Zhanna Samsonova was just 39 when she died, reportedly from “starvation and exhaustion”, thousands of miles from her birthplace in Moscow, Russia. The Instagram influencer’s tragic story has come under scrutiny due to her promotion of a completely “raw” diet, which reports have suggested was linked to her death. Under the name Zhanna D’Art, Samsonova regularly wrote about how she subsisted exclusively on fruit, vegetables, seeds, smoothies and juices while living in Malaysia. Her mother, Vera, attributed Samsonova’s death to a “cholera-like infection” that was exacerbated by her diet. In recent weeks, Samsonova had been unusually quiet on Instagram, with the exception of a troubling post shared just days before her death on 21 July. “Life is meaningless but worth living provided you recognise it’s meaningly,” she wrote, over a photo of herself wearing sunglasses, with a gasping expression on her face. Vera, 63, told Russian newspaper Novye Izvestia how she had begged her daughter to return home as she feared for her health. “I understood that Zhanna was about to die, but still I could not help her in any way. My daughter's life has turned into a nightmare,” she said, via LBC. She told the publication that she had “fought for years” to save her daughter, once an aspiring model, but she “refused to listen”. Samsonova is believed to have left Russia in 2006, buying a one-way ticket to spend the past 17 years travelling around Asia while blogging and practicing yoga. Photos shared by Vera showed a smiling Samsonova apparently taking part in a modelling contest. The images are in stark contrast to the final photos she shared of herself before her death, where she appeared visibly gaunt and malnourished. Her friends also spoke with local media, confessing they feared she was suffering from anorexia and that her diet was becoming increasingly limited. One of her neighbours, who was not named, said she was “horrified” when they met in Sri Lanka a few months ago, as Samsonova looked “exhausted” and had swollen legs “oozing lymph”. “They sent her home to seek treatment. However, she ran away again. When I saw her in Phuket, I was horrified,” the friend said, according to The Sun. “I lived one floor above her and every day I feared finding her lifeless body in the morning. I convinced her to seek treatment, but she didn’t make it.” Samsonova regularly made claims about the supposed benefits of her raw food diet, including that it offered “natural” protection from Covid-19. She also claimed that her body did not “require” water, writing last year that her fruit-based diet meant she had gone without water for the past six years. In recent months, she appeared to have become a fan of the durian fruit, sharing frequent posts that promoted it. “It’s that fabulous time of year again – Durian Season in Thailand!” she wrote in the caption of one of her final videos. “Wake Up And Smell the Durian! For all you durian lovers out there, isn’t it just the best? And for those who haven’t yet experienced the joy of durian, you’re in for a wild ride!” When she died, Samsonova had around 16,000 followers. At the time of writing, however, that number had increased to 33,000. There have been previous cases where people have starved to death due to their extreme diets, including children whose food intake was controlled by their parents. Last year, a vegan mother was sentenced to life in prison over the death of her 18-month-old son, who was fed a diet of raw fruits and vegetables. Prosecutors said that Sheila O’Leary’s son Ezra was severely malnourished, and weighed just 17 pounds when he died in September 2019. O’Leary was convicted by a Florida jury in June 2022 of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child, child abuse and two counts of child neglect. For anyone struggling with the issues raised in this article, eating disorder charity Beat’s helpline is available 365 days a year on 0808 801 0677. NCFED offers information, resources and counselling for those suffering from eating disorders, as well as their support networks. Visit eating-disorders.org.uk or call 0845 838 2040 Read More Vegan raw food influencer ‘dies of starvation and exhaustion’ ‘Love, obsession, extortion and murder’: The dramatic downfall of TikTok influencer who became a killer Royal family silent as Meghan Markle celebrates 42nd birthday Who was controversial vegan raw food influencer Zhanna D’Art: Health expert Dr Michael Mosley shares two tips for avoiding osteoporosis Will Smith says Willow ‘mutiny’ changed his view on family success

If Chandrayaan-3 succeeds, India will be the first country to land near the Moon's little-explored south pole.

This week’s new entertainment releases include Gal Gadot in the international espionage thriller “Heart of Stone,” the return of the comedy “Only Murders in the Building” on Hulu and “Painkiller,” a new Netflix limited series detailing the rise of opioid use in the United States from various perspectives

Will Smith says a “mutiny” by his daughter, Willow Smith, is what first caused him to change his perspective of success. The Hollywood actor has been stepping back into the spotlight following his infamous outburst at the 2022 Oscars, where he slapped Chris Rock on stage after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. In an interview with fellow actor and comedian Kevin Hart, on his Peacock show Hart to Hart, Smith spoke about the moment his family rose to fame in 2010. While Smith had enjoyed his own success from 1999 thanks to NBC’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Willow and his son Jada achieved their own fame in the early Noughties. Musician Willow, 22, released her debut single “Whip My Hair” in 2010, breaking into the UK and US charts when she was just nine years old. Meanwhile Jaden, a rapper and actor, starred opposite Jackie Chan and Taraji P Henson in The Karate Kid that same year, when he was 11. “2010 was like the greatest year as an artist, as a parent,” Smith told Hart, Metro reports. “Karate Kid came out in June and ‘Whip My Hair’ came out in October. I’m building this dream of a family I’ve had in my mind. I’m going to do it better than my father did it. We’ve talked about it, my father was abusive.” Smith seemed to imply that he was too hard on his family while trying to achieve the vision he had of a successful family. “‘No one wanted to be in a platoon,” he said. “Willow was the first one to begin the mutiny and it was my first realisation that success and money don’t mean happiness. “Up until that point, I really believed that you could succeed your way – to a house and a family – and you could win your way to happiness.” In a 2022 interview with The Independent, Willow Smith revealed that her parents struggled to understand her while she was growing up, due to their different upbringings. Meanwhile Jaden, 25, asked to become emancipated – where a child is removed from the control of their parents or legal guardians – from his parents when he was a minor, aged 15. His request came after he starred opposite his father in the box-office disaster, After Earth, which was also panned by critics. In his 2021 memoir, Smith recalled the moment his “heart shattered” when Jaden asked to become emancipated. “And what was worse was that Jaden took the hit,” the Independence Day star wrote, adding: “Jaden had faithfully done everything that I’d instructed him to do, and I had coached him into the worst public mauling he’d ever experienced.” Jaden ultimately decided against pursuing emancipation, but moved out of his family home that year. Will Smith is currently shooting a Bad Boys sequel with Martin Lawrence, with whom he has co-starred in three previous Bad Boys films, including the 1999 original. Read More Netflix leaves fans distraught as it announces end of beloved series One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush changes name after ‘filing for divorce’ from husband Grant Hughes Zhanna D’Art: Who was the controversial vegan raw food influencer who died from ‘starvation’? Who was controversial vegan raw food influencer Zhanna D’Art: Eva Mendes reveals she doesn’t let her daughters use the internet What is Stiff Person Syndrome?

If Chandrayaan-3 succeeds, India will be the first country to land near the Moon's little-explored south pole.

Eva Mendes has revealed that she doesn’t let her and Ryan Gosling’s daughters use the internet. The actor, 49, took to Instagram on 3 August to share one of the rules that she has for her and Gosling’s daughters - Esmeralda, eight, and Amada, seven. Mendes shared a video of herself shaking her head no and wagging her finger, as she pointed out that’s how she responds to her children when they ask to use the internet. “When my kids ask me if they’re old enough to go on the internet, social media or anything requiring wifi,” she wrote in the caption. When a fan in the comments asked when she will allow her children use the internet, Mendes candidly confessed that she’s still figuring that out. She also specified that she’s been doing research on how social media can impact children as they continue to get older. “I honestly don’t know. I have to see where it goes,” the Hitch star responded. “For now, I’m observing them and keeping up with research about how social media can impact a child’s brain.” She responded to another fan who praised her parenting decision, with Mendes noting that while she’s “just sharing what [she] feels now”, she thinks it’ll be harder to keep her children away from the internet as they get older. Mendes clarified that her children are still given screentime, adding: “I let my kids use the iPad to make movies and watch films I’ve downloaded, but I don’t have internet access on the iPad.” The actress was also hit with some criticism for her parenting rule, with one Instagram user writing: “We are in the internet century so eventually everyone will need or want to access the internet sorry.” While it appears the comment has since been deleted, Mendes responded to the remark by explaining why she doesn’t feel like the internet is a safe space for her children. “In my house, children do not have access to the internet,” she responded to the remark, as reported by E! News. “It’s too dangerous. Just like drinking or voting or getting a driver’s license (etc..) isn’t allowed for children, the internet falls under that category for me. Especially social media.” While Mendes and Gosling - who’ve been together since 2011 - are notoriously private about their family life, the couple have shared a few details about raising children together. During an interview with Byrdie in July 2022, Mendes explained that she and her partner want to make sure that their children feel confident in themselves throughout everything they do in life. “Hopefully Ryan and I are doing the work by just loving them, completely loving them, and doing most of that work for them so that they grow up feeling like they’re enough,” she said. “That’s the one thing that’s really important to me. Because once they feel like they’re enough, no matter what they do, no matter what they end up doing, that will feed into every area of your life. Especially into how attractive you feel, or any of that stuff.” In a cover story interview with GQ in June, Gosling also shared some candid thoughts about fatherhood. He revealed that prior to his relationship with Mendes, he didn’t think much about becoming a father. However, that all changed when Mendes told him she was pregnant. “Eva said she was pregnant,” he recalled. “I would never want to go back, you know? I’m glad I didn’t have control over my destiny in that way, because it was so much better than I ever had dreamed for myself.” Elsewhere in the interview, the Barbie star clarified previous comments he made about the moment Mendes learned she was pregnant. While he maintained that he “wasn’t thinking about kids” before they met, Gosling said: “After I met Eva, I realised that I just didn’t want to have kids without her.” Read More Eva Mendes shows off dress made out of sponges as she jokes it’ll be her Oscars outfit Ryan Gosling’s daughters hilariously prove ‘nobody plays with Ken’ Ryan Gosling’s subtle tribute to Eva Mendes at the Barbie premiere Eva Mendes reveals she doesn’t let her daughters use the internet What is Stiff Person Syndrome? Nearly half of US adults are interested in taking weight loss prescription drugs

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While last summer was the season of the Hailey Bieber “glazed donut,” Sofia Richie’s embodiment of “quiet luxury” has become this year’s fashion obsession. However, the 24-year-old social media personality has revealed that she doesn’t consider herself to be the “queen” of the trend like so many people say she is. In a recent Who What Wear interview, Richie - now married to music executive Elliot Grainge - opened up about how she feels about the new title associated with her look. “Quiet luxury, the term, it sounds really nice, so I’m not knocking it,” she said. “But [my stylist] Liat Baruch and I started working together properly about three and a half years ago, and when we met, our word was ‘timeless.’” Baruch dressed the “it girl” for her April 2023 wedding in Antibes, France. The event has since been titled “a Chanel festival” and “this year’s royal wedding” by W Magazine and Vogue, respectively. During the ceremony, Richie wore a handful of custom couture designs for her welcome party, ceremony, and reception - all Chanel, of course. While speaking on the Who What Wear podcast with Hillary Kerr, Baruch spoke about the inspiration behind the lavish yet understated looks. “We were trying to elevate but stay young, be feminine, aspirational but also attainable - a little bit of everything while staying ageless and classic,” she remarked. “And we did that. She did that, too. It was a constant dialogue and true collaboration.” “She [Richie] was very clear on what she wanted and how she wanted to look: Not too overtly sexy, not too conservative,” Baruch added. “And she’s very focused on how she wants to dress in terms of style and her lifestyle in general, and we were very aligned with all of that.” The youngest daughter of Lionel Richie donned designs that were inspired by archival pieces, one of which Claudia Schiffer wore during a 1993 Chanel runway show. Other looks from the brand’s collection were showcased to fit the season and event theme. Richie’s desire to curate an effortless elegance in her personal style, especially for her wedding, has resonated with individuals striving for a “clean girl” aesthetic. While the A-lister’s closet may not reflect minimalism, her individual pieces are both simple and extravagant in the clever way that she styles them. Between structured blouses with ribbed flare pants and leopard print overcoats with cat-eye sunglasses, her outfits exemplify the perfect way to appear timeless and still have fun. Now, Richie has announced plans for her eponymous fashion line to capture her character in clothing. She intends to make the fashion brand accessible to fans of the put-together-but-without-trying look. “The aesthetic is very my vibe,” she admitted. “I made sure, trying on every single sample, that it embodies the aesthetic that I’ve been wearing. It’s 100 per cent me. No further details have been released about plans for the brand, other than that Richie will not be the fashion line. Read More Lionel Richie shares anti-ageing secrets after fans praise youthful appearance: ‘Sex will work also’ Sofia Richie opens up about early days of her relationship with Elliot Grainge Sofia Richie shows off ‘chic’ coronation concert outfit ahead of father Lionel Richie’s performance

If you love Uno, Mattel will pay you $277 an hour to play and promote their new game.

A new survey has found that nearly half of adults in the United States are interested in taking prescription drugs for weight loss, such as Ozempic or Wegovy. In a KFF health tracking poll published on 3 August, researchers reported that 45 per cent of adults said they’d be interested in taking a “safe and effective” prescription drug for weight loss. Meanwhile, seven in 10 adults said they’ve heard at least “a little” about a new class of drugs being used for weight loss, with about one in five saying they have heard “a lot” about these drugs. Ozempic is a type 2 diabetes medication known for its weight loss side effects. Similar semaglutide injections, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, have been specifically approved for the treatment of obesity and weight loss. This class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists works by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), regulating blood sugar levels and slowing down the rate at which food leaves the stomach to create the feeling of fullness. Of the US adults surveyed, older groups were some of the most aware of prescription weight loss drugs, with 76 per cent being those who have been told by a doctor in the past five years that they are overweight or obese. Nearly 60 per cent of those surveyed said they were currently trying to lose weight as well. While there was an overall interest in taking a prescription weight loss drug, that interest significantly decreased when people were asked whether they would take the medication as a routine injection. Only 16 per cent of adults said they would still take Ozempic or Wegovy, even if it wasn’t covered by their health insurance and was not specifically approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for weight loss. In fact, most people believed that insurance companies should cover the cost of weight loss drugs for adults who are overweight or obese, with an overwhelming 80 per cent of adults. Additionally, a large majority of adults believed the substantial profits that pharmaceutical companies have made from increased demand for weight loss drugs is a major factor contributing to the cost of injections like Ozempic and Wegovy. According to Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company behind these prescription drugs for diabetes and weight loss, the list price for Ozempic can cost $935.77 per month without health insurance. Although the majority of adults said they trust pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk to provide “reliable information” about safety and side effects of GLP-1 agonists, only 22 per cent said they trust these companies to price their products fairly. The FDA has listed the most common side effects of taking Wegovy as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, and digestive disorders. More serious complications can occur from use of Wegovy or Mounjaro, such as the “potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumours,” pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, acute kidney injury, increased heart rate, and suicidal behaviour or thinking. Taking Ozempic can also lead to possible thyroid tumours, including cancer, pancreatitis, changes in vision, and kidney and gallbladder problems. Recently, several patients reported suffering from severe gastroparesis, also known as stomach paralysis, after taking the prescription weight loss medications. In a report from CNN, two people claimed that their “stomachs are paralysed” after taking Ozempic. “I wish I never touched it. I wish I’d never heard of it in my life,” Joanie Knight, a 37-year-old from Louisiana, told CNN. “This medicine made my life hell. So much hell. It has cost me money. It cost me a lot of stress; it cost me days and nights and trips with my family. It’s cost me a lot, and it’s not worth it. The price is too high.” One woman was also diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome, which causes her to throw up multiple times a day. “I’ve almost been off Ozempic for a year, but I’m still not back to my normal,” said Emily Wright, a 38-year-old teacher from Toronto. Shortly after the report, the FDA shared in a statement with The Independent that it has become aware of stomach paralysis occurring among patients taking the medications. “The FDA has received reports of gastroparesis with semaglutide and liraglutide, of which some documented the adverse event as not recovered after discontinuation of the respective product at the time of the report,” the agency said. However, officials clarified that they were unable to determine whether taking Ozempic or Wegovy was the cause of stomach paralysis, or if it was caused by a different issue. “Gastroparesis can be a complication of diabetes that is related to long-standing or poorly controlled disease, further complicating the ability to determine what role the drugs played in the reported events,” the FDA added. In response to reports of stomach paralysis, drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk noted that these medications have been used to treat type 2 diabetes “for more than 15 years”, and for the “treatment of obesity” for eight years. “Semaglutide has been extensively examined in robust clinical development programs, large real world evidence studies and has cumulatively over 9.5 million patient years of exposure,” a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk said in a statement to The Independent. “Gastrointestinal (GI) events are well-known side effects of the GLP-1 class. For semaglutide, the majority of GI side effects are mild to moderate in severity and of short duration. GLP-1’s are known to cause a delay in gastric emptying, as noted in the label of each of our GLP-1 RA medications. Symptoms of delayed gastric emptying, nausea and vomiting are listed as side effects.” Read More Obese people on weight-loss jabs ‘should be prepared to stay on them for life’ Ozempic users report stomach paralysis as weight loss drug side effect: ‘I wish I never touched it’ Sharon Osbourne says she was ‘nauseous’ for weeks after taking Ozempic to lose weight Sharon Osbourne reveals what Ozempic did to her when she was taking it Ozempic users report stomach paralysis as side effect: ‘I wish I never touched it’ Lorraine Candy: ‘Perimenopausal rage made me unravel’

After Labor Day, most kids in the United States will be back to hitting the books, and they’re probably not thrilled about it.

August is peach season, and this cobbler is one of the simplest desserts to make with the stone fruit.