The Economist's Gabriel Crossley has been visiting hospitals and crematoriums in China. The Chinese Communist Party has scrapped domestic travel restrictions, mass testing requirements,. As expected, that has brought rising case numbers, though the government is proving less than open about how big those numbers are. A UK research firm estimates around 9,000 deaths every 24 hours from Covid.
The sudden rescinding of zero-covid strictures has, as expected, led to a spike in cases. Our correspondent visits overstretched hospitals and crematoria, and considers what will happen next. Aerial drones have in part shaped the war in Ukraine; now the naval kind are starting to play a role. And French-language purity goes out the window when it comes to startups.
For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer