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The country's government has confirmed that it will extend the closure of its land borders for a further week until at least 1 February to curb the spread of COVID-19. The land borders were originally closed last week in response to concerns over new variants of the virus.

Parts of central Mozambique have been flooded after Cyclone Eloise struck near the port city of Beira with wind speeds of up to 160km/h; Beira received 250mm of rain in 24 hours. Local officials and aid agencies are assessing the scale of the damage to be able to help those affected, and trying to restore power and communications, which were cut off in some areas. The cyclone has now been downgraded to a tropical storm and was forecast to be heading toward Zimbabwe and northern South Africa, which have already experienced heavy rainfall.

The government of the U.S. state of California is reportedly expected to lift its current, regional stay-at-home orders across the state from today, 25 January, instead opting to move individual counties back into a tier-based re-opening framework. Most regions across California are expected to move into the 'purple' tier, meaning personal care services like hair salons can re-open with modifications, and restaurants can open for outdoor service.

The country's government has announced that it will suspend passenger flights in and out of Israel for one week from the evening of 25 January; the measure reportedly comes into force from 22.00 (GMT) and will last until at least the end of January. The move comes as, locally, clashes have broken out between ultra-Orthodox protesters in the city of Bnei Brak and police forces attempting to enforce current COVID-19 'lockdown' rules.

The country's government has announced that from 00.01 (local time) on 25 January it will temporarily suspend entry to all foreign nationals entering Sweden from Norway, in a bit to halt a new COVID-19 variant first discovered in the UK. The measures, which include exemptions for commuters and limited other groups, are set to last until 14 February. Sweden's government is also reportedly considering extending existing bans on entry from the UK and Denmark.

The country's government has announced that it will be banning both incoming visitors and outbound residents from travel for the purposes of tourism until at least 1 March in order to limit the spread of new variants of COVID-19; the measure will come into effect from 27 January. People will still though be able to cross borders for essential trips, such as for work or for medical treatment. Belgium will also tighten rules on people arriving from Britain, South Africa or South America, where more transmissible variants have been found, with a mandatory 10-day quarantine.

The UK transport secretary has announced that an urgent decision has been made to ban non-UK and Irish nationals arriving from Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo from 04.00 (GMT) today, Friday 22 January; an exemption is also granted to third country nationals with UK residence rights. The suspension is related to the ongoing monitoring of new strains of COVID-19 in a number of countries. Although the ban does not apply to British and Irish Nationals, and third country nationals with residence rights, all passengers returning from these destinations must also self-isolate for 10 days along with their households.

The government of Northern Ireland has announced that it will extend current COVID-19 'lockdown' restrictions until at least 5 March, with an interim review scheduled for 18 February. The measures, which include a closure of non-essential retailers and the urging of employees to work from home, began shortly after Christmas. Family gatherings are also prohibited and people have been ordered to stay at home for all but essential reasons.

The country's government has announced that it will lift a suspension on international flights by 1 February, which has been in place since March as an anti-COVID-19 pandemic measure. Locally, shopping centres are set to re-open in the capital city of Tbilisi next month, and the authorities are also planning to re-open schools and public transport there in March.

The country's new president yesterday, 21 January, signed an executive order requiring quarantines for individuals entering the U.S. - this is in addition to a raft of requirements including the wearing of masks for all interstate travel, and follows on from a previous announcement of the introduction of mandatory COVID-19 pre-testing for international arrivals from 26 January. The president did not specify how long people will be required to quarantine upon U.S. arrival; the executive order says only that the quarantine period will be in accord with CDC guidelines. On its website, the CDC recommends that in most cases individuals stay home for seven days after arriving from abroad.

The country's government has announced that from 23 January it will suspend all flights to and from the UK, as Portugal continues its efforts tackle a rapid spread of a new variant of COVID-19. Only special repatriation flights are due to be permitted to operate between both countries, according to Portugal's prime minister.

The country's government has announced that a nationwide COVID-19 'lockdown' has been extended by at least a further ten days until 31 January, following increases in new infection rates within Israel. In addition, ministers also approved a fine of NIS 2,500 for anyone who arrives in the country without a recent, negative COVID-19 test result. Under the new policy, the test must be conducted a maximum of 72 hours prior to landing in Israel.

The government of the Australian region of the Northern Territory (NT) has announced that it is now mandatory for face masks to be worn at all major NT airports, and while on board an aircraft travelling to or from the area. Children under the age of 12 and people with a specified medical condition are not required to wear a mask.

The country's government announced today, 21 January, that it will extend a 24-hour lockdown imposed earlier this month by two weeks, to combat a continued rise in COVID-19 infections. The tight restrictions on movement across the country, which had been due to run until 25 January, will stay in place until at least 8 February.

The country's government has today, 21 January, re-opened to foreign tourists and resumed international commercial flights following a closure of over 10 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under new measures, visitors must be tested for COVID-19 in their country of origin a maximum of 72 hours prior to their flight, once more when they arrive at their hotel, and for a final time seven days later. They will be allowed to travel in 14 designated tourism zones under a 'travel bubble' initiative, without mixing with local people. So far around 180 hotels have been earmarked to provide approved accommodation for tourism.

The government of Canada yesterday, 20 January, announced a one month extension to a suspension on non-essential international travel to the country, stretching the restrictions until 21 February. Passengers eligible to enter Canada despite the suspension, which has been in force since March, must still quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

The cross-channel rail provider has announced that customers can get a COVID-19 PCR test at London's St. Pancras International; the test costs £149 with results available the next day between 17.00 and 23.59 (local time), and passengers should book their test in advance but no more than 72 hours prior to departure. Although the testing initiative is in partnership with Eurostar, it is being operated by London Medical Laboratory - a third party provider.

The government of the UAE emirate of Dubai have announced that entry to passengers who have travelled from or through South Africa in the past ten days will now be suspended, after it introduced a raft of new restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19. Travellers from South Africa holding valid Dubai residence visas will also need government approval before being allowed to depart. Returning residents, who have received approval from the GDRFA or Federal Authority, must also produce two negative COVID-19 PCR test results. These tests must be completed within 96 hours of departure and then upon arrival in Dubai. Rapid antigen test certificates will not be accepted. South Africans will still be allowed to transit through Dubai International Airport on route to their final destinations to other countries which still allow for entry. South Africans in transit will still need to produce a negative Covid-19 test and will be confined to the airport precinct.

The country's government has announced that from 23 January they will place a ban on passenger flights from the UK, South Africa and a number of South American countries. In addition, if passengers are travelling from areas with a high incidence of COVID-19, regardless of their nationality, they must present two negative COVID-19 test results; the first is a negative PCR test result obtained a maximum of 72 hours prior to departure, and the second is a negative rapid test result obtained no more than four hours prior to boarding. Locally, a restrictive COVID-19 'lockdown’ remains in place in the country until at least 9 February, included a nighttime curfew.

The government of the devolved UK administration of Scotland has confirmed that current COVID-19 restrictions are to be extended until at least the middle of February, with schools remaining closed to the majority of pupils; the measures include a legally-enforceable stay-at-home order. All non-essential shops, pubs, cafes, bars, gyms and hairdressers are closed and travel restrictions prevent anyone leaving their local authority area, with limited exceptions. The situation will be reviewed on 2 February.