this is bbc news. the headlines... president biden has been out on the road, to defend his plans for a six trillion dollar government spending spree. it's the biggest federal budget since the second world war — and it's been described as "insanely expensive" by leading republicans. president lukashenko of belarus has accused his country's opponents of trying to de—stabilise his nation. he made the comments during talks with president putin in the black sea resort of sochi. germany has formally recognised that its colonial troops committed genocide in what's now namibia at the start of the twentieth century. it has agreed to pay one—point—three billion dollars towards development projects in affected communities. downing street has said borisjohnson raised "significant concerns" about human rights in hungary, during his meeting with the country's leader. viktor orban is only the second european union leader to hold talks with the british prime minister since brexit.

bringing us tomorrow. with me arejessica elgot, the deputy political editor at the guardian, and jasmine cameron, who's the political and diplomatic correspondent for the ft. they are already well up—to—date with what — they are already well up—to—date with what is on the front pages. let's _ with what is on the front pages. let's bring _ with what is on the front pages. let's bring you up—to—date as well. the canvas professor —— sendak the guardian has the cambridge professor, whose argument against a herd immunity strategy helped trigger england's first lockdown, voicing concerns about the risks of easing restrictions next month. the �*i' says people may be called up for their second jabs sooner than eight weeks in some areas of england — in a race to stay ahead of rising infections from indian variant. meanwhile the times says if the indian variant continues to surge, facemasks and work from home guidance could remain in place afterjune the 21st — under government plans to "prioritise" the end of social distancing.

according to the daily telegraph, medical advisers will next month insist that boris johnson makes a political decision on whether to vaccinate children and will not offer a firm recommendation. the daily mirror reports that the first ever drug shown to work against alzheimer's could be available on the nhs by next year. the daily express says watchdogs are being urged to ban big firms ripping off loyal customers for after the city regulator stopped insurers always raising premiums for those who stick with them. and the financial times highlights concerns about price increases — after a us inflation measure posted its biggest year—on—yearjump since the 1990s in april. writes, let's plunge straight in. jasmine, caicos office time. fast second jobs to beat newberry into. yes, so the story suggests that people may be called up for their second jab slightly earlier than planned. so currently the gap between the first and the second doseis between the first and the second

dose is around eight weeks for over 50s and 12 weeks for under 50s. vi reports that in areas where vaccination centres have the capacity, people may be called up slightly earlier to get their second dose, and this comes as there is a lot of concern in the scientific community and in the government about the spread of the variant first identified in india, that is real concern that as infections take off, that will impact deaths. so there is a race against time to get his money people vaccinated as possible. it his money people vaccinated as ossible. ., ,., his money people vaccinated as ossible. ., ., ., ., possible. it also links into another sto that possible. it also links into another story that is _ possible. it also links into another story that is in _ possible. it also links into another story that is in the _ possible. it also links into another story that is in the papers - possible. it also links into another story that is in the papers in - possible. it also links into another story that is in the papers in the i story that is in the papers in the morning which is about the possibility of vaccinating kids. we will come to that in a second. jessica, in a sense, it sort of takes us back to where we were in the first place. originally, the manufacturer was saying make it eight weeks. written uniquely set, no, we will do it in 12 weeks. there is limited evidence coming to li-ht there is limited evidence coming to light that _ there is limited evidence coming to light that it seems to be more

beneficial to have this bigger spread — beneficial to have this bigger spread betweenjabs, so, obviously, you are _ spread betweenjabs, so, obviously, you are then— spread betweenjabs, so, obviously, you are then potentially taking a risk by— you are then potentially taking a risk by making the gap smaller, although, — risk by making the gap smaller, although, that is what most other countries — although, that is what most other countries around the world are doing. — countries around the world are doing. so— countries around the world are doing, so you think that it potentially wouldn't make that much difference. i think that there is a case: _ difference. i think that there is a case, the — difference. i think that there is a case, the cases that you can potentially speed up second dose is because _ potentially speed up second dose is because of the changes around the astrazeneca vaccine for the younger people _ astrazeneca vaccine for the younger people so. — astrazeneca vaccine for the younger people. so, yes, because there are more _ people. so, yes, because there are more asters— people. so, yes, because there are more asters on a jabs available for people _ more asters on a jabs available for people who are over 40 and you can now speed _ people who are over 40 and you can now speed up their second doses white _ now speed up their second doses while people under 40 get their pfiler— while people under 40 get their pfizerjabs. you know, there is probably— pfizerjabs. you know, there is probably a _ pfizerjabs. you know, there is probably a case to be made to try to make _ probably a case to be made to try to make sure _ probably a case to be made to try to make sure everybody, you know, has been _ make sure everybody, you know, has been offered two jabs by the end of

the summer, because then if you do have to _ the summer, because then if you do have to push — the summer, because then if you do have to push back some of those sociai— have to push back some of those social distancing rules, relaxations, clearly no one wants to do that, _ relaxations, clearly no one wants to do that, than the time to do that would _ do that, than the time to do that would be — do that, than the time to do that would be after everybody has been offered _ would be after everybody has been offered two jabs. that would be after everybody has been offered two jabs.— would be after everybody has been offered two jabs. offered two “abs. that makes sense. jessica offered two jabs. that makes sense. jessica mejia — offered two jabs. that makes sense. jessica mejia want _ offered two jabs. that makes sense. jessica mejia want to _ offered two jabs. that makes sense. jessica mejia want to pick— offered two jabs. that makes sense. jessica mejia want to pick up - offered two jabs. that makes sense. jessica mejia want to pick up on - jessica mejia want to pick up on what the times is saying on saturday about facemasks. lots of people were hoping that they wouldn't have to keep wearing facemasks. yes. hoping that they wouldn't have to keep wearing facemasks.- keep wearing facemasks. yes, it think obviously _ keep wearing facemasks. yes, it think obviously there _ keep wearing facemasks. yes, it think obviously there was - keep wearing facemasks. yes, it think obviously there was so - keep wearing facemasks. yes, it i think obviously there was so much excitement around this freedom day, and i think even the way we described it you know, talking with friends about going to night clubs, though i have not been in many years, even then, we are talking about in a joking way, not necessarily really believing that it will happen, and i suspect people don't really want to go tonight in a facemask even if they are allowed to open. you don't want to have this staying a metre apart from

everybody, so therefore, what does that mean for lots of places that haven't actually been to allowed to reopen yet is make you know, the

meanwhile, in rugby league, st helens went level on points with super league leaders wigan after beating hull 34—16. joe batchelor scoring the last of six saints tries. in tonight's other game, leeds thrashed castleford 60—6.

and that's all the sport for now. remember, you can stay right up to date on all the latest sports news via the bbc sport website. we will see you again soon. bye— bye. hello there. friday was a bit of a disappointing day. we saw a lot more cloud around and some patchy rain thanks to a weak weather front. however, as we move through the bank holiday weekend, high pressure builds in. it's going to bring increasingly sunny and warmer weather from the south. now, this highway of high pressure will push these weather fronts away, but we still have the legacy of yesterday's weather fronts across central and western areas. a little bit of early drizzle here and there, but gradually conditions will improve. the sunshine will get going on that cloud break. we could see just a few heavy showers dotted around here and there through the afternoon. but most places will be dry, and they'll be a little bit warmer because of more sunshine. highs of 20, maybe 21 degrees. any showers will fade away

through saturday evening. and through saturday night, some low and mist will roll back into eastern scotland and eastern england, so it'll be quite cool here. but further west, temperatures no lower than 9—11 degrees. on into sunday, even warmer once we lose that cloud across the east coast. there'll be plenty of sunshine and warmer still on bank holiday monday.

this is bbc news. i'm james reynolds with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the $6 trillion plan — president biden pushes the biggest spending programme since world war ii to reboot the us economy. belarus's leader accuses the west of trying to destablise his country. he's met president putin as tensions mount over last week's plane diversion. india's hidden death toll — covid is killing thousands every day, but the figures show only a fraction of the tragedy. we've been told that 26 people have died here with symptoms of covid—19 in the past month, but none of them were actually tested. that means they're not included in india's official death toll from the virus. and thousands of manchester city and chelsea fans arrive in portugal ahead of saturday's champions league final.