Congratulations to Miss Angola : The Miss Universe of 2011

Miss Universe of 2011 "Leila Lopes"

Shamcey Supsup of thePhilippines finished as 3rd runner-up in the Miss Universe 2011 pageant held at the Credicard Hall in Sao Paulo, Brazilearlier today, September 13.

Angola’s Leila Lopes bested 88 other competitors to win the the title of Miss Universe.

Lopes, 25, was also the crowd favorite, getting the loudest cheers from the audience. She is the first candidate from Angola to win the crown.

Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine was the 1st runner-up, while Brazil‘s Priscila Machado was 2nd runner-up, and China‘s Luo Zilin was 4th runner-up.

This is the second year in a row that a candidate from the Philippines made it to the Top 5 of Miss Universe. Venus Raj finished 4th runner-up last year.

The Philippines has two Miss Universe winners: Gloria Diaz won the crown in 1969 and Margie Moran repeated the feat in 1973.

In the question-and-answer portion, Shamcey was asked by judge Vivica A. Fox: Would you change your religious beliefs to marry the person you love?

Shamcey, who was the only candidate among the Top 5 who did not use an interpreter, answered: “I would not change my religion because… I love my God who created me and if that person truly loves me, should love my God too.”

Interestingly, Angola’s question came from Filipino judge Lea Salonga.

The candidates who made it to the Top 10 are:Australia, Costa Rica, France, Panama, andPortugal, who won the online poll which automatically put her in the semifinals.

Top 16 semifinalists are: Kosovo, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Netherlands, USA, and Venezuela.

Special awards were given to Panama (Best National Costume), Montenegro (Miss Congeniality), and Sweden (Miss Photogenic)

Last year’s winner was Ximena Navarrete of Mexico.

A 21 Ft. Long Crocodile Captured in Philippines

21 Ft. Long Crocodile

Villagers and veteran hunters have captured a one-ton saltwater crocodile which they plan to make the star of a planned ecotourism park in a southern Philippine town, an official said Monday.

Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde said dozens of villagers and experts ensnared the 21-foot (6.4-meter) male crocodile along a creek in Bunawan township in Agusan del Sur province after a three-week hunt. It could be one of the largest crocodiles to be captured alive in recent years, he said, quoting local crocodile experts.

Elorde said thecrocodile killed a water buffalo in an attack witnessed by villagers last month and was also suspected of having attacked a fisherman who went missing in July.

He said he sought the help of experts at a crocodile farm in western Palawan province.

“We were nervous but it’s our duty to deal with a threat to the villagers,” Elorde told The Associated Press by telephone. “When I finally stood before it, I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

After initial sightings at a creek, the hunters set four traps, which the crocodile destroyed. They then used sturdier traps using steel cables, one of which finally caught the enormous reptile late Saturday, he said.

About 100 people had to pull the crocodile, which weighs about 2,370 pounds (1,075 kilograms), from the creek to a clearing where a crane lifted it into a truck, he said.

The crocodile was placed in a fenced cage in an area where the town plans to build an ecotourism park for species found in a vast marshland in Agusan, an impoverished region about 515 miles (830 kilometers) southeast of Manila, Elorde said.

“It will be the biggest star of the park,” Elorde said, adding that villagers were happy that they would be able to turn the dangerous crocodile “from a threat into an asset.”

Despite the catch, villagers remain wary because several crocodiles still roam the outskirts of the farming town of about 37,000 people.
They have been told to avoid venturing into marshy areas alone at night, Elorde said.

Watch the video below: