24-year-old beauty from the Czech Republic crowned Miss World 2024

Along with other news, please follow: Vietnamese aerobic athlete banned from competing for two years for doping; Djokovic admits the end of the 'Big Three' era ; New research results: "COVID-19 causes IQ to decrease"; 20% of fish species in the Mekong River face the risk of extinction.

Czech beauty crowned Miss World 2024

Pyszková, 24 years old, from the Czech Republic, was crowned Miss World 2024, in the final that lasted from the evening of March 9 to the morning of March 10.

She is 1.8 meters tall and is said to have a doll-like beauty similar to Miss World 2023 - Karolina Bielawska. The 24-year-old beauty graduated from Law at Karl University, Prague, and is studying for a Master's degree in Business Administration at MCI Innsbruck, Austria.

Lebanon contestant - Yasmina Zaytoun, 21 years old, journalism student, is the runner-up. The beauty is 1.67 m tall, with a harmonious face. She is one of the five contestants who won the Head to Head Challenge, securing a place in the top 40 at the final night.

Previously, the Organizing Committee announced the winners of each region, including Miss Trinidad and Tobago (America and Caribbean), Botswana (Africa), Czech Republic (Europe), and Lebanon (Asia- Pacific ).

Host country India's contestant entered the top 8.

The Final round will select the top 40, top 12, top 8, top 4, Miss and Runner-up. The top 12 and top 8 will be selected with at least 2 contestants from each region.

Vietnamese contestant Huynh Nguyen Mai Phuong entered the top 40 thanks to her victory in the Multimedia competition . Contestants from the Philippines and Thailand were highly rated by beauty sites but did not make it into the top 40.

This year, the organizers skipped the opening Dance of the world like previous years. Instead, the contestants all had a moment wearing evening gowns and appeared in separate frames during the final night.

The judges of the final night are mostly beauties, celebrities, and CEOs from India.

The final night took place on a sparkling stage and promoted the cultural and musical diversity of this country.

Miss World is the world's largest beauty pageant, in 2024 the contest has 112 representatives from countries and territories participating.

This is a long-standing contest that honors intellectual beauties, has charitable projects for the community, and does not have a swimsuit competition like other beauty pageants.

Aerobic athlete Tran Ha Vi was banned from competing for two years by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), starting from September 16, 2023, due to testing positive for doping.

FIG made the decision based on the test results of the International Testing Agency (ITA) on March 6. Ha Vi tested positive for banned substances including hydrochlorothiazide, chlorothiazide, amiloride and sibutramine, which are on the list of diuretics, stimulants and masking agents of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Ha Vi's test sample was collected on September 16, 2023 at the 2023 Asian Gymnastics Championships in Mongolia - where she won a gold medal in the women's individual event. FIG confirmed that Ha Vi will be stripped of her gold medal at the tournament and will be banned from competing for two years, effective until November 25, 2025. In addition, Ha Vi's achievements, if any, from September 16, 2023 onwards will also be voided.

After receiving the first sample results, Ha Vi submitted a request for explanation to WADA, FIG and ITA. Because it took time to evaluate, it was not until March 6, 2024 that FIG was able to announce the ban on this athlete.

According to the Vietnam Gymnastics Federation, before the tournament, Ha Vi said she had a urinary tract infection and used medication to treat it without checking the ingredients carefully. In addition, Ha Vi did not inform the coaching staff in detail, leading to the incident. Ha Vi will continue to practice, but must serve the competition ban.

Djokovic admits the end of the 'Big Three' era

Federer has retired, Nadal has repeatedly dropped out of tournaments due to injury. Only Djokovic is left to compete with the younger generation of players. But Djokovic also admitted that he will not be able to compete much anymore.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic admits this is the end of an era.

Speaking to the press, Djokovic said: "These moments come to all of us. You know when they actually come and you have to understand that life is like that. Roger is finished, Nadal and I probably won't play much anymore. It's like the end of an era. It's sad."

The so-called "Big Three" are the trio with the most Grand Slam titles in the Open Era: Roger Federer (20 titles), Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (24).

New research results: “COVID-19 causes IQ to decrease”

According to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, patients who recovered from COVID-19 may have cognitive impairment equivalent to 3 IQ points compared to those who were never diagnosed with the disease. Meanwhile, study participants with persistent symptoms that were not fully treated had a 6-point drop in IQ.

The impact of COVID-19 was even more pronounced in those who were treated in intensive care, with IQ drops of up to 9 points compared to the control group. At the same time, scientists "observed a small cognitive advantage in participants who had received COVID-19 vaccines," the study stated.

The study said there were “multiple underlying factors” that contributed to cognitive decline after COVID-19. “Our results suggest a link between cognitive decline and mood changes and fatigue, as well as a range of other symptoms,” the scientists confirmed.

The report notes that “the broader impacts (of COVID-19) need to be assessed”.

20% of fish species in the Mekong River face extinction

The Mekong River - one of the most biodiverse rivers in the world, after the Amazon and Congo - is home to some 1,148 recognised fish species, with millions of people relying on the river for their livelihoods.

However, according to environmental activists, the Mekong River faces numerous threats, including dam construction, sand mining, poor fisheries management, habitat loss and the introduction of invasive species.

The report says 19% of fish species in the river are critically threatened by changes, highlighting how depleted fish populations will affect millions of people whose livelihoods depend on the river.

The report from 25 regional and international research groups looked at the impact on different parts of the 4,900-km (3,040-mile) river, which is also the longest in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake, where they said fish numbers had declined by 88% between 2019 and 2003.

The study authors identified 74 fish species that are rated as “endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species.

The internationally recognized Biodiversity Health Index lists 18 species as critically endangered.

Bao Nam synthesis

Source