Sashaying across the Las Vegas stage in a plunging one-piece with her brunette locks flowing, Jaclyn Stapp dazzled with all of the poise and presence of an international beauty queen at Saturday's Mrs World final.
Mrs Jordan, 41, narrowly missed out on the Mrs World crown, finishing as first runner-up with the crown going to Mrs American Shaylyn Ford, with Mrs UAE World Debanjali Kamstra coming in third.
But who is the Jordanian beauty queen and philanthropist?
Who is Jaclyn Stapp?
A model, actress and author, Stapp is the daughter of Jordanian parents who left the Middle East for New York and later Florida.
The mother of three is the founder of non-profit organisation Children Are Magical (Charm), which aims to raise awareness of children’s issues and provide underprivileged youth with the tools to help with their education.
Stapp, who has been competing in pageants since she was 13, is married to Grammy Award-winning rock star Scott Stapp.
At Saturday's pageant, she told judges about her humble upbringing by a Jordanian mother who encouraged her to follow her dreams.
“I think a higher purpose varies for everyone individually,” she told pageant judges. “For me personally, my mother raised five children as a widow and an immigrant that came to this country [America].
“I lost my father at a very young age and my mother gave us a thirst for knowledge and education.
I learnt so much from my mother as a widow and that’s something I want to carry forward. I want to make a difference
Jaclyn Stapp,
Mrs Jordan World
“As Mrs World, I want to help young girls around the world have opportunities and education – that’s my passion and purpose.
“I learnt so much from my mother as a widow and that’s something I want to carry forward. I want to make a difference and I want to hit the ground running.”
A marketing and communications graduate from Stetson University in Florida, Stapp has graced the covers of magazines in the US and her acting credits include episodes of Full House, Second Noah and Sex and the City.
Over the years, Stapp has collected crowns including Miss New York USA, Mrs Florida and Mrs Jordan, in a proud celebration of her Middle Eastern heritage.
Commenting on social media before the final of Mrs World, Stapp wrote: “I am both proud and humbled to represent the married women of Jordan at the coming Mrs World pageant.
“My parents were born and raised in Jordan and I have seen for myself the many changes that have made it possible for a woman to be in the position I am.
“To carry this uplifting and personal history on to the Mrs World stage, along with so many beautiful and intelligent ladies from around the world, will be a life-changing experience.
“This journey will also give recognition to the women I represent who have been a positive force for change. I will be realising their dream.”
Winner of the Congeniality Award
At the Mrs World pageant final, Stapp blew the judges away with her confidence and charm, scooping the Congeniality Award in the swimwear round, which is presented to contestants for their pleasant personalities.
In the eveningwear round, Stapp sparkled in a silver floor-skimming halter-neck gown, which was split to the thigh and adorned in sequins and tassels.
In the national costume round, Stapp again paid tribute to her roots in a shocking-pink belly dancer-inspired ensemble designed by Matt Logan and Iolanna Design.
The bejewelled bustier and flowing skirt were draped in pearls and encrusted with gems that glimmered as Stapp swayed her hips in true belly dancer fashion.
Stapp and Ford clasped hands as they waited for the winner to be announced, with Stapp gracefully congratulating her rival on learning of her defeat.
Should Ford ever need to step down from her position, the title of Mrs World will automatically go to Stapp.
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Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Benevento (Kick-off 11.45pm)
Saturday Crotone v Spezia (6pm), Torino v Udinese (9pm), Lazio v Verona (11.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Atalanta v Fiorentina (6pm), Napoli v Sampdoria (6pm), Bologna v Roma (6pm), Genoa v Juventus (9pm), AC Milan v Parma (11.45pm)
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
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