1. Italy blocks export of AstraZeneca vaccine

The Italian government has vetoed the export of 250,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine to Australia. The European Union introduced controls in January that allow member states to reject vaccine exports from their countries if manufacturers do not honour existing commitments.

2. Fed Chairman indicates inflation will rise

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said that the reopening economy "could create some upward pressure on prices", but noted that the Fed "will be patient" before making changes to policy. "It is more likely that what happens in the next year or so is going to amount to prices moving up, but not staying up. And certainly not staying up to the point where they would move inflation expectations above 2%," Powell said.

3. Josh Frydenberg says economic growth will help fund higher aged care spending

Following the release of the Royal Commission into Aged Care report on Monday which suggested a tax increase to fund the tens of billions of dollars of additional spending required in the aged care sector, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said that "growing the economy" would pay for the increased spending. "We will have more to say in the budget context about what is a very substantial and significant piece of work by the royal commission, for which we are very grateful," Frydenberg said according to the AFR.

4. Welsh couple breaks record for pulling plane

Sam Taylor and Sue Taylor-Franklin from Llanrumney, Cardiff in Wales have broken the Guinness World Record for "fastest 20-metre A320 aircraft pull by a team of two", pulling the 48-tonne jet the required distance in 37.63 seconds.

5. Stock selloff on Wall Street

Stocks in the US fell again on Thursday, with the Nasdaq moving 274.28 points or 2.11% lower to 12,723.47, pushing the index into the negative for the year. The S&P 500 was down 51.25 points or 1.34% to 3,768.47 and the Dow Jones fell 345.95 points or 1.11% to 30,924.14.