Charleston

Two civil liberties groups sued in federal court to remove a picture of Jesus that has hung in a high school for more than 30 years. Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the West Virginia American Civil Liberties Union say the painting, Head of Christ, sends the message that Bridgeport High School endorses Christianity as its official religion.

Monty Coles was 900m in the air when he discovered a stowaway peeking out at him from the plane’s instrument panel — a 1,35m black snake. Coles had left Charleston earlier for a leisurely flight alone over the West Virginia countryside last Saturday in his Piper Cherokee.