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Tag Archives: dangerous
Pope Francis: Gender ideology is ‘one of the most dangerous ideological colonizations’ today – Catholic News Agency
- Pope Francis: Gender ideology is ‘one of the most dangerous ideological colonizations’ today Catholic News Agency
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- Pope Francis says ‘ideology of gender’ is ‘dangerous’ and that ‘everyone’ will vote in the Synod, in new interview with La Nacion America: The Jesuit Review
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Police chase: Carjacking suspect opens fire on officers during dangerous chase on 91 Freeway – KABC-TV
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Warren Buffett’s long-time partner Charlie Munger says he’s ‘not proud of my country’ for allowing crypto to thrive, calling it ‘very dangerous’ – Fortune
- Warren Buffett’s long-time partner Charlie Munger says he’s ‘not proud of my country’ for allowing crypto to thrive, calling it ‘very dangerous’ Fortune
- Charlie Munger says BYD is so far ahead of Tesla in China ‘it’s almost ridiculous’ CNBC
- Charlie Munger: ‘I’m not proud of my country’ for allowing ‘crypto sh-t’ Yahoo Finance
- Charlie Munger weighs in on ChatGPT3: Artificial intelligence is not going to cure cancer CNBC Television
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Hong Kong is criminalizing CBD as a ‘dangerous drug’ alongside heroin
Hong Kong
CNN
—
Two years ago, cannabidiol was booming in Hong Kong. The compound, known as CBD, was popping up in cafes, restaurants and stores, with businesses eager to join an exciting new market already well-established in countries around the world.
That all came to an end on Wednesday, when CBD was criminalized in the city and declared a “dangerous drug” on the same level as heroin and fentanyl.
CBD is a chemical found in hemp and marijuana plants. It’s non-psychoactive, meaning it won’t get you high; instead, CBD is often marketed for everything from helping to relieve pain and inflammation to reducing stress and anxiety.
It has surged in global popularity in recent years, with brands adding it to shampoos, drinks, body oils, gummy bears and dog treats. In the United States and Europe, you might find it sold in coffee shops and farmers’ markets, mom-and-pop and high-end department stores, and even drugstore chain CVS.
But last June, draft legislation banning CBD was introduced to Hong Kong lawmakers, and went into effect February 1.
Under the new legislation, possession and consumption of any amount of CBD is punishable by seven years in prison and a fine of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($127,607). Manufacturing, importing or exporting CBD is punishable by life imprisonment.
Even travelers could face penalties, with the government warning people not to risk “buying these products or bringing them back to Hong Kong.”
The same penalties and conditions apply for cannabis, also known as marijuana.
The ban has forced CBD-focused businesses to close, while other brands have had to roll back or get rid of CBD products.
“It’s a shame because there’s a missed opportunity for sure,” said Luke Yardley, founder of Yardley Brothers Craft Brewery, which had previously sold four products containing CBD – a lager and three nonalcoholic drinks. “I think that anything that you can’t get intoxicated from, and helps you to relax, is probably a good thing.”
The health benefits and risks of CBD have long been debated. In the US, most CBD products are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means that people can purchase items off the shelf.
Some research has found that the compound can ease pain and may be useful for those who have trouble sleeping. The FDA has approved one drug with CBD to treat rare, severe forms of epilepsy.
But concerns have also been raised, with some experts saying there isn’t enough scientific research into how CBD works or its potential effects.
In January, the FDA announced CBD products will require a new regulatory pathway in the US, saying: “We have not found adequate evidence to determine how much CBD can be consumed, and for how long, before causing harm.”
In Hong Kong, which has strict cannabis laws, the government’s concern revolves around the possible presence of its sister compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in CBD products. THC is also found in cannabis plants and is responsible for the “high.”
In the US and Europe, CBD products can carry up to 0.3% – a trace amount – of THC, but even that is not acceptable in Hong Kong. And while CBD products could avoid this trace amount by using a pure form of CBD, most manufacturers mix other compounds for higher potency.
From 2019 to early 2022, Hong Kong authorities launched nearly 120 “operations” seizing and testing CBD products from restaurants and shops to warehouses, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung said last year. He added that more than 3,800 products were found to contain THC, though did not give further detail on the proportion or percentage of THC in those products.
In a written response to questions raised in the Legislative Council, Tang suggested the government’s traditionally tough stance on THC should be applied to CBD “to protect public heath.”
“We have adopted ‘zero tolerance’ towards drugs and we understand that it is a matter of public concern,” he said. “Therefore, the government plans to control CBD.”
The Action Committee Against Narcotics, a group of representatives from “the fields of social work, education, medical and community service” that advises the government on anti-drug policy, said in a statement last November that it supported the CBD ban and the government’s goal of “a drug-free Hong Kong.”
Many businesses began bracing themselves for regulatory changes in 2022, ahead of the government’s official announcement this January.
Yardley Brothers Craft Brewery stopped making its CBD beverages late last year in anticipation of the ban, and all its leftover products had sold out by December, said Yardley.
He said the CBD drinks had been “very popular,” amounting to roughly 8% of the business, as they offered adults a nonalcoholic option to enjoy when out with friends. At some bars, regulars “come in every weekend for a glass of CBD lemonade,” he said.
Now “there’s less choice for consumers in Hong Kong. That’s not necessarily a step in the right direction,” he said.
Some companies have been forced to shut down completely.
Med Chef, a restaurant that opened in 2021, once boasted of offering Hong Kong’s “first full menu of CBD-infused cocktails, appetizers and entrees.” In a news release during its launch, the restaurant founder emphasized the health and wellness benefits of CBD.
But by early November 2022, it had closed its doors. “We have worked hard in the past to present CBD in its most acceptable form and integrate our food and beverage concepts,” the restaurant wrote in a farewell post on Instagram. “It’s a pity that things didn’t go the way we hoped. Under the latest policies of those in power, we ultimately aren’t able to continue forward with everyone.”
Hong Kong’s first CBD cafe, Found, had also made headlines when it opened in 2020. It sold a variety of CBD products including infused coffee and beers, oils to help sleep, powder to sprinkle into food and pet products to help ease stiff joints.
It closed at the end of September 2022, telling patrons on Instagram that their positive feedback had shown that “CBD could help to cope with the stresses of daily life.”
“Sadly, in spite of the demonstrable positive impact, it has now become apparent that the Hong Kong government intends to adopt new legislation to prohibit the sale and possession of CBD,” it wrote.
Yardley said the government’s concerns about THC were valid – but argued they could have implemented better regulations, such as requiring certifications or standards of safety around CBD samples.
“It’s quite an extreme response to just fully ban it,” he said.
And while the brewery will continue operating, with plans for alternative nonalcoholic beverages to fill the gap, Yardley hopes CBD will be back on the menu. “I hope for the future that it might become legal again,” he said.
This story has been updated to include details of the draft legislation and its introduction.
Columbia Researchers Uncover Dangerous Connection Between Serotonin and Heart Valve Disease
This image shows the mitral valve of the heart of a mouse that lacks the serotonin transporter (SERT) gene. The valve was stained with prico-sirius red to show collagen. SERT knockout mice had a thickened mitral valve compared to normal mice. Credit: Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Serotonin can impact the mitral valve of the heart and potentially accelerate a cardiac condition known as degenerative mitral regurgitation, according to a new study led by researchers at
Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation
Degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) is one of the most common types of heart valve disease. The mitral valve is located between the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart. It closes tightly when the heart contracts to prevent blood from leaking back into the left atrium.
In DMR, the shape of the mitral valve becomes distorted, preventing the valve from closing completely. This allows blood to leak back toward the lungs (regurgitation), limiting the amount of oxygen-rich blood moving through the heart to the rest of the body.
As a result, DMR can bring about symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath. Because of the reduced efficiency in circulation, the heart has to work harder, which over time causes permanent damage. This can lead to a number of serious and life-threatening cardiac issues, including atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
Currently, there is no treatment for mitral valve degeneration. “Certain medications can ease the symptoms and prevent complications, but they do not treat the mitral valve,” says Ferrari, scientific director of the Cardiothoracic Research Program at Columbia. “If the degeneration of the mitral valve becomes severe, surgery to repair or replace the valve is needed.”
The Role of Serotonin
Serotonin plays a part in a wide range of body functions, including emotional state, digestion, sleep, memory, and blood clotting. Serotonin’s role as a neurotransmitter helps your brain regulate mood; lower levels of serotonin are associated with anxiety and depression.
Serotonin binds to specific receptors on the surface of a cell, sending a signal to the cell to act accordingly. A protein known as the serotonin transporter (SERT or 5-HTT) moves serotonin into the cell to be reabsorbed and recycled, a process known as serotonin reuptake.
Medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) bind to the SERT to reduce serotonin reuptake, allowing serotonin to remain available for longer periods. This increased serotonin availability can help improve symptoms of mood disorders. SSRIs are some of the most widely prescribed types of antidepressants and include well-known medications like fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft).
Study Design
The study examined clinical data from more than 9,000 patients who had undergone valve repair or replacement surgery for DMR and evaluated 100 mitral valve biopsies. “Studying the data of these patients, we found that taking SSRIs was associated with severe mitral regurgitation that needed to be treated with surgery at a younger age than for patients not taking SSRIs,” says Ferrari.
The researchers also studied in vivo mouse models using transgenic mice lacking the SERT gene and normal mice. They discovered that mice without a SERT gene developed thicker mitral valves and that normal mice treated with high doses of SSRIs also developed thickened mitral valves.
Using genetic analysis, the researchers identified genetic variants in the SERT gene region 5-HTTLPR that affect SERT activity. They found that a “long” variant of 5-HTTLPR makes SERT less active in the mitral valve cells, especially when there are two copies (one maternal and one paternal). DMR patients with the “long-long” variant needed mitral valve surgery more often than those with other variants.
Mitral valve cells from DMR patients with the “long-long” variant were more prone to react to serotonin by producing more collagen, changing the shape of the mitral valve. Additionally, mitral valve cells with the “long-long” variant of 5-HTTLPR were more sensitive to fluoxetine than those with other variants.
Implications for Patients with Mitral Valve Disease
The study indicates that for DMR patients with the “long-long” variant, taking SSRIs lowers SERT activity in the mitral valve. The researchers suggest testing DMR patients for potential low SERT activity by genotyping them for 5-HTTLPR, which can be determined easily from a
Locally caught fish are full of dangerous chemicals called PFAS
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CNN
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Fish caught in the fresh waters of the nation’s streams and rivers and the Great Lakes contain dangerously high levels of PFOS, short for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, a known synthetic toxin phased out by the federal government, according to a study of data from the US Environmental Protection Agency.
The chemical PFOS is part of a family of manufactured additives known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, widely used since the 1950s to make consumer products nonstick and resistant to stains, water and grease damage.
Called “forever chemicals” because they fail to break down easily in the environment, PFAS has leached into the nation’s drinking water via public water systems and private wells. The chemicals then accumulate in the bodies of fish, shellfish, livestock, dairy and game animals that people eat, experts say.
“The levels of PFOS found in freshwater fish often exceeded an astounding 8,000 parts per trillion,” said study coauthor David Andrews, a senior scientist at Environmental Working Group, the nonprofit environmental health organization that analyzed the data. The report was published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Research.
In comparison, the EPA has allowed only 70 parts per trillion of PFOS in the nation’s drinking water. Due to growing health concerns, in 2022 the EPA recommended the allowable level of PFOS in drinking water be lowered from 70 to 0.02 parts per trillion.
“You’d have to drink an incredible amount of water — we estimate a month of contaminated water — to get the same exposure as you would from a single serving of freshwater fish,” Andrews said.
“Consuming even a single (locally caught freshwater) fish per year can measurably and significantly change the levels of PFOS in your blood,” Andrews said.
Chemicals in the PFAS family are linked to high cholesterol, cancer and various chronic diseases, as well as a limited antibody response to vaccines in both adults and children, according to a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
“This is an important paper,” said toxicologist Linda Birnbaum, former director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program.
“To find this level of contamination in fish across the country, even in areas not close to industry where you might expect heavy contamination, is very concerning. These chemicals are everywhere,” she said.
Read more: Doctors should test levels of PFAS in people at high risk, report says
It’s nearly impossible to avoid PFAS, experts say. Manufacturers add the chemicals to thousands of products, including nonstick cookware, mobile phones, carpeting, clothing, makeup, furniture and food packaging.
A 2020 investigation found PFAS in the wrapping of many fast foods and “environmentally friendly” molded fiber bowls and containers.
A 2021 study found PFAS in 52% of tested cosmetics, with the highest levels in waterproof mascara (82%), foundations (63%) and long-lasting lipstick (62%). Polytetrafluoroethylene, the coating on nonstick pans, was the most common additive.
Read more: Makeup may contain potentially toxic chemicals called PFAS, study finds
In fact, PFAS chemicals have been found in the blood serum of 98% of Americans, according to a 2019 report using data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
“These chemicals are ubiquitous in the American environment. More than 2,800 communities in the US, including all 50 states and two territories, have documented PFAS contamination,” Dr. Ned Calonge, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health and chair of the Academies committee that wrote the report, told CNN previously.
Read more: Dangerous chemicals found in food wrappers at major fast-food restaurants and grocery chains, report says
Scientists at the Environmental Working Group used data from the EPA’s own monitoring programs — the National Rivers and Streams Assessment, which has been periodically testing stream conditions since 2008, and the Great Lakes Human Health Fish Fillet Tissue Study, which tests lake water every five years.
“The analysis focused on EPA wild-caught fish in rivers, streams and throughout the Great Lakes from 2013 to 2015 as that was the latest data available,” Andrews said.
The contamination was widespread, impacting “nearly every fish across the country,” he said. “I believe there was one sample without detected levels of PFOS.”
The EWG created an interactive map of the results with details for each state. Fish caught near urban areas contained nearly three times more PFOS and overall PFAS than those caught in nonurban locations, the study found. The highest levels were found in fish from the Great Lakes.
The analysis showed PFOS accounted for an average 74% of the contamination in the fish. The remaining 25% was a mixture of other PFAS known to be equally damaging to human health, Andrews said.
CNN reached out to the EPA for comment but did not hear back before this story published.
Based on the study’s findings, people who fish for sport might “strongly” consider releasing their catch instead of taking the fish home for a meal, Andrews said.
Yet many people in lower socioeconomic groups, indigenous peoples and immigrants in the US rely on eating freshly caught fish.
“They need it for food or because it’s their culture,” Birnbaum said. “There are Native American tribes and Burmese immigrants and others who fish because this is who they are. This is key to their culture. And you can’t just tell them not to fish.”
Read more: Water- and stain-resistant products contain toxic plastics, study says. Here’s what to do
The predominant chemical in the fish, PFOS, and its sister perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, are known as “long-chain” PFAS, made from an 8-carbon chain.
Read more: Plastics and pesticides: Health impacts of synthetic chemicals in US products doubled in last 5 years, study finds
Manufacturers agreed in the early 2000s to voluntarily stop using long-chain PFAS in US consumer products, although they can still be found in some imported items. Due to growing health concerns, the use of PFOS and PFOA in food packaging was phased out in 2016 by the US Food and Drug Administration.
However, industry reworked the chemicals by making them into 4- and 6-carbon chains — today over 9,000 different PFAS exist, according to the CDC. Experts say these newer versions appear to have many of the same dangerous health effects as the 8-chain PFAS, leaving consumers and the environment still at risk.
Many of these longer-chain PFAS can be stored for years in different organs in the human body, according to the National Academies report. Scientists are examining the impact of newer versions.
“Some of these chemicals have half-lives in the range of five years,” National Academies report committee member Jane Hoppin, an environmental epidemiologist and director of the Center for Human Health and the Environment at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, told CNN previously.
Read more: FDA must do more to regulate thousands of chemicals added to your food, petitioners say
“Let’s say you have 10 nanograms of PFAS in your body right now. Even with no additional exposure, five years from now you would still have 5 nanograms,” she said. “Five years later, you would have 2.5 and then five years after that, you’d have one 1.25 nanograms. It would be about 25 years before all the PFAS leave your body.”
That’s why it’s “no surprise” to find such high levels of PFOA in freshwater fish, said the director of environmental pediatrics at NYU Langone Health, Dr. Leonardo Trasande, who was not involved in the new study.
“These truly are ‘forever chemicals,’” Trasande said. “This reinforces the reality that we need to get all PFAS out of consumer products and people’s lives.”
Are gas stoves really dangerous? What we know about the science | Air pollution
Gas stoves are a hot topic. A new study linked them to one in eight childhood asthma cases, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said it would look into banning them, and Republicans expressed anger at the mere suggestion.
At the same time, federal and state policies are aiming to give gas stoves’ main competition – regular electric stoves and the ballyhooed induction stove – a boost.
What does this all mean for you? We’ll break it down in this explainer.
Are gas stoves a source of indoor air pollution?
Without a doubt, yes. There are two ways gas stoves pollute your home. The first is the most obvious: when they’re in use. Burning gas creates heat, which causes nitrogen and oxygen to bond among the flames. They combine to create nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, collectively known as NOx, which can irritate the lungs. But that’s not the only compound to worry about. Cooking with gas can also emit carbon monoxide, particulate matter and even formaldehyde. Those all have various deleterious health impacts, and can affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
There’s likely a more insidious form of pollution emanating from your stove. A growing body of research shows gas stoves emit toxic compounds even when not in use. Among the most worrisome is benzene, a carcinogen. A study by PSE Health Energy found benzene in 99% of samples it took in homes in California. Other chemicals discovered included xylene, toluene and ethylbenzene, which can also cause respiratory issues and may cause cancer as well.
Talor Gruenwald, the lead author on the new asthma study and researcher at Rewiring America, said the finding “demonstrates that this is a real public health challenge that we have to address”.
Just how much pollution are we talking about here?
A lot. The PSE Health Energy study found that gas stoves can emit as much benzene as a cigarette, making them akin to secondhand smoke.
“You can achieve the same level of benzene just from having a stove that’s off in your house as you’d expect to see as having a house with a smoker in it,” said Seth Shonkoff, the executive director of PSE Energy Health and associate researcher at the University of California, Berkeley.
That’s, of course, just when the stove is off. Research published last year found that NOx emissions when a stove is in use can exceed federal safety standards for outdoor air quality in a matter of minutes. For that reason, Shonkoff referred to stoves as “stationary air pollution machines inside people’s houses”, albeit ones that aren’t subject to the same outdoor air pollution standards.
Gruenwald also compared stoves to having a smoker around, saying: “The stove is frankly going to be the main source of pollution if you don’t live in a home with a smoker.”
Gas stoves are also terrible for the climate. The methane emissions from gas stoves in the US are equal to adding 500,000 cars to the road each year.
Can you test for gas stove pollution at home?
Not really. While there are a variety of indoor air quality sensors for things like carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter, there aren’t cheap home versions for testing for NOx, benzene and other home pollutants. There are somewhat affordable instruments to detect gas leaks, but Shonkoff said those are more geared toward significant leaks rather than everyday gas stove emissions. (And if you smell ever gas, call your utility or the emergency services right away.)
He added that the tools used by academics cost in the tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Does using a hood/vent make a difference?
Absolutely yes. Turning on that vent when cooking is vital to ushering air pollution outside. This is admittedly not an ideal solution since it just turns indoor air pollution into outdoor air pollution. But it’s better than having it in high concentrations in your home where it can do more damage to your lungs.
What else can be done to reduce indoor air pollution from gas stoves?
For those who lack a hood over their stove (such as myself), Shonkoff said that even opening the windows is a good tactic to clear the air. Even better would be to put a fan in the window to help suck the indoor air out.
Of course, the best way to cut down on gas stove pollution is to not have a gas stove in the first place.
What are some gas stove alternatives?
Electric stoves come in two main flavors: standard and induction. Standard electric stoves run electricity through a wire to generate thermal heat.
Induction stoves are increasingly in vogue. Rather than generating thermal heat, induction stoves generate heat electromagnetically. When you turn an induction stove on, electricity flows through a coil that creates a magnetic field. I won’t go into exactly how this heats your pots and pans (more information here if you’re interested), but it does.
What you need to know is that the magnetic field directly heats pots and pans – and their contents – rather than transferring heat like traditional stoves do. The stove itself doesn’t get hot. In fact, you could turn on an induction burner and put your hand on it. (Just don’t do it after a hot pot has been on the surface.) Also unlike traditional electric stoves, induction stoves don’t take time to heat up. That makes them more analogous to gas stoves. But they’re more efficient than gas stoves. Tests have shown they can bring a pot of water to boil in half the time of a gas stove.
How much does an induction stove cost compared to a gas stove?
Switching from gas to induction can be pricey. A cursory glance at big-box retailer Lowe’s shows the cheapest gas stove is $529 while the cheapest induction stove is $1,199, at the time of publication.
Swapping from gas to induction also comes with other costs. Induction stoves don’t plug into standard wall outlets, so an electrician will probably have to rewire your kitchen. And induction stoves only work with certain types of pots and pans. If you own a set of copper or aluminum cookware, you’re probably going to have to invest in some new pots and pans.
Are there ways to bring the costs down?
You’re in luck, because the answer is yes. If you’re induction-curious and want to dip your toe, there are plenty of single-burner induction cooktops to get you started. Wirecutter’s top pick clocks in at $117, making it a reasonable point of entry, while its budget pick is even less expensive. You could conceivably buy four and place them on your gas stove and voilà, you have an induction range for less than $500. This is admittedly a clunky solution, though.
In the US, the Inflation Reduction Act includes rebates of up to $840 for buyers buying an induction or electric stove. If you earn less than 80% of the median household income in your area, you qualify for the whole rebate. For those earning between 80% and 150% of the median household income, you can get a rebate for up to half the cost of the new stove.
For people switching from gas to electric, there’s an additional $500 for covering installation costs. Rewiring America has a calculator to reveal what tax credits and rebates for stove and other electrification benefits you qualify for under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Prince Harry accuses Camilla of ‘dangerous’ leaks to media
LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry has accused his stepmother, Camilla, the queen consort, of leaking private conversations to the media to burnish her own reputation as he promotes a new book that lays bare his story of his life behind palace walls.
In interviews broadcast Sunday and Monday, Harry accused members of the royal family of getting “into bed with the devil” to gain favorable tabloid coverage, singling out Camilla’s efforts to rehabilitate her image with the British people after her longtime affair with his father, now King Charles III.
“That made her dangerous because of the connections that she was forging within the British press,” he told CBS. “There was open willingness on both sides to trade information. And with a family built on hierarchy, and with her on the way to being queen consort, there was gonna be people or bodies left in the street.”
Harry spoke to Britain’s ITV, CBS’s “60 Minutes” and “Good Morning America″ to promote his book “Spare,” which is to be widely released Tuesday. Some U.K. bookshops opened at midnight to meet demand for the highly anticipated memoir, which has generated incendiary headlines with reports that it includes details of bitter family resentments, as well as Harry and his wife Meghan’s decision to give up their royal roles and move to California.
“I want to be able to paint the picture myself, see it for myself, and then be able to say, okay, yes, maybe things have changed or maybe the person has matured,” said Chris Imfidon, chair of the charity Excellence in Education. He traveled from Essex to London to buy three copies of “Spare,” wanting to compare the media picture of Harry to what’s in the book. “If I just read in the newspaper, I don’t think I’ll be satisfied just hearing because each newspaper gives it totally different picture of the duke, he said.
In the interviews, Harry repeatedly blamed the media for the troubles that afflicted the couple, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, saying the coverage contributed to the rift with his brother, Prince William, and his wife, Kate.
“They always pitched us against each other,″ he told Good Morning America. “They pitch Kate and Meghan against each other.”
Harry was also unapologetic about launching legal battles against some parts of the British media. While he said his father believes it is “probably a suicide mission” to take on the press, Harry described changing the media landscape in the UK as being “my life’s work.”
But Harry also continued to criticize the royal family itself.
He repeated his claim that there was “concern” in the royal family about his unborn child’s skin color after he married biracial American actress Meghan Markle. Harry and Meghan first mentioned the incident during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, but they haven’t identified the family member who expressed concern.
Harry insisted his family wasn’t racist, but said the episode was an example of unconscious bias. The prince told CBS that he was “probably bigoted” before he met Meghan, and said that the royal family, which is held to a higher moral standard, needed to “learn and grow” in order to be “part of the solution rather than part of the problem.”
“Otherwise unconscious bias then moves into the category of racism,” Harry told ITV.
“Spare” explores Harry’s grief over the death of his mother in 1997, and his long-simmering resentment at his role as the royal “spare,” overshadowed by the “heir” — older brother William. He recounts arguments and a physical altercation with William, reveals how he lost his virginity and describes using cocaine and cannabis.
He also says he killed 25 Taliban fighters while serving as an Apache helicopter pilot in Afghanistan — drawing criticism from both the Taliban and British military veterans.
The allegations about Camilla are particularly sensitive because of her role in the acrimonious breakdown of Charles’ marriage to the late Princess Diana, William and Harry’s mother.
Diana once described Camilla, who carried out a long-term affair with Charles, as the third person in their marriage. While many members of the public initially shunned Camilla, she has won fans by taking on a wide range of charitable activities and has been credited with helping Charles appear less stuffy and more in tune with modern Britain.
Writing about his father’s 2005 wedding to Camilla, Harry says: “I had complex feelings about gaining a stepparent who, I believed, had recently sacrificed me on her personal PR altar.” Still, he says he wanted his father to be happy. “In a funny way I even wanted Camilla to be happy. Maybe she’d be less dangerous if she was happy?”
“Spare” is the latest in a string of public pronouncements by Harry and Meghan since they quit royal life and moved to California in 2020, citing what they saw as the media’s racist treatment of Meghan and a lack of support from the palace. It follows the interview with Winfrey and a six-part Netflix series released last month.
In the ghostwritten memoir, Harry, 38, describes the couple’s acrimonious split from the royal family after their request for a part-time royal role was rejected.
The television interviews are certain to pile more pressure on the royal family. Harry is also appearing on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
Royal officials haven’t commented on any of the allegations, though allies have pushed back on the claims, largely anonymously.
Harry has defended the memoir describing it as his effort to “own my story” after years of “spin and distortion” by others. In the “60 Minutes” interview, Harry denied his book was intended to hurt his family.
Omid Scobie, co-author of “Finding Freedom,” a book on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, said Harry is offering the look behind the palace walls that the public has always wanted.
“Of course, that does come with some downsides for those who have been part of his journey,″ Scobie told the BBC. “We heard some sort of really startling confessions and stories about members of the royal family, particularly when it comes to Camilla and her relationship with the press.”
While Harry said he hadn’t spoken with his father or brother in a while, he hopes to find peace with them. But he told ITV that the “the ball is in their court.”
“They’ve shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile,” he said.
While the saga is damaging to the royal family, it may not be as harmful as people might think and will give the global audience a forum to discuss difficult issues like misogyny and racism, said Boston University professor Arianne Chernock, an expert in modern British history.
But she was cautious about doomsayers suggesting the monarchy itself was in trouble. The institution has endured more than 1,000 years after all.
“This is a central component of the history of the royal family,” she said. “Scandal is the norm not the exception.’’
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Associated Press Writers Jill Lawless and Kwiyeon Ha contributed.
Prince Harry launches blistering attack on Camilla, branding her ‘dangerous’ in 60 Minutes interview
Prince Harry today launched another extraordinary attack on King Charles’ wife Camilla, branding her ‘dangerous’ and a ‘villain’, as he continued his publicity book for his explosive memoir Spare.
The 38-year-old Duke of Sussex to aim at the Queen Consort while speaking with CBS News’ 60 Minutes host Anderson Cooper, who questioned Harry about several very damaging allegations he made about Camilla in the book’s pages.
Referring back to a 1995 interview in which his mother, Princess Diana, famously referred to Camilla as the ‘third person in her marriage’, Harry says that this admission turned the now-Queen Consort into a ‘villain’, adding: ‘She needed to rehabilitate her image.’
According to Harry – who also reveals in his book that he and William ‘begged’ their father not to marry Camilla – this desire to transform her public image made her ‘dangerous’.
He accuses his step-mother of ‘trading information’ with the press in an attempt to get more positive stories written about herself, before sensationally suggesting that her ‘connections’ with the media would end up with ‘people or bodies left in the street’.
Prince Harry has launched another round of sensational attacks on King Charles’ wife Camilla in a new TV interview to promote his explosive memoir Spare
While speaking to CBS News’ 60 Minutes, Harry, 38, branded his stepmother ‘dangerous’ and called her a ‘villain’
The Duke claimed that Camilla forged ‘connections’ with the press in the UK in order to try and ‘rehabilitate her image’ and get ‘positive stories’ written about her
‘[Her need to rehabilitate her image] made her dangerous because of the connections that she that she was forging within the British press,’ he told Cooper, according to an official transcript of the interview – which DailyMail.com received before the interview began airing.
‘And there was open willingness on both sides to trade of information. And with a family built on hierarchy, and with her, on the way to being Queen Consort, there was gonna be people or bodies left in the street because of that.’
Princess Diana’s interview with the BBC’s Martin Bashir in 1995 marked the first time that she had publicly addressed claims that Charles and Camilla had an affair during her marriage to the then-Prince of Wales.
At the time, she sensationally told Bashir: ‘There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.’
As the Duke once again blasts his closest family members in the 60 Minutes – just over one hour after his sit-down with British TV host Tom Bradby finished airing – interview, DailyMail.com can reveal he also:
- Claims he was ‘not invited’ on the plane that his family took up to Balmoral upon learning that the Queen was unwell
- Admits that he used to look at videos of his mother, Diana, and ‘go over memories of her’ in an attempt to make himself cry
- Says his brother, Prince William, initially refused to believe that Diana was really dead and that they both believed she ‘would call us and we would go and join her’
- Reveals he took psychedelic drugs like ayahuasca and psilocybin as ‘experimental treatments’ and says they ‘cleared the… misery of loss’ for him
- Believes that psychedelics can ‘work as a medicine’ for those who are ‘suffering from a huge amount of loss, grief, or trauma’
- Suggests he and Meghan will never renounce their titles because ‘what difference would it make’
- Defends his decision to air his grievances against his family so publicly, suggesting public attacks are the only ‘language that perhaps they understand’
- Admits that he has not spoken to his brother or his father ‘in a while’
Princess Diana’s interview with the BBC’s Martin Bashir in 1995 marked the first time that she publicly addressed claims that Charles and Camilla had an affair during her marriage
His latest attack on Camilla comes after he revealed in his book, Spare, that he and William ‘begged’ Charles not to marry her
Harry also claims that what he saw as Camilla’s desire to ‘be on the front page [and] have positive stories written about [her]’ came from his family’s belief that positive media coverage would ‘improve your reputation or increase the chances of you being accepted as monarch by the British public’.
‘If you are led to believe, as a member of the family, that being on the front page, having positive headlines, positive stories written about you, is going to improve your reputation or increase the chances of you being accepted as monarch by the British public, then that’s what you’re gonna do,’ he adds.
The Duke’s sensational public attack on Camilla is the latest in a line of barbs that he has flung at his stepmother – having already painted what Cooper describes as a very ‘unflattering portrayal’ of her in his explosive memoir Spare, which was accidentally released in Spain last week.
In the book, Harry makes similar accusations against Camilla in regard to her so-called ‘connections’ with the press, accusing her of leaking information to the media as part of a ‘campaign’ to take the Crown.
In an extraordinary passage in his autobiography, the Duke of Sussex writes: ‘Shortly after our private meetings with her, she began to develop her long-term strategy, a campaign directed at marriage and with time, the Crown (with the blessing of our father, we supposed).
‘News stories started appearing in all the newspapers about her conversations with Willy, stories which recounted lots of small details, none of which came from my brother, of course.’
The Duke also claims that he and his brother William ‘begged’ the then-Prince of Wales not to remarry after Princess Diana’s death, fearing that she would be their ‘wicked stepmother’.
During his 60 Minutes interview, Harry said that both he and William didn’t think it was ‘necessary’ for Charles to wed Camilla, telling Cooper: ‘We didn’t think it was necessary. We thought that it was gonna cause more harm than good and that if he was now with his person, that– surely that’s enough. Why go that far when you don’t necessarily need to?
‘We wanted him to be happy. And we saw how happy he was with her. So, at the time, it was, “Okay.”‘
Charles had tried to win over his sons before asking the public to accept Camilla, the book claims. Harry then astonishingly says that meeting the future Queen Consort for the first time was like an ‘injection’. He later says that ultimately he and William approved of Camilla.
He writes: ‘I remember wondering… if she would be cruel to me; if she would be like all the wicked stepmothers in the stories.’
Prince Harry says taking psychedelic DRUGS helped him deal with the ‘grief’ and ‘trauma’ of Princess Diana’s death
Prince Harry credited the use of psychedelic drugs with helping him deal with the ‘grief’ and ‘trauma’ he felt after the tragic death of his mom, Princess Diana.
The Duke of Sussex, 38, called psychedelics like ayahuasca and magic mushrooms his ‘medicine’ after the huge ‘loss’ of his mother in 1997.
While Harry was only 12 when Diana tragically died in a car accident, he admitted in his upcoming book, Spare, that he struggled to come to grips with her sudden passing.
Now he has shared more details about his mother’s death, explaining that he only cried once over his mother’s death – when her coffin was put in the ground – and that he was plagued with guilt over feeling like he was not being emotional enough over her passing for years.
But the former royal said using psychedelics when he got older ultimately ‘cleared away the idea’ that he needed be sad to prove he ‘missed’ his mom.
‘I would never recommend people to do this recreationally,’ he said during the one-hour tell-all interview.
‘But doing it with the right people if you are suffering from a huge amount of loss, grief or trauma, then these things have a way of working as a medicine.
‘For me, they cleared the windscreen, the windshield, the misery of loss. They cleared away this idea that I had in my head that … I needed to cry to prove to my mother that I missed her. When in fact, all she wanted was for me to be happy.’
Prince Harry reveals he used to watch videos of his mother Princess Diana online in a desperate attempt to CRY about her death
Prince Harry has candidly admitted that he used to watch videos of his late mother Princess Diana and ‘muster up memories of her’ in an attempt to cry over her death.
The 38-year-old revealed his ‘guilt’ at not being able to shed a tear about Diana’s tragic passing in 1997.
‘There was this weight on my chest that I felt for so many years that I was never able to cry,’ he told host Anderson Cooper, according to a transcript of the interview that DailyMail.com received ahead of the pre-taped interview’s release.
‘So I was constantly trying to find a way to cry, but… in even sitting on my sofa and going over as many memories as I could muster up about my mum. And sometimes I watched videos online.’
However, Harry says that, no matter how hard he tried, he ‘couldn’t’ shed a tear – something that filled him with ‘guilt’ for years.
Harry explained during the sit down that he believes he didn’t cry over Diana’s death because he had ‘refused to accept that she was gone.’
He added that there was a huge ‘weight on his chest’ that he ‘felt for so many years’ over not shedding more tears – and that he even tried watching videos of her to bring forth his emotions.
‘I was constantly trying to find a way to cry, even sitting on my sofa and going over as many memories as I could muster up about my mum,’ he added. ‘And sometimes I watched videos online.’