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News

Johnny Depp Makes Over whopping $3.6 Million After Debut Art Collection Sells Out in Hours

Johnny Depp is earning millions with his art. This is perhaps the fastest-selling collection up to date. The 780 prints, which were made available for purchase on Thursday through the Castle Fine Art gallery in London, sold out “almost immediately,” according to The Sunday-Times, garnering the 59-year-old actor almost $3.6 million.

Artist: Johnny Depp, 59, has sold his debut artwork collection for a jaw-dropping £3M just hours after announcing the sale

Four portraits of Bob Dylan, Elizabeth Taylor, Al Pacino, and Keith Richards are included in the “Friends & Heroes” collection, which is his first official effort and is available both separately and as a set. Depp reportedly concentrated on “people he has known well, and who have inspired him as a person,” according to the gallery.

“Each image is an intimate reflection of their character in Johnny’s eyes; a portrayal of how they have revealed themselves to him,” Castle Fine Art said of the pop-meets-street art. “From his dear friend Keith Richards, who inspired the mannerisms of the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, to Bob Dylan, whose creative influence on the artist is seen in his vivid and immortal portrayal by Johnny.”

Each limited edition portrait is listed online for $3,973, with the set of four on sale for $15,040.

Pop art: His collection focused on 'Friends & Heroes,' and included pop-art style pieces of Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Elizabeth Taylor and Al Pacino (Bob Dylan piece, sold for $4,800 (£3,950)
Feeling: Explaining that it's the intersection of 'Pop Art' and 'Street Art', the collection is also dubbed 'pop art with a feeling' (Elizabeth Taylor piece, sold for $4,800 (£3,950)Paintings: 'I’ve always used art to express my feelings and to reflect on those who matter most to me, like my family, friends and people I admire,' he explained (Al Pacino and Keith Richards pieces both sold for $4,800 (£3,950)My paintings surround my life, but I kept them to myself and limited myself. No one should ever limit themselves,' continued Johnny

“I’ve always used art to express my feelings, and to reflect on those who matter most to me, like my family, friends and people I admire,” Depp said in a statement shared by the gallery. “My paintings surround my life, but I kept them to myself and limited myself. No one should ever limit themselves.”

The gallery shared a behind-the-scenes image of Depp painting in the studio on Instagram before the film’s debut on Thursday. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor posted a photo of himself with the four-part set that was framed and displayed on a wall the same day.

Fans demanded for the collection, and “this world-first release proved to be our fastest-selling collection to date, selling out in just hours,” Castle Fine Art said.

The sale happened a few weeks after the judge rejected his ex-wife Amber Heard’s plea for a mistrial and said that the Virginia defamation trial judgement is still valid. On June 1, the seven-person jury delivered its decision, largely siding with Depp and paying him more than $10 million in damages. For one of her defamation countersuit claims, Heard, received a $2 million award.

Heard appealed the $2 million verdict in Heard’s countersuit to the Virginia Court of Appeals on July 21, one week after a judge denied the actress’ request for a mistrial. Depp filed his own notice of appeal the following day.

Depp has been touring abroad with Jeff Beck, with whom he co-released an album, in the weeks following the trial. In a sit-down interview with Savannah Guthrie of NBC News, Heard stated that she still has “no ill will” against Depp and that she stands by every word of her testimony.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

News

Patient with HIV achieves remission following stem cell transplant at City of Hope

The patient, who underwent treatment for leukemia, became the fourth person in the world and the oldest to enter long-term remission of HIV following stem cell transplantation from a donor with a rare genetic mutation. A patient at the “City of Hope,” aged 66, received a transplant from a donor naturally resistant to the virus that causes Aids.

The 66-year-leukemia old’s was to be treated by a transplant, but the physicians also sought a donor who was inherently immune to the Aids virus, a strategy that had previously been successful in curing the “Berlin patient,” Timothy Ray Brown, in 2007.

The 'City of Hope' patient, named for the California hospital he is receiving treatment at, has been functionally cured of both HIV and his leukemia after a successfull stem cell treatment (file photo)

Because he does not want to be recognized, the most recent patient, who is the fourth to be healed in this method, is known as the “City of Hope” patient after the US hospital in Duarte, California, where he was treated.

The patient is the oldest and has had HIV for the longest; he was given the diagnosis in 1988, which he regarded as a “death sentence” that claimed the lives of several of his friends.

For over 30 years, he has received antiretroviral medication (ART) to manage his disease.

Patient with HIV achieves remission following stem cell transplant at City of Hope | City of Hope
The treatment is incredibly risky as the body may reject the implants, killing the patient. Because of these concerns it is only to be used on people who are already at-risk of death because of a severe case of cancer (file photo)

Specifically, because the stem cell donor was not a family member, doctors who presented the findings ahead of the International Aids Society’s (IAS) 2022 meeting stated the instance made it possible for older patients with HIV and blood malignancy to obtain treatment.

Although the treatment was unlikely to be an option for the majority of people with HIV due to the risks of the procedure, Sharon Lewin, president-elect of the IAS, called a cure the “holy grail” and said the “City of Hope” case provided “continued hope… and inspiration” for people with HIV and the larger scientific community.

This electron microscope image made available by the US National Institutes of Health shows a human T cell, in blue, under attack by HIV, in yellow, the virus that causes Aids.

Scientists believe that the procedure is effective because the donor’s stem cells have a particular, sporadic genetic defect that prevents them from containing the receptors that HIV uses to infect cells.

The patient at the City of Hope ceased taking ART in March 2021 following the transplant three and a half years prior, which was followed by chemotherapy. The team reported that he has already endured more than a year of HIV and leukemia remission.

However, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAids) presented data prior to the conference, which gets underway on Friday, demonstrating how the Covid-19 pandemic had stalled global efforts to combat HIV, including a reversal of progress in the world’s most populous region, Asia and the Pacific.

According to the research, hard-won advancement has stagnated, endangering the lives of millions of people.

The long-term drop in new HIV infections is flatlining globally. Even worse, UNAids reported that cases started to increase in regions of Asia and the Pacific where they had previously been declining.

The number of patients receiving HIV medications last year increased more slowly than it had in the previous ten years. The disparities are growing. In sub-Saharan Africa, teenage girls and young women are three times more likely to contract HIV than boys and men of the same age, with a new infection occurring every two minutes. The report also indicated that 650,000 people passed away from diseases related to HIV last year.

Official figures estimate that around 1.2 million Americans are suffering from HIV, but one-in-eight cases have not yet been diagnosed (file photo)

“This is an alarm to the world to say that Covid-19 has blown the Aids response significantly off track,” said Matthew Kavanagh, deputy executive director of UNAids.

Given that HIV testing slowed or even halted in many locations when Covid-19 hit, it’s possible that much more viral spread went unreported. This makes things even worse.

“People are exhausted with epidemics and pandemics,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US government’s leading Aids expert. “We have to fight twice as hard to get HIV back on the radar screen where it belongs.”

Source: dailymail.co.uk

News

U.S. economy shrinks again in the second quarter, reviving recession fears

The shrinking economy of the USA has grabbed the people’s attention mounting worries and fear about the economy’s stability and resilience.

The U.S. economy has contracted for a second straight quarter, at an annual rate of 0.9 percent, sparking worries that the nation may be entering a recession and adding to the political difficulties facing the Biden administration as it battles with decades-high inflation.

US gross domestic product shrank 0.9 percent in the second quarter, following a decline of 1.6 percent decline in the first quarter. Two consecutive quarters of shrinking GDP is the classic definition of a recession

Although economists dispute the likelihood of a complete recession, the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s fresh data, which was announced on Thursday, comes at a turbulent time for the economy. In the past, a recession was often identified by six consecutive months of contraction. A team of experts determines the official outcome, despite the fact that recessions are unusual when unemployment is close to record low levels.

The decline in the second quarter was due to changing consumer and corporate habits. As consumers switched their spending away from things and toward services like hotels and restaurants, retailers purchased fewer goods, including cars. The poor reading was also impacted by declining housing construction and government spending.

President Joe Biden recently denied the country is in a recession, and the White House has been pushing messaging that a recession has to be officially declared by the National Bureau of Economic Research

The disappointing GDP report highlights persistent issues with inflation, which has been around 40-year highs for several months, as well as declining home sales and difficulties for some corporate sectors, including tech and finance. Even the booming labor market is starting to show signs of weakness. Numerous experts have predicted a recession for the following year due to broader concerns about the Ukraine conflict, the future of the global economy, and aggressive interest rate hikes.

“Broadly, this shows an economy that is really slowing,” said Jason Furman, an economics professor at Harvard University who was a top economic adviser to President Barack Obama. “This data is much more worrisome than it was in the first quarter. I don’t think you can easily dismiss these numbers. It isn’t just volatile factors anymore. Meaningful, important parts of the economy are slowing.”

Quarterly GDP growth is seen over the past four years, showing the pandemic recession in early 2020 and the current contraction cycle
The consumer price index hit a four-decade high of 9.1 percent in June -- an astounding level of inflation for an economy that was apparently shrinkingThe Fed has raised interest rates rapidly in 2022, going from near zero to a target range of 2.25 to 2.5 percent, in a bid to tackle rising inflationThe Fed has raised interest rates rapidly in 2022, going from near zero to a target range of 2.25 to 2.5 percent, in a bid to tackle rising inflation -- but higher borrowing rates also put the brakes on economic growth

Senior authorities, notably Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen, have strongly refuted claims that the economy is in a recession by pointing to a robust labor market as evidence that the recovery is still on pace. White House officials had maintained that even a second-quarter growth number that was negative shouldn’t be seen as an indication that a recession had begun prior to Thursday’s news.

“Coming off of last year’s historic economic growth … it’s no surprise that the economy is slowing down as the Federal Reserve acts to bring down inflation,” President Biden said in a statement Thursday. Later speaking to reporters on Thursday, Biden ticked off a litany of high points for the economy, including jobs creation, low unemployment and business investments, ending with: “That doesn’t sound like a recession to me.”

The economy has been adding jobs at a steady pace even as GDP shrinks, which some analysts point to in arguing that the economy is not in a recession

Republican politicians have claimed that the nation is in a recession and that the Biden administration’s stimulus spending is to blame for inflation and the overall economic downturn.

Several GOP lawmakers lashed out at the White House for trying to change the definition of recession to prove the U.S. is not in one now
'If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck... guess what?' Representative Neal Dunn tweeted along with an image of the definition of recession claiming it is 'identified by the fall in GDP in two successive quarters'

“You don’t need a fancy economics degree to have seen this coming,” Rep. Kevin Hern (Okla.) said in a statement Thursday. “Biden’s spending over the last 18 months is directly responsible for the economic situation we’re in today.”

President Biden released a statement on the figures, saying:

‘[W]e are on the right path and we will come through this transition stronger and more secure,’ the president wrote in his statement. ‘Our job market remains historically strong, with unemployment at 3.6% and more than 1 million jobs created in the second quarter alone. Consumer spending is continuing to grow.’

‘My economic plan is focused on bringing inflation down, without giving up all the economic gains we have made. Congress has a historic chance to do that by passing the CHIPS and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act without delay.’

The United States unexpectedly saw its economy slow down by 1.6 percent annually in the first three months of the year. This unexpected slowdown was largely caused by an imbalance in trade, with the country importing far more than it was exporting, and a decline in inventory purchases by companies that were still flush with holiday leftovers.

Representative Doug LaMalfa lashed out at President Biden for his ‘first instinct’ being to ‘deny problems exist.’

‘[S]ee: inflation, gas prices, Afghanistan, Hunter, etc.,’ the lawmaker tweeted.

McCarthy shared a poster Thursday that he says shows Biden blamed everything other than his policies for the downturning economy, including COVID, Putin and supply chain issues

‘We are facing a recession and no amount of changing definitions alters what the American people see,’ LaMalfa continued. ‘Ignoring problems doesn’t make them go away, it makes them worse.’

Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy said via tweet that Democrats have turned the ‘American Rescue Plan’ into the ‘American Recession Plan.’

‘The Biden administration does not have a real plan,’ he insisted.

Yellen refuted GOP allegations that the economy is in a recession on Thursday, claiming that consumption was showing signals of ongoing growth and represented a welcome change from growth that was happening too quickly.

Unexpected GDP contraction in US prompts recession fears

“Overall, with a slowdown in private demand, this report indicates an economy transitioning to more steady, sustainable growth,” Yellen said, adding that recessions are typically defined by economists to include “substantial job losses and mass layoffs,” business closures, a decline in private-sector activities, and a “broad-based” weakening of the economy.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Humor

Wannabe drug dealer caught on the first day dealing after turning to crime to pay off debt

In a hilarious turn of events, an amateur drug dealer got caught on the first day of his dealing career. Just imagine! Rudy Young, a resident of Blackpool, Lancashire, was engaged as a scrap metal trader until his marriage broke down and he became addicted to cocaine.

The 35-year-pricey old’s habit led to debt accumulation, so he turned to deal as a way to get money.

However, authorities examined Young’s automobile after noticing a person peering through the window on January 20, 2021.

Wannabe Drug Dealer Caught On The First Day

Two mobile phones, £450 in cash, many snap bags containing white powder, and text messages on one of the phones pertaining to drug trading were also discovered inside, prosecutor Claire Larton told Preston Crown Court.

After his 16-year marriage came to an end, Young started using cocaine more frequently as a coping mechanism, according to Julie Taylor, the defendant’s attorney.

After that, he racked up substantial debts and was under pressure to settle them. Young decided to sell narcotics to pay off his obligations because he was worried about the effects it would have on his family and his business. He was also handed a mobile phone to receive orders.

He was caught on his first day. Credit: LancsLive/MEN Media

“He wasn’t very successful,” Taylor said. “He got caught on the very first day.”

Young admitted to possessing Class A drugs with the intent to resell them. He has only received two cautions and no prior convictions, the court was informed.

“You are obviously a resourceful person since you set up your own business as a licensed scrap metal trader,” said Judge Simon Medland QC during the sentencing process. You want to succeed in the world and in your relationship.

Wannabe drug dealer caught on first day dealing after turning to crime to pay off debt - Daily Star

“Your problem arose inevitably because you began to take cocaine, which is a destructive, addictive, and expensive substance.

“Those who take it inevitably can’t afford it, and you end up being trapped up in a cycle of your own causing, where you are brought into contact with those who are serious criminals who want you to do their work.

“My message that Class A drugs destroy people’s lives is one I am sure you agree with. They destroy people’s health and well-being, and they destroy people’s social stability. All those things they have done to you.”

Even though Young had no prior convictions and there had been a significant delay in getting the case to court, the judge acknowledged that the case had crossed the custody threshold.

Ipswich drugs duo jailed for over 6 years | Suffolk Constabulary

Young also adhered to a curfew that was electronically tracked and helped the probation service create a pre-sentence report.

Young was given a two-year sentence from Judge Medland QC with two years of probation, as well as 150 hours of unpaid labor.

Source: ladbible.com

News

Tourists slam rule which requires Brits to have £85 to spend per day in Spain

Tourists are outraged at new measures to deny entry to Brits to Spain if they cannot demonstrate that they can spend at least £85 each day of their vacation.

After the UK exited the European Union, the preparations were put in place at the beginning of the year. Travelers must demonstrate that they can afford to spend at least €100 per day and have a minimum of €900 accessible for the entire trip.

Brits travelling to Spain must prove they have £85 to spend each day

They accept a variety of kinds of identification, including cash, credit cards, payment letters, foreign money, and traveler’s checks, however, anyone unable to meet the standards may have their entry barred.

Tourists who intend to travel to Spain may be asked by border officials to present a number of documents, such as evidence of hotel reservations and tickets for further travel.

A “letter of invitation” may be required by border officers if British citizens are traveling to stay with family or friends.

British tourists have reacted furiously after discovering they may be required to prove they are able to spend £85-per-day in order to enter Spain - after the United Kingdom left the European Union. Pictured: Tourists arrive in Barcelona, Spain in July

Vacationers are outraged at the new regulations that the Spanish Interior Ministry has implemented now that the UK is considered a “third country” after exiting the EU.

One furious Brit reacted to the news on social media writing: “Well this is stupid Spain is now requiring everyone to be able to prove that have £85 for each day to spend what a stupid, stupid idea what’s the need what about students and people are trying to have a cheap holiday it’s completely and utter idiotic.”

Another commented: “Looks like Spain is making it too difficult and too elitist for many families. Bit of a kick in the teeth to all those who have been going for years. Families and pensioners will be most affected.”

The rule, which has taken some Brits by surprise, has been in force since the beginning of the year after the UK became a 'third country' outside the EU. It remains to see whether it will be enforced in practice by the Spanish authorities

A third added: “I’m old enough to remember being told that the Spanish tourism industry would collapse without us Brits and they’d bend over backward to welcome us. And yet here were are.”

The UK Foreign Office outlined the rules in a statement explaining: “At Spanish border control, you may need to show a return or onward ticket; show you have enough money for your stay; show proof of accommodation for your stay, for example, a hotel booking confirmation, proof of address if visiting your own property (eg second home), or an invitation from your host or proof of their address if staying with a third party, friends or family,’ its guidance states.

In addition to threatening to deny entry to Brits who cannot prove they can support themselves financially, Spanish border agents may also begin to ask tourists to prove they have an onward ticket and accommodation booked for their stay. Pictured: Tourists in Gran Canaria

“The Spanish government has clarified that the ‘carta de invitation’ is one of the options available to prove that you have accommodation if staying with friends or family.”

The Spanish Government rules state: “Currently, the minimum amount to be credited is 100 euros per person per day, with a minimum of 900 euros or its legal equivalent in foreign currency (with effect from January 1, 2022).”

travellers are feeling the heat like never before as they look to enjoy a holiday abroad this summer. Dover is seen above on Sunday

It adds: “In the event that, when carrying out the entry control of people in Spanish territory, it is verified that a foreigner lacks sufficient economic resources for the time he wishes to remain in Spain and to continue his trip to the country of destination or to return to the country of origin, or does not have the nominative, non-transferable and closed ticket or tickets, in the means of transport that they intend to use, their entry into Spanish territory will be denied as established by law.”

Source: dailymail.co.uk

News

Indian minister, 48, drinks dirty water from the river to show locals it’s safe before he falls ill

Bhagwant Mann, the 48-year-old Punjabi chief minister, is alleged to have filled the glass with water from the ‘holy’ river Kali Bein in an effort to drink it and demonstrate to the community that it was pure water.

He was admitted to the hospital after being ill and drinking a glass of the ‘holy’ river’s filthy water to convince the people it was okay.

Bhagwant Mann, Chief Minister of Punjab, was beside a holy man when he decided to demonstrate the cleanliness of the river

After drinking the tainted water from the Kali Bein, Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was flown to New Delhi.

This Indian minister was admitted to the hospital after becoming ill after drinking a glass of tainted water from a ‘holy’ river to convince villagers it was okay.

After drinking the tainted water from the Kali Bein, Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was flown to New Delhi.

Mann confidentially bent over to fill his glass before publicly drinking the water taken straight from the river

Mann began to experience stomach pains a few days after consuming the water. He was brought to the Sarita Vihar location of the Apollo Indraprastha Hospital, where he was kept overnight.

Medical professionals reported that a multidisciplinary team was treating Mann for an infection.

Before the minister was allowed to leave the hospital, doctors conducted a number of tests on him, according to New Indian Express.

A couple of days after drinking the water, Mann started to complain of a stomach ache

He was kept under tight surveillance in a separate ward by a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals, where he remained stable. He was discharged accompanied by his sister and wife.

In front of a crowd of supporters, Mann was spotted sipping water. Arvind Kejriwal, the mayor of Delhi, paid the minister a visit on Wednesday.

On Sunday, in honor of the 22nd anniversary of the cleaning of the river in Sultanpur Lodhi, Mann drank the glass of water from Kali Bein. The start of an effort to clean the state’s waterways and drains have been announced by the chief minister.

Source: dailymail.co.uk