Critical Beauty

A gaggle of Miss Universe hopefuls strolled Red Square for a photo shoot last weekend prior to the contest.  Sergei Karpukhin / Reuters   By Christopher Brennan      Seeing scores of beautiful women in cocktail dresses is not particularly uncommon for Moscow, especially not in a setting like a money-soaked upscale restaurant. The city center may see an increase in turning heads, however, as the contestants for the 2013 Miss Universe beauty pageant have arrived in Moscow, where the competition is being held for the first time, and will spend the next two weeks preparing before the eventual finale Nov. 9.      Having already arrived and participated in a lingerie fashion shoot last week, the young women, who range in age from 18 to 27 and represent 87 different countries, held an opening dinner at the swanky restaurant Zafferano on Friday. As representatives from their countries' national pageants, the group will compete in the preliminary round Nov. 5 after a week of p

     The Miss Universe pageant is not new to controversy, specially in this year's pageant. First, the host country Russia's draconian anti-gay laws have persuaded openly gay TV host Andy Cohen to boycott the pageant by not returning as the co-host. Second, Russia refused to grant a visa to Miss Kosovo Mirjeta Shala because her country is not recognized as a legitimate country by the Russian government; consequently, Miss Kosovo's good friend, Miss Albania Fioralba Dizdari , decided to withdraw from the pageant as a symbol of solidarity. Third, it is reported that Miss Georgia Janeta Kerdikoshvili has also been denied a visa allegedly due to Russia and Georgia's hostile relationship over the disputed territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.      And here's the latest controversy: 27 contestants have been selected to walk the runway during the Tony Ward Couture Fashion Show at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia on Wednesday, October 30th. These contestants

Laura Elisa Alvarez, a 24-year-old model and nutritionist from  Mérida, Yucatán  has been elected as Miss Grand International Mexico 2013. Alvarez is the winner of  Rostro de Mexico 2012 (Face of Mexico 2012) and  will represent Mexico in the new pageant, Miss Grand International 2013 to be held in Bangkok, Thailand on November 19.     Information courtesy of  Jesús Rábagov (President of  Rostro de México)  

Daniela Álvarez Reyes , a 19-year-old student from Cuernavaca, Morelos, was crowned Nuestra Belleza Mexico Mundo 2013 (Miss World Mexico 2013) in Toluca on October 20th. She will represent Mexico in the 2014 Miss World pageant to be held in London.   Immediately after the   Nuestra Belleza Mexico Mundo 2013 pageant, the remaining contestants competed again for the Nuestra Belleza Mexico 2013 (Miss Universe Mexico 2013)  title which was won by  Josselyn Garciglia Bañuelos, 23, from Baja California Sur . She will represent Mexico in 2014 Miss Universe pageant. 

     Micaela Orsi Jorcin , Miss Universe Uruguay 2013, has withdrawn from competing in Miss Universe 2013 pageant to be held on November 9 in Moscow.  Her photo has been taken down from the official Miss Universe website - which brings down the total number of contestants to 86.        In a letter than Jorcin posted on the Miss Uruguay Facebook page on October 19, she states (my  translation; the original Spanish follows):      In today's date and through this medium, I want to make public my non-participation in the Miss Universe beauty pageant to be held on 9 November in Moscow, Russia. In February of this year, I was elected Miss Universe Uruguay in order to represent my country in the most important pageant  and to fulfill a personal dream. I was coerced to sign a contract of employment in which Mr. Antonio Vergara yields the Miss Universe franchise to Mr. Alejandro Gamella after my coronation. Not being too familiar with the legalities, I signed the contract just

Miss Universe Kosovo Mirjeta Shala. Facebook photo By Richard Johnson The universe is shrinking for this year’s Miss Universe pageant in Moscow, as gays decline to travel to homophobic Russia — and the Kremlin refuses to issue Miss Kosovo a visa. Mirjeta Shala , the dark-haired beauty crowned Miss Kosovo in August, was packed and ready to fly from New York to Moscow  to join the winners from 90 other countries for the Nov. 9 pageant, airing on NBC. “They won’t let her in,”  Donald Trump  told me on Friday, the day before she was to travel. “She’s very beautiful. Many people thought she was a contender. Unfortunately, she couldn’t get a visa.” Fadil Berisha , the pageant’s official photographer, also hails from Kosovo, which used to be part of Yugoslavia. “[Shala] was denied a visa because Russia doesn’t recognize Kosovo’s independence,“ Berisha said. “Her fans in Kosovo will go crazy because they were expecting her to win, and this is a beauty contest, not a political

Milica Vukliš , 20, from Belgrade, was crowned Miss Serbia 2014  on October 15th, 2013 at the Pink Television Studio in Belgrade . She will compete in Miss World 2014 which will be held in London, England sometime in October next year. Arne Zeković , 20, was 1st runner-up and will represent Serbia in Miss Universe 2014, in Fortaleza, Brazil. Jovana Maksimovic , 23, was 2nd runner-up.

     Although Miss World 2013 Megan Young has been crowned as the first Filipina titleholder of the oldest international beauty pageant, she has yet to receive her prizes, Victoria Young, the beauty queen's mother disclosed on Tuesday.  In fact, she doesn't even know exactly what prizes should be received by her daughter since Mrs. Young researched on the Internet for any information about the prizes but found none. However, she confirmed that Megan received the P1 million prize for winning the local title of Miss World Philippines.      "But I have talked to people who have experience in Miss World pageantry. They said every time she has activities to attend to raise money, she will get an honorarium.      Mrs. Young is also hopeful that with a Miss World crown on her daughter's head, this would translate into higher talent fee for endorsements.      While Mrs. Young is extremely happy with the victory of Megan, she also complained that she hardly

       Megan Young , the recently   crowned   Miss World, is pro-life and believes in abstinence before marriage.      In an  interview  with the Philippines-based ABS-CBN News Channel in August, back when she was Miss Philippines, Young revealed her more traditional views on abortion, sex and marriage.      “I’m pro-life and if it means killing someone that is already there, then I am against that of course,” Young said when asked whether she was for or against the country’s Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RH) law,  which  allows taxpayer funds to be used for contraception, abortifacients and family-planning education. The nation’s Supreme Court suspended the law over the summer.      “I’m against abortion,” she added.      When asked for her views on contraception, Young explained she does not participate in activities that would require it.      “I don’t engage in stuff like that as of now. I think that’s — sex is for marriage. That’s my belief.”

Beronika Martinez, 19,  of Venezuela was crowned  Miss Tourism World 2013  during a glittering ceremony at the Sipopo Conference Centre in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on Saturday 12th October 2013 . Her court includes first runner-up  Hillary Ondo  of Gabon, second runner-up  Michaela Haladova  of Czech Republic, third runner-up Andrea Huisgen  of Spain and fourth runner-up  Olena Popova  of the Ukraine. Completing the top 10 were the delegates from Equatorial Guinea, Great Britain, Portugal, Lithuania and Puerto Rico.  

by  PETER GICAS Prabhas Roy/Hindustan Times via Getty Images Miss Universe officials evidently feel pretty sorry that a  photo shoot   in front of the Taj Mahal involving Miss Universe 2012   Olivia Culpo   may have violated India's Heritage Act. "The Miss Universe Organization would like to extend its deepest apologies to the people of India for the incident...which occurred this past Sunday," the Miss Universe organization said in a statement. "Throughout her reign, the Miss Universe Organization continually creates video diaries of our titleholder to keep fans and sponsors up to date on her travel and to share in the experience. As part of these videos, we sometimes incorporate sponsors into these shoots. "The filming that took place outside the Taj Mahal was never intended to be used as a commercial nor was it meant in any way to be disrespectful. We sincerely apologize for any unintentional harm our indiscretion and insensitivity may have cau

Oct. 11, 2013 By REENA NINAN and SUZANNE YEO REENA NINAN More From Reena » Correspondent, ABC News  via  GOOD MORNING AMERICA Miss Universe Olivia Culpo , who is under fire for an allegedly "unauthorized" fashion shoot on the sacred grounds of India's Taj Mahal, says she did not want to take part in the controversial session. "Honestly, I did at one point say out loud, 'Isn't this a little inappropriate?'" Culpo, 21, said in an interview with her hometown Rhode Island newspaper, The Providence Journal. "It's really upsetting because I loved my visit to India, and I would love nothing more than to go back, even in the near future." Outrage Over Miss Universe Taj Mahal Photo Shoot Authorities in India said Thursday they had filed a formal complaint over Culpo's fashion shoot for shoes at the famed landmark after the U.S. beauty queen posed with red high heels in front of the "monument to l

Three new Venezuelan queens were crowned last night at the Poliedro de Caracas. Migbelis Castellanos , 18 (Miss Costa Oriental), was crowned Miss Venezuela Universe 2013 and will compete in Miss Universe 2014. Michelle Bertolini, 19 (Miss Gu á rico) was crowned Miss Venezuela International 2013 and will compete in Miss International 2014. Stephanie de Zorzi , 20 (Miss Aragua) was crowned Miss Venezuela Earth 2013 and will compete in Miss Earth 2014. The 1st runner-up was Wi May Nava , 19 (Miss Cojedes) and the 2nd runner-up was Gabriela Graf , 23 (Miss Nueva Esparta). Completing the top ten were the delegates from Barinas, Distrito Capital, Lara, Sucre and Yaracuy. Miss Venezuela Universe 2013 Migdelis Castellanos Watch her coronation:

23-year-old Solange Duarte   was crowned  Miss Queen Portugal 2013 / Miss Earth Portugal 2013  on October 5 at the Alfandega Club in Caminha – Viana do Castelo. She will represent Portugal in the upcoming  Miss Earth 2013  to be held from November 17 to December 7, in the Philippines. Duarte will only be the fourth Portuguese woman to compete in Miss Earth since the pageant began in 2001. So far, Portugal's best placement in the pageant was when Susana Nogueira c racked the Top 16 in 2011.

Final Four: From right to left: Alicia Bess, Katherina Roshana, Ayana Whitehead and Carlea Chappel Katherina Roshana was last night crowned Miss Guyana Universe 2013 after triumphing over seven other delegates in the local pageant held at the Pegasus Hotel Poolside. Over the course of the evening it was obvious that Roshana proved she was a crowd favourite but throughout the event she was given stiff competition by delegate Number 5, Ayana Whitehead who received massive support. It was Whitehead’s placement that had the hundreds in attendance in an uproar as she was named the third runner-up, Carlea Chapelle , the second runner-up and Alicia Bess , first runner-up. Roshana was sashed by First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar and crowned by her predecessor Ruqayyah Boyer .  She will now be set to represent Guyana in Moscow, Russia at the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant. Source: Stabroek News, 10/7/2013

Holly Michelle Cassidy  was crowned  Miss Universe New Zealand 2013  in Auckland on October 5, 2013. The beauty from Auckland is 22 years old  and will represent New Zealand in  Miss Universe 2013  pageant on November 9th in Moscow, Russia.  Her court includes first runner-up  Kylie Tan  and  second runner-up  Deborah Lambie . Completing the top five were  Haley Robinson  and  Rachel Maree Millns . 

25-year-old Alisa Miskovska  (Alise Miškovska) of Latvia (center) was crowned  Miss Tourism Queen International 2013  on October 3rd, 2013 in Xianning, Hunan, China. Her court includes from left to right: f ourth runner-up Miss Portugal  Ana Bomfim, s econd runner-up Miss China (Guandong)  Xu Zi Xin,   first runner-up Miss South Africa  Roxzelle Rheeder  and  third runner-up Miss Korea  Na Ran Hi . Completing the top ten were the delegates from France, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines and China (Xianning). This is the first time Latvia has won the pageant which started in 2004. The pageant has attracted over 100 countries and territories in the last three editions, but the 2013 edition only attracted a little over 40 countries. The pageant has not been held consistently since 2009. No pageant was held in 2010 and 2012, and the production quality has diminished over the years. 

Gabriela Berrios , a 22-year-old beauty from Toa Baja municipality, was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2014 on Thursday, October 3rd, at San Juan's Fine Arts Center.  Berrios has previously competed in the Miss Supranational 2012 contest and was named Ms. Latina International-USA in 2010.  She was also crowned Miss Tourism Intercontinental in 2010. She will now compete in Miss Universe 2014 pageant. Her court includes  1st runner-up   Aleyda Ortiz Rodriguez (Bayamon),  2nd runner-up   Estefany Soto Rios (A ñ asco),  3rd runner-up Alexandra Montalvo (Juana Diaz),  4th runner-up  Patricia Quiñones Negrón (Cayey), and  5th runner-up   Larissa Santiago Escaso (Rio Grande).

Moe Set Wine  was crowned  Miss Universe Myanmar 2013  at the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel in Yangon on September 6, 2013. She will represent Myanmar in M iss Universe 2013  pageant on November 9th  in Moscow, Russia.  Wine's court includes  1st runner-up Aye Chan Moe,  2nd runner-up Myat Hnin Phyu,  3rd runner-up Hnin Yamone Oo and  4th runner-up  May Chit Pone. Myanmar's former name is Burma, which competed in Miss Universe three times only  (1959, 1960, 1961). It won the Miss Congeniality award in 1960.