Miss India wins Miss Universe held in Israel

Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu was crowned Miss Universe in the Israeli city of Eilat early yesterday, with several contestants defying pressure to boycott in support of the Palestinians. The 70th edition of the annual pageant, held in Israel for the first time, has also faced complications from the coronavirus pandemic. Sandhu took the top prize in the Red Sea resort with Paraguay's Nadia Ferreira first runner-up and Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane taking the second runner-up spot. South Africa's Ministry of Sports, Culture and Arts had urged its contestant to stay away from Eilat, citing "atrocities committed by Israel against Palestinians."

HK activists get up to 14 months in prison

Eight Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were sentenced to up to 14 months in prison yesterday for organising, taking part in and inciting participation in a banned vigil last year for victims of China's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. The former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the promise of wide-ranging freedoms, traditionally holds the largest June 4 vigil in the world, but police have rejected applications for the last two vigils, citing coronavirus restrictions. Critics said authorities used the pandemic restrictions as an excuse to block the commemoration. The sentencing is the latest blow to the city's democracy movement, which has seen dozens of activists arrested, jailed or flee the Chinese-ruled territory since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law last year.