials said there are some exceptions, but people should assert their rights under the Constitution, including the right to remain silent. Some county officials say increasing immigration operations in the state are inflicting fear in families and pushing communities into economic crisis when a friend or relative is detained.

West Virginia

Charleston: The Appalachian Queer Film Festival is making its way back to screens in West Virginia after a short hiatus. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported the festival will be from Friday to Sunday at the Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema in Charleston. Organizer Jon Matthews said the festival opened successfully in Lewisburg in 2015, but lost funding after a 2016 study by the Koch Brothers on government waste was critical of the festival. The newspaper reported that the study said taxpayers would find the films “objectionable.” Matthews said the festival was targeted for its use of the word “Queer.” He said the festival fought to stay afloat as it opens minds in and about Appalachia. He said it took time off to gather support. Matthews said everyone is welcome.

Wisconsin

Mishicot: The season for hunting ruffed grouse in the northwestern two-thirds of Wisconsin has been shortened by more than three weeks. The state Department of Natural Resources board voted Wednesday to make the change over concerns about a dwindling population. The ruffed grouse season currently runs from mid-September through Jan. 31 in that part of the state. The season will now end on Jan. 5. Hunters in Wisconsin took only 173,347 birds last year, the lowest total in 35 years of hunter surveys. The reason for the decline is unknown.

Wyoming

Casper: The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $5 million to multiple Wyoming-based research initiatives to advance alternative uses for coal beyond energy generation. The Casper Star-Tribune reported that the federal government selected Ramaco Carbon, a coal technology company in Sheridan, for four research and development grants to delve deeper into the material science behind coal. The research grants come at a time when depressed demand for coal from the electricity generation sector becomes a new normal. Ramaco will partner with two other organizations to look into using coal for products like carbon fiber, a hearty material used to build aircraft, cars and more. Ramaco also received a federal Energy Department grant about a year ago.


Ukrainian bakery names croissant after Boris Johnson | The Week UK

A bakery in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has named a croissant after the UK’s prime minister. “Boris Johnson is not just a prime minister but is also now a croissant,” announced Cafe Zavertailo on Instagram this week. The accompanying photograph features row of pastries with meringue toppings, crowned with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to represent the PM’s chaotic locks. “We sell loads of them,” a spokeswoman told The Telegraph. “We can only make 42 at a time, three times a day, but we sell all we make within hours.”

Random Instagrammer offers to marry Heard

A stranger has offered to marry Amber Heard after she lost her case with Johnny Depp. The Saudi man sent a voice note to Heard’s official Instagram account and called himself better than “old man” Depp, News 18 reported. “Amber since all doors are closing on you, you have no one except me to take care of you,” he said. “I’ve noticed that some people hate and bully you, therefore, I decided to marry you. May Allah bless us both. You are a blessing, but people don’t appreciate that.”

Del Boy is a literary work

Derek “Del Boy” Trotter, the market trader in the TV sitcom Only Fools and Horses, has been deemed a “literary work” following a high court copyright ruling. The Guardian noted that the character’s new status was legally defined after a company, set up by the creator of the BBC comedy, won its copyright battle with the operators of an “interactive theatrical dining experience”, Only Fools the (Cushty) Dining Experience. The judge said that the character of Del Boy was a literary work, and that each script of the series was a dramatic work.

The Russian Tea Room in New York City suffers as Ukraine ...

New York (CNNBusiness) The Russian Tea Room is a 100-year-old New York City icon that has long drawn in locals and tourists alike. In its heyday, the restaurant hosted such luminaries as choreographer George Balanchine, artist Salvador Dali and composer Leonard Bernstein, and it was featured in the movies "Tootsie" and "Manhattan."

It drew crowds who attended concerts at nearby Carnegie Hall, only steps away, or dined there after a Broadway show. But at lunchtime Thursday, the eatery was almost vacant, with a handful of customers sitting at only two of its 30 or so red leather banquettes.

Despite its name, the Russian Tea room isn't Russian at all. It's actually owned by a financial group incorporated in New York state. It was opened in 1927 by, perhaps apocryphally, "White Russian expatriates who had fled the Bolsheviks," according to the restaurant's website. It has had a succession of US owners ever since.

But that hasn't stopped protesters looking to boycott all things Russian, even if it's only a name and a cuisine.

On Thursday, the Russian Tea Room's restaurant's manager and its staff members all declined to comment when visited by a reporter. But the restaurant's owners are clearly aware that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is hurting its business.

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