Miss Universe

   Miss Palestine 

   I generally make fun of the use of the phrase "breaking news", but will attempt to provide you with some now, under a title many will think devised only to attract readers. Although the news will soon be full of stories about the Miss Universe Contest, which will be held in Thailand in November, the breaking news is that one of the contestants apparently has a connection to both London, Ontario and Western University. Her name is Nadeen Ayoub. 
  I do not follow beauty pageants and this is the first mention of them in MM. I do, however, often present posts related to Western, since I live close to it and both studied and worked there. That is how I ran across Ms. Ayoub, not because I was looking at beauty pageant pictures. 
  This news has just broken and this is likely a "scoop" for London readers who no longer have a local newspaper. I am choosing not to investigate it further, but will leave it to reporters with more time, resources and talent. It is also the case, that I don't want to bother to access some of the newer social media sources, like Ms. Ayoub's Linkedin or Instagram accounts where surely some quality information will be found. It is also the case that the word "Palestine" is mentioned in the references I will now provide and I choose to avoid that controversial topic. I did take a quick look at some local sources and found no mention of Ms. Ayoub.

  Here are some of the "breaking news" stories:

"Canadian Living in Dubai Says She Will Represent Palestine at Miss Universe Pageant: Nadeen Ayoub, 27, Shared News on Social Media Earlier This Month While Wearing Miss Universe Palestine Sash, Denette Wilford, Toronto Sun, Aug. 26, 2025.
  "It is unclear how she was appointed to be the representative of a country that most nations don’t recognize, though no competition appears to have been held, according to the New York Post. Ayoub, however, is listed as founder and manager of the Miss Palestine Organization, the group behind her title, the outlet reported. The organization only registered its website in May and features black and white photos of Ayoub holding a crown."
   It is in The Post story cited above that I learned of the Western/London connection.
"The Mysterious Case of How a Canadian in Dubai Became ‘Miss Palestine’ — and Will Compete in the Miss Universe Pageant," Isabel Vincent, Aug. 26, 2025.
   "Remarkably, for a beauty queen, there is little official biographical information about Ayoub on her social media or the Miss Palestine Organisation website. The model and wellness coach reportedly grew up in Canada and studied English literature and psychology at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. She also went to high school in the same area, according to her LinkedIn page....
She taught at the Friends School in Ramallah and has worked with United in Humanity, a Washington-state nonprofit that organized humanitarian missions in Gaza, according to public records....Ayoub also runs the Dubai-based Olive Green Academy, a company that offers workshops on how to become an influencer."

  The picture above appears in The Express Tribune on August 15, under this title:
"Nadeen Ayoub to Represent Palestine at Miss Universe for the First Time: Nadeen Ayoub Will Mark the Country’s Debut at the Global Competition Since it Began in 1952."
Ms. Ayoub in Person: "Nadeen Ayoub represents Palestine for the first time at Miss Universe."

Post Script:
   There was some real "breaking news" at Western earlier in the week when the London Police responded to a call about a man with a gun around Weldon Library. It turned out to be a hoax and "swatting cases" were reported at other universities: " "Swatting Hoaxes on College Campuses Spark Panice and an FBI Probe," The Washington Post, August 27, 2025. 
  My posts about Western are typically less sensational, like this one about trees:
Pawpaw Redux. 

The Bonus: (For younger readers)
Over 40 years ago, Karen Baldwin of London, Ontario was crowned Miss Universe.