China's mutant monkeys: These are just two of the countless animals used in secret genetic engineering tests in labs – many with appalling biosecurity. No wonder so many experts say Covid DID leak from Wuhan research centre, writes JASPER BECKER

News Snapshot:

Trees and wildflowers blossom during all four seasons in Kunming, which is known as The City of Eternal Spring because of its year-round mild temperatures. However, it is also home to something much less natural: a laboratory where scientists have been creating monkey embryos with a mutated gene so that, when born, they will age unusually fast. Such experiments are done to study human diseases such as autism, cancer, Alzheimer's and muscular dystrophy. In another Chinese city, Wuhan – where the Covid-19 pandemic originated – scientists have created more than 1,000 genetically engineered animals, including monkeys and rabbits. Lab animals...