The elite annual gathering of business and political leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos has been postponed due to the spread of Omicron.
The meeting was due to take place in Switzerland from 17-21 January, but is now planned for "early summer".
WEF said the current pandemic conditions "make it extremely difficult to deliver a global in-person meeting".
Instead, it said participants would take part in a series of "state of the world" sessions online.
"The deferral of the annual meeting will not prevent progress through continued digital convening of leaders from business, government and civil society," said Prof Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum.
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