Beauty queens representing 130 countries are competing for the Miss Universe 2024 crown. The event will be held in Mexico City from November 14 to 16 at Arena CDMX, where reigning Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua will crown her successor on the final day.
Contestants are steadily arriving in the Mexican capital for what is set to be the long-running competition's most momentous event yet in its 73-year history. This year, many previous limitations have been scrapped, including age, marital status and body type for all contestants. Last year, for the first time, mothers were also allowed to participate.
The UAE, Somalia and Uzbekistan are making their Miss Universe debuts. Iran is sending a representative for the first time, under the title of Miss Universe Persia.
Here are the six contestants representing the Middle East at this year's Miss Universe.
Miss Universe Egypt: Logina Salah
Salah, 34, is a Dubai resident and model, who says she was bullied throughout her childhood due to a skin condition called vitiligo, which causes patches to lose pigment. Now, she is looking forward to representing her country on the world stage.
“I am excited to represent Egypt, women with vitiligo, and anyone who has ever felt that they don't belong,” she previously told The National. “After enduring bullying throughout my childhood because of my skin condition, it took me 15 years to embrace self-love. My mission is to empower those who feel marginalised, letting them know they are not alone and I aspire to make a significant impact on the global Miss Universe stage.”
Miss Universe Bahrain: Shereen Ahmed
The Filipino-Bahraini beauty queen, 29, finished second in the Miss Universe Bahrain competition in 2022. Ahmed has a background in journalism and advocates for single mothers and mental health awareness.
“This pageant journey has always been about more than just a crown – it’s about creating impact, giving hope, and showing single mothers that they are not alone. Together, we can make a difference, and I am so excited to see the change we’ll create on this global platform,” she posted on Instagram.
Miss Universe UAE: Emilia Dobreva
Dobreva is a fashion model and a mother of three. The Dubai resident will be the first UAE representative at the Miss Universe pageant. The model is not new to beauty competitions, having been crowned Miss Friendship International in 2019. During the coronation, Dobreva beat four other finalists to be crowned.
The UAE was first announced as part of the international competition in September. In an Instagram post by the Miss Universe Organisation, Indonesian businesswoman Poppy Capella was named as the national director for the UAE franchise, as well as for Cyprus. She was formerly the national director of Miss Universe Indonesia and Miss Universe Malaysia.
Miss Universe Lebanon: Nada Koussa
Clinical psychologist Koussa, 26, beat 14 other contestants to the Miss Universe Lebanon title at a star-studded event held at Beirut's waterfront. She was crowned by her Miss Lebanon 2022 predecessor Yasmina Zaytoun, the runner-up in Miss World last year.
Eight women made up the judging panel, including Nour Arida, a women's rights activist and model. “On my platform, I always talk about being natural, being true to yourself, I talk about accepting yourself, about not having beauty stereotypes,” Arida told The National.
“For me, I wanted to be here today and share this message, this reminder that each girl has something that is different, she's beautiful in her own way and that we should stop stereotyping women in general.”
Miss Universe Persia: Ava Vahneshan
A first for Miss Universe, Iran's unofficial entry to the global pageant will be Vahneshan, a singer and Chinese medicine specialist. Vahneshan was named as the replacement for Fay Asghari, the first winner of the title, who earlier this year beat 20 other women of Iranian descent to the Miss Universe Persia title at an event in Rome.
Miss Universe Persia said it and Asghari, the sister of Britney Spears's ex-husband Sam Asghari, had mutually agreed to part ways, with the title going to second-place Vahneshan. The daughter of an Iranian immigrant in Portugal, Vahneshan said that at the Miss Universe contest, she will represent “the weight of its history, its culture and the heart of my people".
She posted on Instagram: “But my mission is larger than just representing my country. I stand for every voice, for all those who have never had the chance to be heard, for every story that has been forgotten, for every heart that yearns to be understood. I will stand tall, and I will speak for you."
Miss Universe Israel: Ofir Korsia
The participation of Korsia, 23, an actress and dancer, will mark Israel's return to Miss Universe after a two-year hiatus. In 2022, the Miss Israel organisation – founded in 1952 and which sends representatives to international pageants – said it would no longer do so.
The announcement was made a year after the Israeli city Eilat hosted the pageant, where Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu took the crown.
The competition was revived after American entrepreneur Edgar Saakyan bought the rights to the Miss Universe Israel pageant. Korsia was among eight contestants in the competition, which was held in Florida in the US.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
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MATCH INFO
Bayern Munich 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 1
Bayern: Zirkzee (26'), Goretzka (86')
Gladbach: Pavard (37' og)
Man of the Match: Breel Embolo (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
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Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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SHAITTAN
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ASSASSIN'S%20CREED%20MIRAGE
%3Cp%3E%0DDeveloper%3A%20Ubisoft%20Bordeaux%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Ubisoft%0D%3Cbr%3EConsoles%3A%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20Series%20S%26amp%3BX%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Stoke City v Tottenham
Brentford v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Manchester United
All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.
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MO
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More coverage from the Future Forum
How to vote
Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.
They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi
Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday)
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
MATCH INFO
Northern Warriors 92-1 (10 ovs)
Russell 37 no, Billings 35 no
Team Abu Dhabi 93-4 (8.3 ovs)
Wright 48, Moeen 30, Green 2-22
Team Abu Dhabi win by six wickets
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In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Moving%20Out%202
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Zayed Sustainability Prize
