China reopens one city as Shanghai lockdown enters 2nd phase

BEIJING (AP) — The city of Shanghai is preparing to reopen its eastern half and shut its western half while authorities elsewhere are lifting a citywide lockdown in the province hardest hit by China’s omicron-driven coronavirus outbreak. State broadcaster CCTV says residents of the city of Jilin will be able to move about freely starting Friday for the first time in more than three weeks. They will be required to wear masks, and public gatherings in parks and squares are prohibited. The two-phase lockdown of Shanghai, being carried out over eight days, has shaken global markets worried about the possible economic impact.