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Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig is Crowned Miss Universe

Miss Denmark Victoria Kjaer Theilvig reacts as she is crowned Miss Universe during the 73rd Miss Universe pageant in Mexico City, Mexico, November 16, 2024. REUTERS/Raquel Cunha
Miss Denmark Victoria Kjaer Theilvig reacts as she is crowned Miss Universe during the 73rd Miss Universe pageant in Mexico City, Mexico, November 16, 2024. REUTERS/Raquel Cunha
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Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig is Crowned Miss Universe

Miss Denmark Victoria Kjaer Theilvig reacts as she is crowned Miss Universe during the 73rd Miss Universe pageant in Mexico City, Mexico, November 16, 2024. REUTERS/Raquel Cunha
Miss Denmark Victoria Kjaer Theilvig reacts as she is crowned Miss Universe during the 73rd Miss Universe pageant in Mexico City, Mexico, November 16, 2024. REUTERS/Raquel Cunha

Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark has been crowned Miss Universe.
Kjaer, an animal protection advocate who works in the diamond selling business, beat out Miss Nigeria at the end of 73rd edition of the competition in Mexico City. Miss Mexico placed third.

It is the first time a Danish contestant has won Miss Universe, The Associated Press reported.
The pageant was held in the Mexico City Arena, an indoor venue with a capacity for 20,000 people. Supporters inside shouted and waved flags from countries around the world.
The ceremony began with 131 mariachi musicians and singer Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas playing “Mexicana”, a song created by Emilio Estefan for the contest.
The gala was hosted by Mario López; Olivia Culpo, Miss Universe 2012; presenter Zuri Hall; and Catriona Gray, Miss Universe 2018.
Organizers said that there were more than 120 contestants.
This year some countries were represented for the first time, such as Belarus, Eritrea, Guinea, Macau, Maldives, Moldova and Uzbekistan.

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Parts of Great Barrier Reef Suffer Highest Coral Mortality on Record

FILE PHOTO: Peter Gash, owner and manager of the Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, snorkels during an inspection of the reef's condition in an area called the 'Coral Gardens' located at Lady Elliot Island, north-east of the town of Bundaberg in Queensland, Australia, June 11, 2015. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Peter Gash, owner and manager of the Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, snorkels during an inspection of the reef's condition in an area called the 'Coral Gardens' located at Lady Elliot Island, north-east of the town of Bundaberg in Queensland, Australia, June 11, 2015. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo
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Parts of Great Barrier Reef Suffer Highest Coral Mortality on Record

FILE PHOTO: Peter Gash, owner and manager of the Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, snorkels during an inspection of the reef's condition in an area called the 'Coral Gardens' located at Lady Elliot Island, north-east of the town of Bundaberg in Queensland, Australia, June 11, 2015. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Peter Gash, owner and manager of the Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, snorkels during an inspection of the reef's condition in an area called the 'Coral Gardens' located at Lady Elliot Island, north-east of the town of Bundaberg in Queensland, Australia, June 11, 2015. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo

Parts of the Great Barrier Reef have suffered the highest coral mortality on record, Australian research showed Tuesday, with scientists fearing the rest of it has suffered a similar fate.
The Australian Institute of Marine Science said surveys of 12 reefs found up to 72 percent coral mortality, thanks to a summer of mass bleaching, two cyclones, and flooding, reported AFP.
In one northern section of the reef, about a third of hard coral had died, the "largest annual decline" in 39 years of government monitoring, the agency said.
Often dubbed the world's largest living structure, the Great Barrier Reef is a 2,300 kilometer (1,400-mile) expanse of tropical corals that house a stunning array of biodiversity.
But repeated mass bleaching events have threatened to rob the tourist drawcard of its wonder, turning banks of once-vibrant corals into a sickly shade of white.
Bleaching occurs when water temperatures rise and the coral expels microscopic algae, known as zooxanthellae, to survive.
If high temperatures persist, the coral can eventually turn white and die.
This year had already been confirmed as the fifth mass bleaching on the reef in the past eight years.
But this latest survey also found a rapid growing type of coral -- known as acropora -- had suffered the highest rate of death.
This coral is quick to grow, but one of the first to bleach.
'Worst fears'
Lead researcher Mike Emslie told public broadcaster ABC the past summer was "one of the most severe events" across the Great Barrier Reef, with heat stress levels surpassing previous events.
"These are serious impacts. These are serious losses," he said.
WWF-Australia's head of oceans Richard Leck said the initial surveys confirmed his "worst fears".
"The Great Barrier Reef can bounce back but there are limits to its resilience," he said.
"It can't get repeatedly hammered like this. We are fast approaching a tipping point."
Leck added the area surveyed was "relatively small" and feared that when the full report was released next year "similar levels of mortality" would be observed.
He said that it reinforced Australia's need to commit to stronger emission reduction targets of at least 90 percent below 2005 levels by 2035 and move away from fossil fuels.
The country is one of the world's largest gas and coal exporters and has only recently set targets to become carbon neutral.