The first Miss Universe pageant is held. Armi Kuusela from Finland wins the title of Miss Universe 1952.

The Miss Universe pageant is an international beauty pageant that showcases the beauty, elegance, and intelligence of women from around the world. It is one of the most prestigious beauty pageants globally and has been held annually since its inception in 1952.

The pageant is owned and organized by the Miss Universe Organization, which is currently owned by the WME/IMG talent agency. The competition brings together representatives from more than 90 countries, who compete in various categories such as evening gown, swimsuit, interview, and sometimes a talent segment.

The winner of the Miss Universe pageant holds the title of Miss Universe for a year and becomes an ambassador for various charitable causes and organizations. She travels extensively during her reign, promoting awareness about her chosen platform and engaging in humanitarian efforts.

The pageant has gained significant popularity over the years and has become a global television event, attracting millions of viewers worldwide. The final competition is typically broadcast live and features performances by renowned musical artists.

The judging criteria for Miss Universe go beyond physical beauty and include factors such as poise, personality, intelligence, and social awareness. The contestants are often involved in philanthropy and advocacy work, addressing various social issues, and promoting positive change.

Miss Universe has had a significant impact on the lives of many titleholders, providing them with opportunities to pursue careers in modeling, acting, and philanthropy. The pageant has also faced its share of controversies and criticism regarding its focus on physical appearance and the objectification of women.

Apple Inc. releases its first mobile phone, the iPhone.

Vincent Van Gogh’s painting, the Le Pont de Trinquetaille, was bought for $20.4 million at an auction in London, England.

Apple Inc. releases its first mobile phone, the iPhone.

Isabel Perón becomes the first female President of Argentina.

[rdp-wiki-embed url=’https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel_Mart%C3%ADnez_de_Per%C3%B3n’]

The painting, the Le Pont de Trinquetaille by Vincent Van Gogh, was bought for $20.4 million at an auction in London, England.

LONDON — Dutch-born artist Vincent van Gogh’s “The Bridge at Trinquetaille” was sold at auction Monday for the equivalent of $20.2 million, the second-highest price ever paid for a painting.

The winning bid in the sale at Christie’s auction house that took just over one minute came in a telephone call from an unidentified German-speaking collector in Europe.

The bidding–in British pounds–was raised in increments equivalent to $800,000. The total price includes a 10% commission charged to the buyer.

Last March in London, Van Gogh’s dazzling yellow painting called “Sunflowers” became the most expensive auctioned picture when a Japanese firm, Yasuda Fire & Marine Insurance Co., paid $39.9 million for the painting.

“Le Pont de Trinquetaille,” portrays an iron bridge that spans the Rhone River in southern France between Arles and its suburb of Trinquetaille. It was painted in a single afternoon in 1888–less than two years before its impoverished creator committed suicide at the age of 37. Van Gogh thought it might be worth $100, according to Christie’s Impressionist expert, James Roundell.

The painting was sent for sale by an American, Sonja Kramarsky, of New York, a descendant of Siegfried Kramarsky of Amsterdam who bought it at a Paris sale in 1932 for about $18,000.

The entire Kramarsky collection, including the Van Gogh bridge, was sent from Holland to the United States for safekeeping just before World War II.

For the past three years, the painting had been on loan to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Apple Inc releases the first iPhone.

Ninety-nine people are killed in train crash near St-Hilaire, Quebec.

The Space Shuttle program Atlantis docks with the Russian space station Mir for the first time.