PAGEANT Circle

Kate Alexeeva (Jekaterina Aleksejeva) has been officially announced as Miss Universe Latvia 2022 on Wednesday, October 12. She was crowned by Miss Universe Latvia national director Inga Raduga. The 27-year-old international model and influencer from Riga bested four other finalists to win the national title. She will now prepare to represent Latvia at the 71st Miss Universe pageant in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA this January. "I couldn’t be more grateful to the juries, to my family, friends and supporters, photographers, designers and literally every single person who put their trust in me, contributes, inspires me and makes this journey possible. It’s all just the beginning and I promise not to let you down," she wrote in a statement on social media. Rounding out the Top 5 finalists were first runner-up Anastasija Aleksejevska, second runner-up Viktorija Samule, third runner-up Anastasija Reshetova, and fourth runner-up Liene Leitane. Latvia debuted at Miss Universe in 2005

Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi was honored at People Asia's Women of Style and Substance award on Monday, October 10 at Okada Manila. The 24-year-old Filipino-Italian model and beauty queen stunned in a black gown by Anthony Ramirez as she received the award alongside nine other well-accomplished incredible women in politics, arts, business, fashion, tourism, and international relations. "I am extremely honored to be able to stand alongside brilliant and empowered women, thank you People Asia for this award as a woman of style and substance," she wrote in a statement on social media. "I will cherish the meaning of this award for the rest of my life and I hope to continue inspiring people through authenticity, relatability and kindness," she added. Celeste also considered the award as a constant reminder that "beauty should always go beyond physical appearance, how you inspire others and what you do to help your community is what truly matt

Miss Universe Bahrain 2022 Evlin Khalifa walked the runway for celebrity-loved Dubai-based brand Amato Couture by Furne One Amato at Arab Fashion Week . The 24-year-old pianist and model from Riffa, the second largest city in the Kingdom of Bahrain, opened the premiere show of the brand's Couture Fall-Winter 22/23 season on Tuesday, October 11 at Dubai Design District. Amato Couture has been worn by many international celebrities over the years, including Beyonce, Katy Perry, Tyra Banks and Shakira. Prior to strutting the runway, Evlin was in the Philippines for her Miss Universe training. She won her national title last month and has now been preparing to represent Bahrain at the 71st Miss Universe pageant in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA this January. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Miss Universe Bahrain (@missuniversebahrain) Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain / Instagram

Miss France 2022 first runner-up Floriane Bascou has been officially announced on Tuesday, October 11 to represent France at the 71st Miss Universe pageant. In an official statement, the reigning Miss France Diane Leyre revealed the reason she will not be able to participate in Miss Universe is "due to lack of time and preparation" after crowning her successor at Miss France 2023 in December. The newly appointed Miss Universe France is 20 years old and hails from Le Lamentin, a city in the French overseas department and region of Martinique. She is a graduate of a scientific baccalaureate specializing in life and earth sciences. Floriane is currently pursuing studies in preparatory health with a law option and aims of becoming an orthodontist in the future. She has always been interested in the medical field from an early age. It is her desire to be able to help and contribute to the well-being of others. Prior to competing at Miss France 2022, she was crowned Miss Martinique

Following the "rigged" allegations against Miss USA, the Miss Universe Organization has immediately suspended Crystle Stewart's The Miss Brand Corp, producers of the competition. The suspension happened after MUO's "thorough deliberation" and this has been confirmed in an official email sent to the state pageant directors. Miss USA will now be under MUO while "a comprehensive, third-party investigation is conducted" by the law firm Holland & Knight and the next appropriate action will be based on their findings. The email signed by MUO President Paula Shugart and CEO Amy Emmerich also mentioned Crystle's cooperation through the process and brought up MUO's commitment to the contestants and fans as the top of their priority. Photo: Miss Universe / Facebook

Payengxa Lor was crowned Miss Universe Laos 2022 in a glittering competition held on Saturday, October 8 at the Grand Ballroom of Landmark Mekong Riverside Hotel in Vientiane. The 21-year-old business management student at the Lao-American College bested 19 other finalists to win the national title. She succeeds Tonkham Phonchanheuang and will now prepare to represent Laos at the 71st Miss Universe pageant in New Orleans, Louisiana, the USA this January. Phaimany Lathsabanthao and Lattana Munvilay were announced as the first and second runners-up, respectively, while Soudthida Bounluetai and Souphaphone Houngheuang completed the Top 5 finalists. The new Miss Universe Laos is also an English teacher and a co-founder of the Hmong Women Network, a platform for women empowerment. She volunteers to help the poor and in the future, she wants to build her own school to influence the young generation to believe in themselves and have a dream. This year's national competition themed "T

Reigning Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu has arrived in Colombia for her first official visit to the country to participate in activities for Smile Train, a nonprofit organization and charity providing corrective surgery for children with cleft lips and palates. Headquartered in New York City and founded in 1999, Smile Train provides free corrective cleft surgery in 87 countries, training local doctors and providing hospital funding for the procedures. Together with the reigning Miss Universe Colombia María Fernanda Aristizábal Urrea, Harnaaz visited cleft patients and beneficiaries in Medellín during the commemoration of World Smile Day on Friday, October 7. While in the South American country, the Indian beauty queen also had the chance to reunite with pageant sister, former Miss Universe Colombia and Miss Universe 2021 Top 5 finalist Valeria Ayos. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu (@harnaazsandhu_03) Photos: Valeria Ayos, Harnaaz Sand

Cheam Wei Yeng (Lesley) was crowned Miss Universe Malaysia 2022 on Friday, October 7 at the M Resort & Hotel in Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. The 26-year-old pharmaceutical and health science graduate is an assistant manager and a multilingual host and talent from Selangor. She succeeds Miss Universe Malaysia 2020 Francisca Luhong James. Ajunee Simreet Kaur Khangura and Tee Wan Ying were named the first and second runners-up, respectively. Rounding out the Top 8 finalists were Annatasha Shanty Jeremiah (Asha), Joann Tiong Hau Ping (Joann), Catherine Lai Hui Yi (Kate), Kaverrna Nair Sukumaran (Kaverrna), and Wong Siu Jane (Siu Jane). In addition to the national title, the new Miss Universe Malaysia also bagged the Miss Radiant Confidence and Miss Schwarzkopf Most Beautiful Hair awards. Lesley, who wants to use her pageant platform to raise awareness on mental health issues, will now prepare to represent her country at the 71st Miss Universe pageant this January in New Orleans, Louisiana,

The Miss Universe Malaysia 2022 pageant is taking place tonight at the M Resort & Hotel in Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. A total of 13 finalists made it to the final stage of the competition and at the end of the show, one of them will succeed Francisca Luhong James as Miss Universe Malaysia. The judging panel includes the founder of Make Up Miracle Academy & Workshop Kenny Yee; Glojas Chief Executive Officer Datin Selwin; Malaysian fashion designer Rizman Nordin; M Resort and Hotel Director of Operations Don Teo; creative director and fashion stylist Andrea Wong; La Jung Medical Director Dr. Karen Po; and former Miss Universe Malaysia Shweta Sekhon. Who will represent Malaysia at the 71st Miss Universe in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA this January? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Miss Universe Malaysia Org. (@missuniversemalaysia) --- FINAL RESULTS --- Special Awards Miss La Jung Glorious - Wong Siu Jane Miss Body Beautiful - Tee Wan Ying Miss Congen

Miss USA 2021 Elle Smith of Kentucky went to social media to defend her successor R'Bonney Gabriel of Texas whom she crowned on Monday, October 3 in Reno, Nevada. "Right now, all I feel is concern and pity for R'Bonney," she said amid the viral allegations attacking the Miss USA Organization. "I understand how isolating it is to win Miss USA and I also understand what it is like to have your class try and discredit your win, and say that they are attacking the organization and not you," she added. Elle then went on to share her own similar experience with her fellow competitors after winning last year. "Last year, my class attempted to say that the organization favored me and they came up with all these different claims, I then debunked all their claims to prove them wrong, this class [2022] is doing the same exact thing to R'Bonney," she said. She continued, "There's not one person in the pageant world and not one person in that class