China has also launched a satellite navigation system, Beidou, as a rival to American GPS, compelling Chinese citizens to use it, Fleming will note.

Ukraine vowed to strengthen its armed forces after Russia launched its biggest aerial assaults on cities since the beginning of the war, forcing thousands to flee to bomb shelters and prompting Kyiv to halt electricity exports to Europe.

Massive explosions shook the Ukrainian capital and other cities during the morning rush hour on Monday in apparent Russian revenge strikes after President Vladimir Putin declared an explosion on the bridge to Crimea to be a terrorist attack.

"The destruction of Taiwan's democracy and freedom would be a grave defeat for the world's democracies," she added.

Prices are 'inching up because of what the Russians and the Saudis just did,' says US president

Billionaire Elon Musk, proposes that tensions between China and Taiwan could be resolved by handing over some control of Taiwan to Beijing

Tens of billions of dollars more were allocated for scientific research and development.

Tokyo cannot overlook unilateral attempt to change status quo by force, says foreign minister

These "put us in a position that we have to choose sides and we don't want to be placed in a position that we have to choose sides", Manele said.

North Korean Foreign Minister Jo Chol Su defended those referendums on joining Russia as perfectly legitimate

China abstained from the resolution, but raised concerns about "a prolonged and expanded crisis" in Ukraine.

Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians. Vladimir Rogov, an official in the Russian-installed administration in the Zaporizhzhia region, blamed the attack on Ukrainian forces.