Miss America, Miss World pageants accused of discrimination

A New York woman filed a complaint against the Miss America and Miss World beauty pageants Monday, accusing them of discriminating against her for being a mother.

Danielle Hazel, 25, filed with the New York City Human Rights Commission after she was disqualified from the pageants for having a six-year-old son.

"My dream of competing in those pageants is still on hold today because of their discriminatory entry requirements, which ban mothers from competing," Hazel said.

For her legal representation, Hazel has tapped Gloria Allred, a lawyer from California known for taking on cases involving women's rights.

"Being pregnant or being a parent is not a crime, and should not exclude an individual from employment or business opportunities," Allred told reporters at a press conference.

Allred said the pageants' eligibility rules -- which stipulate that a contestant must be unmarried, childless, not pregnant and without a legally dependent person -- are "based upon the antiquated stereotype that women cannot be both a mother and be beautiful, poised, passionate, talented and philanthropic."

Allred added that she has already sued another beauty pageant, Miss Universe, for similar reasons.

US beauty pageants have been rife with controversy for the past several years.

In May, the 2023 winners of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA relinquished their titles, citing mental health reasons, after an administrator of the pageant's parent organization resigned, citing a toxic work environment.

Founded in 1921, Miss America is the oldest beauty pageant in the United States. Miss USA, founded in 1952, was owned by Donald Trump until 2015, the year he launched his first run for the White House.

European electric car sales to rebound in 2025: study

The market share for electric cars should rebound strongly in 2025 as limits on emissions get stricter and manufacturers propose cheaper models, a study released Tuesday said.

Electric vehicles will represent as much as 24 percent of new cars sold in Europe next year, according to a report by think tank Transport & Environment (T&E).

"EV sales are expected to rise to 24 percent market share in 2025, supported by an expansion of mass market EV offerings," the report said.

After three years of growth, EV sales slipped this year and represented just 14 percent of new car sales in Europe in the first half of 2024.

Higher sales in the Netherlands, Spain and Italy have not made up for a decline in Germany, Europe's largest market, after a surprise cut to public subsidies there.

But a slew of new, more affordable models expected in 2025, should boost sales throughout the region, T&E said.

A study presented on September 11 by BMI Research (a firm associated with Fitch) also forecast strong sales growth for EVs in Europe, driven by purchases by corporate fleets and long-term rental companies.