The sudden death of Ernst and Young's (EY) 26-year-old employee Anna Sebastian Perayil has sparked a debate over the toxic work culture in some of the biggest firms in India and has raised some serious questions about work stress which can prove fatal.

The young generation is known to toil really hard in their initial years to land employment in the so-called Big 4 accounting firms - Deloitte, Ernst &amp; Young (EY), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and KPMG - which can be called 'dream job destinations'.

After signing on the dotted lines, these employees - full of excitement and vigour - take on social media platforms like LinkedIn to announce and celebrate their new jobs.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ey-employee-death-fm-sitharaman-says-colleges-should-provide-stress-management-lessons-761079">EY employee death: FM Sitharaman says colleges should provide ‘stress management lessons’</a>

Many of them come from the middle class and have their own financial liabilities to meet which eventually become their shackles when they find themselves compromising their health, and at times even live in these "dream jobs" with no way out.&nbsp;

Many of them finally find a way out and try to restart from scratch but some meet a fate similar to that of Anna, whose mother Anita Augustine's letter left the nation wondering if it's really worth the trouble.

<h2>Employees share their struggles of working in big firms</h2>

WION reached out to the former employees of some of these firms and tried to understand what's making it difficult for them to survive in these jobs. This is what they had to say:

Aditi (name changed) 
On the first day at EY, I was made to work for 12 hours from 9 am to 9 pm. At work, we had to wait beyond our working hours to hold meetings with the offshore team because they would log in as per their working hours. At one point, I worked for 15 hours for three days on a stretch and had to work beforehand for all the public holidays, comp-offs or any other holidays. I suffered from anxiety attacks and faced issues in breathing because of work stress.&nbsp;

Namrata (name changed) 
I had to clock 65 hours a week during busy months at EY. We worked for a lot more hours on one client in comparison to the time we officially showed what we had spent on them. There was no recognition of work and we were made to feel we are easily replaceable. The work schedule was so hectic that at times I started my day at 7 am and came back by 12 am or 1 am. &nbsp;I had put on more weight, faced gastroenteritis issues and started falling sick way more often.

Aastha (name changed) 
The busy months were very hectic at EY, we were clocking 90 hours a week and were putting in some extra hours which remained hidden. It was usual for the onshore team to come at odd times and we were expected to wait for their call.

Harshita (name changed) 
There were no fixed working hours during the pandemic and we worked almost all the time. The maximum I had charged was 16 hours in a day which was not real working hours because we had to keep them within the budget. The managers were not very helpful and no leaves were granted.

Anirudh (name changed) 
In the Big4s, you are expected to work constantly and you have to work on weekends to show your seniors that you are actually putting in the work. It was so hectic at KPMG that at times I came back at 4 am and had to leave at 8 am. There are a lot of hidden work hours because you are not allowed to log in the actual work hours in the system. In these organisations, staying late in the office is appreciated. The conditions were pretty much similar at PwC.

<h2>What went wrong in these firms?</h2>

The conversations with the former employees of the firms underlined some core issues prevalent across the industry which seemed to have been neglected or remained unheard for years. Some of these issues were:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Hidden working hours</li>
	<li>Calls with offshore teams beyond working hours</li>
	<li>Overloading of clients and setting ambitious work targets</li>
	<li>Denial of leaves and even weekends</li>
	<li>No appreciation of efficiency&nbsp;</li>
	<li>No raising of voice against such norms</li>
</ul>

These experiences raise some hard questions for the Big4 firms. Should such reputed companies have working environments which can push employees to the edge? Were the top management aware of these activities or was it the opaqueness of the middle management which kept them uninformed? Why were employees blindly burdened with unachievable and over-ambitious targets? Why were they silent?&nbsp;

<h2>Silence among employees: A generational trauma or a societal lesson?</h2>

How much do we question these firms? On the other side of it, one wonders why the employees decided to remain mum over such a serious issue till Anna lost her life.

Watch:&nbsp;EY Employee's Death: Are India’s Labour Laws Enabling Workers' Exploitation?&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ey-employees-death-are-indias-labour-laws-enabling-workers-exploitation-wion-decodes-760449/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Speaking to WION about how employees are failing to save themselves from such a toxic work culture, psychologist Madhumati Dhumak said, "People tend to make unrealistic goals and fail to set boundaries with work and even with themselves. From childhood, we are taught not to say no, which makes it difficult for us to do the same when we grow up."

Explaining how work stress can turn killer for people, she said, "Anything that happens psychologically will manifest into physical symptoms and can lead to severe diseases like chest pain, constipation, shortness of breath, stress-induced asthma, panic attacks and even heartache."

So, how can the employees save themselves from the work stress and escape the burnout? "Working out, making food, finding hobbies, making realistic goals, setting up priorities and most importantly establishing boundaries" &nbsp;can work magic for those battling work stress, Dhumak said.

Reacting to the mother's&nbsp;letter,&nbsp;EY in a statement said,&nbsp;"Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us."

The company added, "While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so."

"We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 1,00,000 people across EY member firms in India," the company further stated.

The sudden death of Ernst and Young's (EY) 26-year-old employee Anna Sebastian Perayil has sparked a debate over the toxic work culture in some of the biggest firms in India and has raised some serious questions about work stress which can prove fatal.

The sudden death of Ernst and Young's (EY) 26-year-old employee Anna Sebastian Perayil has sparked a debate over the toxic work culture in some of the biggest firms in India and has raised some serious questions about work stress which can prove fatal. The young generation is known to toil really hard in their initial years to land employment in the so-called Big 4 accounting firms - Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and KPMG - which can be called 'dream job destinations'. After signing on the dotted lines, these employees - full of excitement and vigour - take on social media platforms like LinkedIn to announce and celebrate their new jobs. Also Read: EY employee death: FM Sitharaman says colleges should provide ‘stress management lessons’ Many of them come from the middle class and have their own financial liabilities to meet which eventually become their shackles when they find themselves compromising their health, and at times even live in these "dream jobs" with no way out. Many of them finally find a way out and try to restart from scratch but some meet a fate similar to that of Anna, whose mother Anita Augustine's letter left the nation wondering if it's really worth the trouble. Employees share their struggles of working in big firms WION reached out to the former employees of some of these firms and tried to understand what's making it difficult for them to survive in these jobs. This is what they had to say: Aditi (name changed) On the first day at EY, I was made to work for 12 hours from 9 am to 9 pm. At work, we had to wait beyond our working hours to hold meetings with the offshore team because they would log in as per their working hours. At one point, I worked for 15 hours for three days on a stretch and had to work beforehand for all the public holidays, comp-offs or any other holidays. I suffered from anxiety attacks and faced issues in breathing because of work stress. Namrata (name changed) I had to clock 65 hours a week during busy months at EY. We worked for a lot more hours on one client in comparison to the time we officially showed what we had spent on them. There was no recognition of work and we were made to feel we are easily replaceable. The work schedule was so hectic that at times I started my day at 7 am and came back by 12 am or 1 am. I had put on more weight, faced gastroenteritis issues and started falling sick way more often. Aastha (name changed) The busy months were very hectic at EY, we were clocking 90 hours a week and were putting in some extra hours which remained hidden. It was usual for the onshore team to come at odd times and we were expected to wait for their call. Harshita (name changed) There were no fixed working hours during the pandemic and we worked almost all the time. The maximum I had charged was 16 hours in a day which was not real working hours because we had to keep them within the budget. The managers were not very helpful and no leaves were granted. Anirudh (name changed) In the Big4s, you are expected to work constantly and you have to work on weekends to show your seniors that you are actually putting in the work. It was so hectic at KPMG that at times I came back at 4 am and had to leave at 8 am. There are a lot of hidden work hours because you are not allowed to log in the actual work hours in the system. In these organisations, staying late in the office is appreciated. The conditions were pretty much similar at PwC. What went wrong in these firms? The conversations with the former employees of the firms underlined some core issues prevalent across the industry which seemed to have been neglected or remained unheard for years. Some of these issues were: Hidden working hours Calls with offshore teams beyond working hours Overloading of clients and setting ambitious work targets Denial of leaves and even weekends No appreciation of efficiency No raising of voice against such norms These experiences raise some hard questions for the Big4 firms. Should such reputed companies have working environments which can push employees to the edge? Were the top management aware of these activities or was it the opaqueness of the middle management which kept them uninformed? Why were employees blindly burdened with unachievable and over-ambitious targets? Why were they silent? Silence among employees: A generational trauma or a societal lesson? How much do we question these firms? On the other side of it, one wonders why the employees decided to remain mum over such a serious issue till Anna lost her life. Watch: EY Employee's Death: Are India’s Labour Laws Enabling Workers' Exploitation? Speaking to WION about how employees are failing to save themselves from such a toxic work culture, psychologist Madhumati Dhumak said, "People tend to make unrealistic goals and fail to set boundaries with work and even with themselves. From childhood, we are taught not to say no, which makes it difficult for us to do the same when we grow up." Explaining how work stress can turn killer for people, she said, "Anything that happens psychologically will manifest into physical symptoms and can lead to severe diseases like chest pain, constipation, shortness of breath, stress-induced asthma, panic attacks and even heartache." So, how can the employees save themselves from the work stress and escape the burnout? "Working out, making food, finding hobbies, making realistic goals, setting up priorities and most importantly establishing boundaries" can work magic for those battling work stress, Dhumak said. Reacting to the mother's letter, EY in a statement said, "Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us." The company added, "While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so." "We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 1,00,000 people across EY member firms in India," the company further stated.

Anna Sebastian Perayil: EY employee's death sheds light on how big firms turn into 'human-consuming' factories

In India's Pune, an Ernst &amp; Young (EY) office has come under scrutiny following the tragic death of 26-year-old audit executive Anna Sebastian Perayil, who reportedly struggled with a heavy workload. Now, reports citing a senior government official suggest that the EY office has been operating since 2007 without the necessary state permit that regulates working hours.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:101,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2001}">EY's missing permits</h2>

Shailendra Pol, Maharashtra's additional labour commissioner, as per news agency Reuters, has revealed that EY applied for registration under the state's Shops and Establishments Act only in February 2024, which was denied due to the company's long-standing non-compliance.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:212,&quot;w&quot;:615,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2112}" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/extra-judicial-killing-cop-who-shot-akshay-shinde-linked-to-encounter-specialist-pradeep-sharma-761542">Extra-judicial killing? Cop who shot Badlapur accused linked to ‘encounter specialist’ Pradeep Sharma</a>

"The company applied for a registration with the labour department only in February 2024 and we rejected it because it had not applied since 2007 when it started this office," Pol told Reuters.

This law stipulates a maximum of nine working hours per day and 48 hours per week for adults. Pol stated that EY has been given a week to respond to the lapse in its operational status.

If found guilty of non-compliance that results in serious injury or death, the company could face penalties including imprisonment of up to six months or fines reaching Rs 500,000&nbsp;(approximately $5,980) or both.

Pol's team is investigating further and has requested information from EY, including employee hours, welfare policies, and whether Perayil was pressured to work excessively during her tenure as an associate.&nbsp;

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:494,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:52,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2394}">EY employee's mother blames 'backbreaking'&nbsp;demands for death</h2>

Perayil's mother has attributed her daughter’s death to the "backbreaking" demands of her job, prompting a federal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:614,&quot;w&quot;:645,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2514}" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/anna-sebastian-perayil-ey-employees-death-sheds-light-on-how-big-firms-turn-into-human-consuming-factories-761276">Anna Sebastian Perayil: EY employee's death sheds light on how big firms turn into 'human-consuming' factories</a>

In a letter to the EY India chairperson, Perayil's mother, Anita Augustine, detailed her daughter's "overwhelming workload", stating that Anna "worked late into the night, even on weekends, with no opportunity to catch her breath". The family has reported that Perayil died of cardiac arrest.

EY India previously emphasised that it placed "the highest importance on the well-being of all employees" and was "taking the family's correspondence with the utmost seriousness and humility".

The firm employs around 100,000 individuals across its member firms in India.

(With inputs from agencies)

In India's Pune, an Ernst & Young (EY) office has come under scrutiny following the tragic death of 26-year-old audit executive Anna Sebastian Perayil, who reportedly struggled with a heavy workload.

In India's Pune, an Ernst & Young (EY) office has come under scrutiny following the tragic death of 26-year-old audit executive Anna Sebastian Perayil, who reportedly struggled with a heavy workload. Now, reports citing a senior government official suggest that the EY office has been operating since 2007 without the necessary state permit that regulates working hours. EY's missing permits Shailendra Pol, Maharashtra's additional labour commissioner, as per news agency Reuters, has revealed that EY applied for registration under the state's Shops and Establishments Act only in February 2024, which was denied due to the company's long-standing non-compliance. Also read | Extra-judicial killing? Cop who shot Badlapur accused linked to ‘encounter specialist’ Pradeep Sharma "The company applied for a registration with the labour department only in February 2024 and we rejected it because it had not applied since 2007 when it started this office," Pol told Reuters. This law stipulates a maximum of nine working hours per day and 48 hours per week for adults. Pol stated that EY has been given a week to respond to the lapse in its operational status. If found guilty of non-compliance that results in serious injury or death, the company could face penalties including imprisonment of up to six months or fines reaching Rs 500,000 (approximately $5,980) or both. Pol's team is investigating further and has requested information from EY, including employee hours, welfare policies, and whether Perayil was pressured to work excessively during her tenure as an associate. EY employee's mother blames 'backbreaking' demands for death Perayil's mother has attributed her daughter’s death to the "backbreaking" demands of her job, prompting a federal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Also read | Anna Sebastian Perayil: EY employee's death sheds light on how big firms turn into 'human-consuming' factories In a letter to the EY India chairperson, Perayil's mother, Anita Augustine, detailed her daughter's "overwhelming workload", stating that Anna "worked late into the night, even on weekends, with no opportunity to catch her breath". The family has reported that Perayil died of cardiac arrest. EY India previously emphasised that it placed "the highest importance on the well-being of all employees" and was "taking the family's correspondence with the utmost seriousness and humility". The firm employs around 100,000 individuals across its member firms in India. (With inputs from agencies)

Anna Sebastian Perayil case: EY Pune operating since 2007 without required permits, reveal authorities

While speaking about the tragic death of Ernest and Young's (EY) former employee Anna Sebastian Perayil, who apparently succumbed&nbsp;to work pressure, India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday (Sep&nbsp;22) called out the colleges and universities to provide “stress management lessons” to the students.

The death of 26-year-old Anna has taken the country by storm and has ignited a debate on the toxic work culture prevalent at some top consulting firms.&nbsp;

The debate started after the heart-wrenching letter of the 26-year-old's mother Anita Augustine went viral, in which she blamed Ernst &amp; Young's toxic work culture for her daughter's death.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/eys-ex-employees-open-up-about-toxic-work-culture-as-annas-tragic-death-takes-country-by-storm-760132">EY's ex-employees open up about 'toxic work culture' as Anna's 'tragic death' takes country by storm</a>

Anna had joined the audit and assurance team of the company in Pune in March of this year and died after four months allegedly because of extreme work stress.

<h2>Sitharaman says achieving divinity and seeking God will help handle work stress</h2>

Speaking at an event organised in a college in Chennai, the finance minister said that the educational institutions apart from providing good education and campus placement, should also teach some other things.

FM Sitharaman said that she “…was discussing an issue that is in the news for the past two days…a woman who had studied CA well, unable to cope with the work pressure, two-three days ago we received a news — she died unable to cope up with the pressure.”

“I was discussing an issue that has been in newspapers for the past two days. Our children go to colleges and universities for education and come out with flying colours," she added.

She further emphasised that people can gain the strength to handle pressure by achieving divinity.

“Believe in God, we need to have God's grace. Seek God, and learn good discipline. Your Atma shakti will grow only from this. The inner strength will come only with growing Atma Shakti…Educational institutions should bring in divinity and spirituality. Then only will our children get the inner strength. It will help in their progress and the country. That is my strong belief,” the finance minister said.

<h2>Congress reacts to Sitharaman's remarks, calls it 'downright cruel'</h2>

Congress General Secretary (Organisation), K C Venugopal slammed Sitharaman for her remarks.

Watch:&nbsp;EY Employee's Death: Are India’s Labour Laws Enabling Workers' Exploitation? | WION Decodes

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ey-employees-death-are-indias-labour-laws-enabling-workers-exploitation-wion-decodes-760449/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“The ruling regime and the Finance Minister can only see the pain of corporate giants like Adani and Ambani, not the pain of the hardworking and toiling young generation where freshers like Anna are exploited by the greedy corporate system… It is downright cruel on the part of the FM to blame Anna and her family for suggesting that she should have learnt stress management at home. This kind of victim-blaming is despicable and no words can convey the anger and disgust one feels because of such statements," the leader said.

"How heartless can this government be? Have they lost all sense of empathy? The parents are still recovering from this terrible tragedy. The toxic work environment should have triggered an honest review of corporate practices and led to necessary reforms that protect employees,” Venugopal said.

(With inputs from agencies)

While speaking about the tragic death of Ernest and Young's (EY) former employee Anna Sebastian Perayil, who apparently succumbed to work pressure, India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday (Sep 22) called out the colleges and universities to provide “stress management lessons” to the students.

While speaking about the tragic death of Ernest and Young's (EY) former employee Anna Sebastian Perayil, who apparently succumbed to work pressure, India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday (Sep 22) called out the colleges and universities to provide “stress management lessons” to the students. The death of 26-year-old Anna has taken the country by storm and has ignited a debate on the toxic work culture prevalent at some top consulting firms. The debate started after the heart-wrenching letter of the 26-year-old's mother Anita Augustine went viral, in which she blamed Ernst & Young's toxic work culture for her daughter's death. Also Read: EY's ex-employees open up about 'toxic work culture' as Anna's 'tragic death' takes country by storm Anna had joined the audit and assurance team of the company in Pune in March of this year and died after four months allegedly because of extreme work stress. Sitharaman says achieving divinity and seeking God will help handle work stress Speaking at an event organised in a college in Chennai, the finance minister said that the educational institutions apart from providing good education and campus placement, should also teach some other things. FM Sitharaman said that she “…was discussing an issue that is in the news for the past two days…a woman who had studied CA well, unable to cope with the work pressure, two-three days ago we received a news — she died unable to cope up with the pressure.” “I was discussing an issue that has been in newspapers for the past two days. Our children go to colleges and universities for education and come out with flying colours," she added. She further emphasised that people can gain the strength to handle pressure by achieving divinity. “Believe in God, we need to have God's grace. Seek God, and learn good discipline. Your Atma shakti will grow only from this. The inner strength will come only with growing Atma Shakti…Educational institutions should bring in divinity and spirituality. Then only will our children get the inner strength. It will help in their progress and the country. That is my strong belief,” the finance minister said. Congress reacts to Sitharaman's remarks, calls it 'downright cruel' Congress General Secretary (Organisation), K C Venugopal slammed Sitharaman for her remarks. Watch: EY Employee's Death: Are India’s Labour Laws Enabling Workers' Exploitation? | WION Decodes “The ruling regime and the Finance Minister can only see the pain of corporate giants like Adani and Ambani, not the pain of the hardworking and toiling young generation where freshers like Anna are exploited by the greedy corporate system… It is downright cruel on the part of the FM to blame Anna and her family for suggesting that she should have learnt stress management at home. This kind of victim-blaming is despicable and no words can convey the anger and disgust one feels because of such statements," the leader said. "How heartless can this government be? Have they lost all sense of empathy? The parents are still recovering from this terrible tragedy. The toxic work environment should have triggered an honest review of corporate practices and led to necessary reforms that protect employees,” Venugopal said. (With inputs from agencies)

EY employee death: FM Sitharaman says colleges should provide ‘stress management lessons’

The sudden and tragic demise of Ernst &amp; Young's (EY) employee Anna Sebastian Perayil, 26, has taken the country by storm and has ignited a debate on the toxic work culture prevalent at some top consulting firms.&nbsp;

The debate started after the heart-wrenching letter of 26-year-old's mother Anita Augustine went viral, in which she blamed Ernst &amp; Young's toxic work culture for her daughter's death.&nbsp;

Anna had joined the audit and assurance team of the company in Pune in March of this year and died after four months allegedly because of extreme work stress.

<h2>EY's former employees speak about the work culture in the company</h2>

Now, a former Ernst &amp; Young (EY) employee took to LinkedIn to speak about her harrowing experience with the company.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ey-india-chairmans-email-on-annas-death-with-do-not-forward-directive-gets-leaked-heres-what-he-said-760043">EY India chairman's email on Anna's death with 'do not forward' directive gets leaked. Here's what he said...</a>

The woman, who is currently a freelance content writer, said, “Six years back I got my first offer letter from EY It was a dream for me to get placed (off campus ) in a Big4 immediately after graduating. I was excited to move to Bengaluru for work; as a girl who wasn’t away from her home, not even once, everything seemed to be a dream come true moment, but within a few months, I realised I was in a toxic work environment, which took a toll on my food, sleep and mental health.”

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“When I took the decision to quit EY, I was heavily criticised and was called immature, homesick, even lazy and incapable of keeping up with the demands of the corporate work environment. It was a tough decision, but it was necessary for my health that day,” she added.

More such stories emerged as people wrote long posts on LinkedIn to speak about their working experience with EY.

Speaking about his wife who once worked with EY, one LinkedIn user said, "My wife quit EY just because of the toxic work culture and if she had not quit, I don’t know what would have happened to her. 18 hours workday is normalised, glorified and expected out of employees by many big MNCs in India. The irony is, these same MNCs would not do that outside India. Indians are being seen as donkeys to offload work to and India is seen as a huge factory willing to operate 24x7x365."&nbsp;

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"My wife and I got married in 2021, an event that naturally requires time off work. Shockingly, two days before our wedding, my then-fiancée received a call from her manager at 10 PM regarding a timesheet. The following day, despite having approved leave, she was asked to conduct an urgent knowledge transfer session," wrote another user whose wife faced a similar situation.

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However, reacting to the mother's&nbsp;letter,&nbsp;EY in a statement said,&nbsp;"Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ey-under-fire-after-26-year-old-employee-dies-tragically-due-to-work-stress-759689">EY under fire after 26-year-old employee dies tragically due to 'work stress'</a>

The company added, "While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so."

"We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 1,00,000 people across EY member firms in India," the company further stated.

The sudden and tragic demise of Ernst & Young's (EY) employee Anna Sebastian Perayil, 26, has taken the country by storm and has ignited a debate on the toxic work culture prevalent at some top consulting firms.

The sudden and tragic demise of Ernst & Young's (EY) employee Anna Sebastian Perayil, 26, has taken the country by storm and has ignited a debate on the toxic work culture prevalent at some top consulting firms. The debate started after the heart-wrenching letter of 26-year-old's mother Anita Augustine went viral, in which she blamed Ernst & Young's toxic work culture for her daughter's death. Anna had joined the audit and assurance team of the company in Pune in March of this year and died after four months allegedly because of extreme work stress. EY's former employees speak about the work culture in the company Now, a former Ernst & Young (EY) employee took to LinkedIn to speak about her harrowing experience with the company. Also Read: EY India chairman's email on Anna's death with 'do not forward' directive gets leaked. Here's what he said... The woman, who is currently a freelance content writer, said, “Six years back I got my first offer letter from EY It was a dream for me to get placed (off campus ) in a Big4 immediately after graduating. I was excited to move to Bengaluru for work; as a girl who wasn’t away from her home, not even once, everything seemed to be a dream come true moment, but within a few months, I realised I was in a toxic work environment, which took a toll on my food, sleep and mental health.” × “When I took the decision to quit EY, I was heavily criticised and was called immature, homesick, even lazy and incapable of keeping up with the demands of the corporate work environment. It was a tough decision, but it was necessary for my health that day,” she added. More such stories emerged as people wrote long posts on LinkedIn to speak about their working experience with EY. Speaking about his wife who once worked with EY, one LinkedIn user said, "My wife quit EY just because of the toxic work culture and if she had not quit, I don’t know what would have happened to her. 18 hours workday is normalised, glorified and expected out of employees by many big MNCs in India. The irony is, these same MNCs would not do that outside India. Indians are being seen as donkeys to offload work to and India is seen as a huge factory willing to operate 24x7x365." × "My wife and I got married in 2021, an event that naturally requires time off work. Shockingly, two days before our wedding, my then-fiancée received a call from her manager at 10 PM regarding a timesheet. The following day, despite having approved leave, she was asked to conduct an urgent knowledge transfer session," wrote another user whose wife faced a similar situation. × However, reacting to the mother's letter, EY in a statement said, "Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us." Also Read: EY under fire after 26-year-old employee dies tragically due to 'work stress' The company added, "While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so." "We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 1,00,000 people across EY member firms in India," the company further stated.

EY's ex-employees open up about 'toxic work culture' as Anna's 'tragic death' takes country by storm

Amid the brewing controversy over the heart-wrenching letter of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil's mother Anita Augustine who has blamed Ernst & Young's toxic work culture for her daughter's death, the company's India chairman Rajiv Memani sent an email to the staff with a “do not forward” directive which eventually got leaked online.

Amid the brewing controversy over the heart-wrenching letter of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil's mother Anita Augustine who has blamed Ernst & Young's toxic work culture for her daughter's death, the company's India chairman Rajiv Memani sent an email to the staff with a “do not forward” directive which eventually got leaked online. Anna had joined the audit and assurance team of the company in Pune in March of this year and died after four months allegedly because of extreme work stress. The girl's mother in a strongly-worded letter called out the company for ignoring employees' well-being and having a toxic work culture and also highlighted how her colleagues even failed to attend her funeral. Also Read: EY under fire after 26-year-old employee dies tragically due to 'work stress' The mother said that her daughter received no weekends and often came back “utterly exhausted" from the office. “I am writing to you now, Rajiv, because I believe EY has a profound responsibility to ensure the well-being of its employees. Anna's experience sheds light on a work culture that seems to glorify overwork while neglecting the very human beings behind the roles,” said Augustine, in her letter. EY India chairman's leaked email The leaked email, which is said to have been sent by Rajiv Memani to staff, has the subject line “News in media” after the letter written by Augustine went viral. The email was sent with a “do not forward” directive, however, it got leaked on Reddit and has been widely circulated on social media. EY India head's email response on the death of his overworked employee. byu/behenkayoda1 inindiasocial × In the letter, the chairman spoke about receiving an “anguished email from Anna’s mother” and said that he had “taken note of her message with utmost seriousness and humility.” Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of the post shared on social media. While filing this copy, we reached out to the company for their statement over the same which will be added after receiving the response. Here's the entire text of Rajiv Memani’s email Dear all, As you all would be aware, since yesterday, several messages regarding our firm have been circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. These pertain to the tragic passing away of Anna Sebastian on 20 July 2024, who joined us in our Assurance team in Pune on 18 March 2024. The fact that her journey with the firm was so short-lived - only four months - makes this tragedy even more poignant for all of us. Anna hailed from Kochi and worked at our Pune office. During the difficult period following her passing, the firm was in regular contact with members of her family. While we acknowledge that no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress while respecting the family's privacy and preferences. Though no words can comfort a grieving family, I have personally expressed my condolences and have shared my deepest regret for their irreparable loss. I received an anguished e-mail from Anna's mother and have taken note of her message with utmost seriousness and humility. I would like to reaffirm to all of you that our firm places the highest importance on the health and well-being of our people, and we will recommit ourselves to providing a supportive, healthy, and balanced work environment to you all. I would like to make this an ongoing dialogue with you to ensure we are continually building a healthy workplace for everyone. We have several well-being programs and open channels of communication available in the firm to ensure that you always have a safe space to voice your concerns anonymously, including through our existing Speak Up forum and Ethics Hotline. We will also create more avenues for you to share transparent and honest feedback on our workplace practices. If you ever face challenges or need guidance, I will strongly encourage you to please reach out to your team leaders, members of the talent team and your support network across the firm. I would like to personally assure you that when you speak up, you will be heard with empathy and understanding. If there are any suggestions that you have, please don’t hesitate to let me know. In the meantime, I urge you to handle this information with the utmost compassion and sensitivity. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Warm regards, Rajiv Centre to investigate death of E&Y's 26-year-old employee Meanwhile, the Centre has said that they will thoroughly investigate the death of 26-year-old Anna and will look into the allegations of excessive work pressure. Also Read: Ernst & Young (EY) India responds to employee Anna's death "Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Anna Sebastian Perayil. We are committed to ensuring justice and the Labour Ministry has officially taken up the complaint," said Minister of State for Labour Shobha Karandlaje in a post on X. Reacting to the mother's letter, EY in a statement said, "Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us." The company added, "While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so." "We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 1,00,000 people across EY member firms in India," the company further stated. (With inputs from agencies)

EY India chairman's email on Anna's death with 'do not forward' directive gets leaked. Here's what he said...

According to a study published in The Lancet, superbugs could kill more than 39 million people between 2025 and 2050 due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Antimicrobial-resistant superbugs set to claim 40 million lives

A 55-year-old Chinese delivery man died tragically when he was sleeping on his bike after taking a break from his gruelling 18-hour shift.&nbsp;

The death of the delivery man sparked debate over the rights and welfare of delivery drivers across the country.&nbsp;

The incident, which took place in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province in eastern China, started a public debate after it was reported in a widely circulated online video on September 6.

Media reports citing witnesses said that&nbsp;the food delivery man remained at his post from around 9:00 pm (local time) on September 5 till he was discovered by another delivery driver at 1:00 am (local time).&nbsp;

Speaking to Zonglan News, an insider said that the driver's relentless work ethic had earned him the nickname “Order King”.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-man-dies-of-organ-failure-after-working-for-104-days-company-ordered-to-pay-compensation-756673">China: Man dies of organ failure after working for 104 days, company ordered to pay compensation</a>

He said that the delivery man was able to earn between 500 and 600 yuan (US$70 and US$85) every day and his earnings went to 700 yuan ($98.66) on rainy days.

“He would sometimes work until 3 am, then rise at 6 am to start again. When he felt fatigued, he would take a brief nap on his bike, ready to return to work as soon as an order came in,” Yang said.

Another colleague of the food delivery driver said that the latter had got involved in a traffic accident while delivering an order recently and suffered a leg fracture.&nbsp;

The delivery man was not only earning for himself but was also supporting his 16-year-old son. His elder son was married and had children.&nbsp;

Responding to the incident, the Xianlin Sub-district Office in Yuhang district in an official statement said that the delivery man had “collapsed and died despite emergency treatment”.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-man-gets-23-teeth-extracted-and-12-implants-done-in-one-day-dies-of-heart-attack-757797">Chinese man gets 23 teeth extracted and 12 implants fixed in a day, dies of heart attack</a>

“The food delivery platform, the insurance company, and the family have reached an agreement. Follow-up arrangements are being carried out in an orderly manner,” the announcement added.

<h2>Here's how netizens reacted to the incident</h2>

The incident led to a public outrage on&nbsp;social media.

“Another ‘Order King’ has fallen. Is there really no way to avoid these tragedies?” wrote one person.

“He was in his 50s, the sole breadwinner of his family, working day and night. May he rest in peace. I hope in his next life, he will not have to race against time like this,” said another.

(With inputs from agencies)

A 55-year-old Chinese delivery man died tragically when he was sleeping on his bike after taking a break from his gruelling 18-hour shift. The death of the delivery man sparked debate over the rights and welfare of delivery drivers across the country.

A 55-year-old Chinese delivery man died tragically when he was sleeping on his bike after taking a break from his gruelling 18-hour shift. The death of the delivery man sparked debate over the rights and welfare of delivery drivers across the country. The incident, which took place in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province in eastern China, started a public debate after it was reported in a widely circulated online video on September 6. Media reports citing witnesses said that the food delivery man remained at his post from around 9:00 pm (local time) on September 5 till he was discovered by another delivery driver at 1:00 am (local time). Speaking to Zonglan News, an insider said that the driver's relentless work ethic had earned him the nickname “Order King”. Also Read: China: Man dies of organ failure after working for 104 days, company ordered to pay compensation He said that the delivery man was able to earn between 500 and 600 yuan (US$70 and US$85) every day and his earnings went to 700 yuan ($98.66) on rainy days. “He would sometimes work until 3 am, then rise at 6 am to start again. When he felt fatigued, he would take a brief nap on his bike, ready to return to work as soon as an order came in,” Yang said. Another colleague of the food delivery driver said that the latter had got involved in a traffic accident while delivering an order recently and suffered a leg fracture. The delivery man was not only earning for himself but was also supporting his 16-year-old son. His elder son was married and had children. Responding to the incident, the Xianlin Sub-district Office in Yuhang district in an official statement said that the delivery man had “collapsed and died despite emergency treatment”. Also Read: Chinese man gets 23 teeth extracted and 12 implants fixed in a day, dies of heart attack “The food delivery platform, the insurance company, and the family have reached an agreement. Follow-up arrangements are being carried out in an orderly manner,” the announcement added. Here's how netizens reacted to the incident The incident led to a public outrage on social media. “Another ‘Order King’ has fallen. Is there really no way to avoid these tragedies?” wrote one person. “He was in his 50s, the sole breadwinner of his family, working day and night. May he rest in peace. I hope in his next life, he will not have to race against time like this,” said another. (With inputs from agencies)

China: Delivery man works for 18-hours daily, dies on bike while taking nap

Several alleged coup plotters, including three Americans, were convicted and sentenced to death by a military court in Kinshasa on Friday, following a failed coup attempt on May 19 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

DR Congo Military Court Sentences Coup Plotters to Death

It may appear to be a prank to many, but this TikToker is seriously claiming that he is a 'time traveller' from 2671 who has travelled across ages to warn humans about the catastrophic events due to happen this year.&nbsp;

Eno Alaric,&nbsp;who is @radianttimetraveller on TikTok, has more than 900,000 followers and is posting predictions about events in the future.

He had earlier warned about aliens visiting our planet, twin planets colliding with Earth and beginning of the World War 3.

In his latest post, he has come up with five catastrophic events which he claims will take place before the year 2024 comes to an end.&nbsp;

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/new-nostradamus-says-four-of-his-predictions-have-come-true-this-year-758593">&nbsp;'New Nostradamus' says four of his predictions have come true this year</a>

“Wild events to come in 2024…) “Many of you still don’t believe I am a real-time traveller so remember these five events to come in the final months of 2024," he began his predictions.

<h2>Here are five catastrophic events predicted by time-traveller</h2>

His first prediction is about the discovery of skyscraper-sized giraffes and other oversized animals in&nbsp;Australia. He said that this discovery will be made on September 20.

“Large versions of 70 different types of animals are found in a hidden part of Australia. This includes 3ft spiders, 60ft butterflies, and even giraffes as tall as skyscrapers," the time-traveller claimed.

He further predicted that the Sun would emit a different kind of energy on October 23, which would help humans in learning about their own mortality.&nbsp;

“The Sun lets out a rare and unknown type of energy that allows people to see how they pass. This happens to millions of people every day for about three months, some learn they never pass and have immortality," Eno stated.

Watch:&nbsp;US elections: Forecaster Allan Lichtman releases his prediction on the US polls

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-elections-forecaster-allan-lichtman-releases-his-prediction-on-the-us-polls-756482/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He further predicted that a celebrity musician, who is believed to be dead, will reappear on October 25. “A very famous celebrity comes out and reveals he faked his own passing. He was known as a ‘legend’ and will be the most famous person on Earth when he returns to making music,” he claimed.

The last two events he predicted were the most catastrophic and worrisome, which are the disappearance of the Sun for a week and the discovery of an alien artefact that will spread a disease with no cure.

“November 9: The Sun disappears for a week straight, causing the world to go into its first Purge. November 12: An alien artefact is found buried beneath the ice in Antarctica. It contains a mysterious disease, it spreads quickly through the world, it has no cure," he stated.

(With inputs from agencies)

It may appear to be a prank to many, but this TikToker is seriously claiming that he is a 'time traveller' from 2671 who has travelled across ages to warn humans about the catastrophic events due to happen this year.

It may appear to be a prank to many, but this TikToker is seriously claiming that he is a 'time traveller' from 2671 who has travelled across ages to warn humans about the catastrophic events due to happen this year. Eno Alaric, who is @radianttimetraveller on TikTok, has more than 900,000 followers and is posting predictions about events in the future. He had earlier warned about aliens visiting our planet, twin planets colliding with Earth and beginning of the World War 3. In his latest post, he has come up with five catastrophic events which he claims will take place before the year 2024 comes to an end. Also Read: 'New Nostradamus' says four of his predictions have come true this year “Wild events to come in 2024…) “Many of you still don’t believe I am a real-time traveller so remember these five events to come in the final months of 2024," he began his predictions. Here are five catastrophic events predicted by time-traveller His first prediction is about the discovery of skyscraper-sized giraffes and other oversized animals in Australia. He said that this discovery will be made on September 20. “Large versions of 70 different types of animals are found in a hidden part of Australia. This includes 3ft spiders, 60ft butterflies, and even giraffes as tall as skyscrapers," the time-traveller claimed. He further predicted that the Sun would emit a different kind of energy on October 23, which would help humans in learning about their own mortality. “The Sun lets out a rare and unknown type of energy that allows people to see how they pass. This happens to millions of people every day for about three months, some learn they never pass and have immortality," Eno stated. Watch: US elections: Forecaster Allan Lichtman releases his prediction on the US polls He further predicted that a celebrity musician, who is believed to be dead, will reappear on October 25. “A very famous celebrity comes out and reveals he faked his own passing. He was known as a ‘legend’ and will be the most famous person on Earth when he returns to making music,” he claimed. The last two events he predicted were the most catastrophic and worrisome, which are the disappearance of the Sun for a week and the discovery of an alien artefact that will spread a disease with no cure. “November 9: The Sun disappears for a week straight, causing the world to go into its first Purge. November 12: An alien artefact is found buried beneath the ice in Antarctica. It contains a mysterious disease, it spreads quickly through the world, it has no cure," he stated. (With inputs from agencies)

'Time-traveller' says on THESE five dates the world will witness catastrophic events this year. They are...

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury passed away on Thursday (September 12, 2024). He was undergoing treatment at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi for acute respiratory tract infection. He was 72-years old.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury passes away aged at 72 at AIIMS, new Delhi

Britain's former RAF engineer and his wife have become the first couple in the country to have signed up using a double suicide pod to die together.

The couple, Peter and Christine Scott, have been married for 46 years and took the decision to die in a suicide pod after 80-year-old Christine, who was earlier a nurse, was diagnosed with early-stage vascular dementia weeks ago.

The British couple has decided they will travel to Switzerland where they will end their lives in each other's arms by using the death capsule Sarco.

The couple informed their family members about their tragic decision after suffering in a failing&nbsp;NHS and losing their life savings and home in the process to pay burdening care costs. The couple's son and daughter have reluctantly agreed to their decision.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/more-students-are-committing-suicides-in-india-than-population-growth-rate-report-754156">More students are committing suicides in India than population growth rate: Report</a>

The couple have six grandchildren and they are now making their registrations with Swiss-based organisation The Last Resort which offers the service of assisted dying in Sarco. This novel death capsule was unveiled in July.

Inside the pod, once the process of dying is activated, air - which is filled with 21 per cent oxygen and 79 per cent nitrogen - gets replaced with 100 per cent nitrogen.&nbsp;

In the process, the occupant slowly becomes unconscious and eventually dies in less than 10 minutes.

It was created by Australian-born Philip Nitschke, who has been nicknamed Doctor Death. He&nbsp;said that the first suicide will happen soon.&nbsp;

<h2>Here's why the couple chose assisted dying</h2>

The Scotts have decided to wait till the machine's new twin model gets launched later this year.

In an interview from their home in the Suffolk village of Mellis, the couple spoke about their plans and hoped that it would build more pressure on campaigns calling for allowance of assisted dying in the United Kingdom.

"We have had long, happy, healthy, fulfilled lives but here we are in old age and it does not do nice things to you," Peter said.

"The idea of watching the slow degradation of Chris's mental abilities in parallel to my own physical decline is horrific to me. Obviously, I would care for her to the point I could not, but she has nursed enough people with dementia during her career to be adamant she wants to remain in control of herself and her life. Assisted dying gives her that opportunity and I would not want to go on living without her," he added.

Watch:&nbsp;India's Student Suicide Crisis: New Data Exposes Alarming Trends

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indias-student-suicide-crisis-new-data-exposes-alarming-trends-754706/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We understand other people may not share our feelings and we respect their position. What we want is the right to choose. I find it deeply depressing we can't do that here in the UK," the former RAF engineer said.

"Yet look at the alternative. The chances of getting prompt NHS treatment for the ailments of old age seem pretty remote so you end up trapped by infirmity and pain. I don't want to go into care, to be lying in bed dribbling and incontinent – I don't call that a life. Finally, the Government swoops in to take your savings and your house to pay for it all," he added.

Peter said that he is going through all the paperwork currently which is required for the application. However, he is worried about Christine's application because it is difficult to get permission for assisted suicide for dementia.

While speaking to The Daily Mail, Dr Nitschke said that the couple's suicide pod is ready for launch. "The capsule for two people works exactly the same as the single Sarco but there is only one button so they will decide between them who will push it. Then they'll be able to hold each other and one of them will push the button," he said.

Inside the pod, a camera has been installed which will record their final moments before death.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

<a href="https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/11181469">Get help &amp; support for suicide</a>

If you or someone you know wants help for mental well-being, don't hesitate to talk to a professional. You can contact local authorities and also encourage the person to contact a&nbsp;suicide prevention hotline.&nbsp;WION is not associated with any of these organisations and does not make any recommendations.&nbsp;

Britain's former RAF engineer and his wife have become the first couple in the country to have signed up using a double suicide pod to die together. The couple, Peter and Christine Scott, have been married for 46 years and took the decision to die in a suicide pod after 80-year-old Christine, who was earlier a nurse, was diagnosed with early-stage vascular dementia weeks ago.

Britain's former RAF engineer and his wife have become the first couple in the country to have signed up using a double suicide pod to die together. The couple, Peter and Christine Scott, have been married for 46 years and took the decision to die in a suicide pod after 80-year-old Christine, who was earlier a nurse, was diagnosed with early-stage vascular dementia weeks ago. The British couple has decided they will travel to Switzerland where they will end their lives in each other's arms by using the death capsule Sarco. The couple informed their family members about their tragic decision after suffering in a failing NHS and losing their life savings and home in the process to pay burdening care costs. The couple's son and daughter have reluctantly agreed to their decision. Also Read: More students are committing suicides in India than population growth rate: Report The couple have six grandchildren and they are now making their registrations with Swiss-based organisation The Last Resort which offers the service of assisted dying in Sarco. This novel death capsule was unveiled in July. Inside the pod, once the process of dying is activated, air - which is filled with 21 per cent oxygen and 79 per cent nitrogen - gets replaced with 100 per cent nitrogen. In the process, the occupant slowly becomes unconscious and eventually dies in less than 10 minutes. It was created by Australian-born Philip Nitschke, who has been nicknamed Doctor Death. He said that the first suicide will happen soon. Here's why the couple chose assisted dying The Scotts have decided to wait till the machine's new twin model gets launched later this year. In an interview from their home in the Suffolk village of Mellis, the couple spoke about their plans and hoped that it would build more pressure on campaigns calling for allowance of assisted dying in the United Kingdom. "We have had long, happy, healthy, fulfilled lives but here we are in old age and it does not do nice things to you," Peter said. "The idea of watching the slow degradation of Chris's mental abilities in parallel to my own physical decline is horrific to me. Obviously, I would care for her to the point I could not, but she has nursed enough people with dementia during her career to be adamant she wants to remain in control of herself and her life. Assisted dying gives her that opportunity and I would not want to go on living without her," he added. Watch: India's Student Suicide Crisis: New Data Exposes Alarming Trends "We understand other people may not share our feelings and we respect their position. What we want is the right to choose. I find it deeply depressing we can't do that here in the UK," the former RAF engineer said. "Yet look at the alternative. The chances of getting prompt NHS treatment for the ailments of old age seem pretty remote so you end up trapped by infirmity and pain. I don't want to go into care, to be lying in bed dribbling and incontinent – I don't call that a life. Finally, the Government swoops in to take your savings and your house to pay for it all," he added. Peter said that he is going through all the paperwork currently which is required for the application. However, he is worried about Christine's application because it is difficult to get permission for assisted suicide for dementia. While speaking to The Daily Mail, Dr Nitschke said that the couple's suicide pod is ready for launch. "The capsule for two people works exactly the same as the single Sarco but there is only one button so they will decide between them who will push it. Then they'll be able to hold each other and one of them will push the button," he said. Inside the pod, a camera has been installed which will record their final moments before death. (With inputs from agencies) Get help & support for suicide If you or someone you know wants help for mental well-being, don't hesitate to talk to a professional. You can contact local authorities and also encourage the person to contact a suicide prevention hotline. WION is not associated with any of these organisations and does not make any recommendations.

Britain's old couple sign up for death in double suicide pod after wife’s dementia diagnosis

A 19-year-old bodybuilder from Brazil, known for his drastic body transformation from being obese to gaining ripped muscles, was discovered dead at his home due to an apparent heart attack. The incident sparked suspicion about the potential role of anabolic steroids as a cause of his death.

Matheus Pavlak, who resides in Santa Catarina, Brazil, has been a renowned figure in the bodybuilding industry.

In five&nbsp;years, he transformed his body through regular competitions and earning accolades, coming fourth&nbsp;and sixth&nbsp;in regional contests and becoming the champion of the U23 contest in 2023. People called him “Mr. Blumenau” in his native place.

TMZ and other media outlets stated that Pavlak’s death was due to anabolic steroids, evident from his muscular physique at such a young age. His death sparked&nbsp;a public debate on social media platforms, arguing whether steroid involvement contributed to the heart attack or not.

One of Pavlak’s companions shared a statement on social media, dismissing the allegations, saying, “How can human beings exist who are capable of offending the memory of a boy who is no longer here to defend himself!!”

Pavlak constantly spoke about his&nbsp;journey on social media, being an inspiration to many who dream of building a muscular physique. One of his posts said, “No matter how difficult or impossible your dream is if you really want it, you will get there. I DID.”

His former trainer, Lucas Chegatti, expressed his grief on social media, saying, “Today ends in a sad day with the loss of a great friend, a spectacular young man who leaves us far too soon, a tragedy that has taken us by surprise. He had a brilliant future ahead of him as a respected athlete. God has his plans, but it’s hard to understand; I don’t have the words to explain the weight I feel in my heart.”

“I was Matheus’ first coach, and I’m very proud to have had the opportunity to care for him like a son. I promised him that one day he would beat me and said and done, the first time we competed against each other, he ended up winning,” Chegatti added.

Chegatti and Pavlak first met in 2022, and he has been his mentor and trainer since then.

The tragic death&nbsp;of Matheus Pavlak has become a big concern in the bodybuilding community. This comes&nbsp;as the number of high-profile bodybuilders' deaths is growing at an alarming rate.

Earlier in April, a Brazilian bodybuilder and fitness coach died at the age of 29 from complications he faced due to COVID-19. In May, another athlete, Majorcan, who fought cancer and survived, passed away at the age of 50.

Pavlak’s death&nbsp;has highlighted the complications and health issues bodybuilders face during their journey and the risks of using performance-enhancing substances.

The&nbsp;reason behind Pavlak’s death is yet to be identified, as the investigation is still ongoing.

(With inputs from agencies)

A 19-year-old bodybuilder from Brazil, known for his drastic body transformation from being obese to gaining ripped muscles, was discovered dead at his home due to an apparent heart attack.

A 19-year-old bodybuilder from Brazil, known for his drastic body transformation from being obese to gaining ripped muscles, was discovered dead at his home due to an apparent heart attack. The incident sparked suspicion about the potential role of anabolic steroids as a cause of his death. Matheus Pavlak, who resides in Santa Catarina, Brazil, has been a renowned figure in the bodybuilding industry. In five years, he transformed his body through regular competitions and earning accolades, coming fourth and sixth in regional contests and becoming the champion of the U23 contest in 2023. People called him “Mr. Blumenau” in his native place. TMZ and other media outlets stated that Pavlak’s death was due to anabolic steroids, evident from his muscular physique at such a young age. His death sparked a public debate on social media platforms, arguing whether steroid involvement contributed to the heart attack or not. One of Pavlak’s companions shared a statement on social media, dismissing the allegations, saying, “How can human beings exist who are capable of offending the memory of a boy who is no longer here to defend himself!!” Pavlak constantly spoke about his journey on social media, being an inspiration to many who dream of building a muscular physique. One of his posts said, “No matter how difficult or impossible your dream is if you really want it, you will get there. I DID.” His former trainer, Lucas Chegatti, expressed his grief on social media, saying, “Today ends in a sad day with the loss of a great friend, a spectacular young man who leaves us far too soon, a tragedy that has taken us by surprise. He had a brilliant future ahead of him as a respected athlete. God has his plans, but it’s hard to understand; I don’t have the words to explain the weight I feel in my heart.” “I was Matheus’ first coach, and I’m very proud to have had the opportunity to care for him like a son. I promised him that one day he would beat me and said and done, the first time we competed against each other, he ended up winning,” Chegatti added. Chegatti and Pavlak first met in 2022, and he has been his mentor and trainer since then. The tragic death of Matheus Pavlak has become a big concern in the bodybuilding community. This comes as the number of high-profile bodybuilders' deaths is growing at an alarming rate. Earlier in April, a Brazilian bodybuilder and fitness coach died at the age of 29 from complications he faced due to COVID-19. In May, another athlete, Majorcan, who fought cancer and survived, passed away at the age of 50. Pavlak’s death has highlighted the complications and health issues bodybuilders face during their journey and the risks of using performance-enhancing substances. The reason behind Pavlak’s death is yet to be identified, as the investigation is still ongoing. (With inputs from agencies)

Steroids lead to death? Famous Brazilian bodybuilder dies at 19 due to heart attack

In a heartbreaking yet endearing story, a devoted couple who were married close to 70 years, died within 24 hours of each other in the UK, with the wife succumbing to what the family said was a 'broken heart'.&nbsp;

Anne Beaumont, 89, 'died of a broken heart', according to her family, after doctors said her husband, Frank, 91, suffering from dementia, did not have long to live.&nbsp;Anne was in relatively good health when she died, and Frank also passed away nearly 24 hours later after being told of his wife's death.&nbsp;

"They have gone together, they did everything together, you think 'you can't write this how does this happen?'. Well organised, you don't know how you do that but they did it," son Ian Beaumont was quoted as saying by DailyMail.&nbsp;

Frank was admitted to the Greenacres Care Home in Meltham, West Yorkshire, last year after being diagnosed with 'severe dementia' as&nbsp;Anne could no longer look after him at home.&nbsp;

"She didn't want to do that but was really struggling,"&nbsp;said Ian.

After her health deteriorated, Anne was also sent to same home in April this year. Although the husband and wife were placed in different wings of the home, Anne would make sure to spend time with Frank every day. Even though the dementia was severe, Frank still knew who his wife was.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/australian-penguin-with-same-sex-partner-passes-way-752362">Watch |&nbsp;Australian penguin with same-sex partner passes way</a>

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<h2>Frank knew Anne was his wife</h2>

On the day of Anne's death, she spent the afternoon with Frank. Doctors informed her that Frank would be moved to a different care home as his health was deteriorating. The information that her husband was close to dying perhaps left Anne heartbroken and she died peacefully in her sleep.

The family said "there was no heart attack or anything". She just died.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-tragic-disneylands-60-year-old-employee-dies-after-golf-cart-accident-730072">Also read |&nbsp;Tragic! Disneyland's 60-year-old employee dies after golf cart accident</a>

"It was evident he was going downhill, and then suddenly my mother passed away. A couple of GPs I have spoke to said there is a known medical syndrome of a broken heart," said Ian.&nbsp;

"She knew he was going downhill and had also been told the week before that he will probably have to go to another care home because his nursing needs were too much for that one and I think that upset her because she wouldn't then be with him. The whole thing just came to a head."

The family said the couple had a fulfilling life and did everything together. Ian said despite them passing away in a span of 24 hours, it was 'comforting' that they did not have to be without each other for long.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a heartbreaking yet endearing story, a devoted couple who were married close to 70 years, died within 24 hours of each other in the UK, with the wife succumbing to what the family said was a 'broken heart'.

In a heartbreaking yet endearing story, a devoted couple who were married close to 70 years, died within 24 hours of each other in the UK, with the wife succumbing to what the family said was a 'broken heart'. Anne Beaumont, 89, 'died of a broken heart', according to her family, after doctors said her husband, Frank, 91, suffering from dementia, did not have long to live. Anne was in relatively good health when she died, and Frank also passed away nearly 24 hours later after being told of his wife's death. "They have gone together, they did everything together, you think 'you can't write this how does this happen?'. Well organised, you don't know how you do that but they did it," son Ian Beaumont was quoted as saying by DailyMail. Frank was admitted to the Greenacres Care Home in Meltham, West Yorkshire, last year after being diagnosed with 'severe dementia' as Anne could no longer look after him at home. "She didn't want to do that but was really struggling," said Ian. After her health deteriorated, Anne was also sent to same home in April this year. Although the husband and wife were placed in different wings of the home, Anne would make sure to spend time with Frank every day. Even though the dementia was severe, Frank still knew who his wife was. Watch | Australian penguin with same-sex partner passes way × Frank knew Anne was his wife On the day of Anne's death, she spent the afternoon with Frank. Doctors informed her that Frank would be moved to a different care home as his health was deteriorating. The information that her husband was close to dying perhaps left Anne heartbroken and she died peacefully in her sleep. The family said "there was no heart attack or anything". She just died. Also read | Tragic! Disneyland's 60-year-old employee dies after golf cart accident "It was evident he was going downhill, and then suddenly my mother passed away. A couple of GPs I have spoke to said there is a known medical syndrome of a broken heart," said Ian. "She knew he was going downhill and had also been told the week before that he will probably have to go to another care home because his nursing needs were too much for that one and I think that upset her because she wouldn't then be with him. The whole thing just came to a head." The family said the couple had a fulfilling life and did everything together. Ian said despite them passing away in a span of 24 hours, it was 'comforting' that they did not have to be without each other for long. (With inputs from agencies)

Wife dies of 'broken heart' after learning husband didn't have long, who also succumbs 24 hours later

Two people have died in Japan's Yokohama city after a teenage girl jumped off a building and landed on a pedestrian below. The incident took place in the crowded shopping centre of the city on Saturday (Aug 31).&nbsp;

The 17-year-old girl jumped off the building, while the 32-year-old woman below was out with her friends in the evening. The two were taken to the hospital around 18:00 local time (09:00 GMT), where the girl died an hour later.

The woman also succumbed to her injuries soon after, as it remains unclear why the girl committed suicide.&nbsp;

It is not the first time such a tragic incident has transpired in Japan. In 2020, a 17-year-old boy jumped from the roof for a shopping centre and killed a 19-year-old girl student in a busy district of Osaka.&nbsp;

The teenage boy was&nbsp;posthumously charged with manslaughter as the family owed compensation to the victim's family. However, the charges were dropped later.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/japans-loneliness-crisis-40000-people-died-solitary-deaths-in-their-homes-755105">Watch |&nbsp;Japan's loneliness crisis: 40,000 people died solitary deaths in their homes</a>

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<h2>Suicides in Japan</h2>

According to reports, more people under the age of 18 die by suicide&nbsp;in Japan on September 1 than any other day, just before the start of the new school term.&nbsp;

At least 513 students killed themselves due to "school problems" in 2023, according to official statistics. As a result, Japan is the&nbsp;only G7 country where suicide is the leading cause of death for teenagers.&nbsp;

The students avoid schools due to family circumstances, personal issues with friends and bullying, according to previous surveys. The government had mounted awareness campaigns but the effect has not been great so far.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/more-students-are-committing-suicides-in-india-than-population-growth-rate-report-754156">Also read |&nbsp;More students are committing suicides in India than population growth rate: Report</a>

Apart from suicides, the ageing population of Japan is also undergoing a loneliness crisis. During the first half of 2024, approximately 40,000 people have been found dead alone in their homes.&nbsp;

More than 70 per cent of the cases involved individuals aged 65 and above - reflecting Japan's status as the country with the oldest population, as per United Nations data.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Note: Get help &amp; support for suicide.

If you or someone you know wants help for mental well-being, don't hesitate to talk to a professional. You can contact local authorities and also encourage the person to contact a suicide prevention hotline. WION does not make any recommendations.

Two people have died in Japan's Yokohama city after a teenage girl jumped off a building and landed on a pedestrian below. The incident took place in the crowded shopping centre of the city on Saturday (Aug 31).

Two people have died in Japan's Yokohama city after a teenage girl jumped off a building and landed on a pedestrian below. The incident took place in the crowded shopping centre of the city on Saturday (Aug 31). The 17-year-old girl jumped off the building, while the 32-year-old woman below was out with her friends in the evening. The two were taken to the hospital around 18:00 local time (09:00 GMT), where the girl died an hour later. The woman also succumbed to her injuries soon after, as it remains unclear why the girl committed suicide. It is not the first time such a tragic incident has transpired in Japan. In 2020, a 17-year-old boy jumped from the roof for a shopping centre and killed a 19-year-old girl student in a busy district of Osaka. The teenage boy was posthumously charged with manslaughter as the family owed compensation to the victim's family. However, the charges were dropped later. Watch | Japan's loneliness crisis: 40,000 people died solitary deaths in their homes × Suicides in Japan According to reports, more people under the age of 18 die by suicide in Japan on September 1 than any other day, just before the start of the new school term. At least 513 students killed themselves due to "school problems" in 2023, according to official statistics. As a result, Japan is the only G7 country where suicide is the leading cause of death for teenagers. The students avoid schools due to family circumstances, personal issues with friends and bullying, according to previous surveys. The government had mounted awareness campaigns but the effect has not been great so far. Also read | More students are committing suicides in India than population growth rate: Report Apart from suicides, the ageing population of Japan is also undergoing a loneliness crisis. During the first half of 2024, approximately 40,000 people have been found dead alone in their homes. More than 70 per cent of the cases involved individuals aged 65 and above - reflecting Japan's status as the country with the oldest population, as per United Nations data. (With inputs from agencies) Note: Get help & support for suicide. If you or someone you know wants help for mental well-being, don't hesitate to talk to a professional. You can contact local authorities and also encourage the person to contact a suicide prevention hotline. WION does not make any recommendations.

Japan: Teenage girl jumps off building, lands on woman below, both die

Four days after last scanning in for work, a 60-year-old office worker in Arizona was found dead in a cubicle at her workplace, having never left the building during that time, authorities said.

Arizona worker's body found in Wells Fargo office cubicle

A dead Bryde's whale is removed from the Praia do Rosa beach in southern Brazil. The 13-meter male animal was pulled from the water by local government tractors and will be studied by researchers at Santa Catarina State University to determine its death.

Brydes Whale removed from Brazilian Praia Do Rosa beach

Sydney gentoo penguin Sphen, whose same-sex love story made him and partner Magic an equality symbol worldwide, has died. The couple shot to fame in 2018 when news of their same-sex male relationship in a Sydney aquarium made global headlines.

Australian penguin with same-sex partner passes way

A 12-year-old&nbsp;girl in the United States&nbsp;died after suffering from “life-threatening” injuries as her parents tried to treat her with some smoothies, instead of proper medical help.

The heartbreaking incident took place in the US state of Texas, where the teen girl identified as&nbsp;Miranda Sipps died at a hospital on Monday (Aug 12), officials said.&nbsp;

Miranda was found dead after her&nbsp;parents called emergency services for help when she was unable to breathe. This occurred four days after the teen had suffered said injuries.

This might sound like a common death from a disease or injury, but that’s not what this is. After Miranda’s mother made the call, she strangely left the house with the girl in a car as she didn’t want policemen inside the house.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/pakistanis-sing-jana-gana-mana-with-indians-in-uk-some-netizens-like-it-some-call-it-irony-video-750576">Pakistanis sing Jana Gana Mana with Indians in UK; some netizens like it, some call it 'irony' | Video</a>

While chasing the mother, her car was stopped by police near a highway and Miranda was found unconscious but alive inside the car. She was immediately taken to the hospital but declared dead soon after.

Investigation revealed that the mother, Denise Balbaneda (36) and Miranda’s stepfather Gerald Gonzalez (40), did not seek medical help for the girl during the four days while she was “mentally and physically incapacitated and non-responsive,” said the local officials.&nbsp;

Even after dealing with severe injuries for four days, the couple kept their daughter at home and allegedly fed her smoothies and vitamins even though she wasn’t responsive. They even tried to give her oxygen in an attempt to revive her, officials alleged.

"Basically they thought they could nurse her back to health and we do not think they wanted the attention that this would draw if the little girl was injured," Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward told local media.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/woman-refuses-to-keep-her-louis-vuitton-handbag-on-floor-of-plane-gets-deboarded-750446">Woman refuses to keep her Louis Vuitton handbag on floor of plane, gets deboarded</a>

The parents told authorities that over the four days, their daughter could only "flutter her eyes and move her hands a little bit".

While it is not clear how she sustained those severe injuries, an autopsy is being conducted to find out the nature of her wounds.

Meanwhile, Miranda’s mother and stepfather have been arrested and charged one count of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A 12-year-old girl in the United States died after suffering from “life-threatening” injuries as her parents tried to treat her with some smoothies, instead of proper medical help.

A 12-year-old girl in the United States died after suffering from “life-threatening” injuries as her parents tried to treat her with some smoothies, instead of proper medical help. The heartbreaking incident took place in the US state of Texas, where the teen girl identified as Miranda Sipps died at a hospital on Monday (Aug 12), officials said. Miranda was found dead after her parents called emergency services for help when she was unable to breathe. This occurred four days after the teen had suffered said injuries. This might sound like a common death from a disease or injury, but that’s not what this is. After Miranda’s mother made the call, she strangely left the house with the girl in a car as she didn’t want policemen inside the house. Also Read | Pakistanis sing Jana Gana Mana with Indians in UK; some netizens like it, some call it 'irony' | Video While chasing the mother, her car was stopped by police near a highway and Miranda was found unconscious but alive inside the car. She was immediately taken to the hospital but declared dead soon after. Investigation revealed that the mother, Denise Balbaneda (36) and Miranda’s stepfather Gerald Gonzalez (40), did not seek medical help for the girl during the four days while she was “mentally and physically incapacitated and non-responsive,” said the local officials. Even after dealing with severe injuries for four days, the couple kept their daughter at home and allegedly fed her smoothies and vitamins even though she wasn’t responsive. They even tried to give her oxygen in an attempt to revive her, officials alleged. "Basically they thought they could nurse her back to health and we do not think they wanted the attention that this would draw if the little girl was injured," Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward told local media. Also Read | Woman refuses to keep her Louis Vuitton handbag on floor of plane, gets deboarded The parents told authorities that over the four days, their daughter could only "flutter her eyes and move her hands a little bit". While it is not clear how she sustained those severe injuries, an autopsy is being conducted to find out the nature of her wounds. Meanwhile, Miranda’s mother and stepfather have been arrested and charged one count of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission. (With inputs from agencies)

12-year-old US girl dies after parents use smoothies to treat 'life-threatening' injuries

Tesla is set to recall over 1.6 million vehicles in China. Meanwhile, a facility in Egypt has begun manufacturing ice using innovative, eco-friendly technology. The past week was full of interesting tech developments, and we have highlighted the most important ones in our Tech Wrap.

Tesla recalls over 1.6 mn cars in China

After spending two weeks in the hospital, veteran Congressman and former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh dies at the age of 93. Singh breathed his last at a hospital in Gurgaon.

India's Former EAM K. Natwar Singh passes away, Jaishankar pays tribute

Iconic Hollywood movie star Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her Los Angeles home at age 36 on this day in history, August 5, 1962.

Gravitas recall: Marilyn Monroe found dead on Aug 5, 1962

A number of farmers in Africa are turning to specialist soil scientists in order to combat increasingly acidic soil which they blame on chemical fertilizers. With a decline in production due to poor soil, experts are advising a return to traditional agricultural practices to redress the balance.

Farmers decry soil degradation as a result of chemical fertilizers

The Indian government released a statement in&nbsp;response&nbsp;to a recent study claiming that life expectancy in the country&nbsp;significantly declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare dismissed the findings published in the academic journal Science Advance by dubbing them as 'untenable' and 'unacceptable'.&nbsp;

"Excess mortality reported in the 'Science Advances' paper in 2020 over the previous year is a gross and misleading overestimate," the ministry said.&nbsp;

The study titled Large and unequal life expectancy declines during the COVID-19 pandemic in India in 2020&nbsp;stated that India lost 2.6 years in life expectancy between 2019 and 2020. It added that the decline was&nbsp;more pronounced among females (3.1 years) compared to males (2.1 years).&nbsp;

The researchers looked at the social groups&nbsp;and found that upper-caste&nbsp;Hindu groups experienced a life expectancy decline of 1.3 years, whereas Muslims and Scheduled Tribes experienced a 5.4-year and 4.1-year drop in their life expectancies.

Overall, the study stated that&nbsp;mortality across India was 17 per cent&nbsp;higher in 2020 compared to 2019, implying 1.19 million excess deaths in India. The paper highlighted that the decline in&nbsp;life expectancy was higher among young individuals and those aged 50-60.&nbsp;

“Even though absolute increases in mortality were highest in the oldest ages, mortality increases in the younger ages contributed substantially to life expectancy losses because life expectancy is more sensitive to early-life mortality," the study authors noted.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-long-covid-why-indians-are-most-affected-than-the-chinese-691797">Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas | Long Covid: Why Indians are more affected than the Chinese</a>

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<h2>'Erroneous methodology'</h2>

The Indian government responded by saying&nbsp;that the study employed an erroneous methodology which made its claims 'inconsistent' and 'unexplainable'.&nbsp;

"The all-cause excess mortality in 2020 compared with the previous year in India is markedly less than the 11.9 lakh deaths reported in the 'Science Advances' paper Discrepancies between the study's findings and established #COVID19 mortality patterns further undermine its credibility," said Indian health ministry.&nbsp;

"Study fails to acknowledge India's robust Civil Registration System (CRS), which recorded a substantial increase in death registrations (over 99 per cent) in 2020, not solely attributable to the pandemic."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/majority-of-lung-cancer-patients-in-india-are-non-smokers-startling-study-reveals-740441">Also read |&nbsp;Majority of lung cancer patients in India are non-smokers, study reveals</a>

Notably, the study used data from the&nbsp;National Family Health Survey 2019-21 (NFHS-5) and analysed households from 14 states and Union Territories (UTs). The government claimed that the study authors used a non-representative subset of households from NFHS-5.&nbsp;

The ministry argued that the NFHS sample is representative only when considered in its entirety, and the analysis of just 23 per cent&nbsp;of households from 14 states cannot accurately reflect national mortality trends.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Indian government released a statement in response to a recent study claiming that life expectancy in the country significantly declined during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian government released a statement in response to a recent study claiming that life expectancy in the country significantly declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare dismissed the findings published in the academic journal Science Advance by dubbing them as 'untenable' and 'unacceptable'. "Excess mortality reported in the 'Science Advances' paper in 2020 over the previous year is a gross and misleading overestimate," the ministry said. The study titled Large and unequal life expectancy declines during the COVID-19 pandemic in India in 2020 stated that India lost 2.6 years in life expectancy between 2019 and 2020. It added that the decline was more pronounced among females (3.1 years) compared to males (2.1 years). The researchers looked at the social groups and found that upper-caste Hindu groups experienced a life expectancy decline of 1.3 years, whereas Muslims and Scheduled Tribes experienced a 5.4-year and 4.1-year drop in their life expectancies. Overall, the study stated that mortality across India was 17 per cent higher in 2020 compared to 2019, implying 1.19 million excess deaths in India. The paper highlighted that the decline in life expectancy was higher among young individuals and those aged 50-60. “Even though absolute increases in mortality were highest in the oldest ages, mortality increases in the younger ages contributed substantially to life expectancy losses because life expectancy is more sensitive to early-life mortality," the study authors noted. Watch | Gravitas | Long Covid: Why Indians are more affected than the Chinese × 'Erroneous methodology' The Indian government responded by saying that the study employed an erroneous methodology which made its claims 'inconsistent' and 'unexplainable'. "The all-cause excess mortality in 2020 compared with the previous year in India is markedly less than the 11.9 lakh deaths reported in the 'Science Advances' paper Discrepancies between the study's findings and established #COVID19 mortality patterns further undermine its credibility," said Indian health ministry. "Study fails to acknowledge India's robust Civil Registration System (CRS), which recorded a substantial increase in death registrations (over 99 per cent) in 2020, not solely attributable to the pandemic." Also read | Majority of lung cancer patients in India are non-smokers, study reveals Notably, the study used data from the National Family Health Survey 2019-21 (NFHS-5) and analysed households from 14 states and Union Territories (UTs). The government claimed that the study authors used a non-representative subset of households from NFHS-5. The ministry argued that the NFHS sample is representative only when considered in its entirety, and the analysis of just 23 per cent of households from 14 states cannot accurately reflect national mortality trends. (With inputs from agencies)

Study claims life expectancy declined by 2.6 years in India during COVID-19. Government issues response

A woman near&nbsp;Maharashtra’s Mumbai died after falling from the third floor of a building while joking around with her friends. The incident took place at the Globe State Building in Dombivali, 30 kilometres from the Indian financial capital.

The incident involved a woman, named Nagina Devi Manjiram who was seen falling from the building in CCTV footage. Police took quick action and the Manpada police registered an accidental death report (ADR).

The police are also investigating the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident.

The alleged accident took place on Tuesday (Jul 16), when Devi was spending time with her friends on the third floor of the building, as per the initial probe. The video shows another person, who is said to be her friend narrowly escaping the same fate, thanks to the quick response of bystanders who managed to pull him back.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/three-tiger-cubs-hit-by-train-in-mp-one-dead-two-critically-injured-741696">Three tiger cubs hit by train in MP: One dead, two critically injured</a>

In the video, Devi can be seen sitting at the edge of the boundary wall of the third floor when her friend leans towards her, causing Devi&nbsp;to lose her balance, which seemingly leads&nbsp;to Nagina's fall&nbsp;in the blink of an eye.

Nagina is known to her acquaintances as Gudiya Devi, who used to work as a cleaner&nbsp;in the building. Her family, which includes a son and a daughter, is devastated by her sudden death.

The authorities are now trying to figure out how the tragic incident happened in the first place.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/girlfriend-told-man-to-kill-his-wife-and-children-and-he-did-741689">Girlfriend tells man to kill his wife and children, and he does</a>

In a separate&nbsp;incident, a woman fell off a cliff while recording an Instagram reel. According to the police, she fell from a valley in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in June. She accidentally pressed the accelerator instead&nbsp;of the brakes and the car moved backwards and fell into the valley.

In Haridwar, a 20-year-old woman was hit by a train while she was recording an Instagram reel. As per the police, the woman was a student.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A woman near Maharashtra’s Mumbai died after falling from the third floor of a building while joking around with her friends. The incident took place at the Globe State Building in Dombivali, 30 kilometres from the Indian financial capital.

A woman near Maharashtra’s Mumbai died after falling from the third floor of a building while joking around with her friends. The incident took place at the Globe State Building in Dombivali, 30 kilometres from the Indian financial capital. The incident involved a woman, named Nagina Devi Manjiram who was seen falling from the building in CCTV footage. Police took quick action and the Manpada police registered an accidental death report (ADR). The police are also investigating the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident. The alleged accident took place on Tuesday (Jul 16), when Devi was spending time with her friends on the third floor of the building, as per the initial probe. The video shows another person, who is said to be her friend narrowly escaping the same fate, thanks to the quick response of bystanders who managed to pull him back. Also Read | Three tiger cubs hit by train in MP: One dead, two critically injured In the video, Devi can be seen sitting at the edge of the boundary wall of the third floor when her friend leans towards her, causing Devi to lose her balance, which seemingly leads to Nagina's fall in the blink of an eye. Nagina is known to her acquaintances as Gudiya Devi, who used to work as a cleaner in the building. Her family, which includes a son and a daughter, is devastated by her sudden death. The authorities are now trying to figure out how the tragic incident happened in the first place. Also Read | Girlfriend tells man to kill his wife and children, and he does In a separate incident, a woman fell off a cliff while recording an Instagram reel. According to the police, she fell from a valley in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in June. She accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brakes and the car moved backwards and fell into the valley. In Haridwar, a 20-year-old woman was hit by a train while she was recording an Instagram reel. As per the police, the woman was a student. (With inputs from agencies)

Mumbai woman falls from third floor building after prank goes wrong, dies

Tesla shares have experienced an impressive eight-day winning streak, pushing the world’s most valuable automaker into positive territory for the first time this year. Closing up 2.1 percent on Friday, Tesla marked its longest stretch of consecutive daily gains in nearly a year.

Tesla stock surges 38%

In a never-heard incident, a civil servant robot committed suicide by throwing itself down a flight of stairs in South Korea.&nbsp;

The robot was working as a civil servant for a council and his mysterious death has left the people shocked.&nbsp;

Gumi City Council said that the robot became defunct after it smashed itself on a two-metre staircase.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-who-stabbed-south-korean-opposition-leader-lee-sentenced-to-15-years-in-prison-738210">Man who stabbed South Korean opposition leader Lee sentenced to 15 years in prison</a>

Gumi City said that the officials found the 'Robot Supervisor' smashed up and lying in the stairwell in between the council building's first and second floors.&nbsp;

<h2>Was the robot depressed due to workload? Council investigates mysterious death</h2>

According to some witnesses, the robot was seen mysteriously "circling in one spot as if something was there" before it occurred, however, the exact cause is being investigated, said a city council official.

"Pieces have been collected and will be analysed by the company," said the official, further stating that the robot had "helped with daily document deliveries, city promotion, and delivered information" to local residents.

"It was officially a part of the city hall, one of us," added another official, further stating, "It worked diligently."

The local media questioned the robot's suicide, as headlines read, "Why did the diligent civil officer do it?" or questioned "Was work too hard" for the robot?

One of the netizens said on a social media platform, "If the workload had been too much, would he have spun around for a long time and then rushed down the stairs?" Meanwhile, another said: "I pray that scrap metal rests in peace."&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;S Korea faced with a shrinking population

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/s-korea-faced-with-a-shrinking-population-736437/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The robot was appointed in August 2023 and this was the first cyborg who was used as a council official

Bear Robotics, which is a California-based robot-waiter startup, made the robot that worked from 9 am to 6 pm. It also had a civil service officer card.&nbsp;

Unlike other robots, that generally use one floor, the Gumi City Council robot was able to go in an elevator and move across floors on its own.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a never-heard incident, a civil servant robot committed suicide by throwing itself down a flight of stairs in South Korea. The robot was working as a civil servant for a council and his mysterious death has left the people shocked.

In a never-heard incident, a civil servant robot committed suicide by throwing itself down a flight of stairs in South Korea. The robot was working as a civil servant for a council and his mysterious death has left the people shocked. Gumi City Council said that the robot became defunct after it smashed itself on a two-metre staircase. Also Read: Man who stabbed South Korean opposition leader Lee sentenced to 15 years in prison Gumi City said that the officials found the 'Robot Supervisor' smashed up and lying in the stairwell in between the council building's first and second floors. Was the robot depressed due to workload? Council investigates mysterious death According to some witnesses, the robot was seen mysteriously "circling in one spot as if something was there" before it occurred, however, the exact cause is being investigated, said a city council official. "Pieces have been collected and will be analysed by the company," said the official, further stating that the robot had "helped with daily document deliveries, city promotion, and delivered information" to local residents. "It was officially a part of the city hall, one of us," added another official, further stating, "It worked diligently." The local media questioned the robot's suicide, as headlines read, "Why did the diligent civil officer do it?" or questioned "Was work too hard" for the robot? One of the netizens said on a social media platform, "If the workload had been too much, would he have spun around for a long time and then rushed down the stairs?" Meanwhile, another said: "I pray that scrap metal rests in peace." Watch: S Korea faced with a shrinking population The robot was appointed in August 2023 and this was the first cyborg who was used as a council official Bear Robotics, which is a California-based robot-waiter startup, made the robot that worked from 9 am to 6 pm. It also had a civil service officer card. Unlike other robots, that generally use one floor, the Gumi City Council robot was able to go in an elevator and move across floors on its own. (With inputs from agencies)

Can robots commit suicide? The curious case of cyborg's death shocks South Korea

In a new study, it has been found how inconvenient is death as an event for a living brain.&nbsp;

A cascade of effects has been observed as oxygen starts depleting and translating the DNA in its last efforts to save the life.

The scientists have compared the post-mortem brain tissue and samples collected from living patients in which significant differences were revealed for the first time in the way the RNA strands are modified.

The researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York emphasised the way specific base codes of adenosine (A) are swapped with very different bases, which is inosine (I) in messenger RNA.

"Until now, the investigation of&nbsp;A-to-I editing&nbsp;and its biological significance in the mammalian brain has been restricted to the analysis of postmortem tissues,"&nbsp;genomicist Michael Breen said while speaking to Science Alert.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/gene-therapy-gives-life-to-child-with-rare-genetic-disorder-in-major-medical-breakthrough-736482">Gene therapy gives life to child with rare genetic disorder in major medical breakthrough</a>

"By using fresh samples from living individuals, we were able to uncover significant differences in RNA editing activity that previous studies, relying only on postmortem samples, may have overlooked," he added.

For changing the genes - which were encoded by double-stranded helixes of DNA - to functional proteins, their sequences need to be copied into different formats based instead on RNA.&nbsp;

Other RNA structures, which have amino acid building blocks, can translate these 'messengers' into proteins.

This intermediary transcription and translation service has been part of billions of years of evolution and has added a whole new library of proteins.

<h2>Some species rewriting own genetic instructions of their brains</h2>

Some species, like the types of cephalopod, have taken RNA editing to a different level by rewriting their own genetic instructions of their brain.

However, the samples collected and analysed suffer a major drawback.

Watch:&nbsp;Chinese scientists identify gene that may protect against obesity

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chinese-scientists-identify-gene-that-may-protect-against-obesity-734665/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We hypothesised that molecular responses to postmortem-induced hypoxic and immune responses can significantly alter the landscape of A-to-I editing,"&nbsp;said the lead author of the study Miguel Rodríguez de los Santos, who is a molecular biologist at Mount Sinai.

"This can lead to misunderstandings about RNA editing in the brain if we only study postmortem tissues," he said while speaking about the drawbacks.

"It is critical to note that our findings do not negate but instead provide missing context for using postmortem brain tissues in researching A-to-I regulation,"&nbsp;said co-senior author Alexander Charney, who is a physician-scientist at Mount Sinai.

"Understanding these differences helps improve our knowledge of brain function and disease through the lens of RNA editing modifications, which can potentially lead to better diagnostic and therapeutic approaches," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new study, it has been found how inconvenient is death as an event for a living brain. A cascade of effects has been observed as oxygen starts depleting and translating the DNA in its last efforts to save the life.

In a new study, it has been found how inconvenient is death as an event for a living brain. A cascade of effects has been observed as oxygen starts depleting and translating the DNA in its last efforts to save the life. The scientists have compared the post-mortem brain tissue and samples collected from living patients in which significant differences were revealed for the first time in the way the RNA strands are modified. The researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York emphasised the way specific base codes of adenosine (A) are swapped with very different bases, which is inosine (I) in messenger RNA. "Until now, the investigation of A-to-I editing and its biological significance in the mammalian brain has been restricted to the analysis of postmortem tissues," genomicist Michael Breen said while speaking to Science Alert. Also Read: Gene therapy gives life to child with rare genetic disorder in major medical breakthrough "By using fresh samples from living individuals, we were able to uncover significant differences in RNA editing activity that previous studies, relying only on postmortem samples, may have overlooked," he added. For changing the genes - which were encoded by double-stranded helixes of DNA - to functional proteins, their sequences need to be copied into different formats based instead on RNA. Other RNA structures, which have amino acid building blocks, can translate these 'messengers' into proteins. This intermediary transcription and translation service has been part of billions of years of evolution and has added a whole new library of proteins. Some species rewriting own genetic instructions of their brains Some species, like the types of cephalopod, have taken RNA editing to a different level by rewriting their own genetic instructions of their brain. However, the samples collected and analysed suffer a major drawback. Watch: Chinese scientists identify gene that may protect against obesity "We hypothesised that molecular responses to postmortem-induced hypoxic and immune responses can significantly alter the landscape of A-to-I editing," said the lead author of the study Miguel Rodríguez de los Santos, who is a molecular biologist at Mount Sinai. "This can lead to misunderstandings about RNA editing in the brain if we only study postmortem tissues," he said while speaking about the drawbacks. "It is critical to note that our findings do not negate but instead provide missing context for using postmortem brain tissues in researching A-to-I regulation," said co-senior author Alexander Charney, who is a physician-scientist at Mount Sinai. "Understanding these differences helps improve our knowledge of brain function and disease through the lens of RNA editing modifications, which can potentially lead to better diagnostic and therapeutic approaches," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Brain of humans goes through significant change after death: Study

Seven persons were killed and three others seriously injured after two cars collided on the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway, also known as Samruddhi Expressway, in Jalna district of Maharashtra, police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred around 11 pm on Friday (June 28) near Kadvanchi village, they said.

The victims were residents of Malad (East) in Mumbai and Buldhana district, the police said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-airport-forms-committee-to-probe-roof-collapse-736015">Delhi airport forms committee to probe roof collapse</a>

"A multi-utility vehicle (MUV) going from Nagpur to Mumbai and a car heading in the opposite direction collided head-on, resulting in the death of six persons on the spot. One more person succumbed to injuries at a hospital later," a police official said.

The impact of the collision was so severe that the MUV broke through the crash barrier and fell off on the left side of the road. Local villagers and police rushed to the scene to rescue the persons trapped in mangled remains of the vehicles, he said.

Dr Umesh Jadhav, a medical officer at the Government District Hospital in Jalna, said six bodies were brought to the hospital for post-mortem. Three injured persons are being treated here, while one critically injured person who was shifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district died later.

Three of the deceased are from Mumbai, while as many others are from Buldhana district. One person who was shifted to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is yet to be identified, he said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/five-soldiers-killed-in-tank-accident-near-lac-in-ladakh-736198">Five Indian soldiers killed in tank accident near LAC in Ladakh</a>

The three injured persons are from Mumbai, he added.

The Samruddhi Highway is a 701-kilometer six-lane expressway connecting Mumbai and Nagpur. The first phase of the highway connecting Nagpur to Shirdi was inaugurated in December 2022.

Seven persons were killed and three others seriously injured after two cars collided on the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway, also known as Samruddhi Expressway, in Jalna district of Maharashtra, police said on Saturday.

Seven persons were killed and three others seriously injured after two cars collided on the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway, also known as Samruddhi Expressway, in Jalna district of Maharashtra, police said on Saturday. The incident occurred around 11 pm on Friday (June 28) near Kadvanchi village, they said. The victims were residents of Malad (East) in Mumbai and Buldhana district, the police said. Also read: Delhi airport forms committee to probe roof collapse "A multi-utility vehicle (MUV) going from Nagpur to Mumbai and a car heading in the opposite direction collided head-on, resulting in the death of six persons on the spot. One more person succumbed to injuries at a hospital later," a police official said. The impact of the collision was so severe that the MUV broke through the crash barrier and fell off on the left side of the road. Local villagers and police rushed to the scene to rescue the persons trapped in mangled remains of the vehicles, he said. Dr Umesh Jadhav, a medical officer at the Government District Hospital in Jalna, said six bodies were brought to the hospital for post-mortem. Three injured persons are being treated here, while one critically injured person who was shifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district died later. Three of the deceased are from Mumbai, while as many others are from Buldhana district. One person who was shifted to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is yet to be identified, he said. Also read: Five Indian soldiers killed in tank accident near LAC in Ladakh The three injured persons are from Mumbai, he added. The Samruddhi Highway is a 701-kilometer six-lane expressway connecting Mumbai and Nagpur. The first phase of the highway connecting Nagpur to Shirdi was inaugurated in December 2022.

Seven dead, three injured as two vehicles collide on Samruddhi Expressway

At least eight people have been killed in a large office fire in Russia. Two were killed after they jumped from the windows of the eight-story complex while six succumbed to injuries when the Interiors of the office collapsed. Watch in for more details!

Russia: At least eight killed in Moscow building fire

The number of deaths during this year's haj pilgrimage totalled 1,301 people, Saudi Arabia's health minister Fahad Al-Jalajel said on Sunday (June 23).

Saudi Arabia says most of deceased 1,301 Hajj pilgrims didn't have official permits

French film star Anouk Aimée, a popular leading lady for several of Europe's most influential directors, has died aged 92. Aimée appeared in dozens of films across her eight-decade career, including starring in Claude Lelouch's A Man and a Woman, for which she was nominated for an Oscar.

Anouk Aimée (1932-2024): Bidding farewell to the world-famous icon

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