1. Brisbane could be locked down for Easter
An extension to Brisbane's three-day lockdown that is currently set to end at 5pm on Thursday has not been ruled out. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that a potential extension through the Easter long weekend "depends on what we see over the next 24 to 48 hours" while noting that more cases are expected to be detected. "The big question will be whether or not we see unlinked community transmission," Palaszczuk said.
2. New $1 billion missile project launched
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced an acceleration to Australia's plan to manufacture missiles under the sovereign guided weapons enterprise with $1 billion in funding. "Creating our own sovereign capability on Australian soil is essential to keep Australians safe, while also providing thousands of local jobs in businesses right across the defence supply chain," the PM said.
3. 14 nations including Australia criticise WHO report on COVID-19 origins
Australia, the US, the UK and 11 other countries have released a joint statement criticising the World Health Organization's report into the origins of the coronavirus. The countries described WHO's study as "significantly delayed" and said that it "lacked access to complete, original data and samples".
4. Op shop worker finds $55,000 in cash
A worker at a Goodwill op shop in Oklahoma has found a stack of $100 bills worth US$42,000 ($55,000) hidden in two donated sweaters. Information on documents included with the donation were able to be used to trace the money back to its original owner.
5. US stocks close lower
The Dow Jones fell from the new record high reached yesterday, dropping 104.41 points or 0.31% to 33,066.96. The S&P 500 closed 12.54 points or 0.32% lower to 3,958.55 while the Nasdaq lost 14.25 points or 0.11% to 13,045.40.