fa ce—to —fa ce macron executives met face—to—face with the united states aviation watchdog to present a path forward. it reportedly included changes to the company's productions the compa ny�*s productions safety the company's productions safety processes, including clear assembly—line instructions, improvements to training, greater oversight of suppliers and improvements to the safety culture. fai administrator mike whitaker called the plan a guide for a new way for boeing to do business and said he expected it to lead to systemic change. we underscored they must follow through on implementing corrective actions and transform their safety culture. this is a guide for a new way for boeing to do business. the fai will make sure boeing makes lasting changes using all the tools at their disposal. and made it clear to boeing ceo david calhoun and other senior leaders this plan does not mark the end of our increased oversight of boeing and its suppliers, but the beginning of the next chapter.— the next chapter. boeing is under scrutiny _ the next chapter. boeing is under scrutiny not - the next chapter. boeing is under scrutiny not just - the next chapter. boeing is under scrutiny not just for. under scrutiny not just for this january's in—flight incident, but also the 2018 and 2019 failures that resulted in the deaths of 346 passengers aboard two 737 max jets. the new plan is towards regaining confidence of passengers and regulators. mrwhitakersaid confidence of passengers and regulators. mr whitaker said in the meantime, regulators won't allow boeing to increase its production of 737 max jets that has been on hold since february and he doesn't expect that to change for the next few months. going forward, the firm in the watchdog will have weekly check ins on the plan's implementation and the fai will carry out monthly reviews. the us defense secretary is in singapore for a security summit, and he is expected to reassure asian allies that washington is committed to helping the indo—pacific counter china. with so many major elections this year, spending on defence is firmly in the spotlight. china raised its defence budget by 7.2% this year, overtaking russia, but that is still a much lower amount set aside by the us. other economies in the region are also racing to bolster their defence budgets, as tensions with china simmer. even the region's smaller countries are doing so too. suranjana tewari is at the shangri—la dialogue taking place here in singapore and joins me for more. great to speak to you. give us a flavour of what is on the agenda. a flavour of what is on the agenda-— a flavour of what is on the aaenda. ~ ., agenda. well, as you mentioned, defence spending _ agenda. well, as you mentioned, defence spending will _ agenda. well, as you mentioned, defence spending will be - agenda. well, as you mentioned, defence spending will be front - defence spending will be front and centre, and that is largely because as you said, china's raising influence in the region. the us defence secretary expected to speak on saturday morning. and he is expected to reassure allies that the us will help to counter china, and the chinese will speak on sunday morning, and we are waiting to hear what they will say. but they are likely to say that a lot of the accusations are unfair and they are simply protecting themselves. just going back to defence spending, china has increased its spending over the last ten years as well. and to talk more about why that is happening and how it is shaping up happening and how it is shaping up for the rest of the world, i am joined now by the senior fellow for defence economics at my iss, many thanks for your time on the programme. what is china building that is using all that increased defence spending? 50 all that increased defence spending?— all that increased defence sendina? ., , spending? so we have seen significant _ spending? so we have seen significant growth _ spending? so we have seen significant growth in - spending? so we have seen| significant growth in chinese defence _ significant growth in chinese defence spending over the last if not _ defence spending over the last if not 30 — defence spending over the last if not 30 years, but certainly in the — if not 30 years, but certainly in the last _ if not 30 years, but certainly in the last ten, an increased effort — in the last ten, an increased effort as_ in the last ten, an increased effort as well. and it is largely— effort as well. and it is largely to go towards modern nation — largely to go towards modern nation -- _ largely to go towards modern nation —— modernisation of the armed — nation —— modernisation of the armed forces and operational activity— armed forces and operational activity as well. but ultimately, what we have seen in recent— ultimately, what we have seen in recent years is growth in more — in recent years is growth in more mature markets in asia pacific— more mature markets in asia pacific as _ more mature markets in asia pacific as well, so the defence budget— pacific as well, so the defence budget of australia, south korea _ budget of australia, south korea and japan have all increased in order to slow that increase — increased in order to slow that increase in— increased in order to slow that increase in terms of regional proportion allocated towards china — proportion allocated towards china. so ultimately at the moment, we are at a point where china _ moment, we are at a point where china almost spends as much as the rest — china almost spends as much as the rest of— china almost spends as much as the rest of the region combined, but it is really stalling _ combined, but it is really stalling the shift as it were, as these _ stalling the shift as it were, as these more mature markets have _ as these more mature markets have begun implementing these things — have begun implementing these thin . s. ., , have begun implementing these thins. ., , ., things. there has also been a lot of focus _ things. there has also been a lot of focus on _ things. there has also been a lot of focus on russia - things. there has also been a lot of focus on russia and - things. there has also been ai lot of focus on russia and the war in ukraine. how are nato countries spending in order to try and defend themselves? certainly, the significant growth _ certainly, the significant growth that we have seen over the last— growth that we have seen over the last two years has really been — the last two years has really been driven by growth in europe and asia — been driven by growth in europe and asia. europe obviously driven— and asia. europe obviously driven by— and asia. europe obviously driven by russia's invasion of ukraine _ driven by russia's invasion of ukraine. so the increases we are seeing in european nato members have been really significant in the last two years. _ significant in the last two years. it _ significant in the last two years, it has been a real pivotal— years, it has been a real pivotal shift upwards. as a proportion of gdp, members are spending — proportion of gdp, members are spending close to the 2% gdp on average — spending close to the 2% gdp on average more and more members are reaching that target as welt — are reaching that target as well. �* ., ., . ., , well. and what other challenges in eur0pe. _ well. and what other challenges in europe, industrial— in europe, industrial challenges in order to meet that demand?— challenges in order to meet that demand? certainly. ithink while there _ that demand? certainly. ithink while there is _ that demand? certainly. ithink while there is that _ that demand? certainly. ithink while there is that increase - that demand? certainly. ithink while there is that increase in l while there is that increase in demand, _ while there is that increase in demand, it is quite welcome for the defence industry, but it does — the defence industry, but it does create challenges because meeting — does create challenges because meeting that demand has become quite _ meeting that demand has become quite difficult because all that— quite difficult because all that increase is happening at the same time. so countries are finding _ the same time. so countries are finding they are having to kind of compete for inputs, resources, in order to ramp up production _ resources, in order to ramp up production. and industry have -ot production. and industry have got to— production. and industry have got to the _ production. and industry have got to the point where it was quite — got to the point where it was quite lean because of quite tight— quite lean because of quite tight spending in europe up until— tight spending in europe up until this point, certainly untit— until this point, certainly until 2014. until this point, certainly until2014. so until this point, certainly until 2014. so in order to increase _ until 2014. so in order to increase those production levels. _ increase those production levels, it really takes time and — levels, it really takes time and it— levels, it really takes time and it requires a longer term commitment to defence spending increases. �* , , increases. and briefly if you can, increases. and briefly if you can. russia _ increases. and briefly if you can, russia is _ increases. and briefly if you can, russia is also - increases. and briefly if you | can, russia is also spending and investing in its military. how is it able to do so with the sanctions that are in place? i the sanctions that are in lace? ~' , , ., place? i think with russia, the auestion place? i think with russia, the question of— place? i think with russia, the question of how _ place? i think with russia, the question of how sustainable i question of how sustainable this war— question of how sustainable this war effort it is significant. but as we have seen, _ significant. but as we have seen, the imf is projecting economic growth next year as well— economic growth next year as well for— economic growth next year as well for russia. so despite sanctions, the economy is still seeing — sanctions, the economy is still seeing growth and rushes allocating more and more resources and public spending into the — resources and public spending into the war effort, they are restructuring the defence industry. and also, they are able — industry. and also, they are able to— industry. and also, they are able to avoid quite a lot more domestically as they don't rely as much— domestically as they don't rely as much on imports.— domestically as they don't rely as much on imports. many thanks for our as much on imports. many thanks for yourtime- _ as much on imports. many thanks for your time. later _ as much on imports. many thanks for your time. later today, - for your time. later today, there will be a session on myanmar and delegates may be discussing what to do about the resistance and whether to arm or not. we will bring you updates as soon as we get them from the shangri—la dialogue in singapore. from the shangri-la dialogue in sina-aore. . ~ from the shangri-la dialogue in singapore-— from the shangri-la dialogue in sina-aore. . ~ , . singapore. thank you very much for that report. _ sura njana tewari. the economy has grown more slowly than expected in the first three months of the year. according to official figures, gross domestic product rose by 1.3% from a year earlier, which was weaker than an earlier estimate of 1.6%. this will direct focus to the next federal reserve reserve meeting in june. india is set to report gdp numbers for the three months between january to march later today. this is the last set of gdp data to be released before the election results are announced on the 4th ofjune. the bbc�*s nikhil inamdar has more from mumbai. fewer shoppers and markets like theseis fewer shoppers and markets like these is one reason gdp is expected to comment lower. food inflation also continues to very high in the india and people have cut back on consumption. but economists say other sectors and services sectors and even agriculture could report moderate growth. gdp for the first three months is likely to flow to about 6.7%. that is lower than the eight plus percent in the previous three quarters. but broadly in line with the expected longer—term growth trends for india. in fact, most economists expect this country to grow about 6.5% to 7% levels in this financial year and that is great by most standards, but some say india needs to grow at a much faster pace if it is to create jobs and put millions of people into the workforce. that will be the biggest challenge for whoever is in power next. nikhil inamdar. bbc news, mumbai. a usjudge has approved a bankruptcy plan to allow an office supplier provider to eliminate $4 billion in debt. the company was hailed as the future of the office racked up losses during an aggressive global expansion. it filed for bankruptcy last year. wework will have a new owner, which supplies software to office and residential landlords. it will provide wework with $450 million in financing, along with other investors, including a japanese group. elon musk has settled in his latest legal fight with the us security and exchange commission. according to a regulatory filing, the multi—billionaire has agreed to testify for the regulator's probe into his 2022 acquisition of social media site twitter. he will face the questioning at an undisclosed date. and the owner of the hit online game wordle is legally challenging a geography —based spin off called worlde. the new york times purchased it for a seven figure sum and accuses its near namesake of attempting to capitalise on the enormous goodwill associated with the brand. but that worlde creator cody mcdonald is vowing to fight back on the grounds that there are many other games with similar titles. worlde is quite difficult to say, isn't it? thank you for your company, see you soon. no problems for novak in the defence of his title at roland—garros, he cruises into the third round the french open. nelly korda has a shocker, herfirst round of open. nelly korda has a shocker, her first round of the us women'sopen couldn't have gone any worse. and an english woman in new york, we speak to emma hayes on the challenge of taking charge of the us women'snational side. historically, what this team has stood for, what they have advocated for, it is fitting for me to be with them and vice versa, we are coming together at the right time.