Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Mrs Sri Lanka beauty queen injured after past winner snatches crown

Mrs Sri Lanka beauty queen injured after past winner snatches crown

MRS SRI LANKA beauty pageant saw some drama with the winner allegedly suffering head injuries on the stage.

Beauty queen Pushpika De Silva won the title in a ceremony on national TV on Sunday (4). But moments later, the 2019 winner Caroline Jurie seized Mrs De Silva's crown, claiming she can't be the winner because she was divorced.


The crown has been returned to Mrs De Silva, after the organisers confirmed she is not a divorcee.

"We are disappointed," he said, adding: "It was a disgrace how Caroline Jurie behaved on the stage and the Mrs World organisation has already begun an investigation on the matter."

On Sunday night, in a theatre in Colombo, after Mrs De silva was announced the winner. 2019 winner, Jurie took the crown away and cited a pageant rule saying participants should be married and not divorced.

"There is a rule that prevents women who have already been married and are divorced, so I am taking steps to make the crown go to second place," Mrs Jurie told the audience.

A video showed her placing the crown on the runner-up head and a tearful Mrs De Silva walking off the stage.

The organisers have apologised to Mrs De Silva, saying she is separated, but not divorced.

In a Facebook post, Mrs De Silva said she went to the hospital to be treated for head injuries that she suffered on stage.

"There are a lot of single mums like me today who are suffering in Sri Lanka," Mrs De Silva told a press conference and added she would take legal action.

"This crown is dedicated to those women, those single mums who are suffering to raise their kids alone."

Police have questioned Mrs Jurie as well as Mr Jayasinghe, about the incident.

More For You

Pushkar Singh Dhami

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the law promotes 'equality.' (Photo: X/@pushkardhami)

India's Uttarakhand implements common civil code

THE INDIAN state of Uttarakhand has begun implementing a common civil code to replace religious laws, a move that has raised concerns among minority Muslims about a possible nationwide rollout by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s BJP has long advocated for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to standardise laws on marriage, divorce, and inheritance across India. On Monday, Uttarakhand became the second Indian state to enact such a law.

Keep ReadingShow less
Yunus dismisses Bangladesh’s growth boom as ‘false narrative’

Muhammad Yunus

Yunus dismisses Bangladesh’s growth boom as ‘false narrative’

BANGLADESH’S interim leader, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, said last Thursday (23) that the country's high growth under ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina was “fake” and criticised the world for failing to question her alleged corruption.

Yunus, 84, an economist and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, assumed leadership of the south Asian country’s interim government in August after Hasina fled to India following weeks of violent protests.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian bishop in Liverpool quits after sexual assault claims

Right Reverend Dr John Perumbalath (Photo: Church of England)

Asian bishop in Liverpool quits after sexual assault claims

THE Bishop of Liverpool said on Thursday (30) he was stepping down from his post after a British broadcaster aired allegations of sexual assault and harassment against him.

His resignation comes just weeks after Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, leader of the world's Anglicans, also stepped down over failures in the Church of England's handling of a serial abuse case.

Keep ReadingShow less
washington-crash-reuters

Debris is seen at the site of the crash, after American Eagle flight 5342 collided with a Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Reagan Washington National Airport and crashed into the Potomac River. (Photo: Reuters)

Scores feared dead after jet and helicopter collision in Washington

AN AMERICAN Airlines regional passenger jet carrying 64 people and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair and crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night.

Officials have not confirmed the number of casualties, but many are feared dead.

Keep ReadingShow less
kumbh-satellite-reuters

A satellite image shows a crowd of people along banks of Yamuna river, following a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela on January 29. (Photo: Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS)

Massive crowds return to Maha Kumbh festival day after deadly stampede

MILLIONS of Hindu devotees gathered in Prayagraj, northern India, on Thursday for the Maha Kumbh festival, a day after a stampede killed dozens during the event’s most significant bathing day.

Despite the large turnout, some participants remained cautious following the incident.

Keep ReadingShow less