Oddly enough

Oddly enough

Swooping, gliding over Alps at free-flight festival

SAINT HILAIRE DU TOUVET, France

In wild costumes, wingsuits and even home-made flying machines, thousands of people are gliding through the French Alps in the world’s oldest free-flight festival.

Hang gliders, paragliders, acrobatic sailplanes and hot air balloons from around the world will gather this weekend for the Icarus Cup, celebrating its 43rd edition on the slopes of Saint Hilaire du Touvet.

Motorized paragliders will race in an airborne slalom in one of the festival’s events. Kitted out like a dragon, a trumpet or a car, some participants are aiming for victory at a costume contest.

Emergency services are on hand in case of accidents – and to watch out for suspicious packages as part of France’s state of emergency after deadly extremist attacks.

NY: Utilities can’t charge fees after death

ALBANY, N.Y.

Phone, cable and utility companies in New York may no longer charge early termination fees when service has been discontinued due to the death of a customer.

The rule was signed into law recently by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who said the practice of charging fees to deceased customers was “heartless and inappropriate” and created burdens for those settling their loved ones’ affairs.

Few statistics are available about how often companies took such action, but Democratic Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, who sponsored the legislation, says a utility tried to charge her mother an early termination fee after she died.

The new regulation applies to landline and cellphone providers, cable, television, internet, power and water companies.

Any provider that violates the rule is subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000.

Bear at Polish zoo finds WWII mortar grenade

WARSAW, Poland

Taking a toy from a bear can be dangerous, especially when the toy is a mortar grenade.

Malgorzata Chodyla, spokeswoman for a zoo in Poznan, in western Poland, told The Associated Press recently that a visiting Border Guard officer noticed that a female bear named Ewka was playing with something odd.

On closer look, it proved to be a rusty mortar grenade from World War II.

The bear was swiftly locked up after the discovery, the public was barred from the area, and army sappers took the explosive to a test range to detonate it safely.

Associated Press