Angola scoops Miss Universe crown

Newly crowned Miss Universe Leila Lopes hopes her victory will allow her to assist her native Angola further escape its history of war and impoverishment and said she plans to focus on combating HIV around the globe.

Speaking shortly after taking the crown in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 25-year-old Lopes said that “as Miss Angola I’ve already done a lot to help my people.

“I’ve worked with various social causes. I work with poor children, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly and I have to do everything that my country needs. I think now as Miss Universe I will be able to do much more.”

Lopes is Angola’s first winner. She beat 88 other competitors to win the title during the 60th anniversary of the world’s biggest beauty pageant. She replaces last year’s winner, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico.

The first runner-up is23-year-old Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine and the second runner-up is Priscila Machado of Brazil. The third is Miss Philippines and the fourth Miss China.