Nigeria has warned Miss World contestants to steer clear of parts of the country practising sharia law during the pageant's finals in the capital, Abuja, in November.
The contest has been threatened with disruption by Islamist groups from Nigeria's predominantly Muslim north, with many objecting to the swimsuit parade. At least two women have been sentenced to death by stoning for having sex outside marriage in the 12 Nigerian states which impose Islamic law. Others have been flogged for being improperly dressed.
Nigeria applied to host the event after a Nigerian, Agbani Darego, became the first black African to win the title last year. Her victory caused widespread rejoicing in the mainly-Christian south, with some commentators saying it would offer hope in a country where women are often forced into prostitution, and where people-trafficking is rife. It is not the first time Miss World has fallen foul of local mores. India, host in 1996, moved the swimwear contest from Bangalore to the Seychelles after protests from Hindu extremists, which included one protester setting fire to himself.
Norfolk Island is a little island to the east of Australia, and its ordinarily a very safe place - no locks on doors, people leaving srufboards on the beach for days at a time, and that sort of thing. It has a terrible history though - it was originally settled by the Bounty mutineers, and was for a long time a hole of a gaol. The recent idyllic caml has been disturbed. Norfolk Island's 2,000 residents are being called up for fingerprinting today in an attempt to solve its first murder case in 150 years. Two tourists discovered the body of Janelle Patton at a picnic spot on Easter Day. She had been stabbed, beaten and wrapped in black plastic, but her body was still warm. Before police could be flown in from Australia a downpour washed away crucial evidence, and the site of the murder has never been established. Investigators turned to mass fingerprinting when all other trails ran cold.
Finally, Italy is facing an invasion of Argentinians and Brazilians. Italy is braced for a mass return of economic migrants as thousands of South Americans of Italian origin have applied for passports in recent months. Since the beginning of the year Italian consulates have issued 13,000 passports to Argentinians of Italian origin, almost double the figure for the whole of 2001. Around 300,000 more have applied for passports and many more might do so if the economy fails to pick up: 40% of Argentina's 24 million people are at least partly of Italian origin. In Brazil, 25 million people can trace roots back to Italy and 150,000 are currently applying for Italian passports. A massive influx of economic refugees could severely stretch Italy's public finances, as returning immigrants are entitled to the same social security provisions as other citizens.
One way of stemming the tide is to erect bureaucratic hurdles. In Argentina, consulates have reduced opening hours - at the Buenos Aires consulate they accept 80 personal files a week, 3,000 a year. Someone turning up today will have a first appointment in three years time, in 2005. Got to love red tape.
