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KUALA LUMPUR /Malaysia/, November 22. /TASS/. The formation of a free trade zone between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Indonesia is set to become a pivotal step in establishing a full-fledged trade zone with the Association of Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN), Program Director of Russia’s Valdai Discussion Club Yaroslav Lissovolik said following the club’s meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. aerospace giant Boeing Company said Wednesday that it is confident in the safety of its 737 MAX aircraft despite a deadly air crash of a same-model jet of an Indonesia airline.

Boeing said in a statement that it is working closely with Indonesian authorities in the ongoing investigation into the Oct. 29 crash of Lion Air Flight JT 610 off the coast of Indonesia, which killed 189 people aboard.

BEIJING, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- The new accusations against China made by the United States in the update of the Section 301 investigation disregard the facts and are totally unacceptable, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday.

"China is deeply concerned with the new accusations, and urges the U.S. side to stop making statements or moves that are destructive to bilateral economic and trade ties," MOC spokesperson Gao Feng said at a press conference.

22 Nov 2018; AFP: The World Trade Organization agreed Wednesday to hear complaints from a range of countries over new US steel and aluminium tariffs, as well as complaints from Washington over retaliatory duties.

The WTO's Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) agreed to establish panels to review US President Donald Trump's decision to hit a long line of countries with tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminium.

22 Nov 2018; AFP: The European Union and Britain agreed Thursday a draft declaration on their post-Brexit relations that sets out an "ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership," officials said.

The two sides have also agreed a draft deal extending the transition period by one or two years beyond the end of 2020, a final sticking point of the divorce deal.

European Council President Donald Tusk said the EU executive, the European Commission, informed him it has agreed the political declaration on the future ties with Britain.

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan Motor Co. fired Carlos Ghosn as chairman Thursday, curtailing the powerful executive’s nearly two decade long reign at the Japanese automaker after his arrest for alleged financial improprieties.

In an hours-long meeting, the company’s board of directors voted unanimously to dismiss Ghosn as chairman and as a representative director, Nissan said in a statement. It said its own internal investigation, prompted by a whistleblower, found serious misconduct including under-reporting of his income and misuse of company assets.

Melbourne, Nov 22 (PTI) India and Australia signed five agreements on Thursday to boost investments and enhance cooperation in key sectors like disability, agricultural research and education as President Ram Nath Kovind met Australian Prime minister Scott Morrison in Sydney.

Kovind, the first-ever Indian head of state to visit Australia, arrived in Sydney on Wednesday on the second leg of his two nation trip.

21 Nov 2018; DW: Kosovo blamed Serbia for its failed bid to join the international police organization Interpol. Both countries have struggled to normalize their ties after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008.

Kosovo raised tariffs on Serbian goods from 10 to 100 percent in retaliation for what it said was Serbia's efforts to block its accession to Interpol.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Holiday shoppers should enjoy more spending power thanks to the recent sharp drop in oil prices, though cheaper energy could also weigh on the U.S. economy by dampening investment in shale oil production.

While the fall in oil prices doesn’t yet match the 2014-2016 slump to $26 per barrel, the current decline should soon make itself felt through the global economy.

The international crude benchmark, Brent, has fallen under $65 per barrel from a four-year high in early October over $86, and U.S. crude has dropped below $55 a barrel.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the fallout from the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (all times local):

President Donald Trump is thanking Saudi Arabia for plunging oil prices amid criticism over his decision not to further punish the kingdom for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (jah-MAHL’ khahr-SHOHK’-jee).

Trump tweeted Wednesday from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida it’s “Great!” oil prices are getting lower and it’s “Like a big Tax Cut for America and the World.”