A Boeing 737 MAX passenger plane of Indonesian low-cost airline Lion Air crashed on Monday near the country's capital of Jakarta, killing 189 people.

The UAE and Bahrain have reviewed their latest efforts in administering government financial operations, and also expressed their keenness to cooperate toward achieving common goals that are aligned with their shared vision and history.

Belgium has opted for US F-35 Lightning II to re-equip its Air Force rather than Europe-made jets, provoking dissatisfaction of European partners and leaving experts split in their assessments of the choice.

Despite top Chinese refineries having reportedly suspended orders for Iranian crude oil, Chinese oil giants are unlikely to face stringent US sanctions even if they continue to import oil from the Middle Eastern country after the November 4 deadline set by the United States, since the move would significantly affect the global market, experts told Sputnik.

Despite top Chinese refineries having reportedly suspended orders for Iranian crude oil, Chinese oil giants are unlikely to face stringent US sanctions even if they continue to import oil from the Middle Eastern country after the November 4 deadline set by the United States, since the move would significantly affect the global market, experts told Sputnik.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday expressed his regret over Brussels' decision to purchase US F-35 Lightning II fighters instead of Europe-made jets, stressing that this move contradicted European interests.

The European Union will have to buy more US weapons and succumb to President Donald Trump's demand to increase payments to the NATO budget in a bid to dissuade him from pulling out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, members of the EU Parliament told Sputnik.