Fatima Bosch Fernandez of Mexico was crowned Miss Universe 2025 on Friday, a dramatic victory for a 25-year-old at centre of the turbulent 74th staging of the popular beauty pageant in Bangkok who stood up to public bullying from one of the hosts. The first runner-up was Praveenar Singh of Thailand and Stephany Adriana Abasali Nasser of Venezuela placed third.

The bad vibes at this year’s event sprang from a sharp-tongued scolding of the Mexican contestant, Bosch, which sparked a controversy marked by a walkout, feminist solidarity and a teary melodramatic apology from the local organiser who set it all off.

At the livestreamed sashing ceremony for virtually all 130 contestants on November 4, Thai national director Nawat Itsaragrisil hectored Bosch for allegedly not following his guideli

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