• Nebraskan Sarah Rose Summers defeated 50 other women to win the crown at this year's Miss USA competition, held in Shreveport. Summers, a 23-year-old contestant from Omaha, graduated from Texas Christian University with two degrees and is working on becoming a certified child life specialist. With Monday evening's victory, she takes over from Kara McCullough, who won the competition last year when it was held in Las Vegas. At the start of Monday night's two-hour broadcast, hosted by Vanessa and Nick Lachey, the field was immediately narrowed down to 15 contestants based on their performance in preliminary rounds. The field was further narrowed during Monday's evening gown, swimsuit and interview segments. The final three contestants -- Summers, Caelynn Miller-Keyes of North Carolina and Carolina Urrea of Nevada -- were asked what they would write on a blank sign on the way to a hypothetical march. Summers said she would encourage people to "speak your voice" with her sign. The winner was chosen by a combination of a selection committee that contest organizers said included female entrepreneurs and executives and input from viewers who were able to vote online. Summers now goes on to represent the United States in the Miss Universe competition.
• Ariana Grande shared a message of hope with fans Tuesday as dignitaries, survivors, first responders and the people of Manchester gathered to mark the anniversary of the concert bombing that killed 22 people. The pop star told survivors and the families of victims that she was "thinking of you all today and every day." "I love you with all of me and am sending you all of the light and warmth I have to offer on this challenging day," she wrote in a tweet that included a bee, the civic symbol of Manchester. Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old Briton of Libyan descent, blew himself up as fans were leaving Grande's concert at Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017. Twenty-two concertgoers were killed, and police say more than 800 people were left "with physical and deep psychological injuries." Across Manchester, a 19th-century industrial powerhouse turned diverse and creative modern city, residents made defiant statements of unity in the face of extremist violence. Some laid bouquets of flowers in St. Ann's Square; others left hand-written notes on Japanese maples that have been planted to form a "Trees of Hope" trail through the city. One note cited U.S. Episcopal bishop Michael Curry's sermon at Saturday's royal wedding: "As a clever bishop said 'there is power in love.'"
A Section on 05/23/2018