Good morning, Canberra. We're heading for a top of 27 degrees today. Here's what's making headlines this Wednesday.

The Australian army is being subbed in to help make face masks

Soldiers are helping to manufacture face masks in a regional Australian town to combat a global shortfall due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The journalism you trust to keep you connected

Sport

Cricket ACT final off for the first time in 68 years

Cricket ACT has cancelled the first-grade grand final, leaving Wests-UC to be crowned champions without having to bowl a ball.

Sutton returns, Stuart sticks with combinations

Ricky Stuart is sticking with combinations as the Raiders chase back-to-back wins to start a season for just the second time in 15 years.

Brumbies staff sent home, but team returns to train

ACT Brumbies players have been told to stay in Canberra while they wait for Super Rugby officials to make a decision on future games.

Canberra soccer cancelled as part of virus response

All grassroots football in Canberra will be suspended for four weeks after Football Federation Australia announced a nationwide halt.

Times Past

Travel bans of all types are sadly a consequence of the coronavirus crisis, but on this day in 1977 it was a public service travel ban of another type that was making news. The union representing Foreign Affairs and Immigration and Ethnic Affairs staff had given a directive to members to not accept any economy-class travel for work. The federal executive of the Administrative and Clerical Officers Association imposed the ban in response to an earlier ban by the Public Service Board on first class travel for public servants "below second-division rank" in the interests of savings. READ MORE