Rosarita Tawil was crowned Miss Lebanon 2008 on July 11, 2008. She will represent Lebanon in Miss World 2008 and Miss Universe 2009. The first runner-up was Stephanie Salem, and the second runner-up was Michella Haddad.

Nevena Lipovac of Belgrade was crowned Miss Serbia on July 4, 2008. The runners-up were Dragana Atlija, who will go to Miss Universe, and Milica Nedeljkovic, who will go to Miss Europe.

Shawn Cunningham has been named Ms. Maine Woman of Achievement 2009. She will compete for the national title of Ms. Woman of Achievement 2009, which is an online pageant system based on achievement, community service and service platform.

Tinnyse Johnson was crowned Miss Bahamas World on June 29, 2008. The first runner-up was Tiara Cooper, and the second runner-up was Crystal Bethel. Other finalists were Azaria Claire and Sharanna Thompson.

Chasity Hardman was crowned Miss Georgia on June 28, 2008, in Columbus. She will be the second black woman to represent Georgia in the Miss America Pageant.

Shauna Rowland of Norcross was crowned Mrs. Georgia America on June 22, 2008, in Roswell. She also won the physical fitness category. Melanie Caceres was the first runner-up.

Japanese-born Nina Kasuga, 20, was crowned Miss Asia Arizona on June 21, 2008, in greater Phoenix. She will compete in the Miss Asian America Pageant in August 2008 in San Francisco. Rachanee Jaurequi was the first runner-up. and Ilene Willingham was the second runner-up. Kajal Patel was the third runner-up, and Teri Yu was the fourth runner-up.

Diane Yoo, 26, of Houston, competing as Miss Korea, was crowned Miss Asia USA 2008 on June 21, 2008, in Glendale, Calif. The first runner-up was Brittany Chen, Miss Taiwan, and the second runner-up was Linda Tram Nguyen, Miss Vietnam. The third runner-up was Liane Valenzuela, Miss Philippines, and the fourth runner-up was Tamanno Kamiljanova, Miss Uzbekistan. Ms. Yoo won Best National Costume. Chanita Thinrat, Miss Thailand, was Miss Photogenic, and Miss Cambodia, Ouch Chourp, was Miss Congeniality. Ms. Chen was Miss Popularity, and Sophia Garsevanian, Miss Armenia, was Miss Friendship. The Award of Courage went to Ayako Kosuge, Miss Japan.

Kristen White of Stone Mountain, Ga., has been crowned Miss Black USA. The pageant took place in Las Vegas in mid-June 2008.

Jeannette Bourke, 23, of Sharpsburg, Ga., won the Miss Resaca Beach Calendar Girl Contest on June 14, 2008, in Dalton, Ga. The first runner-up was Sunshine Rodriguez, 22, of Morrow, Ga., and the second runner-up was Loren Carpenter. Both won generous prize packages. The sixteen women selected for the 2010 2010 Resaca Beach Calendar were, in addition to Ms. Bourke and Ms. Rodriguez, Amanda Meredith, 26, of Sharpsburg, Amanda Rutherford, 24, of Kodak, Tenn., Annette Holliman (popularly known as Pokahontas), 23, of Maryville, Tenn., Ashley Faulkner, 21, of Hixson, Tenn., Brooke Waters, 20, of Hiram, Ga., Cattie Thompson, 20, of Chattanooga, Tenn., Chelsea Tiller, 19, of Buford, Ga., Christianna Aronstam, 24, of Nashville, Tenn., Erica Soeder, 22, of Ringgold, Ga., Loren Carpenter (Loren Grace), 19, of Douglasville, Ga., Megan Bales, 27, of Chattanooga, Michelle Sacco, 22, of Carrollton, Ga., Shona Hood, 31, of Lawrenceville, Ga., and Teal Ann Lingenfelse, 19, of Acworth, Ga. The two alternates selected for the calendar shoot were Shanai Bennett, 23, of Atlanta and Kellie Smith, 20, of Rome, Ga. Many other prizes and opportunities went to various contestants.

Lynn Kelly, 21, of Dublin was crowned Miss Ireland on June 7, 2008. She will represent the nation at Miss Universe 2008. The first runner-up was Lorraine Turner, 26.

Marelize Robberts was crowned Miss Namibia 2008 on June 7, 2008. She will compete in Miss World 2008 and possibly Miss Universe 2009. The first princess was Leani Roux, and the second princess was Kimera Markowitz.

On June 3, 2008, Talat Model Management named Yusra Kadret as the new Miss Iraq 2008. She was second runner-up in the most recent Miss Iraq Pageant. There had been plans to give the first runner-up the title, after it was vacated by the winner, but the first runner-up had already made other commitments.

Karine Barros, an 18-year-old model from Recife, was crowned Miss World Pernambuco 2009 on May 30, 2008. She will represent the state at Miss World Brazil.

Former PNB cover girl Meredith Boyd was crowned Mrs. Georgia International 2008 on May 4, 2008, in Gainesville, Ga. The first runner-up was Rebecca Weisler, and the second runner-up was Belinda Lewis. The fitness, evening gown and paperwork awards went to Mrs. Boyd.

Talat Model Management has announced that Jessica Kadoorie, who was first runner-up in the Miss Iraq Pageant, has assumed the title of Miss Iraq 2008 after the resignation of winner Myra Adel. She will room with Miss Teen Iraq, Hamida Azhar. Also, Naif, 30, of Samawa in southern Iraq, has been appointed Mister Iraq 2008, capping a tumultuous year in which the Mister Iraq Pageant did not take place due to lack of funds. The site www.iraqibeauties.blogspot.com will enable the world's pageant fans to keep up with their Iraqi favorites.

Mariann Birkedal, 21, of Stavanger was crowned Miss Norway Universe on May 31, 2008.

Claudia Ferraris, 19, of Bergamo, who competed as Miss Lombardia, was crowned Miss Italy Universe on May 31, 2008, in Riccione.

Nguyen Thuy Lam, 20, was crowned Miss Vietnam Universe 2008 on May 31, 2008. Vietnam will play host to the Miss Universe Pageant for the first time this year. The first runner-up was Vo Hoang Yen, and the second runner-up was Duong Truong Thien Ly.

Charlotte Labee, 22, was crowned Miss Netherlands Universe 2008 on May 31, 2008, in The Hague. The first runner-up was Jelena Petrova, and the second runner-up was Milou Verhoeks.

Levy Li Su Lin, 20, of Utar was crowned Miss Malaysia Universe 2008 on May 30, 2008. The first runner-up was Jean Thor, and the seoond runner-up was Valerie Chan.

Alexandra Helga Ívarsdóttir, 18, of Reykjavík was crowned Ungfrú Ísland 2008 (Miss Iceland 2008) on May 30, 2008. The first runner-up was Ingibjörg Ragnheiður Egilsdóttir, 23, of Austfirðingur, and the second runner-up was Sonja Björk Jónsdóttir, 18, of Svarfaðardal.

Amanda Sululu was crowned Miss Universe Tanzania 2008 on May 29, 2008. The runners-up were Jamila Nyanga and Eva Babuely.

Dionysia Koukiou was chosen Star Hellas 2008 on May 25, 2008, and will represent Greece at Miss Universe 2008. Angeliki Kalaitzi was chosen Miss Hellas 2008 and will represent the nation at Miss World. Evgenia Karachaliou was chosen Miss Young 2008, Nasia Anerousi was chosen Miss Tourism 2008, and Menia Mathioudaki was chosen Miss Photogenic 2008. Niki Peristeri was chosen Greek Beauty. Ria Antoniou was chosen Vice Star Hellas and will compete at Miss International 2008. Sofia Roditi was chosen Vice Miss Hellas 2008, Eleni Tskilou was chosen Vice Miss Young 2008 and Pavlina Kostagiou was chosen Vice Miss Tourism 2008.

Nicole Lambeth, of Willis, Texas, has been named Mrs. Texas American Queen 2008 and will represent the state of Texas at the 2008 Mrs. American Queen Pageant in Daytona Beach, Fla., in August 2008.

Yara Naoum, 20, of Cairo was chosen Miss Egypt Universe 2008 on May 24, 2008. She was second runner-up in the previous year's Miss Egypt Pageant.

Gawintra Pothijakra, 22, was crowned Miss Thailand Universe on May 24, 2008, in Bangkok. The first runner-up was Piyaporn Deejing, 19, who will compete at Miss Earth. The three second runners-up, in order, were Ananya Chinsaengchai, 19, Keerada Kajornmalee, 22, and Chawanthorn Wantanapisitkul, 20. One of them will compete at Miss Intercontinental.

Vera Krasova, 20, has been tapped to represent Russia at Miss Universe 2008. She was first runner-up to Russian pageant winner Ksenia Sukhinova, who will not be at Miss Universe due to her exams.

Szilvia Freire, 24, of Budapest was crowned Miss Hungary World on May 22, 2008. Jazmin Dammak, 24, of Budapest, who is half-Tunisian, was crowned Miss World 2008. Krisztina Polgar, 21, of Törökszentmiklós was crowned Miss Hungary Earth.

Carolina Dementiev, 19, was crowned Miss Panama Universe on May 21, 2008. She will represent Panama in Miss Universe 2008. The crowning was the culmination of a reality show in the "America's Next Top Model"-style. It began with 10 contestants, with individuals periodically eliminated. The finals included four contestants. The first runner-up was Karina Pinilla, and the second runner-up was Estefania Varela. The third runner-up was Ginelle Saldana.