1. Caveat Emptor on this story, but if true, it’s a huge story. From The Jerusalem Post:
China deliberately engineered the coronavirus virus as a "bioweapon," a Wuhan Institute of Virology researcher claimed this week in an interview conducted by Chinese-born human rights activist and author Jennifer Zeng.
Researcher Chao Shao asserts that the virus was deliberately engineered by China as a "bioweapon," and that his colleagues were tasked with identifying the most effective strain for spreading among various species, including people.
During the exclusive 26-minute interview, Chao Shao shared an anecdote involving another researcher named Shan Chao, who allegedly admitted to being provided with four strains of coronavirus by a superior.
Shan Chao was instructed to test these strains and determine which one had the greatest potential to infect multiple species, with a particular emphasis on human infectivity. (Source: jpost.com)
2. A senior Russian general had advance knowledge of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plans to rebel against Russia’s military leadership, according to U.S. officials briefed on American intelligence on the matter, which has prompted questions about what support the mercenary leader had inside the top ranks. The officials said they are trying to learn if Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the former top Russian commander in Ukraine, helped plan Mr. Prigozhin’s actions last weekend, which posed the most dramatic threat to President Vladimir V. Putin in his 23 years in power. General Surovikin is a respected military leader who helped shore up defenses across the battle lines after Ukraine’s counteroffensive last year, analysts say. He was replaced as the top commander in January but retained influence in running war operations and remains popular among the troops. American officials also said there are signs that other Russian generals may also have supported Mr. Prigozhin’s attempt to change the leadership of the Defense Ministry by force. Current and former U.S. officials said Mr. Prigozhin would not have launched his uprising unless he believed that others in positions of power would come to his aid. (Source: nytimes.com, bbc.com, italics mine)
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