more turbulence for boeing as its ceo announces his exit from the company. and we look at the chinese company that has emerged as a frontrunner in the global electric vehicle market. hello and welcome to asia business report. i'm steve lai. let's begin in the us, where planemaker boeing has announced a mass shake—up in leadership. he shake—up in leadership. has been under pressure sensor he has been under pressure sensor panel blew off mid—flight in the us in january. othersenior january. other senior executives are january. othersenior executives are also leaving the company. the bbc�*s international correspondent has more. a

terrifying moment for passengers. the incident plunged bowing into a crisis, raising questions about its attitude to safety. now the boss dave calhoun says he's stepping down. he was appointed at a desperate time for the company. bad design and failures had been blamed for two tragic accidents involving the 737 max. in ethiopia and indonesia 346 people died. mr calhoun promised change but critics say that hasn't happened. critics say that hasn't happened-— critics say that hasn't hauened. . ., , , happened. he had opportunities to make changes _ happened. he had opportunities to make changes as _ happened. he had opportunities to make changes as a _ happened. he had opportunities to make changes as a member. happened. he had opportunitiesl to make changes as a member of the board. certainly in a ceo position is been one failure after the other. i can't say there's been any successes under mr calhoun. humanitarian worker died _ under mr calhoun. humanitarian worker died when _ under mr calhoun. humanitarian worker died when the _ under mr calhoun. humanitarian worker died when the ethiopian | worker died when the ethiopian plane crashed. hat worker died when the ethiopian plane crashed.— plane crashed. not only does oor sa plane crashed. not only does poor say to — plane crashed. not only does poor say to kill _ plane crashed. not only does poor say to kill people - plane crashed. not only does poor say to kill people but i poor say to kill people but it's pretty damning foot for careers— it's pretty damning foot for careers of ceos as well. let's -et careers of ceos as well. let's get somebody who can put a

focus — get somebody who can put a focus and make plans safer for everybody. in focus and make plans safer for everybody-— everybody. in a letter to workers _ everybody. in a letter to workers mr— everybody. in a letter to workers mr calhoun - everybody. in a letter to l workers mr calhoun said, everybody. in a letter to - workers mr calhoun said, the alaska airlines accident was a watershed moment for boeing. we must continue to respond to this accident with humility and complete transparency. his successor will need both qualities if they are to pilot the aerospace back and less turbulent skies. you can find plenty more on the story including the very latest news and analysis on the bbc website. let's turn to china, and zoom in on the ev market, where one player has emerged as the front—runner — byd. recently the carmaker has been engaging in a full—out price war, discounting almost every electric and hybrid model it sells in china. byd will report its annual results later this morning. for more on what we can expect, let's bring in ray wang from constellation research. i think we're expecting a 33%

increase in net profits habits. will see where that goes. that's can it be six—point for percent higher than what was nine point percent higher in the last quarter year of year. i think we're in the middle of a price war. all tended to see whether ganey and market share and profits. it will be interesting to see what's happening there because we've seen a slump in china for a little bit but we actually think that their government programmes at the moment encouraging buy—back and replacement of old parts with incentive for tvs. will see how that plays out when the numbers come out. , , ., ., _, come out. just want to come back to byd _ come out. just want to come back to byd for _ come out. just want to come back to byd for took - come out. just want to come back to byd for took the - back to byd for took the leadership in 2023, do you expect them to hold it in 01 org 24? i expect them to hold it in q1 or: 24? ~ , ., org 24? i think there is a slump. _ org 24? i think there is a slump. they _ org 24? i think there is a slump, they actually - org 24? i think there is a | slump, they actually held org 24? i think there is a - slump, they actually held him back and test what was also pushing really hard towards the end and forced new models. where could he see if they can hold the crown on the biggest tv producer i think it will be

very close without the china government forms plans to spur innovation and growth especially in and green energy how do you see that impacting the ev sector in china? it's a boon. they are basically hoping for that renewal. that replacement and internal combustion engine, the eevvee as part of that modernisation and reduction of dependency on japan, germany and the us. especially on the technology and, it gives them the ability to leapfrog ahead. i think it's good help in general but it's a competitive market, giving the entering of the market and two more players on the end that market soon.— more players on the end that market soon. there is domestic rivals. market soon. there is domestic rivais- how _ market soon. there is domestic rivals. how does _ market soon. there is domestic rivals. how does china's - market soon. there is domestic rivals. how does china's eewee rivals. how does china's eevvee is all stacked up against the current leader in the space, tesla? , ., ., ., current leader in the space, tesla? ., ., tesla? there is a war on global urowth tesla? there is a war on global growth and _ tesla? there is a war on global growth and byd _ tesla? there is a war on global growth and byd is _ tesla? there is a war on global growth and byd is expanded i tesla? there is a war on global growth and byd is expanded in i growth and byd is expanded in europe. they are going to produce up to 300,000 cars

going up against volkswagen and other makers in europe. of course there is effort to build a plant in mexico. tesla has a plan and a giga factory in berlin and shanghai and of course graphic to the same level of volume. good to be from hyatt to loewen. which as a full range of models and of course with tessler on the other end of the spectrum. don't count the koreans out. you'll see a lot of effort from hyundai and kia that are building amazing eevvee cars. the european union has announced investigation into some of the biggest tech firms in the world over uncompetitive practices for the matter, alphabet atjones google to be looked into of potential breaches in the digital markets act. they could face fines of 10% of the annual turnover as if they have borrowed to have broken the rules. let's turn our focus to sri lanka — as the central bank is due to be in session to review the cost of borrowing. the country is still recovering from one of its worst economic crisis in decades, after its first foreign debt

default back in 2022. colombo is in the process of getting bailed out by the international monetary fund. last week the international monetary fund approved the third tranche of aid from its $3 billion bailout deal. during the crisis, prices rose as much as 70%. and that has gradually eased to around 6% recently. while the economy has registered some growth, there are still issues like a devalued currency. for more, let's bring in ganeshan wignaraja from global think—tank odi. the economy is indeed recovering, inflation is down to around 6% the exchange rate is around 300 rupees to the us dollar. there is also foreign reserves for an extra two and half billion and tourism numbers are up. this is due to decisive measures by the government within the imf programme. there is a lot that is needed for the economy to come out of this crisis and be able to pay off its debts. exports are needed. that's the big challenge going forward.

the president says he expects the country to make a full recovery byjune this year. obviously buoyed by this positive trajectory things have been going on. do you think thatis been going on. do you think that is realistic or there's quite a long way to go? growth this ear quite a long way to go? growth this year could _ quite a long way to go? growth this year could be _ quite a long way to go? growth this year could be one - quite a long way to go? growth this year could be one to - quite a long way to go? growth this year could be one to one . this year could be one to one and a half percent in 2024. which is below the three are present before the debt crisis of 2022. adiposity doing that poverty has risen to a quarter of the population measured at about $3 .65 which is standard middle income poverty measure. we really growth of around 5% over three to four years to get to some kind of normalcy. unfortunately, we have elections this year for the presidency and then parliament in 2025. the two main opposition parties are saying they want to renegotiate the imf deal. there is uncertainty imf deal. there is uncertainty i had. in this recovering scenario.—

i had. in this recovering scenario. the uk's bantu despairing _ scenario. the uk's bantu despairing e _ scenario. the uk's bantu despairing e cigarettes i scenario. the uk's bantu - despairing e cigarettes won't work for the pats according to the chief executive of the third largest seller of apes. he says because of any east cigarettes sold are counterfeit or don't need regulations that a band would make the problem worse. he spoke to bbc�*s ben king. worse. he spoke to bbc's ben kinu. ~ ., worse. he spoke to bbc's ben kin. ~ ., , king. we need to tackle first the underage _ king. we need to tackle first the underage vape _ king. we need to tackle first the underage vape use. - king. we need to tackle first the underage vape use. wel king. we need to tackle first - the underage vape use. we need to have retail licence as we do for alcohol in the country. we also need to have a very thorough age verification, that retailers can adopt. more important, all these regulations we need proper enforcement for the is a government gone far enough? i don't think it is. based on what i saw it's important to set the right enforcement. when they come with a proposal to do £100 pot fine it is not enough. if you compare that with france

for example, they are introducing a fine of 100,000 euros in case getting caught selling one of these products. this is a properfine selling one of these products. this is a proper fine and penalty. this is a proper fine and penalty-— this is a proper fine and enal . ., ., ., ., ., penalty. you are not in favour of a ban _ penalty. you are not in favour of a ban on — penalty. you are not in favour of a ban on disposables? - penalty. you are not in favour. of a ban on disposables? when we have seen _ of a ban on disposables? when we have seen bands _ of a ban on disposables? when we have seen bands happeningj of a ban on disposables? harlem we have seen bands happening in other countries this hasn't been effective. in a case of australia day band the whole category and the amount of teenagers use these in the illegal market is very high. the same is happening in brazil. b. the same is happening in brazil. �* ., ., . ., the same is happening in brazil. ., ., . ., ., brazil. a lot of critics would say everything _ brazil. a lot of critics would say everything that - brazil. a lot of critics would say everything that you - say everything that you advocate is all the things that line up with your own corporate interests. , , ., , , interests. this is an industry that has been _ interests. this is an industry that has been under- interests. this is an industry that has been under a - interests. this is an industry that has been under a lot. interests. this is an industry that has been under a lot of| that has been under a lot of scrutiny. and a lot of challenge on how we could reduce the health impact of our products. cigarettes are clearly harmful products for those deciding to carry on using it. this is the first time to have the technology

to do that. canada's maple s ru to do that. canada's maple syruo reserve _ to do that. canada's maple syrup reserve has - to do that. canada's maple syrup reserve has reached| to do that. canada's maple| syrup reserve has reached a to do that. canada's maple - syrup reserve has reached a 16 year low raising questions about the future of the global staple. experts link the rising demand and warmer weather which has disrupted production. they say this will not affect the availability or price of maple syrup to consumers at least for now. let's take a quick look at the markets for them if we turn to wall street, stocks retreated monday as the market rally showed signs of fatigue and tech heavyweights face a stepped up regulatory scrutiny in europe the dowjones industrial average fell by .4% on the s&p 500 and the nasdaq index and drop by a .3% for the major indices surged into french records last week after the federal reserve signal it still expects interest rate cuts in 2024. will be keeping an eye on major markets as well. more for you in the next

hour. bye for now.

hey, i'm julia with the catch up tonight. a festival of colour, a dragon ball theme park and the race that would make superman weep. but first, the un security council has demanded an immediate cease fire in gaza between israel and hamas. they've also demanded that all hostages be released. it's the first time they've reached this agreement. the us have previously used their veto, but this time they changed their position and abstained. in response, the israeli pm benjamin netanyahu has cancelled a planned meeting between israel and the us. two men have been found guilty of codie fischer's murder. the 23—year—old footballer was stabbed in a birmingham nightclub on boxing day in 2022.

the court heard that it was a revenge plot after cody brushed past one of the men in a bar two days earlier. his mum described the pair as evil. some other stories now — saudi arabia have announced that they're building a dragon ball theme park, but some fans have criticised the idea because of the country's human rights record. and a runnerfrom scotland has become the first woman in history to finish the barkley marathons in tennessee. it covers 100 miles and enough uphill terrain to scale mount everest twice. plus, you've got to finish it in 60 hours or less, which she did with one minute and 39 seconds to spare. i will leave you with 10 seconds of colour. yes. so this is holi or the festival of colours. and millions of indians have been celebrating it all over the world. people throw bright colours over friends and family and dance to mark

the beginning of spring. that's it — your caught up now. have a good night. hello and welcome to sports day with me, will perry. coming up on the programme, poland stand in the way of wales, who are one game away from a place at euro 2024. the ugly side of the game, brazil's viniciusjunior breaks down as he's asked about racism ahead of his country's friendly against spain. and we hear from the first female runner to compete at one of the world's toughest races as she arrives home in britain. welcome along to sports day. so wales are just one

game away from the euros in germany this summer.