Saree clad Malay beauty pageant contenders to do their bit for charity

October 3rd, 2009 KUALA LUMPUR - Indian origin law student Thanuja Ananthan has been crowned the Miss World Malaysia 2009 title. The 23-year-old faced disappointment at last year's pageant but returned determined for a second chance.

September 29th, 2009 LONDON - Miss World Singapore 2009 Ris Low, who was revealed to be a convict of a credit card fraud, has reportedly asked people to forgive her. Many Singaporeans wanted her to be stripped of her title, while others requested her not to represent Singapore in the finals of the Miss World pageant to be held in South Africa in December.

September 24th, 2009 KATHMANDU - A 20-year-old popular Buddhist model and music video star Thursday prevailed over Nepal's Maoists as well as 14 other contenders to walk off with the Miss Nepal 2009 crown held under the shadow of Maoist threats. Zenisha Moktan, the winner, comes from the Tamang community, one of the poorest and underprivileged communities in Nepal and the worst victims of human trafficking.

September 24th, 2009 KUALA LUMPUR - A Malay conservative party has slammed Beyonce Knowles' upcoming concert in the country, saying the singer promotes hedonism with her 'sexy image'. Ahmad Sabki, Pas Youth's vice-chief, said they were opposed to Western entertainment such as that of the R and B lady, known for her sexy attire and seductive dancing, in Malaysia.

September 24th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Despite repeated warnings by the former Maoist guerrillas, Nepal's biggest and most popular beauty pageant Miss Nepal was off to a flying start Thursday after being forced to shelve the contest last year. Compered by a former Miss Nepal Malavika Subba and having another former Miss Nepal Sugarika K.C.

September 22nd, 2009 KATHMANDU - After being blocked by the Maoists, Nepal's oldest and best known beauty pageant, Miss Nepal, is finally scheduled to be held Thursday without drawing attention to its Indian sponsor, Dabur Nepal, which is thought to be the actual target of the former guerrillas. The Dabur Vatika Miss Nepal contest, which was sponsored by Indian ayurvedic product manufacturer Dabur to promote its Dabur Vatika range of cosmetics for women, has now been repositioned as the Fem Miss Nepal 2009 pageant in a bid to downplay the role of the Indian company that the Maoists have been pressuring the pageant organisers to replace.

August 24th, 2009 ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND - Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez was crowned Miss Universe 2009 here Monday, beating 84 contenders in the 58th edition of the annual pageant. Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela placed the glittering $120,000 crown on 18-year-old Fernandez who looked pretty in a red evening gown.

August 24th, 2009 NASSAU - Indian hopes were dashed when Miss India Ekta Choudhry failed to make the top 15 in the Miss Universe 2009 contest. Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez, was eventually named winner of the 2009 Miss Universe pageant.

August 24th, 2009 TORONTO - In the biggest South Asian beauty pageant in North America, 25-year-old Aanchal Dogra was crowned Miss India-Canada 2009 here Sunday night. Hailing from Mississauga on the outskirts of Toronto, Dogra was also the oldest contestant among 16 Indian-Canadian girls who vied for the title.

August 23rd, 2009 KUALA LUMPUR - Michael Jackson's new avatar is now living in a privately owned Malaysian zoo. J. Siva Priyan, the caretaker and animal trainer of the zoo, has decided to name one of the five newborn tiger cubs after the late king of pop.

August 19th, 2009 TORONTO - Defying all odds and unfavourable conditions, a Pakistani beauty queen is competing in the world's fifth largest beauty pageant- Miss Tourism Queen International 2009 being held in Shanghai. Ayesha Gilani, who hails from Lahore, is in Shanghai to compete with other 81 beauties from around the world.

August 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Out of the shadow of a Maoist government that focused on moral policing during its brief stint in power, Nepal's oldest and best known beauty pageant that had been stopped by the former guerrillas is now hoping for resurrection. Miss Nepal, the country's most popular beauty contest that was started 15 years ago but was obstructed by the women's wing of the Maoist party last year, is once more calling for young, unmarried and tall beauties to come forward with their applications by this month to win the crown that brings a cash prize as well as the opportunity to take part in the Miss World contest.

August 13th, 2009 KATHMANDU - The popular Miss Nepal beauty pageant will be held either next month or in October, the event's organisers, The Hidden Treasure, have said. The event management company, which is based in Lalitpur, announced that it has begun accepting applications from Nepali women who are above 18 and are at least above 5 feet 4 inches (around 162.5 cm) tall, and have completed high school.

July 4th, 2009 LONDON - Actors and close friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck played poker at an event in Las Vegas to raise money for charity. The Oscar winners joined event host Don Cheadle and actors Brad Garrett and Danny Masterson and retired boxing champ Mike Tyson Thursday night for the charity event, reported femalefirst.co.uk.

June 11th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Miss California Carrie Prejean, who sparked a furor at the Miss USA pageant by taking a stand against gay marriage, has been stripped off her crown. She was fired on Wednesday for failing to fulfill her obligations, according to a release by K2 Productions, the independent producers of the Miss California USA pageant, under license from Miss Universe, reports Fox News.