Those returning to Victoria face tests

MELBOURNE • Australia's Victoria state will implement mandatory coronavirus tests for returning travellers after a sharp spike in infections over the past two weeks, state premier Daniel Andrews said yesterday.

The country's second-most populous state had 49 new cases yesterday, its highest in over two months and the 12th consecutive day of double-digit rises. Mr Andrews said some suburbs could be put back into lockdown if necessary to contain the outbreak.

REUTERS, BLOOMBERG

S. Korea sports to see some spectators

SEOUL • South Korea said yesterday it will begin allowing limited numbers of spectators at sports games as it seeks to return to normal after months of strict social distancing rules to combat the coronavirus. The move comes despite alarm over a second wave of infections recently, mostly in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Of the 62 new cases reported yesterday - taking the country's total to 12,715 - 40 were domestic infections while 22 were people arriving from overseas.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Infrastructure boost to revive Britain

LONDON • Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed that Britain will spend large sums on hospitals, schools and roads to jump-start the economy as it emerges from the coronavirus lockdown that has plunged the country into what may be its worst recession in three centuries.

In an interview in the Daily Mail, Mr Johnson rejected a return to the austerity policies that followed the 2008 financial crisis and said the country will "build our way back" from the crisis through "shovel-ready" projects.

Mr Johnson is expected to unveil the spending plans in a major speech tomorrow. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is leading a new infrastructure task force to identify and speed up projects.

BLOOMBERG