this is bbc news. i'm ben boulos. our top stories: the 6 trillion dollar plan. president biden pushes the biggest spending programme since world war two — 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. and, love em, hate em or eat them — how americans are dealing with a once—in—generation invasion of cicadas. hello and welcome to bbc news. president biden has unveiled his budget proposal for next year with the highest level of federal government spending since the second world war. he's says it's the time to invest in america — but republicans have called the plan �*insanely expensive�*. mr biden is calling forjust over six—trillion dollars�* worth of post—pandemic spending which still needs congressional approval. he�*s demanding huge investments in infrastructure, education and green technology but he faces a political battle to deliver it. here�*s the president speaking

at an event in ohio. the bottom line is this — the biden economic plan is working. we�*ve had record job creation. we�*re seeing record economic growth. we�*re creating a new paradigm. and now, 50% of all of america, more than any other country, is fully vaccinated. applause. 75% of seniors — black, white, hispanic, across—the—board — are fully vaccinated. we�*re getting lives back. the american economy�*s coming back. for more on the significance of president biden�*s budget proposals here�*s our north america correspondent david willis. this repesents america's biggest federal spending package since the second world wan _ it all amounts to a 36% increase in spending compared

to before the coronavirus pandemic. a lot of it we knew about. money, nearly $2 trillion for example in improving the nation's infrastructure, almost the same amount on improving education standards. money to combat gun violence, climate issues and so on. butjoe biden is of the view that so—called trickle—down economics, on which his country for so long has been built, simply don't work. he believes the economy needs to be boosted from the middle and the bottom upwards. this is, of course, a negotiating package. he's a man who's very keen to achieve bipartisan agreement on these sort of issues. at least to have bipartisan negotiations. but there could certainly be some very hard negotiations in the weeks and months ahead, especially bearing in mind the fact that republicans have reacted so strongly to this

package, saying that it would drown americans in debt, deficit and inflation. joining me now is rick perlstein a historian and author. very good to have you with us. this is a sharp division over the proposed spending plans. is this a new era of bipartisanship and division between republicans and democrats or not.- between republicans and democrats or not. there is very little cooperation _ democrats or not. there is very little cooperation between - little cooperation between democrats and republicans. quite simply because, you know, this year and beginning with barack obama�*s presidency for congressional leaders of the republican party have literally announced as their goal sabotaging the ability to govern other democratic

president so a lot of democratic with a smile the deficits that have been building up in our history since the 19th century begin to come to the fore whereby we have a popular president elected on a mandate precisely with which he is promising to govern on and we have a republican party that is looking to basically sabotage anything he tries to do because they�*ve kind of become a leninist formation just interested in rule or leninist formationjust interested in rule or ruin. it interested in rule or ruin. if you look at the proposals in detail there is nothing that is drastically radical in there. no publicly run health insurance are free college for all so they can�*t even get agreement across the aisle on the republicans on, you know, fairly moderate proposals, what hope is there of anything being

donein hope is there of anything being done in this administration at all? fit done in this administration at all? . ., , ~ .. done in this administration at all? , ~ all? of course if america was run on basic— all? of course if america was run on basic democratic - run on basic democratic principles we would be in the clear because of course democrats control the house of representatives and the presidency and by light of the fact that there is basically a 50-50 fact that there is basically a 50—50 split in the senate and the constitution allows for the vice president to cast their tie—breaking vote they have control of the senate. the people have spoken. democrats are winning elections all over the place but because of the elections in set up the way they are there are bottlenecks in the constitutional system that makes it impossible for a majority to control the levels of government so what he is going to be trying to do is saying, whatever elected officials say, we have both in polling and elections a mandate to do this. and we have a

stopgap that you can pass budgets with 50 votes in the senate, it is a very technical thing. senate, it is a very technical thin. ~ ., thing. where do you trace the roots of this _ thing. where do you trace the roots of this strength - thing. where do you trace the roots of this strength of - roots of this strength of opposition to the democratic presidency and jo biden�*s plans, does it go back to donald trump further? i plans, does it go back to donald trump further? i would trace it to _ donald trump further? i would trace it to the _ donald trump further? i would trace it to the 18th _ donald trump further? i would trace it to the 18th century, - trace it to the 18th century, excuse me, the 19th century. it can trace it back to when ronald reagan was inaugurated and he said government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem. we have had this party that has devoted itself to the proposition that it should make government as small and un—functional as possible as a principle. but waiver for that in the 19th century we have had this reactionary minority first—born in slaveholding south that believe the country was theirs to run by right and they were able to use all sorts of strategy ends within the

political realm and they�*ve proven themselves again and again and again perfectly willing to take up arms to support their position both with the civil war and with 20th—century civil rights movements against the federal government�*s attempts to enforce full citizenship for african—americans. and that is basically what we saw in january the 6th that basically the republican right win the election so they tried to steal it. ~ , ., it. we must leave it there. reau it. we must leave it there. really good _ it. we must leave it there. really good to _ it. we must leave it there. really good to trace - it. we must leave it there. really good to trace the i really good to trace the historical roots of where we find ourselves today. at a meeting with russian president vladmir putin today, the leader of belarus, alexander lukashenko, said the west is trying to destabilise his country. european leaders have accused belarus of air piracy after a commercialjet was forced to land in minsk and an opposition journalist was arrested. sarah rainsford reports from minsk.

in belarus, marrying an opposition politician can make for a very lonely life. for a whole year, volha�*s only contact with her husband has been these letters from his prison cell. pavel writes poems for her, long stories for their son but this week, volha finally got to see him. and pavel was still chanting defiance, even in court. the trial had been closed, with relatives only let in for the guilty verdict. translation: we weren't allowed close, we could only shout - i love you or make heart signs, but even to look at each other was a hugejoy. pavel seviarynets is a lifelong dissident, but now his three—year—old is growing up without his dad. he was arrested before belarus erupted in protest over the re—election of president alexander lukashenko.

translation: it's - a really long sentence. our son will be ten when he gets out, but i don�*t think he will serve it all. i don�*t let myself think like that. people here are afraid, but there�*s real pressure on lukashenko and i think any spark could ignite things again. the protesters have been forced to retreat from the streets for now, though. many have fled abroad, hundreds more are behind bars. i�*ve never known belarus like this, not in all the years i�*ve been coming here. people now are just terrified to speak out, because with the crackdown with all the arrests, you never know who they�*ll be coming for next. last week, they came for the journalists. vasil was nervous about talking, but his wife was arrested with 14 people in her team at the country�*s best—known independent news site. today, he was waiting to hear if marina had been charged. so, is there any news, anything new?

no news. no news? no news. alexander lukashenko is crushing dissent here, and yet vasil believes last year�*s protests were a turning point. in public, nobody demonstrates because it is really dangerous, but the people didn't change their mind. they need the change for the country. change was the rallying cry of the protests here, and some still see glimmers of hope for the future. sarah rainsford, bbc news, minsk. the united nations says that as many as four— hundred thousand people have fled the city of goma in the democratic republic of congo, over fears of another eruption from mount nyiragongo. on thursday, officials ordered goma to be partially evacuated, worried that lava flows into lake kivu would generate a tsunami and toxic gas cloud. emery makumeno reports from the town of sake

where thousands have fled in recent days... these people have made it to sake, a few miles east. but the democratic republic of condo is a difficult place to be at the best of times. local activists distributed food but with nearly half a million displays the need is far greater and the help available. translation: it is now the government that should pitch the tent and provide food. i must get money from the treasury to buy food. here in sake no one has come to solve the food issue. translation: we were well received by this lady to whom i would like to extend my

gratitude. because, thanks to her, at least 50 people found where to spend the night and we ate what little we had with the children. here in such sake that there are still people trying to find food and shelter and humanitarian is trying to build the necessary assistance to them. last saturday�*s eruption destroyed nearly 3000 homes killed 51 people. but there have been after—shocks ever since. there have been after—shocks eversince. some there have been after—shocks ever since. some measuring close to magnitude five. it has led to fears of another more powerful eruption or even the release of a huge methane bubble that is trapped under a nearby lake and it was notjust homes that were destroyed. much of the lava flowed into the

national park. if we are unable to restore electricity quickly it means not only can we not provide power to the people of goma but also to the pumping stations on the lake which are providing this reservoir here with water. and that supplies 1.1 million people with water in the city of goma and without water there is a very substantive risk of cholera. the city of 2 million people is used to living on the edge. but now sits upon a lake of magma that experts say could erupt from anywhere at any point. president biden has been defending his plans for a six trillion dollar government spending spree , the biggest since the second world war. the belarusian leader,

alexander lukashenko accuses the west of trying to destabilise his country during talks with president putin. at least 300,000 people are now known to have died in india�*s second wave of coronavirus — with may likely to be the deadliest month so far. but the true death toll could be several times higher especially in rural areas where the virus is now spreading. access to healthca re there is almost non—existent as our international correspondent orla guerin found when she travelled to beer har one of the poorest areas in india. funeral pyres are now a prism for the pain of a nation. he is lost in grief for his mother, one of the latest victims of covid—i9 in the state of bihar. with so many dead across india, cremation costs have soared. some families here have been reduced to entrusting the bodies of their loved ones

to the sacred waters of the ganges. prime minister narendra modi, whose ratings are falling, has been remembering the dead with a show of emotion. but within hours, "crocodile tears" was trending on social media here. the full scale of india�*s tragedy may never be known. we crossed the ganges to reach the vast hinterland. in ruralareas, like the village of like birpur, we found a landscape of neglect and untold stories. so can you tell me, are many

families affected here? no social distancing either, and no masks in sight. this is the other india, not rising but left behind. people here say the living are barely counted, much less the dead. we�*ve been told that 26 people have died here with symptoms of covid—i9 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. now, this isjust one village, but you can multiply this across india. take a look at the village health centre. imagine having to rush here in an emergency. it�*s an empty shell, carefully padlocked. this neglect is not unusual in rural india. it takes three hours to get to a hospital.

many can�*t afford the journey. the village leader has lost neighbours and friends. he blames the prime minister. when we returned to birpur for a second day, health workers had been dispatched to the village. a local source told us the visit was a token gesture because we had been on the ground. hello, hi, we are from bbc news. this health worker finally

had some vaccines. so, she waited in vain. there is vaccine hesitancy in the village, but in much of the country, there�*s no vaccine to be had. covid has cut across india like a scythe, bringing anguish for the living and indignity for the dying. and for the prime minister, the accusation of failing his people. orla guerin, bbc news, on the banks of the ganges. thousands of fans are descending on the portuguese city of porto — ahead of saturday�*s champions league final between chelsea and manchester city. sixteen—and—a—half thousand supporters will be allowed

into the stadium to watch one of the biggest events in sport — after the venue of the final was switched from istanbul because of covid. our sports correspondent natalie pirks reports from porto. music. wembley may have been a more practical choice for an all—english final... singing. ..but now they�*re in porto, fans are more than happy. for the train to london, it�*s 100 quid, and it�*s 400 quid to come here. you get the sun, you get the beer and the people are better. wembley would've been nice because you could've had a lot more drink and a lot more people, but you can't really beat this, can you, to be honest? it's our first— champions league final. you can't not follow| your team, can you, with or without a ticket? i�*ve missed two games in 42 years. it was essential that i was here, even though there were a lot of hoops

tojump through. yes, it hasn�*t exactly been simple. # portugal, portugal, we are coming. ..# of the usual flight and hotel price hikes, three covid tests are needed to get in and out. well, more than 11,000 city and chelsea fans have tickets and will be in the stadium, but plenty more have travelled without tickets and are planning to watch it in the bars around porto, which close at 10:30pm at night. during the day, the atmosphere was one of mutual respect, albeit under a watchful eye. like most tourist cities, porto has lost millions during the pandemic, but now the hotels are full for the first time since last march. it was important for - the economy, to the local economy, for the restaurants, for the hotels, for the shops, i for the tourists, for- the boats, for example. so, it's like kick—off- fora new moment here in porto and north portugal. both teams overcame stellar opposition to be here, but this is city�*s first

champions league final. for pep guardiola, there�*s no greater feeling. i�*m the happiest man in the world right now to be in here, so it�*s a privilege. it�*s an honour, and we�*re going to try to do our best. tonight, the police presence has intensified. they�*ve maintained a mostly hands—off approach so far. the prize for fans is the most coveted trophy in european club football, but the nation�*s reputation is also at stake. natalie pirks, bbc news, porto. every 17 years they cause havoc and the occasional shudder. billions of cicadas known as brood x or brood 10 are emerging in a synchronized event that only happens in the us. and as the bbc�*s nada tawfik reports from the state of newjersey — the great eastern brood is causing quite the buzz. it�*s a sight and sound that will make your skin crawl.

billions of periodical cicadas emerging out of the earth and overtaking the eastern united states. the rare spectacle has americans in awe. it was deafening, really deafening... the grants have lived here for decades, and like clockwork, the brood x cicadas have arrived at the same time every 17 years to mate. it can get so loud that some of theirfriends have mistaken the male insects�* droning song for a police siren. because of my hearing disadvantages, i don't put my hearing aids when i come out in the garden. otherwise i get the whole sound magnified. the mass emergence and its timing is all part of a clever survival strategy to evade predators. then the metamorphosis from nymph to adult happens relatively quickly. so, here we have a fully grown female that�*s now ready to mate and lay her eggs.

she�*ll only live 4—6 weeks, though, after being underground for 17 years. cos this is when they're most vulnerable, right here, - cos their body is so soft. it�*s a magical time for entomologist drjessica weir, whose16—year—old daughter wasn�*t even alive the last time she saw these insects. the world was a very different place back then. george bush was president, and facebook was just launched. you know, a lot of people - for centuries have been calling these things locusts, i but they're the opposite of locusts cos they'rel not actually a plague, they're not destroying crops. they're actually living their life completely i in exclusion of humans, i and they're great nutrition. i�*m going to put two on this one... yes, you heard that right, these critters are a culinary delicacy. cicadas are a flavour bomb. they have so much flavour and add a scent of umame to the dish. chefjoseph had been cooking with the star ingredient to encourage americans to reimagine bugs as a protein—rich, sustainable food source. i think i�*m ready.

may i? yes, please. ok, i�*m going to go with this one here. bug appetit. a burst of springtime in your mouth. there's a booth for the sound and lights. for others, the noisy critters are just downright disruptive. it�*s safe to say shakespeare is not in love with the cicada. this theatre company has had to cut its outdoor season short. the last time i directed a show out here, i sat over there with two huge badminton rackets and just screamed as they came at me and swatted them away. the takeover may be dramatic, but it is temporary. soon, the larvae of the new generation will burrow their way into the ground, resetting the 17—year cycle. nada tawfik, bbc news, newjersey. you can reach me on twitter — i�*m @benmboulos.

hello there. friday was a bit of a disappointing day thanks to a weak weather front which brought more cloud around and also some light and patchy rain. but for the weekend, as high pressure builds in, conditions will improve. we�*ll see increasing amounts of sunshine, and it will turn warmer as well. so, here�*s our building area of high pressure today. it�*ll be pushing these weather fronts out into the atlantic, so we�*ll see a lot of sunshine into the afternoon. because we will start off rather grey through this morning thanks to the legacy of yesterday�*s weather front. a little bit of drizzle here and there close to the west coast. but increasing amounts sunshine into the afternoon, and that could set off an isolated heavy shower here and there, particularly across the higher ground in the north. and there could be a little bit of low cloud and mist affecting north sea coasts. but with more sunshine around,

we could make 19—20 degrees, maybe even warmer than that in one or two spots. now, as we head through saturday night, any showers will fade away. we�*ll see some low cloud and mist rolling into eastern scotland and eastern england, but further west, skies should remain clear. those temperatures will range from around 7—11 degrees. so, on into sunday, then, our big area of high pressure�*s dominating the scene, slowly pushing out into the north sea. that�*s going to bring a lot of dry weather around. it will start quite grey and cool across eastern scotland and eastern england, but that low cloud and mist will burn back to the coast thanks to the strong late may sunshine. many places will be dry with widespread sunshine around, so it�*s going to be warmer. temperatures reaching 22 degrees there for glasgow, 21 or 22 or 23 degrees in parts of england and wales. now, as we head on into bank holiday monday, our area of high pressure will be out in the north sea, and that�*s going to draw some warm air up from the south or the south—east off the near continent. so, combine that with the strong late may sunshine, it�*s going to feel even warmer. 23, 2a, maybe even 25 degrees somewhere, so that will be challenging the warmest day

of the year so far, which was set back in late march. tuesday, we do it all again. south—southeasterly winds, plenty of sunshine around. it�*s going to be another very warm day. a bit of fairweather cloud bubbling up into the afternoon. those temperatures ranging from low to mid—20s celsius. always a little bit fresher along from southern and eastern coasts. now, as we head through the week, there isjust the chance at the moment that we could see some thundery showers moving up from the south, particularly through wednesday and thursday. otherwise, we should continue to see quite a bit of sunshine.

this is bbc news, the headlines: us presidentjoe biden has proposed a $6 trillion budget to boost the us economy and fend off competition from china. mr biden is demanding huge investments in infrastructure, education and green technology. the plan, the biggest since the second world war, still needs congressional approval. belarus�*s leader has accused the west of trying to destabilise his nation. he made the comments on a visit to russia for talks with president putin as the fallout continues from last week�*s plane interception. the west said it was an act of air piracy. the european union�*s medicines regulator has approved the use of the pfizer—biontech coronavirus vaccine for children aged between 12 and 15. up to now, its use in the 27 member countries has only been allowed in those aged 16 and over. now on bbc news —

in click, we head to a race track with a dashboard device which might help you drive