ANDREA MEZA

The Miss Universe Organization says New Orleans will be the site of its 71st contest, drawing nearly 90 women contestants from around the world in January.

The pageant was held in the middle of the night, wrapping up at 5 a.m. local time, 10 p.m. EST, to accommodate the primetime schedule in the U.S.

Harnaaz Sandhu of India was crowned the 70th Miss Universe, topping a field of some 80 contestants in a pageant that was touched by politics and the pandemic.

The reigning Miss Universe says the long-running beauty pageant being held in Israel next month shouldn’t be politicized

The reigning Miss Universe says the long-running beauty pageant being held in Israel next month shouldn’t be politicized.

The reigning Miss Universe said Wednesday the long-running beauty pageant shouldn't be politicized, even though its next edition is being held in Israel amid pressure on contestants to drop out in solidarity with the Palestinians. The 70th Miss Universe pageant is being staged in the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat in December. Dozens of contestants from around the world will arrive there in the coming weeks to compete in national costumes, evening gowns and swimwear.

Andrea Meza has ambitious plans for the country’s fight against climate change. But between a warming planet and limited time in her role, she’s on a tight deadline.

The next Miss Universe competition will take place in December in Eilat, Israel.

Miss Universe is heading to Israel for its 70th competition. The Miss Universe Organization announced Tuesday that the pageant will be held this December in the southern resort city of Eilat. It will end with the current Miss Universe, Mexico's Andrea Meza, crowning her successor.

The pageant wasn't held last year due to the pandemic.