娱乐英语新闻：Miss Serbia, Kosovo bury politics

BEIJING, July 14 -- Behind all the hugs and smiles, the 80 Miss Universe contestants are engaged in a fierce competition. But two contestants with perhaps the greatest reason for hostilities have become fast friends.

    Miss Kosovo and Miss Serbia, representing one of the world's most ethnically torn regions, seem a little bit weary of people asking whether they get along.

    "We are friends, we go everywhere together," said Bojana Boric, this year's Miss Serbia. "We are the girls who want to talk with each other."

    The 2008 Miss Universe pageant will be broadcast live (9 am Beijing time today) by NBC to millions of viewers across the globe from Nha Trang, Vietnam. The seaside city in central Vietnam is plastered with posters of last year's Miss Universe, Riyo Mori of Japan.

Zana Krasniqi, Miss Kosovo, and Bojana Boric , Miss Serbia, pose for photos in Nha Trang, Vietnam, on Friday.

    Among the 80 women hoping to seize Mori's crown will be Boric and Zana Krasniki of Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia in February. The move has divided nations around the world, with the US and dozens of countries supporting Kosovo, but others arguing that Kosovo should remain part of Serbia.

    Vietnam is among those nations that haven't recognized Kosovo, and the Vietnamese compere at a recent Miss Universe event introduced Krasniki as "Miss Kosovo-Serbia."

    Krasniki didn't notice and says she loves Vietnam so much she plans to have her honeymoon here.

    "I'm so proud to represent Kosovo, the newest country in the world," she said.

    This year's contestants span a wide range of experiences and aspirations, according to the official pageant website.

    Miss Albania was a professional basketball player. Miss Argentina says she has paranormal experiences. Miss Antigua & Barbuda is fascinated by snakes.

    Miss Venezuela has been kidnapped and Miss Angola was in a plane crash while trying to escape a conflict during her country's civil war.

    The shortest contestant in this year's show is Miss El Salvador, a petite 162 cm. The tallest are Miss Jamaica, Miss Mexico and Miss Peru, who measure 2 m.

    Yesterday, the focus was on evening gowns and bathing suits. Plastic surgery is not forbidden. In fact, Miss Brazil aspires to become a plastic surgeon someday.

    The show will be co-hosted by British pop singer Mel B, known as "Scary Spice" during her days with the Spice Girls. She will be joined by American television personality Jerry Springer, host of "America's Got Talent" and a long-running tabloid talk show that often climaxes with angry guests cussing and brawling with one another.