Former Miss World Contestant Sherika De Armas, who represented Uruguay in the Miss World competition in 2015, died on October 13 at the age of 26 after her battle with cervical cancer, as per a report in the New York Post. Ms De Armas had undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. 

Her death sent shockwaves through Uruguay and around the world. “Fly high, little sister. Always and forever,” her brother, Mayk’ De Armas, said on social media. Miss Universe Uruguay 2022 Carla Romero, mourned that Ms De Armas was “too evolved for this world. One of the most beautiful women I have ever met in my life.”

“I will always remember you, not only for all the support you gave me and how much you wanted to see me grow, but for your affection, your joy, the friends we shared and that remain with me today”, Lola de los Santos, Miss Uruguay 2021, said while paying tribute. She also shared a set of pictures and videos to remember Ms De Armas.

The 26-year-old was not in the top 30 at the 2015 Miss World contest organised in China. However, she was “one of the only six 18-year-olds to compete” in the pageant.

In an interview with NetUruguay at that time, she had said. “I always wanted to be a model, whether a beauty model, an advertising model or a catwalk model. I like everything related to fashion and I think that within a beauty pageant, any girl’s dream is to have the opportunity to participate in Miss Universe. I am very happy to be able to live this experience full of challenges.”

She had also launched her make-up line and sold products related to hair and personal care known as Shey de Armas Studio. The model also devoted her time to the Perez Scremini Foundation, which treats children with cancer.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women. “In 2018, an estimated 570,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer worldwide and about 311,000 women died from the disease. Effective primary (HPV vaccination) and secondary prevention approaches (screening for, and treating precancerous lesions) will prevent most cervical cancer cases,” they said on the website.

An elderly man in South Korea died of a heart attack after choking on a ”live octopus” dish, that is served as a local delicacy, the Independent reported. The incident happened on Monday in South Korea’s southern city of Gwangju when the 82-year-old man was relishing the delicacy. Notably, the dish named Sannakji comprises octopus seasoned with salt and sesame oil and served while the tentacle pieces are often still twitching or squirming.

However, when a sannakji became stuck in the man’s throat, fire station authorities in Gwangju were promptly alerted. When first responders arrived at the scene, they found the man in a state of cardiac arrest while choking. They initiated CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) but were unable to save him.

He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

This is not the first time such a death has occurred from the consumption of live octopus.

As per the Korea Herald, three died of asphyxiation from eating live octopus between 2007 and 2012, two others died in 2013 and a man in his 70s died in 2019.

Though the dish’s name translates to ‘live octopus’, the octopus is actually killed before serving, with its tentacles cut into portions, CNN reported. But it is served immediately after slicing, resulting in active nerve activity in the tentacles. That’s why the tentacles continue to wriggle on the plate for some time, causing it to appear alive.

Sannakji has also been described as among the world’s most dangerous foods, alongside the likes of poisonous pufferfish and bullfrogs.

Despite the risks, the dish is hugely popular in the country and many YouTubers and content creators are often seen sharing videos of themselves trying the dish.

People are advised to cut it into smaller pieces and chew thoroughly before swallowing. They should also refrain from consuming alcohol while trying the dish as intoxication might increase the likelihood of choking.

Sannakji shot to global fame, after an iconic scene from the 2003 South Korean movie ‘Oldboy’ showed actor Choi Min-sik’s character devouring a wriggling octopus alive at a sushi bar.

The 33-year-old Delhi man arrested for allegedly killing a Swiss woman had promised precious gemstones and offered astrology tricks to other foreign women too to befriend them, police sources said on Thursday.

Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Delhi’s Janakpuri, told interrogators he was in touch with multiple foreign women apart from Nina Berger, whose body was found near an MCD-run school on October 20 with limbs tied with a chain.

Singh’s father has a business of gemstones and astrology in west Delhi. He is currently believed to be in Paris.

The police suspect Gurpreet Singh learned astrology from his father and used it to lure foreign women. He used the same trick to befriend Berger and lure her to come to India, they suspect.

She came to India on October 11 and stayed in two different hotels in west Delhi. “In the first, she stayed till October 16. Then she shifted to another hotel, where we believe, she stayed before being killed by Gurpreet on October 18. The decomposed body of Berger was recovered from near a school in Tilak Nagar on October 20,” a police officer said.

He said Singh’s chats with other foreign women have been retrieved from his two mobile phones, but he has deleted his chats with Berger. He has visited foreign countries, including Switzerland, multiple times, the police said.

“There are chats recovered from his mobile phone where he has talked with several women about gemstones and astrology. It is suspect he would lure them for friendship by offering them precious stones or using astrology tricks,” the officer said.

The police said they have recovered Berger’s iPhone too, but have not been able to unlock it. They are taking the help of cyber experts.

Singh’s family owns multiple properties in various parts of Delhi but the trail of huge cash recovered from his house is yet to be investigated.

The police has managed to reach out to the family of Berger in Zurich, via the Embassy of Switzerland. But they said they cannot come to India. Her body has been kept at a mortuary in a west Delhi hospital.

The police wanted the family to come to India for identification, so that the process of postmortem examination could be started. But now the police wait for an NOC (no-objection certificate) from the Swiss Embassy.

Since the identification of the body is a crucial part in investigation, the police plan to take the help of DNA and biometric process.

From the hotel where Berger stayed, the police have recovered a trolley bag carrying articles which are believed to be belonging to her. The DNA match of the dead body could be done with the recovered articles, an official said.

Berger used to work with a law firm in Switzerland.