Who won Miss World 2026?

The crown gets a new byline

Joheirry Mola, a 24-year-old teacher and journalist from the Dominican Republic, has been crowned Miss World 2026. Her victory brought the crown back to the country for the first time in 44 years.

Mola holds a degree in Business Management and Administration, teaches Literature and Social Studies in English, and works as a correspondent for Univision New York’s Ventana a Quisqueya. She also founded Voices of Tomorrow, an initiative providing English-language education to young people from underserved communities.

Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés was named first runner-up. Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty finished as second runner-up.

Kazakhstan was represented by Miss Kazakhstan 2024 Bagym Baltabayeva. Baltabayeva appeared in a luxurious snow-white corset gown featuring voluminous feathered wings and an elaborate swan-shaped headdress.

No bunker could contain the applause

Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem received a 16-minute-and-30-second standing ovation for Bunker at the Venice Film Festival, the longest of this year’s event so far and the third-longest recorded in the festival’s history.

Florian Zeller’s psychological thriller follows a couple whose 17-year marriage begins to unravel after the husband, a successful architect, accepts an offer to build a survivalist bunker for a tech billionaire. Zeller said he wrote the film specifically for Cruz and Bardem.

Two Natalies make nine

Natalia Vodianova has welcomed her sixth child, while Natalie Portman has become a mother for the third time.

Vodianova’s daughter, Anna Natalia Larisa Arnault, was born on September 2. She is the supermodel’s third child with businessman Antoine Arnault.

Meanwhile, Portman and French musician Tanguy Destable were photographed in Paris with a newborn. According to The Voice, the baby was born on August 25, although the couple has yet to confirm the news. The child would be their first together and Portman’s third.

Scoop it like it’s hot

More than 200,000 people from 133 countries have applied to become an international ice cream taster for Snoop Dogg’s Dr. Bombay brand.

The three-month job pays $10,000 a month and involves traveling in search of unusual desserts, sampling new flavors, spotting food trends and creating social media content.

An AI-powered system and human recruiters will narrow the applicants down to 50 candidates, with the final 20 invited to meet the Dr. Bombay team. Applicants must speak English, hold a valid passport and, presumably, have plenty of room for dessert.

Lady Whistledown has the final word

At 90, Julie Andrews has won another Emmy for voicing Lady Whistledown in Netflix’s Bridgerton. It marks her second consecutive victory in the Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance category.

Andrews recently revealed that she is done with on-screen acting, although she has not retired completely. She now focuses on books, podcasts and voice-over work, proving that she does not need to appear on screen to steal the show.

Aladdin takes her to the Walk of Fame

Lea Salonga has become the first Filipina to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Broadway and Disney legend was honored with the 2,855th star in the Live Performance category.

Salonga originated the role of Kim in Miss Saigon and became the first Asian actress to win a Tony Award. She also provided the singing voices of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Mulan.

Zero chance of staying dead

The first theatrical trailer for Godzilla Minus Zero confirms that the legendary monster was not completely destroyed. The footage also introduces a new kaiju extermination operation and Masami Nagasawa as a weather forecaster working for the Disaster Response Bureau.

Directed by Oscar winner Takashi Yamazaki, the sequel is the first Japanese production filmed specifically for IMAX. It will premiere at the New York Film Festival on September 26 before arriving in North American cinemas on November 6.

Still in the key of life

Stevie Wonder is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Songs in the Key of Life with an 18-date international tour, according to Billboard.

The 76-year-old musician will perform the landmark album in full. The tour begins in Birmingham on October 13 and concludes in Los Angeles on December 19, with stops in Paris, Copenhagen, London, New York and other cities.

Released in 1976, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and later won the Grammy for Album of the Year. It includes such classics as Isn’t She Lovely, I Wish and Sir Duke.

You can read last week’s edition of Popcorn in form here.