Il Messaggiere - News from Rome, Modena, Reggio, Italy and the world

This year's Miss Universe in Thailand has been marred by ugly drama, with allegations of an insult to a beauty queen's intellect, a walkout by pageant contestants and a tearful tantrum by the host.

As the Hong Kong daily "HongKong Telegraph" recently learned, the SCANDIC TRUST GROUP, an internationally operating conglomerate that is not active in the hotel industry, is expanding its international sales network: After successfully passing a thorough KYC and AML check (process control to verify identity, prevent money laundering, terrorism financing and all corporate activities) by bankers, the Dubai‑based and internationally active corporate association "FIRST IDEA CONSULTANT" will be integrated into the SCANDIC TRUST GROUP as a new sales partner under the name "SCANDIC SETUP".FIRST IDEA CONSULTANT, founded by internationally experienced bankers under the leadership of Amir Aslam, has for years successfully supported international founders and investors in the legally compliant establishment of companies and business accounts in the Gulf states of the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council). Thanks to a multilingual team of experts in German, English, Russian, Ukrainian, Hindi, Arabic and Chinese, clients worldwide are accompanied professionally.

A French-British investigation into alleged bribery at France-based defence giant Thales is examining a contract with Indonesia, an AFP investigation has showed.

US officials said the scheduled capacity for flights was being cut by 10 percent in 40 busy air traffic areas nationwide on Friday, as the longest government shutdown drags on.

Abdulhamid Mohammed fled his home in northeast Nigeria in 2015, chased into neighbouring Chad by jihadists who torched homes and shot civilians in his lakeside village.

Luka Doncic out-dueled Victor Wembanyama and the Los Angeles Lakers edged San Antonio 118-116 on Wednesday as the Portland Trail Blazers rallied to hand NBA champions Oklahoma City their first defeat of the season.

Florence, a drag queen and DJ, has a warning before taking to the stage in an Istanbul nightclub: if Turkey passes a new law policing biological sex and morality, it will "threaten our very existence".

Tesla shareholders will determine on Thursday the fate of a massive pay package meant to retain Elon Musk long enough to achieve technological breakthroughs he vows will change the world.

Tongan rugby league player Eli Katoa has been moved out of intensive care at Auckland Hospital four days after requiring surgery following "seizure activity" during the Pacific Championships, his uncle said.

Argentine ex-president Cristina Kirchner, who is serving a six-year fraud sentence under house arrest, goes on trial Thursday in a separate case for allegedly taking millions of dollars in bribes.

Half a century after the death of Francisco Franco, disinformation on social media has credited the Spanish dictator with social achievements that present his iron-fisted rule in a nostalgic light.

Liverpool's Wataru Endo was named on Thursday in World Cup-bound Japan's squad for home friendlies against Ghana and Bolivia as they look to build on their historic first win over Brazil.

Spanish youth are increasingly seduced by General Francisco Franco 50 years after the dictator's death, often unaware of his harsh rule and influenced by propaganda permeating social media, experts say.

Hammered by surging energy costs and a flood of cut-price Chinese imports, Germany's steel industry has been mired in deep crisis for several years.

The owner of India Premier League cricket champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru is considering selling the team, which could be worth "as much as $2 billion".

Belgium's fragile governing coalition could be staring at collapse as Prime Minister Bart De Wever threatens to resign unless it approves a cost-cutting budget Thursday.

New Zealand's former deputy police commissioner admitted on Thursday to possessing child sexual exploitation and bestiality material, which he had stored on his work devices.

The Bank of England is expected to hold its key interest rate unchanged on Thursday but some analysts are not ruling out a surprise cut ahead of the UK government's annual budget.

Australia's most famous gangster won a reduced jail sentence Thursday on one of his drug-related convictions, after it was revealed his lawyer was a police informant.

Australia's tortuous search to replace swashbuckling opener David Warner is over with Jake Weatherald set to pad up in the first Ashes Test, but the selection can't paper over the ageing side's glaring weakness at the top of the order.

Alex Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to score his 900th career goal in the Washington Capitals' 6-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.

Mexico is hoping for an economic windfall when it hosts matches including the opening game of the 2026 World Cup, but the capital's iconic street vendors see not only opportunity but dangers.

Asian markets rose Thursday to claw back some of the previous day's hefty losses as investors tracked a bounce on Wall Street sparked by jobs data that soothed worries about the US economy.

Typhoon Kalmaegi killed at least 140 people and left another 127 missing after unleashing devastating flooding across the central Philippines, official figures showed Thursday, as the storm headed towards Vietnam.

Nick Kyrgios said Thursday his long-term knee injury had suddenly improved, giving him hopes of a "miracle" comeback in time for the Australian Open in January.

In a parallel reality, Donald Trump reigns as king, fighter pilot, and Superman, and his political opponents are cast as criminals and laughingstocks -- an unprecedented weaponization of AI imagery by a sitting American president.

Belgian authorities on Wednesday investigated drone sightings that halted air traffic overnight at several airports, as flights resumed after hundreds of passengers were left stranded.

The eyes of the world are on Belem, a gateway city to the Brazilian Amazon playing host to what has been dubbed the "Forest COP" climate conference starting Monday.

World leaders meet Thursday in the Brazilian Amazon in an effort to show that climate change remains a top global priority despite broken promises and the United States shunning the gathering.

The death toll from a cargo plane crash in the southern US state of Kentucky rose to 11 on Wednesday, with investigators saying the accident was caused by one of the engines catching fire and detaching during takeoff.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called Wednesday for sexual harassment to be made a crime nationwide after being groped on the street in an attack that underscored the dangers women in the Latin American country face.

Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle is to make her return to the big screen, media reported Wednesday, with a small cameo role in a film being shot around Los Angeles.

Japan began deploying soldiers on Wednesday to a northern region hit by a spate of deadly bear attacks, which have risen to record levels this year.

FIFA has created a new annual award called the FIFA Peace Prize to be awarded for the first time during the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, world soccer's governing body said Wednesday.

Injured Australia captain Pat Cummins hinted on Thursday at a comeback for the second Ashes Test, a day after the side unveiled its squad ahead of this month's opener.

Boeing reached a last-minute settlement in one of two lawsuits in this week's trial in Chicago over a 2019 737 MAX crash that killed 157 people, attorneys announced Wednesday.

Manchester City eased to a 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday to stay unbeaten in the Champions League and Inter Milan kept up their perfect start, while Barcelona salvaged a point at Club Brugge.

With his upcoming album "Nomad" released on Friday, French luminary DJ Snake said he aimed to "build bridges" between musical genres with an eclectic array of guest stars and influences.

Spanish giants Barcelona needed to come from behind three times to earn a 3-3 draw at Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday.