Norway is lifting its ban on flights from Britain, introduced to stop the spread of a more contagious variant of the coronavirus, the health ministry said on Friday, with planes allowed to land from January 2 at 1600 GMT.
Following the lead of other European nations, Norway on December 21 halted travel from Britain after news that the new variant of the virus was rapidly spreading.
Oslo announced on Thursday it would introduce from January 2 mandatory COVID-19 tests for all people arriving in the Nordic country from abroad, either directly upon arrival or up to 24 hours after.
"If this strain should spread in Norway, it will probably mean a full lockdown of society," Prime Minister Erna Solberg said on Thursday.
Norway's 14-day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants was down to 113.6 as of Wednesday, the fourth-lowest in Europe behind Iceland, Greece and Finland, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has said.
Members of the World Health Organisation (WHO) adopted an agreement on Tuesday intended to improve preparedness for future pandemics following the disjointed global response to COVID-19, but the absence of the US cast doubt on the treaty's effectiveness.
The United Nations has received permission from Israel for about 100 more emergency aid trucks to enter Gaza, though the first supplies to have entered in weeks remained under Israeli control, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The leaders of Britain, Canada and France threatened sanctions against Israel on Monday if it does not stop a renewed military offensive in Gaza and lift aid restrictions, piling further pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The New Zealand government on Tuesday deferred a vote over the rare suspension of three Indigenous lawmakers from parliament for performing a haka, the Maori ceremonial dance, during the reading of a contentious bill last year.
Temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius scorched parts of northern and central China on Tuesday with authorities issuing heat warnings and offering aid to farmers to protect food production.
The UAE's Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation is urging private sector companies with 50 or more employees to meet their Emiratisation targets for the first half of 2025.
The Central Bank of the UAE has imposed a financial penalty of AED 200 million on an exchange house for serious violations of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulations.