Miss World Pageant Attracts Record 94 Countries

LONDON (Reuters) - The Miss World contest, revamped after feminists condemned it as a degrading ``cattle market,'' Tuesday attracted a record 94 beauties from around the globe for the last great glamour pageant of the century.

The event returned to Britain for the first time in 10 years with organizers insisting it is all about female empowerment and not about who looks good in a bikini or wants to do charity work with orphaned animals.

``We are very proud to have got 94 countries this year. This is a world record,'' said Eric Morley, presenting the 49th edition of the contest.

``This is beauty with a purpose,'' said Morley after hopefuls from the U.S. Virgin Islands to Zimbabwe were paraded before the cameras before jetting off to Malta for bikini shots.

The winner -- talent and personality are vital too, the organizers stress -- will be chosen in London on Dec. 4.

Among the judges will be the newly crowned heavyweight boxing champion of the world, Lennox Lewis, and Formula One racing driver Eddie Irvine.

``The judges are not looking for the most beautiful girl in the world with the greatest figure but the most beautiful of those who have talent and personality,'' said a spokesman for the organizers who stress the contest has been given a politically correct face-lift for the 90s.

The 1998 Miss World contest was won by Israeli model Linor Arbargil, who last month cried in a Tel Aviv court when an Israeli travel agent was convicted of raping her.

This year's contestants certainly offer a huge range of career ambitions and cherished goals.

Shani Afua Smith would like to manage the police laboratories in the American Virgin Islands, Angolan Lorena Silva wants to become an electricity technician and Ghana's Mariam Bugri campaigns for Breast Cancer Awareness.

``I want to be a woman with elegance and a tender heart,'' said Japan's Aya Mitsubori who will have a chance next month to prove she could be the one before a worldwide television audience of about two billion.