North Korea declares victory over COVID

With China scrapping its strict COVID restrictions, several countries have introduced mandatory testing on travelers from China. Italy is calling for EU-wide measures.

In China, there are fears not just of a Covid wave but maybe a tsunami. Funeral parlours are overwhelmed and hospitals are packed with elderly patients on respirators. This comes after the lifting of China's zero-Covid restrictions following protests. The World Health Organization, meanwhile, is pointing the finger, saying China's official virus data is being under-reported.

Beijing has started retaliatory moves against countries which have imposed restrictions on Chinese travelers, with Japan also reportedly targeted.

As families and friends reunite around China, the milestone is bittersweet for the coronavirus threat remains high and authorities have used the pandemic to develop a more efficient set of tools to crack down on society.

Chinese police have arrested scores of "white paper" protesters more than a month after unprecedented demonstrations nationwide. Many fear detained protesters are being psychologically and physically abused.

It is the first Lunar New Year celebration since China's communist leadership lifted the country's strict measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The reported government notice ordering the five-day lockdown did not mention COVID-19 but said the symptoms of the "respiratory illness" include common cold.

French luxury goods giant LVMH is not feeling the post-Covid pinch. The group has released its figures for 2022, which show revenue just below the bar of €80 billion. Meanwhile, shipments of smartphones have dropped to a near-decade low. Finally, we find out about a lawsuit that involves King Charles III and Elon Musk.

In November 2022, thousands of young Chinese people took to the streets to protest repeated Covid-19 lockdowns, constant PCR tests and to demand greater freedom. The movement was stifled in a few days and authorities abandoned their strict zero-Covid policy. But if China's youth took the risk to voice their anger, it's because their frustration goes well beyond Covid rules. FRANCE 24's Lou Kisiela, Antoine Morel and Yan Chen report.

South Korea has released a paper describing North Korea as its enemy for the first time in several years. The document highlights Pyongyang's growing stockpile of nuclear weapons and missiles.

Estonia wants Brussels to find and fund more ammunition for Kyiv. The European Commission believes its recent experience with COVID vaccines will work for much-needed missiles for Ukraine.

FBI Director Christopher Wray has accused China of obstructing US efforts to find the cause of the coronavirus pandemic. He said his agency believes COVID-19 spread due to a lab accident in the city of Wuhan.