Reuters World News Summary

'Get Britain moving again', PM Johnson to unveil new infrastructure plan Prime Minister Boris Johnson will launch a plan this week to get Britain "moving again" after the coronavirus lockdown, when the government will set out measures to boost infrastructure construction, interior minister Priti Patel said on Sunday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. 'Get Britain moving again', PM Johnson to unveil new infrastructure plan

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will launch a plan this week to get Britain "moving again" after the coronavirus lockdown, when the government will set out measures to boost infrastructure construction, interior minister Priti Patel said on Sunday. Johnson will make a speech on Tuesday to set out plans to fast-track building projects such as hospitals, schools, housing, and road and rail infrastructure, part of efforts to try to stem a fall in support for his government. Trump denies being told about Russian bounties to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan

President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was never briefed about Russian efforts to pay bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan, blasting a New York Times report that he had been told about the rewards but had not acted to respond to Moscow. The White House on Saturday also denied that Trump was briefed on U.S. intelligence regarding the affair but it did not address the merits of the intelligence. The Director of National Intelligence also said Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were not briefed, and called the Times report inaccurate. It is rocket science: EU to speed up space ambitions, Breton says

The European Union will plough more money into rocket launches, satellite communication and space exploration to preserve its often unsung successes in space and keep up with US and Chinese ambitions, its space chief said on Sunday. Over the past decades, Europe has sought to build independent access to space from U.S. and Russian pioneers to help its industry, with successes such as Ariane rockets or GPS-rival satnav Galileo. Dozens arrested as Hong Kongers protest planned national security laws

Hong Kong police arrested at least 53 people on Sunday after scuffles erupted during a relatively peaceful protest against planned national security legislation to be implemented by the mainland Chinese government. Armed riot police were present as a crowd of several hundred moved from Jordan to Mong Kok in the Kowloon district, staging what was intended as a "silent protest" against the planned law. France's Macron takes drubbing in local elections, Greens surge

France President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party received a drubbing on Sunday in municipal elections, as the Greens celebrated victories in several big cities after a surge in support. Macron had hoped the elections would help anchor his young party in towns and cities across France, including Paris, ahead of an anticipated 2022 re-election bid. In Haiti, coronavirus spreads in slums, showing challenge for Latin America

Berthony Clermont shares a two-room flat without running water with 10 relatives in the Haitian capital's Cite Soleil slum, so when he fell ill with the novel coronavirus, they all did. "I tried staying at home at the beginning but it was difficult to isolate myself as the house is too small," said the 45-year old. Mistrustful of the dilapidated public healthcare in Haiti - the poorest country in the Americas - Clermont and his family treated themselves at home with herbal teas. Global coronavirus deaths top half a million

The death toll from COVID-19 reached half a million people on Sunday, according to a Reuters tally, a grim milestone for the global pandemic that seems to be resurgent in some countries even as other regions are still grappling with the first wave. The respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus has been particularly dangerous for the elderly, although other adults and children are also among the 500,000 fatalities and more than 10 million reported cases. India seeks extradition from Pakistan of suspected Mumbai attack mastermind

India is seeking the extradition of a top Pakistan militant suspected to have planned the 2008 Mumbai attacks after the United States said last week he was living freely in Pakistan, government officials said on Sunday. India and the United States have both indicted Sajid Mir of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group for the three-day attacks on hotels, a train station and a Jewish centre in which 166 people were killed including six Americans. Lebanese security forces investigating explosion near Hariri convoy this month

Lebanese security forces are investigating an explosion 11 days ago that took place near the convoy of former Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, Hariri's office said on Sunday. Hariri's office said the incident, in which nobody was hurt, took place during a tour of the eastern Beqaa valley and was not made public at the time to prevent inflaming passions in an already politically charged atmosphere. Hoping to rebound from coronavirus, UK PM Johnson sets out school building plan

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out plans for a 10-year rebuilding programme for schools in England on Monday, part of government efforts to help Britain "bounce back" from the coronavirus crisis. Johnson, whose popularity has flagged over his government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, will make a speech on Tuesday to set out an infrastructure programme, allowing him to return to election pledges that helped him win a large majority.