*Ex-Miss Honduras arrested for money laundering**

Ex-Miss Honduras arrested for money laundering

ANYTHING FOR MONEY : Call it the case of the beauty queen who should have elaborated on her answer to the question. Honduran police say they have arrested Miss Honduras 2009 on money laundering charges for failing to declare the equivalent of $47,000 when entering the country. Special services police spokesman Alex Madridsaid 25-year-old Belgica Surez (photo) was arrested with euros and British pounds on a Honduran highway near the Nicaraguan border on July 4th. Madrid said the beauty queen failed to declare the money when she crossed the border from Esteli, Nicaragua. "She claimed she had earned the money working as a model in Europe," Madrid told The Associated Press. According to Honduran law, travelers must declare to customs that they are carrying more than $10,000. Surez was arrested along with a Nicaraguan driver.

Surez was taken to the national penitenciary last Thursday. Her lawyer Jos Cayetano stated that she is innocent and that he would do every possible legal recourse to prove that his client did not commit any crime. It is reported that Surez is romantically involved with Honduran tobacco entrepreneur Nstor Plasencia. Plasencia said that Surez was riding in a car that he owns during her arrest. He also said that Surez earned her money honestly. Surez represented Honduras in Miss Universe 2009 pageant that was held in the Bahamas.

THE NEW MISS SERBIA is 23-year-old Milica Tepavac who was crowned at the national finals that took place on July 6 at the Sava Center in Belgrade. She will represent Serbia in Miss World 2011. The 1st runner-up was Bojana Lecic and she will represent Serbia in Miss Universe 2012. The 2nd runner-up was Branislava Mandic.

THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE GERMANY is Valeria Bystritskaja of Karlsruhe who was crowned July 7th at the Berlin Fashion Week in Berlin. She will compete in Miss Universe 2011 pageant.

THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE AUSTRALIA is Scherri-Lee Biggs (above photo, left), a 20-year-old model and communications from Perth, who was crowned July 7th at the Sofitel Hotel in Melbourned. The bubbly blonde with a million-dollar smile won over the judges and crowd from the start. Asked to discuss the controversial child beauty pagents, the aspiring painter said children should be children. Biggs said she was still in shock after the ceremony. It hasnt hit, I am absolutely shocked but cant wait to represent Australia," she said. Biggs earn the right to compete in the Miss Universe 2011 finals to be held in Brazil on September 12. (Herald Sun, Australia, 7/8/2011)

THE NEW MISS SINGAPORE UNIVERSE is Valerie Lim (above photo, center), 25, who was crowned last night at the Shanggri-La Hotel. She is a behavior therapist and will represent Singapore in Miss Universe 2011 in Brazil.

THE NEW MISS JAMAICA UNIVERSE is Shakira Martin (above photo, right), 24, who was crowned on July 9 at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston. She will compete in Miss Universe 2011 pageant to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil on September 12th.

THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE CHINA is Luo Zi Lin, 24, representing the city of Zhejiang. She was crowned last night at the Mastercard Arena in Beijing. The pageant was attended by former Miss Universe Riyo Mori and MUO photographer Fadil Berisha. The new director of Miss Universe China is entrepreneur and media icon Yue-Sai Kan who is crowning Zi Lin in the photo (right). The 1st runner-up was Li Han Zi. The 2nd runner-up was Zhang Ya Mei. The 3rd runner-up was Yi Na.

DUTCH DOLLS : Three new Dutch queens were crowned this past weekend.Kelly Weekers is the new Miss Netherlands Universe and will compete in Miss Universe 2011. Jill Duijves is the new Miss Netherlands Earth and will compete in Miss Earth 2011. And Jill de Robles is the new Miss Netherlands World and will compete in Miss World 2011.

CYPRIOT QUEENS : Andri Karantoni, 18, was crowned Star Cyprus 2011. She will represent her country in Miss Universe 2011. Orthodoxia Panagi, 19, was crowned Miss Cyprus 2011 and will compete in Miss World 2011 pageant in London on November 6th.

THE NEW MISS WALES is Sara Jessica Manchipp, 21, who was crowned on July 2 at St. David's Hall in Cardiff. She will represent Wales in Miss World 2011 pageant. Jenny Dobson finished second and Alice Watkins finished third

THE NEW MISS GUYANA UNIVERSE is Kara Lord , 23, who was crowned on July 9 at Princess Hotel, Providence, East Bank Demerara. She will represent Guyana in Miss Universe 2011 pageant.

THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE ARGENTINA is Natalia Rodrguez, 24, who was crowned on July 4 at the Palacio Alsina in Buenos Aires. She will represent Argentina in Miss Universe 2011.

THE NEW MISS LEBANON Yara Khoury-Mikhael who was crowned last night. She will compete in Miss Universe 2011. The 1st runner-up was Carolina Nassar and the 2nd runner-up was Sonia-Lynn Gabriel.

THE NEW MISS CURACAO TEENAGER is Nissah Libiee who was crowned Saturday. She will compete in Miss Teenager 2011 pageant. 1st runner-up is Gayle Sulvaran and the 2nd runner-up is Christine De Geus.

THE NEW MISS ITALIA NEL MONDO (Miss Italy of the World) is Silvia Novais, 25, a Brazilian representing Amazonnia (the Amazon region of Brazil), who was crowned July 4th. The 1st runner-up is was Valentina di Paola representing Argentina, and the 2nd runner-up was Iride Fontana representing Spain. The contest is open to young women all over the world who have some Italian ancestry.

FROM FAT TO FIT : While the bikini-clad beauty queens around her mindlessly preach world peace, one Miss America hopeful hopes her message will carry a bit more weight. Bree Boyce, a 22-year-old singer from South Carolina, is this year's surprise Miss America hopeful after she lost an incredible 110lbs to win her state contest. Stunning photographs chart her remarkable transformation - from an overweight and awkward teenager to a self-confident and charming young woman, with a body which looks toned and healthy rather than starved. Boyce, who won the crown on Saturday and will now compete for the Miss America title in Las Vegas in January, says she is in the running to inspire other heavy teenagers to eat more healthily.

THE TRANSFORMATION OF BREE BOYCE: FROM FAT TO FIT TO FABULOUS

"My goal in life is to inspire all ages to become healthy through good eating habits, exercise, and believing in Yourself. You have the Power to Change Your Life, she wrote on her Facebook page. "I look forward to sharing my message with people. I'm lucky enough to be meeting people through speaking engagements, school visits, and through various charity events." Boyce carries around a pair of size 18 jeans with her to interviews to remind herself how far she has come. Photographs from her 16th birthday show a heavy and awkward girl who took little pride in her appearance. She is now slim but toned and certainly not worryingly thin - results she puts down to "good eating habits, exercise, and believing in yourself". (Daily Mail, UK, 7/6/2011)

MISS TEEN USA 2011 : The winner will be crowned in the Bahamas on July 19th. Vote for Miss Photogenic!

NEXT UPDATE : Monday, July 18, 2011.