France has extended mandatory COVID tests for travellers from China until Feb. 15, a government decree published on Saturday showed.
While Chinese officials have said infections have peaked, some global experts have warned about the possibility of a rise in cases in rural areas less equipped to deal with them as millions of Chinese travel for family reunions during the Lunar New Year holiday.
On Dec. 30, France announced it would require travellers from China to provide a negative COVID-19 test result less than 48 hours before departure as China eased lockdown rules.
The measure, which had been set to last until Jan. 31, imposed tests on all flights from China - including flights with stopovers - and required travellers on airplanes arriving from China to wear masks.
China abandoned its strict "zero COVID" policy in early December after protests against the restrictions, allowing people to travel and the virus to spread rapidly throughout the country.
French daily Le Monde first reported publication of the decree.
The Israeli Knesset passed a new law on Thursday that would allow the deportation of family members of people convicted of terrorist offenses, including Israeli citizens, while experts said it was aimed at Palestinians.
France accused Israel on Thursday of harming bilateral ties after Israeli security forces entered a holy site under French administration in Jerusalem and briefly detained two French officials with diplomatic status.
The United Nations has been planning for the possible return of Donald Trump and the cuts to US funding and engagement with world body that are likely to come with his second term as president.
Israeli forces stepped up bombardment across the Gaza Strip on Thursday and ordered more evacuations, creating a fresh wave of displacement from northern Gaza, to which Palestinians fear they will not be able to return.
Donald Trump's Republicans were projected to pick up another US Senate seat on Thursday and appeared to be retaining their narrow hold on the House of Representatives, putting them on track to control both chambers of Congress next year.