Italy’s Supreme Court has ruled that the Getty Museum in Los Angeles must return a 2,000-year-old bronze statue it bought for almost $4m in 1977.

The bronze statue was discovered by fishermen off Pesaro, on Italy’s Adriatic coast, in 1964, sold several times, and eventually bought by the American museum over 40 years ago.

But Italy has always maintained that it was smuggled out of the country and acquired illegally, making its first formal request for its return from the US in 1989.
 

Safety upgrades have been completed on a 2.3 kilometre section of the Bruce Highway at Monduran, about 21 kilometres north of Gin Gin.

The $9.8 million safety upgrades were funded under the Caboolture to St Lawrence Pavement Widening package and is set to provide safer roads and better traffic conditions between Gin Gin and Mariam Vale. 

Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey thanked motorists for their patience and understanding while the works were completed.
 

Queensland retailers have experienced a record October in sales, with a 1.1 per cent jump registering a record 5.37 billion dollars, seasonally adjusted.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland said supermarket, apparel and hardware led October's sales and suggested the state's economy was finally picking up.

NSW, in contrast, dropped 0.4 per cent over the month, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Recent data by the University of News South Wales’ Kirby Institute shows that HIV infection rates in indigenous communities have risen by 41% between 2013 and 2016. 

Despite a 12% decline in non-Indigenous population during the same period, 

Dr Haire, a doctoral research fellow, says there are three main factors affecting Indigenous people with HIV: (1) people do not recognize that they’re at risk; (2) not knowing what HIV prevention methods are: and (3) lack of access to health clinics. 
 

A financial counselling crisis has left vulnerable owners exposed, ‘shame’ is the one emotion shared widely between those in financial distress. 

If help is not available, the shame then turns into fear and anxiety which is becoming the case for an increasing number of Australians. 

Financial Counsellor Kate Rich has said it is upsetting to know that people are trying so hard to get in to see a financial counsellor after recent comments were posted anonymously to financial counselling agencies in Western Australia.

The Albinism Society of Kenya have held a Mr and Miss Albinism beauty pageant in Nairobi to support those with the hereditary condition.

Albinism is a rare, hereditary condition that leads to a lack of pigmentation in the hair, skin and eyes. Without melanin in their skin, those with albinism are more vulnerable to the damaging effects of the sun.

In Africa, albinism is associated with many negative misconceptions and superstitions; consequently, albinos suffer stigma, alienation and even physical abuse.
 

World food prices declined in November to their lowest level in more than two years, led down by much weaker vegetable oil, dairy and cereal prices, the United Nations food agency says.

The Food and Agriculture Organization's food price index, which measures monthly changes for a basket of cereals, oilseeds, dairy products, meat and sugar, averaged 160.8 points last month, down from 162.9 in October, reaching its lowest level since May 2016.

Last weeks violence in France has forced authorities to close off major tourism sites, including the Eiffel Tower, due to fears the riots might re-occur.

Cultural Minister Franck Riester said “France cannot take the risk when they know what the threat is, adding that far-left and far-right agitators were planning to hijack rallies by “yellow vest” protests in France.”

The Louvre Museum, Osray Museum, Grand Palais and The Two Operas will remain closed for another week after rioters and looters defaced the Arc de Triomphe.