Alec Hogg: Pressure builds on Naspers CEO

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have been told a lot of "necessary" untruths because they were supposedly in society's best interests. For instance, defenders of Dr Anthony Fauci (80), say he should not be criticised as his views on the coronavirus "evolved". They say where he consciously lied it was in the public interest (ie at first, about masks being ineffective because demand from the public would prevent them getting to health workers). Similarly, for over a year officialdom ridiculed any suggestion the virus was engineered in a Wuhan Lab (click here). Among respected scientists whose research on the topic was shunned, is Filippa Lentzos (44). The independent-minded Swiss was interviewed by our partners at The Wall Street Journal.

• Those powerful voices which dismissed the leak theory as "outrageous" are being excused on the grounds that this was too much for society to digest. Especially when deaths were mounting. There's some logic in that. Writing in Bloomberg Opinion, Yale Law professor Stephen Carter warns if the lab leak theory is confirmed, best to "brace yourself – the world's anger will be terrible to behold." Click here.