China's economic growth beats expectations

China's economy grew slightly faster than expected in the three months from January to March, official figures released Wednesday showed. The economy expanded at 6.4% in the first quarter from a year earlier, ahead of a Reuters forecast of 6.3%.

Also in the programme, the troubled Indian airline Jet Airways has suspended all its domestic and international flights after failing to find fresh funding. The airline said its last flight would operate on Wednesday as it was not able to pay for fuel and other critical services.

US President Donald Trump is set to nominate several political allies to the Federal Reserve Bank, a move that commentators say might compromise the bank's independence.

And Pakistan’s music industry has faced an uphill battle over the past two decades. But as the BBC's Vivienne Nunis finds out, the industry is fighting back.

(Picture: People cross a road in the Central Business District (CBD) area in Beijing, China, 17 April 2019. Picture credit: EPA/ROMAN PILIPEY)