Toni-Ann Singh's reign as the longest Miss World title holder will come to an end on Thursday when she crowns her successor in Puerto Rico. With the annual event cancelled last year owing to coronavirus pandemic, Singh, a Miss Jamaica who was crowned Miss World in 2019, has been camped in the US territory for the past few weeks along with this year's contestants ahead of the finals in Coliseo de Puerto Rico.
The competition, which will pick its 70th Miss World, will feature participants from 98 countries including Khadija Omar, Somalia's first hijabi candidate.
Representatives from Iraq, Tunisia and Turkey will also participate.
Miss World, which began as a bikini contest, has drastically changed its format over the years. In 2014, it famously did away with the controversial swimsuit round.
"I don't need to see women just walking up and down in bikinis," chairwoman Julia Morley, whose late husband Eric Morley started the competition in 1951, told Elle magazine. "It doesn't do anything for the woman. And it doesn't do anything for any of us."
The Miss Universe pageant, however, still has a swimsuit segment in the competition, but is not enforced on contestants.
Ahead of the Miss World finals on Thursday, to be livestreamed on its website, here are seven contestants to watch out for:
Miss Somalia: Khadija Omar
This psychology student and make-up artist says she entered the Miss World pageant because she wanted to be a representative for hijabi women worldwide.
Ahead of her trip to Puerto Rico, Omar, 20, said she couldn't wait to make her country proud.
"I can’t believe I’m the first Miss World Somalia. Anyone who knows me, knows how long I’ve desired to compete in pageants and represent hijabi girls worldwide. To see that dream come true is not short of an honour," she posted on Instagram in November.
"I hope this inspires young hijabi girls and reminds them that they can dream as big as they aspire. I can't wait to make history in Puerto Rico, show the world how beautiful Somalia is."
Omar is the first hijabi contestant to represent Somalia at the Miss World contest, the Miss Somalia organisation said.
Miss India: Manasa Varanasi
Crowned in February, financial analyst Varanasi has the pressure of bringing home the Miss World crown this year, following Harnaaz Sandhu's historic win at the Miss Universe 2021 pageant on Sunday. India has won Miss World and Miss Universe crowns in the same year twice before, in 1994 when Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sushmita Sen brought home the respective titles. And in 2000, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Lara Dutta winning the crowns.
A trained Indian classical dancer with dreams of hosting her own talk show, Varanasi, 24, recently received a vote of confidence from Chopra Jonas.
"Lots of love and luck to @manasa5varanasi for the 70th Miss World competition," the international star posted on Instagram. "Let's all support Manasa Varanasi at the 70 Miss World competition!"
Miss Iraq: Maria Farhad
A computer science student, Farhad, 20, bested 17 other contestants to clinch the title in July in Baghdad. In 2014, Farhad and her family were forced to move from Mosul to Erbil when her hometown came under attack by ISIS terrorists.
"Maria enjoys playing volleyball and has ambitions to be an actress or a model," reads her biography on the Miss World website. "Since being crowned, Maria has supported projects around her local orphanage and a senior’s home. Her favourite film is Maleficent."
Miss Tunisia: Amani Layouni
A silver medalist in Taekwondo at the African Games in 2019, Layouni has won many national and international competitions and hopes to represent Tunisia in the 2024 Olympic Games. Layouni, 22, who was crowned in September at a pageant held virtually, has also won other contests including Miss Sousse 2021 and Miss Combat 2020.
Tunisia has never won a Miss World crown and Layouni will hope to make history with a win.
Miss America: Shree Saini
The first Indian-American to win the Miss America title, Saini is an advocate for heart health and has had a permanent pacemaker since she was 12, after a major car accident which also left her with burns all over her face.
"It's not just my win, but OUR collective win: it's a win for our inclusive and diverse America, for every race, for every culture, for everyone. It's a win for endless kindness, resilience and perseverance in tough times," Saini, 25, posted on Instagram after being crowned.
A journalism graduate, her dream is to become the Secretary of Education in the US, says her biography on the Miss World website.
Miss Philippines: Tracy Perez
Hailing from one of the most-crowned countries in international beauty contests, Perez has a huge support system behind her, including thousands of ardent pageant followers in the Philippines. Raised by a single mother, she's been passionate about her advocacy working on projects to help empower single parents.
"Throughout my life, I’ve experienced so many hardships. Even when pursuing my dream in pageantry, I’ve been told so many times that I lack so many things and that I cannot and will not be Miss World Philippines, [or] be Miss World. I’ve been criticised, looked down upon, judged, called names, made fun of and so many other things," she posted on Instagram after being crowned as her country's representative in October.
Perez, 28, also said: "But I realised, this is my life and if I truly want to be happy, I have to embrace every single bit of it and take charge, that even if my life is indeed difficult, it is still a miracle and a huge blessing from up above.
"Please join me in this fight, I will stop at nothing to bring pride and honour to our country and to us Filipinos because when life pushes us back, that is when we fight harder."
Miss Venezuela: Alejandra Conde
A medical student who also works as a Bitcoin trader and model, Conde, 24, will be the one to beat on Thursday, as she hails from the country with the most Miss World wins – six in total.
Crowned Miss Venezuela in 2020, Conde was born in Aragua state and defines herself as "spontaneous, responsible, upright, cheerful, fighter and persevering in achieving her dreams".
"Since she was a child, she was interested in beauty pageants and grew up watching Miss Venezuela pageants, dreaming of being able to be there one day, but it was not until she was 20 years old that she decided to participate for the first time in a modelling contest, and won Sambil Model 2017," reads her biography on the Miss Venezuela website.
"Conde decided to study medicine because since she was little she was interested in how the human body works and how she could help heal and save other people with her knowledge."
Scroll through the gallery below for images from the Miss World 2019 pageant:
Read more
Miss Universe 2021: eight contestants to watch, from Bahrain to Morocco
Miss Universe gowns by Filipino designer Michael Cinco in Dubai dazzle on stage
'Welcome to the club': the three women from India who have won Miss Universe
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Turkey - because the government look after animals so well there.
Favourite film: I love scary movies. I have so many favourites but The Ring stands out.
Favourite book: The Lord of the Rings. I didn’t like the movies but I loved the books.
Favourite colour: Black.
Favourite music: Hard rock. I actually also perform as a rock DJ in Dubai.
Five personal finance podcasts from The National
To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes
·
Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth
·
What is a portfolio stress test?
·
What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested?
·
How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies
·
Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
