Worldwide news

      Queensland floods: Towns isolated as supplies dwindle and rain eases. Major flooding in northern Australia has begun to ease but many towns remain isolated in crocodile-infested waters as supplies dwindle. Extreme weather driven by ex-tropical cyclone Jasper has dumped a year's worth of rain on parts of Queensland. Some rivers have swollen to record levels, flooding homes, severing roads and power, and forcing people to flee houses in boats. One man is missing. One badly-hit town is now being evacuated after a failed first effort. ABC reported that about 20 people had been airlifted from Wujal Wujal by military helicopter. Cook Shire Mayor Peter Scott told the broadcaster they looked "pretty happy" after landing in nearby Cooktown. Wujal Wujal has a population of around 300, and is just one of a number of cut-off settlements suffering a shortage of food and water stocks. Its former mayor Desmond Tayley earlier told ABC he had "grave concerns" for the co...

   Elderly French couple lose rare African mask case worth millions A second-hand dealer has won a case to keep the €4.2m (£3.6m; $4.6m) proceeds from the sale of a rare African mask he found in an elderly French couple's attic. He had been brought in to help clear the attic of the couple, who sold him the mask for €150 (£129; $165). The couple sued, arguing that they had been misled about the item's value. But the judge disagreed, saying they had failed to appreciate the artwork's true worth. The rare Ngil mask, made by the Fang people of Gabon, is believed to be one of only about 10 in the world. It would have been worn by members of the Ngil secret society. Historians believe members travelled through villages searching for troublemakers, including suspected sorcerers. The 19th-Century wooden mask was probably acquired "in unknown circumstances" around 1917 by René-Victor Edward Maurice Fournier, a French colonial governor and the plaintiff's grandfather...

 Iceland volcano: Pollution warning for capital after eruption   Iceland volcano: Pollution warning for capital. Gas pollution could hit Iceland's capital after a volcano began erupting late on Monday, the country's meteorological office has said. The eruption, which broke out on the Reykjanes peninsula of south-west Iceland, comes after weeks of intense earthquakes and tremors. Fumes could reach Reykjavik by Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. About 4,000 people were evacuated last month from Grindavik, a fishing town threatened by the lava flow. A resident living near Grindavik described "crazy" and "scary" scenes on Monday night and said she could still see the volcano exploding on Tuesday. Iceland has been braced for volcanic activity for weeks. Since late October, the region around Reykjavik has been experiencing an increase in earthquake activity. The eruption can be seen from Reykjavik, which is about 42km north-east of Grindavik. An eyewitness in...

 BP pauses all Red Sea shipments after rebel attacks   Oil giant BP has announced it is pausing all shipments of oil through the Red Sea after recent attacks on vessels by Houthi rebels. The firm blamed the "deteriorating security situation" in the region as Iran-backed Houthis target ships they believe are bound for Israel. Many freight firms have suspended journeys as the attacks continue. BP said it would keep its "precautionary pause under ongoing review" and monitor the region. Analysts suggested that if other large oil firms follow suit, oil prices could rise. Brent crude, the international benchmark foroil prices, increased to $78.44 per barrel. "Right now it's unclear how significant the impact will be," said Gregory Brew, an oil historian and analyst at Eurasia Group. "Though if more shipping companies divert their traffic, and if the disruption lasts more than a week or two, prices are likely to climb further." The Red Sea is one o...