this is bbc news — these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. further sanctions on belarus as the us calls the diverting of a passenger plane �*an affront to international norms�*. thousands of manchester city and chelsea fans are in portugal where the teams meet for the champions league final. the 6 trillion dollar plan. president biden pushes the biggest spending programme since world war two — to try and reboot america's economy. 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. an 18—year—old man has been charged with conspiracy to murder over

the shooting of black lives matter activist sasha johnson. making a splash — a rise in lockdown river swimming promts public concern around the state of the uk's waterways. hello and welcome if you re watching in the uk or around the world. we start in belarus. key members of the government there will be hit with sanctions as the us is drawing up a list of people to target. it's a response to the forcing down of a commercial plane to capture an opposition journalist last week.

at a meeting with russian president vladmir putin on friday, the leader of belarus, alexander lukashenka, said the west is trying to destabilise his country. opposition leader svetlana tikhanovskaya — seen here with the dutch prime minister last week — is due to lead a �*belarus solidarity�* march later today, in the lithuanian capital, vilnius. it's one year to to the day since her husband sergei was imprisoned. he was due to stand as a candidate in the presidential elections last year. she's called for global protests in support of the democracy movement. 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 i 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. earlier, i spoke to our correspondent, olga ivshina, in london, and asked her what impact these sanctions were likely to have on mr lukashenko. first of all the sanctions are going to address the closed circle of his allies and people from his administration but what is also important is that from the 3rd of june the sanctions are going to be addressed and they are going to touch a state funded enterprises and this means that the sanctions will also have an impact on the of

belarus and people who live in belarus and people who live in belarus and people who live in belarus and this means that the already struggling economy is going to struggle even more and that is the problem not only for the leader but also for the people of the country. i5 but also for the people of the count . , , ~ , country. is president putin likely to be comfortable _ country. is president putin likely to be comfortable openly - country. is president putin likely - to be comfortable openly supporting the president? it to be comfortable openly supporting the president?— the president? it seems that he already is. _ the president? it seems that he already is. you _ the president? it seems that he already is, you know. _ the president? it seems that he already is, you know. and - already is, you know. and yesterday's meeting it lasted for more than five hours and there was an open part where theyjoked and putin had invited the president to swim. the water is 10 degrees, it is not that warm. and that is exactly the relations between russia and belarus. not that one but there are allies. he was pursuing his own goals and was critical of moscow on some occasions, and the balance of europe, china and russia. he is not

seen as a stable partner for but for putin it is so important to keep him in power. for him, it is so important to show that he strongly supports him and he is not going to tolerate revolution in any of us neighbouring countries to happen any more. in what form or that support come from russia? it is hard to say at the moment. the details of the negotiations are still not revealed to the press but it is quite possible that belarus will ask for more economic help from moscow because the economy does need a strong hand. but we need to remember that the russian economy is doing not so great, too. and even though mr putin is definitely comfortable supporting him in public there is growing concern in putin's and other economic and political social

circles of russia. there will be pressure on him to. the main trouble here is there is this demand and hope for change in the belarus in people but the price for a change for individuals too high. but the price for russia of the absence of change is quite acceptable. thousands of fans are descending on the portuguese city of porto — ahead of this evening's champions league final, between chelsea and manchester city. 16,500 supporters will be allowed into the stadium to watch the all—english affair — after the venue was switched from turkey, because of covid—i9. our sports correspondent, natalie pirks, reports from porto. 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. a train to london is 100 quid, it's 400 quid to come here,

you get the sun and the beer and the people are better. wembley would have been nice, you could have 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. with or without a ticket. i've missed two games in 42 years. it was essential that i was here, even though there were lots of hoops to jump through. it hasn't exactly been simple. chanting: portugal, - portugal, we are coming! on top of the usual flight and hotel price hikes, three covid tests are needed to get in and out. more than 11,000 city and chelsea fans have tickets to 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. 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, for the local economy, the restaurants, for the hotels, for the tourists, for the boats, for example. so it is like kick—off for a new moment here 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 am the happiest man in the world right now to be here, it is a privilege, it is an honour, and we are going to try to do our best. the prize forfans is the most coveted trophy in european club football. but the nation's reputation is also at stake. natalie pirks, bbc news, porto. we can speak now to a fan who has made the journey to porto. kevin parker is general secretary of the official manchester city supporters club.

thank you forjoining us. how are you feeling? i thank you for “oining us. how are you feeling?— thank you for “oining us. how are you feeling?_ thank you for “oining us. how are you feeling? i am feeling great. it is a beautiful _ you feeling? i am feeling great. it is a beautiful city _ you feeling? i am feeling great. it is a beautiful city in _ you feeling? i am feeling great. it is a beautiful city in the _ you feeling? i am feeling great. it is a beautiful city in the sun - you feeling? i am feeling great. it is a beautiful city in the sun is - is a beautiful city in the sun is shining. lots of supporters out having fun and enjoying themselves and, yeah, city are here to play in the champions league final. it can't be any better. well, it could be better if we win it.— be any better. well, it could be better if we win it. fingers crossed for both teams. _ better if we win it. fingers crossed for both teams. how _ better if we win it. fingers crossed for both teams. how was - better if we win it. fingers crossed for both teams. how was the - better if we win it. fingers crossed i for both teams. how was the journey over? we for both teams. how was the “ourney over? ~ ., ., ., ., , over? we had to go to pcr testing and actually _ over? we had to go to pcr testing and actually at _ over? we had to go to pcr testing and actually at the _ over? we had to go to pcr testing and actually at the airport, - over? we had to go to pcr testing and actually at the airport, we - over? we had to go to pcr testing| and actually at the airport, we flew yesterday morning, it was smooth. the airport wasn't busy so getting to check—in and then through passport control was nice and easy. into the area just to wait for the aircraft. everyone got their nice and early. the flight itself was perfect and when we got to porto

airport that was smooth as well. so the journey itself has been perfect and the hotel that we are staying in has been very welcoming. the portuguese people are generally wonderful people anyhow but maybe this time round even more so because we are coming in to help their economy. we are coming in to help their economy-— we are coming in to help their econom . ~ ., economy. we will get on with the chances of _ economy. we will get on with the chances of man _ economy. we will get on with the chances of man city _ economy. we will get on with the chances of man city and - economy. we will get on with the chances of man city and what - economy. we will get on with the chances of man city and what you think will happen tonight but first off, that switch from istanbul to porto, do you think it was a good switch forfans? porto, do you think it was a good switch for fans?— porto, do you think it was a good switch for fans? yes, i think so. it would have _ switch for fans? yes, i think so. it would have been _ switch for fans? yes, i think so. it would have been a _ switch for fans? yes, i think so. it would have been a long _ switch for fans? yes, i think so. it would have been a long journey i switch for fans? yes, i think so. itj would have been a long journey to switch for fans? yes, i think so. it i would have been a long journey to to istanbul and it would have been a greatjourney. we would have played the final anywhere but switching it made it more achievable for fans. portugal is on the uk's green list and while we have had to go through and while we have had to go through a few hoops to get here none of it really has been challenging. what really has been challenging. what ou think really has been challenging. what you think of _ really has been challenging. what you think of your _ really has been challenging. what you think of your team's - really has been challenging. what you think of your team's chances tonight?

you think of your team's chances toniaht? , , ., ., ., tonight? city proved that we are the best team in — tonight? city proved that we are the best team in england, _ tonight? city proved that we are the best team in england, comfortably. | best team in england, comfortably. but of course it is a cup final, as proved earlier in the week when a seventh placed team in spain beat manchester uniter, so you never know. we will have to be on her best. if the manager can pick the strongest team in that team completed a maximum of their ability, i've got to be confident. and what would that look like. the team who and what would that look like. tye: team who played and what would that look like. tta: team who played the and what would that look like. tt2 team who played the semifinal. diaz, walker, silva, ma rares. the team that everyone expects it to be unless the manager has got a surprise in store. we are all hoping, there was a scare yesterday about a potential injury but that was dismissed. we are hoping he has

got its full strength team, full—strength squad to pick from and if he does we have to be confident. we are playing a very good team and chelsea are recent they have done quite well and against us so we have the same time. we quite well and against us so we have the same time-— the same time. we saw earlier this excess of leicester _ the same time. we saw earlier this excess of leicester foxes _ the same time. we saw earlier this excess of leicester foxes and - the same time. we saw earlier this excess of leicester foxes and what | excess of leicester foxes and what that success meant to them and the city of leicester. what would it mean to man city fans? tt city of leicester. what would it mean to man city fans?- city of leicester. what would it mean to man city fans? it will mean absolutely everything. _ mean to man city fans? it will mean absolutely everything. we _ mean to man city fans? it will mean absolutely everything. we have - mean to man city fans? it will mean | absolutely everything. we have been in fantastic shape. we won every trophy that is available to us apart from this one and a picture on a different level, i think, from this one and a picture on a different level, ithink, with from this one and a picture on a different level, i think, with other supporters of other clubs around europe. once you win the champions league. even though people look at city and consider as to be a fantastic team you have to win this one to get supporters of other teams to accept you into the elite group so it will make that massive difference. so it will make that massive

difference-— so it will make that massive difference. p . , ., , difference. my final question is, the city of _ difference. my final question is, the city of porto _ difference. my final question is, the city of porto seeing - difference. my final question is, the city of porto seeing this - difference. my final question is, i the city of porto seeing this influx of people coming in. we have had several ports that they are a little bit nervous and anxious. what is your feeling about how the fans are going to behave tonight? the? your feeling about how the fans are going to behave tonight? they were fantastic yesterday _ going to behave tonight? they were fantastic yesterday and _ going to behave tonight? they were fantastic yesterday and will - going to behave tonight? they were fantastic yesterday and will be - fantastic yesterday and will be great again today. unfortunately all football clubs have a little element that step out of line if things don't go their way and i'm just hoping that people remember, either chelsea fans all city fans, that they are representing our own football clubs and, in may after the game that we remember that and get on and just be nice and peaceful go home smiling and thanking ourselves that we have been able to get onto a holiday and to be able to come to the champions league final. thank ou so the champions league final. thank you so much _ the champions league final. thank you so much and _ the champions league final. thank you so much and good _ the champions league final. thank you so much and good luck - the champions league final. thank you so much and good luck to - the champions league final. thank you so much and good luck to yourj you so much and good luck to your team tonight. thank you. thank you.

we were planning to speak to someone from the chelsea supporters trust however we could not get the line up him. as soon as we can do that we will. we'll get the view of the chelsea fans. all important as the champions league is played tonight in porto. the headlines on bbc news: further sanctions on belarus as the us calls the diverting of a passenger plane �*an affront to international norms'. thousands of manchester city and chelsea fans are in portugal where the teams meet for the champions league final. the 6 trillion dollar plan. president biden pushes the biggest spending programme since world war two — to try and reboot america's economy.

republicans have criticised president biden�*s plan to increase federal government spending to the highest level since the second world war. the six trillion dollar budget proposal has money for infrastructure, education and green technology. the white house says it's needed to get america's economy moving. but one senator has called the plan �*insanely expensive�*. our north america correspondent david willis reports. president biden is looking to boost american manufacturing, and with it the lower and middle class. he�*s proposing a massive programme of public spending, the largest since the second world war, a plan that would add trillions of dollars to this country�*s national debt. last month, in a presidential address to congress, he said america�*s economy needed to be reimagined and rebuilt. my fellow americans.

trickle down. trickle—down economics has never worked, and it�*s time to grow the economy from the bottom and the middle out. applause. the president�*s proposals include spending $4.5 trillion on infrastructure and social programmes over the course of the next decade, an additional $14 billion on climate initiatives designed to accelerate the move away from fossil fuels and more than $2 billion on addressing the problems caused by gun violence, including provisions for tighter background checks. all paid for by tax increases on wealthy americans and big corporations. republican reaction was sharp and severe. president biden�*s proposal would drown american families in debt, deficits and inflation, tweeted mitch mcconnell, the republican leader in the senate.

all setting the stage for a bitter fight in congress over what democrats regard as the long overdue redistribution of wealth, and their opponents see as a return to the dark days of big government. the party�*s differences were laid bare only hours earlier when senate republicans voted to block the formation of a commission to investigate the events of january the 6th, a day which saw hundreds of donald trump supporters storm the capitol building in washington, dc, delaying the certification ofjoe biden as president. republicans feared such a commission could harm their chances in next year�*s congressional elections. the senate leader accused them of seeking to sweep the events ofjanuary the 6th under the rug. out of fear or fealty to donald trump, the republican minorityjust prevented the american people from getting the full truth about january the 6th.

the republican minorityjust prevented the senate from even debating the bill. no opportunity for amendments, no opportunity for debate. there was an attempt by the republican minority to shunt this vote into the dark of night. but because of today's senate time agreement, it was done in broad daylight. the american people will see how each republican senator voted. the vote ends any chance of a nonpartisan inquiry into the events of that fateful day. it also underlines the widening gulf between the two parties going into the difficult months of budget negotiation that lie ahead. david willis, bbc news, los angeles. an 18—year—old man has been charged in connection with the attempted murder of black lives matter activist, sasha johnson. 27—year—old sasha remains in a critical condition in hospital, after she was shot in the head at a house party in peckham last sunday. cameron deriggs from lewisham is appearing at westminster magistrates�* court later today, charged

with conspiracy to murder. four other people arrested over the incident have been released on bail. australia�*s national university in canberra has offered to return thousands of blood samples taken from indigenous people over many decades. the specimens collected from 35 aboriginal communities have been held without their consent. some indigenous groups want to donate the samples to science, but others want them back for spiritual reasons. joining me now from canberra is azure hermies. she�*s the deputy director for the national centre for indigenous genomics. her department is part of the australian national university that�*s offering to return the blood samples taken from indigenous people. thank you forjoining us here. it is

worth explaining, to put the story into context, why that blood was taken in the first place. absolutely. thank you for having me. the national university houses a collection of 7000 aboriginal blood samples collected from 35 communities across australia between the 1960s and 1990s but predominantly in the 1960s and 70s period. we are not sure what consent was taken at the time but given the political climate we don�*t think that consent was taken and the university is making a really big effort to go back and try to find all 7000 people to have a discussion about what is the next step? is it ok for us to keep the samples? should they be disposed of and if we do, can it be done in canberra we return them to country. titers;

return them to country. very interesting. _ return them to country. very interesting. i— return them to country. very interesting. i would - return them to country. very interesting. i would like - return them to country. very interesting. i would like to i return them to country. very interesting. i would like to hear what the communities are saying but what the communities are saying but what actually prompted the move to return the samples to their families and their communities? what brought that move about? tt and their communities? what brought that move about?— that move about? it has been a really long _ that move about? it has been a really long discussion. - that move about? it has been a really long discussion. i - that move about? it has been a really long discussion. i have i that move about? it has been a i really long discussion. i have been working with a community for about three years now and originally i had gone to that community to have that discussion about having their samples in canberra and what they would like to do with them? the community themselves, very cultural community, they would in two minds about canberra having the samples and whether they were really wondering, as so many people who have passed away and what that meant for them, have passed away and what that meant forthem, but have passed away and what that meant for them, but they also recognised the value of keeping the samples as well as of the community came up with the decision to not only have the samples returned but they allowed us to collect the dna first, collect the darter out of that dna before we have turned all of the

left ever light and by—products so it was kind of having a best of both worlds solution for that community. can you explain this spiritual significance of blood to the indigenous community of australia? it is notjust blood. the three millilitres of blood is a real connection to people regardless of whether they are alive or passed away. with this community in particular they really had to think about what that meant. so, for them, keeping blood might have meant the spirit of that person had not moved on to the next world. they thought that perhaps this is the reason why so many people were sick and they were having so much bad luck in the community because they were being punished for these samples still being in canberra here in australia. you have said that some communities, you have mentioned one community there who have agreed for some of that dna to be extracted and kept for scientific benefit. have all

communities been of the same thinking? 50 communities been of the same thinkin: ? ., communities been of the same thinkinu? ., ., , ., ., ., thinking? so i have only gone to for community — thinking? so i have only gone to for community so _ thinking? so i have only gone to for community so far. _ thinking? so i have only gone to for community so far. consultation - thinking? so i have only gone to for. community so far. consultation takes a really long time. it is notjust a moment of popping and letting people know and then telling us. there is a whole long, long process of discussions about what to do and did the samples overturn how that happens. so the communities we have been to, we have had a large number of people, val 90% of people providing consent and allowing us to keep the samples and we have around 10% of people saying no.— 10% of people saying no. very, very uuickl . 10% of people saying no. very, very quickly- 0ther _ 10% of people saying no. very, very quickly. other other _ 10% of people saying no. very, very quickly. other other samples - 10% of people saying no. very, very quickly. other other samples kept? | quickly. other other samples kept? absolutely. there are collections all over the world, although there are australia, and discussion needs to be happening about what to do with those samples and how to get them home. with those samples and how to get them home-— them home. thank you very much indeed. thank— them home. thank you very much

indeed. thank you. _ with indoor pools closed for most of the last year — swimming in the uk s rivers has seen for most of the last year — creating a growing public concern around the state of the country�*s waterways. with leisure activities in rivers expected to hit record levels this bank holiday weekend — a national ocean conservation charity is launching an app to provide the uk s only real—time water quality information for water sports enthusiasts. it isa it is a bank holiday weekend but more importantly a sunny bank holiday weekend. we have seen some cloud around this morning but already it is starting to thin and break with sunshine coming through. the sunshine will be the dominant feature this afternoon. it may trigger a few isolated showers but temperatures should peak with highs of 21 celsius. through this evening a north—easterly breeze may well dry then a little bit of cloud off that then a little bit of cloud off that the north sea but temperatures will hold up perhaps in double figures

for most and west is best in turns of the sunshine first thing on sunday morning. the sun is strong at this time of year and it tends to nibble away at that cloud. back often to the north sea. plenty of sunshine and we should see highs of 22 or 23 degrees. into bank holiday monday, warmer still. a good feel of dry weather in the forecast and temperature is potentially peaking at 24. this is bbc news. the headlines. further sanctions on belarus as because the diverting of a passenger plane an affront to norms. thousands of manchester city and chelsea fans are in portugal, where the teams meet for the champions league final. the 6 trillin dollar plan — president biden pushes

the biggest spending programme since wwii to try and reboot america�*s economy. the bottom line is this— the abiding economic plan is working. we are seeing record job creation, record economic growth. we are creating a new paradigms. an 18—year—old man has been charged with conspiracy to murder over the shooting of black lives matter activist sasha johnson. making a splash — a rise in lockdown river swimming promts public concern around the state of the uk s waterways. now on bbc news — dateline london. hello, i�*m shaun ley.

welcome to the programme which brings together leading uk columnists, bbc specialists, and the foreign correspondents who write, broadcast and blog from abroad for audiences back home with the dateline, london. this week, pandemic panic, as borisjohnson�*s former top adviserjustified his damning indictment of britain�*s prime minister as unfit for the job. a year after george floyd was murdered by an officer sworn to protect, what does congressional deadlock on police reform tell us about american politics and president biden? joining us, one of dateline�*s original contributors, the jamican—bornjournalist, bernard burrell, steve richards has been writing and broadcasting about british politics for 30 years now. with me in the studio, presenter and bbc foreign correspondents, clive myrie. good to have you all with us. and you at home, thank you very much for watching. now, have thousands of people died in the uk during the covid pandemic because of things the british government did ordidn�*t do? dominic cummings thinks the answer is yes. since he was, until six months ago, prime minister boris johnson�*s closest adviser.

his extraordinary seven—hour testimony before parliamentarians on wednesday has the potential to be highly damaging, not least to his former boss. borisjohnson is, according to dominic cummings, unfit to lead the country. steve richards, there was huge build—up to this testimony. did it deliver in terms of an informed critique about how government functioned at one of the toughest times civilian governments have experienced ? yes, i think it did. you say there was a huge build—up. you and i waited for many of these political dramas, and that were anti—climactic when they happened, so i assumed this was going to be one of those. it really wasn�*t, notjust because it went on for so long, i watched, like you did, the whole lot. but as you say, here was boris johnson�*s chosen senior adviser, who was on the inside during all of these key moments making a series

of extraordinary assertions. now, some say with some credence, that here is a subjective,