National News

Residents of greater Sydney have again found themselves isolated, as every state and territory moves to lock them out after a COVID-19 cluster on the city's northern beaches ballooned to 70 cases.

Victoria has shut its borders to people travelling from greater Sydney and the NSW Central Coast, declaring the area a red zone for coronavirus.

Vice-captain Pat Cummins is hoping for a juicy MCG pitch as jubilant Australia seek to extend India's misery.

London and southeast England may stay under tighter coronavirus curbs for some time, with Britain's health minister saying dropping plans to ease restrictions for Christmas was needed to stem a new fast-spreading strain.

Moderna's coronavirus vaccine has become the second to receive emergency use authorisation (EUA) from the US Food and Drug Administration, which is welcome news to a nation with a staggering COVID-19 death toll of more than 307,000 lives lost.

Sydney's northern beaches will enter lockdown from Saturday evening as the coronavirus outbreak in the area grows to 40 cases.

Whether to eat outside on Christmas Day will depend on where you live, with the Bureau of Meteorology releasing its weather forecast for December 25.

Sydney's northern beaches peninsula has entered quasi-lockdown as a local coronavirus cluster jumps to 28 people and several states implement or flag the reimposition of travel bans on NSW residents.

Health Minister Greg Hunt says Australian authorities are well prepared to tackle the growing NSW coronavirus cluster, which has thrown a spanner into the nation's Christmas travel plans.