By Danica Kirka
The British Museum said Wednesday that a member of its staff has been dismissed after items dating back as far as the 15th century B.C. were found to be missing, stolen or damaged.
The museum said it has also ordered an independent review of security and a ‘‘vigorous program to recover the missing items.″
The stolen artifacts include gold jewelry and gems of semi-precious stones and glass dating from the 15th century B.C. to the 19th century A.D. Most were small items kept in a storeroom and none had been on display recently, the museum said.
“Our priority is now threefold: first, to recover the stolen items; second, to find out what, if anything, could have been done to stop this; and third, to do whatever it takes, with investment in security and collection records, to make sure this doesn’t happen again,″ said George Osborne, the museum’s chair.
“This incident only reinforces the case for the reimagination of the museum we have embarked upon," Osborne said.
The museum said legal action would be taken against the dismissed staff member and that the matter was under investigation by London’s Metropolitan Police Service.
The 264-year-old British Museum is a major London tourist attraction, drawing visitors from around the world who come to see a vast collection of artifacts ranging from the Rosetta Stone that unlocked the language of ancient Egypt to scrolls bearing 12th century Chinese poetry and masks created by the indigenous people of Canada.
But the museum has also attracted controversy because it has resisted calls from communities around the world to return items of historical significance that were acquired during the era of the British Empire. The most famous of these disputes include marble carvings from the Parthenon in Greece and the Benin bronzes from west Africa.
Hartwig Fischer, the director of the British Museum, apologized and said the institution was determined to put things right.
“This is a highly unusual incident,'' said Fischer said. “I know I speak for all colleagues when I say that we take the safeguarding of all the items in our care extremely seriously.''
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
Rohan Oza, co-founder and managing partner of CAVU Venture Partners and judge on ABC's "Shark Tank", has a pair of simple rules for when entrepreneurs pitch him: are they cool, and do their products work?
Naz Aletaha, head of esports partnerships for Riot Games, said that the "priceless" experiences with new global sponsor Mastercard will start with the world championships in October, offering premium content and behind the scenes access to the biggest event for esports lovers.
Jose Antonio Vargas rose to prominence when he wrote an essay for the New York Times in 2011 essentially outing himself as an undocumented immigrant. Since then, he's crisscrossed the country, advocating on behalf of immigrants. With a new memoir, "Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen," Vargas points out immigration is a "humanitarian crisis" that long predates Donald Trump.
Andrew Jenks, the host of the popular "What Really Happened?" podcast, is a pro at telling stories that can hold listeners' attention while they do other things, like drive or clean. It's a tricky task and is the difference between a podcast that holds your attention and one that you turn off, Jenks said.
Raymond Wong, senior tech correspondent at Mashable, shares his thoughts on Apple's new iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR.
Shares of Tilray, the Canadian cannabis company, popped 50 percent Wednesday after the DEA cleared the way for its cannabis imports as part of a clinical trial. Those trials are the backbone of Tilray's strategy, said Bethany Gomez, director of research at Brightfield Group. As more countries permit medical marijuana research, Tilray is putting itself in pole position.
Tilray, the Canadian cannabis company swiftly becoming one of the most talked-about stocks of the year, was up as much as 50 percent on Wednesday morning, leading a continued bull run in pot stocks and putting its market cap above established companies like Macy's and Viacom.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
Tesla is now facing a criminal probe from the DOJ, weeks after Elon Musk tweeted about taking the company private. Mark Spiegel, managing member at Stanphyl Capital and vocal short seller, said that Tesla stock is "going to zero."
