The rapid spread of a new variant of coronavirus has been blamed for the introduction of strict tier four mixing rules for millions of people, harsher restrictions on mixing at Christmas in England, Scotland and Wales, and other countries placing the UK on a travel ban.

Trucks waiting to get out of Britain backed up for kilometres and people were stranded at airports, as more countries slapped tough travel restrictions on the United Kingdom over concerns of a new coronavirus strain.

Antarctica can no longer lay claim to being the only continent free of coronavirus after 36 Chileans tested positive for COVID-19, according to the country's military.

As coronavirus infections in South Africa continue to surge, Australia has detected its first case of a new, potentially fast-spreading variant linked to the country. Queensland authorities yesterday announced a woman who had tested positive for COVID-19 in hotel quarantine was infected with the new "South African" variant, known as 501.V2. So what is this new strain of the virus and just how worried should we be by its arrival in Australian quarantine?

A senior Taiwanese politician has called for greater security and economic cooperation with Australia as his nation tries to counter China's increasingly assertive military.

The third Test in Australia's Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India will stay at the SCG, after officials were satisfied by the NSW Government's COVID-19 measures.