Entertainment

India’s Harnaaz Sandhu Crowned Miss Universe 2021

Published

3 years ago

December 13, 2021

Eric

Agency Report

Harnaaz Sandhu of India was crowned Miss Universe 2021 on Sunday, marking the end of a controversial pageant hosted this year in southern Israel.

In a speech on stage during the pageant, Sandhu urged young people to “know that you are unique and that’s what makes you beautiful, stop comparing yourself to others. I believed in myself, and that’s why I’m standing here today,” she added, to loud applause from the audience.

The pageant was held in the resort city of Eilat, with 80 women from around the world competing for the crown. Sunday night was the last day of the competition, with eliminations narrowing down the number of finalists until the last two remained, CNN reports.

Nadia Ferreira of Paraguay and Lalela Mswane of South Africa were the first and second runners-up, respectively.

The competition was hosted by comedian Steve Harvey, who at one point in the night asked Sandhu, “I hear you do some pretty good animal impersonations, let’s hear your best one.”

Harvey was later criticized online for singling her out with what many have suggested was an inappropriate question.

“Oh my god, Steve, I was not expecting to do this on the world stage. I have to do this, I have no other option. Brace yourselves, everyone,” she said looking surprised, before demonstrating a few meows.

At a later Q&A session, when Sandhu had reached the top 5, she took the opportunity to spread a message on climate change. “This is the time to take action and talk less. Prevent and protect is better than repent and repair,” she said.

After her win was announced, she celebrated with other contestants on stage, shouting to a camera, “Chak de Phatte India,” a Punjabi exclamation similar in meaning to “Let’s do this, India!”

This year’s competition marks the second Covid-era Miss Universe pageant. Israel’s borders were set to open to vaccinated tourists ahead of the main event this year, which would have allowed thousands of fans to attend.

But with the emergence of the new Omicron variant, the Israeli government shut its borders to foreigners two weeks before the competition, throwing travel plans and preparations into chaos.

One contestant, Miss France, tested positive for the virus upon landing in Israel and had to quarantine — getting out just in time for the preliminary competition on Friday.

The pageant was also wrapped in another layer of political controversy, with some critics and countries calling for boycotts as with previous international events hosted in Israel.

The South African government withdrew its support and called on Mswane to drop out, citing Israeli treatment of Palestinians, calling it “apartheid,” a charge Israel has vehemently denied. But Mswane with the backing of the Miss South Africa organization chose to travel to Israel and compete.

Other figures, including Miss Israel, Noa Cochva, responded with a common refrain heard from pageant organizers and contestants: Miss Universe should not be about politics.

Israel was one of the first countries to begin vaccinating its population and had reached a high vaccination rate by May this year, when the country was approached about hosting the December competition, according to a spokesperson from Israel’s Ministry of Tourism.

Entertainment

Okoroji Promises Unforgettable COSON Week

Published

1 week ago

December 12, 2024

Admin

Former President of PMAN and now, Chairman of COSON, Chief Tony Okoroji, has declared that the COSON Week scheduled to take place between May 25 and May 31, 2025 will be truly unforgettable.

Chief Okoroji made the declaration in his address to the just concluded Annual General Meeting of Nigeria’s No 1 copyright collective management organization, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), at which the 2024 royalty distribution of a whopping =N=465.5 million was approved.

These are the very words of the well-known master planner and producer of remarkable events: “one of the many important decisions taken by the COSON Board at its meeting of November 6 was the approval for the hosting of a master-blaster edition of the iconic “COSON WEEK” in May 2025.

The Board also directed that every step should be taken immediately to begin the mobilization of all “mobilizables” to ensure that COSON WEEK 2025 is, in every way, unforgettable”.

Continuing, Chief Tony Okoroji, the creator of the famous Nigerian Music Awards that played host to Presidents, Governors, Ministers, Ambassadors and stars from around the world, said, “COSON Week is the flagship week of our great society, during which we roll out wall-to-wall high-profile events to entertain, to inform, to communicate, to educate and to project an unassailable brand.

COSON week 2025 will bring joy to many. We will deploy the events of COSON Week 2025 to tell Nigerians that despite the difficulties we face, all is not lost. We will use COSON Week 2025 to propagate the importance of creativity and entertainment to the economic and socio-political well-being of Nigeria”.

Chief Okoroji went on to say: “We are now at the planning stage of COSON Week 2025. We intend to mobilize all “mobilizables” as ordered by the Board. As we enter the new year, we will begin to unfold the different events, the venues and their specific attractions. One thing I can assure you is that COSON Week 2025 will be truly unforgettable. Please, fasten your seat belts!”.

Entertainment

Pop Singer Davido Congratulates Ghana’s President-elect, Mahama

Published

1 week ago

December 9, 2024

Eric

Famous musician, Davido, has congratulated John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on winning the December 7 elections.

In a post shared with his millions of followers on X, Davido, whose real name is David Adedeji Adeleke, celebrated the news with a simple yet joyful post.

Mahama, who was president of Ghana between July 2012 and January 2017 has also been congratulated by his main opposition Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia

Tourism packages

In a concession speech delivered on Sunday, Mr Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, stated that internal data from his party indicates that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has secured victory in both the presidential and parliamentary polls.

“Let me say that the data from our own internal collation of the election results indicate that former President John Dramani Mahama has won the presidential election decisively,” Bawumia said.

Entertainment

Jay-Z Tops Forbes’ Greatest Rappers of All Time List

Published

2 weeks ago

December 5, 2024

Eric

Forbes has named American rapper, Sean Carter aka Jay-Z, as the greatest rapper of all time.

The publication recently released its 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time list, celebrating the best in the hip-hop world.

Jay-Z topped the list, followed by Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, J. Cole, and Tupac at numbers 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively.

Drake, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Nas, and Eminem complete the top 10.

Also on the list are Andre 300 (11), The Notorious B.I.G (12), Missy Elliott (13), Chuck D (14), A$AP Rocky (15), Lil’ Kim (16), Tyler, the Creator (17), Snoop Dogg (18), Ghostface Killah (19) and Common (20).

Popular names in hip-hop like 50 Cent, Ice Cube, Juice WRLD, Lauryn Hill, Dr. Dre, Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes, Future, Childish Gambino, Bad Bunny, Pusha T, Cardi B and Young Thug, rank at number 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 40, 46, 48 and 49, respectively.