<span style="color: #222222;">Australia on Monday abruptly halted plans to reopen its international borders to skilled workers and students, an eleventh-hour decision prompted by concerns over the Covid-19 Omicron variant.<br />'' <br />'' After an emergency security meeting, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the much-heralded December 1 reopening will be delayed at least two weeks. Morrison described the delay as "a necessary and temporary decision" based on medical advice.<br />'' <br />'' Australia's borders have been closed to most non-citizens for more than 20 months, causing labour shortages and pummelling the vital tourist industry.<br />'' <br />'' Australia has so far detected five cases of the Omicron variant.<br />''<br />''A plan to open the border to visitors from Japan and South Korea on December 1 is also now on hold.</span>