the chinese premier looks to charm the eu's largest economy germany at a time when its own economy is slowing down. and the paris airshow takes off. the event makes its first appearance after the covid—19 pandemic. hello and welcome to asia business report. we start in china, where the central bank has just lowered interest rates by 0.1%. this is the first time it has cut the key lending benchmarks in ten months. last week the chinese central bank lowered an important policy rate, paving the way for lower borrowing costs. beijing is looking to reboot the economic engine, recent data suggests

sluggish exports and waning domestic demand are both weighing on the economy. those economic concerns are part of why chinese premier wang li is in germany. that's part of the reason he is in germany. frank laban explained the balancing act berlin has to tread. i think germany is trying to do what it can to enhance the economic relationship with china while still respecting the important political bond with the united states, and the crux of this is ukraine, where both germany and the us support ukraine pushing back russia, and china's on the other side of that, with a warm embrace of putin. ~ . ~ . , putin. what challenges will both countries _ putin. what challenges will both countries face - putin. what challenges will both countries face moving j both countries face moving forward economically? well, there is a — forward economically? well, there is a question _ forward economically? well, there is a question for - forward economically? well, i there is a question for germany about dependency. remember in

the lead up to ukraine, germany continued to build the economic relationship with russia and they ended up vulnerable particularly with regard to energy supplies. it's about whether they want to repeat that with china. at the same time, they have business obligations to do what they can to build up sales and economic engagement with china. so somewhat contradictory impulses, and in the short run the commercial impulse mean they want to sell into that market. ., . , they want to sell into that market. ., ., , ., market. you have been an ambassador _ market. you have been an ambassador in _ market. you have been an ambassador in these - market. you have been an i ambassador in these meeting rooms, what kind of conversations are they having, particularly about china's growing relationship with russia? in growing relationship with russia? ., , growing relationship with russia? . , ., russia? in general it is a positive _ russia? in general it is a positive relationship, - russia? in general it is a positive relationship, inl positive relationship, in general germany welcomes... so it's good news, but boy, are they concerned about what china's doing to interfere in promoting russia's interests. that is not in germany's best interests or the interests of

peace in europe. they are going to make those views known to beijing. mr to make those views known to bei'inu. ~ �* , to make those views known to bei'inu. ~ 3 , to make those views known to bei'inu. ~ �*, , ., beijing. mr li's visit to germany _ beijing. mr li's visit to germany came - beijing. mr li's visit to germany came as - beijing. mr li's visit to germany came as the | beijing. mr li's visit to i germany came as the us secretary of state antony blinken met with the chinese president xijinping in beijing. both sides agreed to stabilise their rivalry to prevent conflict, but beijing refused a washington request to resume military to military communications, sighting american sanctions. still, xi said progress had been made and joe biden also said relations are on the right trail. cryptocurrency entrepreneur do kwon has been sentenced to prison in montenegro for using forged passports. he is the former head of terror form labs, the company behind a stable coin which collapsed last year. south korea and us are seeking his extradition from montenegro. india's low—cost carrier indigo has

ordered 500 planes from airbus, the largest ever single purchase agreement by any airline in commercial aviation history. my colleague explains what the deal says about the indian market.— what the deal says about the indian market. this mammoth order for indigo _ indian market. this mammoth order for indigo reflects - order for indigo reflects india's emergence as the next growth run to the global aerospace industry. the announcement has come close on the heels of a deal for 250 aircraft by another group in february. the frenzy or purchases happening as india sees a robust post—pandemic recovery in airline travel with a significant increase in the number of first—time players as well. low—cost carriers like indigo have a long runway for growth. very few of the country's 1.4 billion people have country's1.4 billion people have ever flown, country's1.4 billion people have everflown, but country's1.4 billion people have ever flown, but more and more will in the world's most populous country. however while demand for more planes is expected to be robust in the

next few years, it's the speed of deliveries of the new aircraft that analysts are worried about. given that supply chain challenges faced ijy supply chain challenges faced by manufacturers and engine makers during covid haven't exactly gone away yet. and that could constrain delivery schedules in the future. this is also the — schedules in the future. this is also the first _ schedules in the future. this is also the first time - schedules in the future. this is also the first time the - schedules in the future. this is also the first time the show has returned after the covid—19 pandemic hit the industry. the trade fair is a major opportunity for manufacturers and also china, but it was not displaying its own first home—grown medium haul passengerjet, the c 919, which was built to compete with airbus and boeing. earlier i spoke to brendan who explained how china's home—grown plane competes against its rivals. china has been pushing into this space very gradually over the last couple of decades, initially with the a rj21

regionaljet, so not exactly a new area for china, however it is slowly making inroads. it's not yet considered, like the orders by indigo for example, but over time perhaps we will see some consideration of the chinese aircraft, particularly as delivery slots at airbus and boeing quickly fill up and given the supply chain issues. do you think they might be able to get in there and beat the competition in a couple of decades? b, competition in a couple of decades?— competition in a couple of decades? ~ , ., , decades? a couple of decades ossibl decades? a couple of decades possibly but — decades? a couple of decades possibly but definitely - decades? a couple of decades possibly but definitely not - decades? a couple of decades possibly but definitely not a i possibly but definitely not a near—term same. it's a slow long road to push into this duopoly that airbus and boeing have had for many years. initially we will see orders from the chinese carriers, as we have already, and even there, a lot of their orders will continue to go to western

manufacturers. boeing, but a manufacturers. boeing, buta bit more difficult in the geopolitical situation, although it is hard to predict where that will go over time. in a couple of decades, it would be safe to say that they should have more of a footprint globally. in the near term, not so much. but maybe some smaller airlines in regions like africa that will have trouble getting airbus and boeing production slots, that we will see smaller deals in those regions. the paris airshow _ deals in those regions. the paris airshow comes - deals in those regions. the paris airshow comes as top figures in the world of artificial intelligence have recently warned that, if not properly managed, the technology could impact mankind. our reporter met up with one of the world's largest defence contractors and asked if those concerns are justified. i if those concerns are justified.— if those concerns are 'ustified. ~ . ., . justified. i think the concern isjustified, _ justified. i think the concern isjustified, but _ justified. i think the concern isjustified, but i _ justified. i think the concern isjustified, but i would - justified. i think the concern | isjustified, but i would make is justified, but i would make the argument... ai is one of those things which creates a big bucket that everyone puts their thoughts into. i would

make the argument that we have been using ai for years. it is really the discussion about, are you turning over decisions to an autonomous programme? or are you building and using ai where it is appropriate? there are algorithms today that will help you to sort through reams of information very quickly. that's different than a decision being made by a leader, a soldier, an air man, on how to use a platform. but where does — on how to use a platform. but where does the _ on how to use a platform. but where does the enhancement stop? are you going to get to a stage where, for example, a decision on whether to attack a particular target is taken by a computer rather than a human being? computer rather than a human bein: ? ., ., ~ computer rather than a human bein: ? , computer rather than a human beinr? , , , being? look, 'ust because technologies _ being? look, just because technologies are - being? look, just because technologies are out - being? look, just because | technologies are out there, doesn't mean necessarily it is appropriate in every use case. what i want to spend time on, and what we have great talent working on, is, what is the range of those capabilities?

how can we demonstrate those to the war fighters? and then find out how they want us to apply those to our systems. and again, that's a wide range of capabilities. but your basic premise, i absolutely agree with, is, you are going to continue to see the growth of ai and continue to see businesses like ours look to meet our customers apostasy needs by looking at how they employ them. but needs by looking at how they employ them-— employ them. but for my audience. _ employ them. but for my audience. -- _ employ them. but for my audience. -- our- employ them. but for my i audience. -- our customers' needs- _ audience. -- our customers' needs- you _ audience. -- our customers' needs. you are _ audience. -- our customers' needs. you are going - audience. -- our customers' needs. you are going to i audience. -- our customers' needs. you are going to be. needs. you are going to be buildin: needs. you are going to be building terminator, - needs. you are going to be building terminator, what i building terminator, what safeguards are in place to prevent that scenario? it’s prevent that scenario? it's less of a — prevent that scenario? it's less of a concern - prevent that scenario? it�*s less of a concern than you would think. i would use the analogy about a hammer, if the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. i would argue that al is a tool, we are going to look at that capability and see where it best get in the systems and platforms that we design, and that we develop. but we are

also going to work with our customer on the most practical use of those capabilities. i don't personally believe there is a situation where you are going to see any government, any army, any service and over complete control of the capabilities to a robot, a machine, an ai capability. —— and over. it is a tool to be used in the appropriate place. spotify's head of podcast has called prince harry and his wife gritters, after the couple's partnership with the platform ended suddenly last week. —— drifters. bill simmons made the comment on his own podcast. the team up has resulted injust podcast. the team up has resulted in just one 12 episode series. that is all we have on asia business report for now. thanks for watching.

this county durham community, replete with cafe is, pubs and shops, but this town no longer has a bank. barclays was open until april. that closure has made local people and businesses very angry. abs, made local people and businesses very angry. a lot of eo - le businesses very angry. a lot of people still— businesses very angry. a lot of people still don't _ businesses very angry. a lot of people still don't have - businesses very angry. a lot of people still don't have online l people still don't have online banking, like myself. barclays sa s the banking, like myself. barclays says the closure _ banking, like myself. barclays says the closure was - banking, like myself. barclays says the closure was a - banking, like myself. barclays. says the closure was a response to change customer behaviour, with fewer people relying on the branch, more banking online. with many other banks closed or closing, is this part of the answer, a banking hub? if you can't use online banking, that service is really important, particularly in communities like newton aycliffe, where lots of people use cash and don't use internet banking. use cash and don't use internet bankina. ~ use cash and don't use internet bankin.. . ,., use cash and don't use internet bankina. ~ ,., ., , use cash and don't use internet bankina. ., , . , banking. with so many branches shuttin: banking. with so many branches shutting op _ banking. with so many branches shutting up shop. _ banking. with so many branches shutting up shop, many - banking. with so many branches shutting up shop, many are i shutting up shop, many are still left feeling short—changed.

hey, i'm steven with the catch up. tonight, jingle and mingle, flying phones and a snaky suspect. first, police across england and wales have been told to ramp up the use of stop and search. that's where officers can stop someone if they suspect them, of carrying things like drugs or a knife. government stats show people from ethnic minorities are more likely to be stopped and searched. the minister in charge of policing, suella braverman, reckons it's a vital tool that will save lives. but some campaigners aren't convinced. young black boys who are disproportionately targeted by these tactics report how the immense pain and trauma it inflicts on them emotionally and mentally. some other stories now, and you might have seen this video over the weekend

of conservative party activists dancing and drinking in christmas 2020. breaking lockdown rules at the time. while the bbc has seen the invite for the jingle and mingle event. 30 people were invited. a submarine that takes people to view the titanic wreckage has gone missing. it's not clear how many people were on board. a massive search is under way off the coast of canada. next to a bebe rexha gig in new york, during her show a fan through a phone from the crowd which hit her in the face, bebe's posted this tik tok showing her injuries. a man has been arrested. and time to leave you with 10 seconds of a slithery surprise. this is the moment police in birmingham spotted a snake in the middle of a busy road. they say they took the slippery customer to a local reptile centre. fair play to them. i think i'd run a mile. you're all caught up. have a great night.

hello, i'm sarah mulkerrins hello, i'm sarah mulkerrins championship qualifying. from the bbc sport centre. from the bbc sport centre. coming up on the programme... coming up on the programme... it's a hat—trick for saka it's a hat—trick for saka as the arsenal star sends england on the way to a seven as the arsenal star sends goal win over north macedonia.

in the european in the european championship qualifying. broad led the england fightback with two early wickets to leave the first ashes test in the balance. the australians chasing a victory target of 281. and we're in berlin, where 7,000 competitors from 190