Latest news with #Darya
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Tourist warning as more than a dozen go blind and drop dead at popular resort
More than a dozen tourists have died after buying 'fake' homemade alcohol at a popular resort in Russia which turned them blind before causing kidney failure More than a dozen tourists have died from methanol poisoning after unknowingly buying fake alcohol at a popular resort. It is thought many of the people were buying the homemade alcohol from a local market, which led the victims to turn blind before an agonising death - and authorities are fearing the death toll will continue to rise. All the tourists who have currently been identified made a trip to the popular resort of Sochi in Russia - Vladimir Putin 's favourite tourist spot. Among the dead are Maxim Smetanin, 37, and his wife Darya, 35, who bought the bootleg alcohol thinking it was the popular grape liquor grappa. It comes after a woman claimed 'my husband seemed confused on Christmas holiday - then he died in front of me'. Darya had small sips of the deadly drink on the long-distance train home, but soon started to feel unwell, with a report stating: 'First she went blind, and then lost consciousness.' Noticing something was seriously wrong, she was rushed to the hospital but died soon after. Unusually, her husband initially felt okay, but not long after Darya passed away, his condition took a turn, going blind and falling into a coma as his kidney collapsed. While Methanol and ethanol are both alcohols, methanol is significantly more toxic than ethanol and is highly poisonous. It is more commonly used as a fuel or solvent for paint strippers. Soon after, three members of a family of four were also killed after drinking a deadly cocktail bought from a market. All four began feeling ill, putting it down as a bad hangover, but according to reports in the Kub Mash telegram channel, in the evening they 'were unable to stand or speak, and began losing consciousness". All four were taken to the hospital, but only one of them survived. Another tourist went blind and died from kidney failure after drinking some fake Chacha - similar to Grappa- while two more female tourists died from methanol poisoning after arriving home. Following a national guard raid of what is thought to be the dodgy market stall, two people identified only as Olesya, 31, and Eteri, 71, have appeared in a Sochi court suspected of distributing the fake alcohol. Russian Interior Ministry spokeswoman Maj-Gen Irina Volk issued an urgent warning to Russians not to drink 'alcohol-containing products of unknown origin'. 'Preliminary findings indicate that the detainees were selling homemade alcoholic beverages at the local Kazachiy market,' she said. 'Efforts are currently underway to identify the producer of the life-threatening alcohol and others involved in the illegal activity.' Methanol poisoning has been on the rise in recent years as party-goers look for cheap booze and opt for local homemade drinks. This hit headlines last year when six people, including a British lawyer, died after drinking fake alcohol in Laos in South East Asia.
Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
Tourists 'poisoned' after drinking fake grappa at Putin's favourite resort
At least 12 people have died and there are fears the death toll could rise after dangerous fake alcohol was sold at a Russian market. The dodgy alcohol was sold at a market in Sochi, Vladimir Putin's favourite holiday resort on the Black Sea and host of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Three members of a family of four are among the dead after drinking the alcohol, bought from a market known as Bazar or Kazachiy. The victims, who suffered methanol poisoning, reportedly went blind, became unable to stand or speak, and eventually lost consciousness before their deaths. Two people have since been detained on suspicion of distributing fake alcohol following a raid of the market stall where the fake alcohol is believed to have been sold. In the meantime, the Russian government has issued a warning not to drink 'alcohol-containing products of unknown origin'. Among the dead are Maxim Smetanin, 37, and his wife Darya, 35, who bought the alcohol while holidaying in Sochi. Darya reportedly 'went blind and then lost consciousness' after having sipped at the fake grappa during their long-distance train journey home. She was rushed from the train to hospital in Russia's Voronezh region but died soon afterwards. While her husband felt fine initially, he died not long after his wife having 'gone blind, his kidneys collapsed and he fell into a coma'. At first, when the family of four all felt unwell after drinking the dodgy alcohol, they assumed they had a hangover. 'By the evening, they were unable to stand or speak, and began losing consciousness,' local reports said. 'Paramedics took all four to hospital, but only one could be saved.' The family have not yet been named but the three who died have been confirmed as a 42-year-old man and two women aged 57 and 69. Another tourist went blind and died from kidney failure after drinking the concoction, and two other female tourists, from Chelyabinsk, died after returning to their home city from their trip to Sochi. More Trending Two people, named as Olesya, 31, and Eteri, 71, have been detained on suspicion of distributing the fake alcohol, which was called 'chacha'. Russian Interior Ministry spokeswoman Maj-Gen Irina Volk said: 'Preliminary findings indicate that the detainees were selling homemade alcoholic beverages at the local Kazachiy market. 'Efforts are currently underway to identify the producer of the life-threatening alcohol and others involved in the illegal activity.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Trump and Putin to meet 'in the coming days' but who knows if Zelensky is going MORE: When the world 'likely' ends you can blame these three people, expert says MORE: Russia's warning to 'everyone' after Trump moved nuclear submarines
NDTV
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Watch: Indian Woman Makes Western Friends Try Desi Mangoes For First Time, Their Reaction Is Priceless
Quick Reads Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. A content creator introduces Indian mangoes to her Western friends. The video showcases friends tasting Ratanagiri Alphonso mango slices. Her friends can be seen amazed by the sweetness of Indian mangoes. There is a reason why mango is the 'king of fruits.' Come the summer, and our kitchen counters are loaded with it. The juicy and gooey delight is every foodie's love language. Agree? From Himsagar to Totapari, there is a wide variety available in the market. TBH, the desi mangoes are too good to miss. Don't know about you, but this content creator agrees. When Rashi Agarwal introduced her Western friends to Indian mangoes — they couldn't stop at just one bite. In a video making rounds on the Internet, Rashi can be found holding a bowl full of small Ratanagiri Alphonso mango slices behind the lens while capturing the moment as her friends, one by one, try the delight. As she extended the bowl to her stand-up comedian friend Darya, adding, 'First Indian Mango of your life!'. She adds, 'Oh my God! Everything before this was a lie! It is so good.' Watch the full video below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rashi in Amsterdam (@ Stand-up comedian Omar Aljaloud, after having a bite, says, 'It's like it melts in the mouth!' adding, 'Very creamy, very rich, very sweet. I love Indian mango.' Rashi, at the end of the video, adds, 'Look at you guys! Have I ruined you guys forever?' The clip became an instant hit on social media. Darya, in the comments section, added, 'There are videos of babies trying lemons for the first time, and there are videos of adults in their 30s trying real mangos for the first time.' A user wrote, 'About 20 years ago, I asked my Indian friend about Mexican mangoes and he told me they're mostly good for stepping on.' Another mango lover mentioned, 'I feel the same when I eat the season's first mango of the season every year.' 'This makes me sad they didn't know what a real mango tastes like,' a comment read.
The Guardian
24-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Drones, informers and apps: Iran intensifies surveillance on women to enforce hijab law
Like many women in Iran, Darya is used to feeling under surveillance. Yet in recent months, the 25-year-old finance analyst from northern Tehran says that she never knows who could be watching her every move. She says she has received messages from the police before warning her of suspected violations of the country's strict hijab laws, but last November she was sent an SMS message containing her car registration plate that stated the exact time and place that she had been recorded driving without her head properly covered. Next time it happened, the SMS warned, her car would be impounded. 'It was really unsettling,' she says. 'When you receive these messages you don't know who has reported you – and the police never seem to have proof of the violation.' After widespread outcry last year, the Iranian authorities said they would suspend enforcement of the new, strict, hijab laws, which impose draconian penalties – including fines and prison sentences – on women found in breach of the mandatory dress code. Yet women in Iran are reporting that state surveillance has been steadily increasing. Last week, the UN's fact-finding mission reported on Iran's increasing reliance on digital surveillance such as its Nazer mobile application, a state-backed reporting platform that allows citizens and police to report women for alleged violations. The app is accessible only via Iran's state-controlled National Information Network. Members of the public can apply to become 'hijab monitors' to get the app and begin filing reports, which are then passed to the police. According to the UN mission, the app has recently been expanded to allow users to upload the time, location and licence plate of a car in which a woman has been seen without a hijab. It can also now be used to report women for hijab violations on public transport, in taxis and even in ambulances. According to the UN report, aerial surveillance using drones has also been used at events such as the Tehran international book fair and on the island of Kish, a tourist destination, to identify women not complying with the hijab law. The government has also increased online monitoring, blocking women's Instagram accounts for non-compliance of hijab laws, and issuing warnings via text message. CCTV surveillance and facial-recognition technology has also been installed at universities. 'This 'digital repression' is not only stifling academic freedom but also causing increased psychological stress among students,' says a spokesperson for the Amirkabir Newsletter, an Iranian student media group. Sign up to Global Dispatch Get a different world view with a roundup of the best news, features and pictures, curated by our global development team after newsletter promotion Skylar Thompson, deputy director of Human Rights Activists in Iran, says the app represents a dangerous escalation in the regime's digital surveillance efforts. 'Not only does this app reinforce gender-based discrimination and empower a culture of fear, but its flaws also raise serious concerns about wrongful arrests and detentions.' Last July Arezoo Badri, a 31-year-old mother of two, was shot and paralysed when a police officer opened fire on her vehicle in Noor city, Mazandaran province, after her car was reportedly flagged for a hijab violation. Yet Darya, like many others, is resolute in her defiance. 'If you walk through the streets, you'll see that many of us have stopped wearing the hijab despite these intimidation tactics,' she says. 'The money they are wasting on this surveillance could actually help some people survive.'
Sharjah 24
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Sharjah 24
Unique cultural, entertainment event in Aljada, Sharjah
Xposure 2025, in partnership with Darya, offers a unique opportunity for visitors to explore the aesthetics of photography and visual storytelling in the beautiful surroundings of the UAE. This inspiring environment hosts a variety of local cultural and commercial projects, totaling 22 projects. Darya: A new cultural destination Darya is the first space to showcase the new identity of Sharjah, making it a distinctive cultural destination. It features various photography projects and studios, enhancing the artistic landscape of the region. Enriching visitor experience The event in Aljada includes cultural and entertainment wings designed to enrich the visitor experience and provide opportunities for community interaction. A premier artistic and cultural event Notably, Xposure , is one of the most significant artistic and cultural events, successfully attracting over 400 international photographers from around the world to share their expertise and artistic works.
