GREECE continues to be affected by the wildfires hat have already seen thousands evacuated across Europe.
A dry climate along with strong and high winds have been causing fires to spread quickly – so here is everything you need to know about the latest travel advice.
Currently, some of the worst wildfires in Greece are concentrated around the regions of both Boeotia (Viotia) and West Attica, which is west of Athens.
Over the weekend, firefighters have been on the front line trying to control the blaze which has been picked up due to high winds.
Yesterday, two crew members onboard firefighting helicopters died as they collided while trying to extinguish the flames.
There are active fires near Agios Nektarios, Megara, and Mount Kithairon.
It’s not just the mainland, as the Greek islands have been affected too.
Crete has seen huge fires, particularly in the Rethymno area, with thousands of residents and tourists being evacuated for safety.
On the island, more than 5,700 hectares of land have been burnt.
Fires have also broken out on the islands of Paros, Lesvos, Andros and Kalymnos.
Yesterday, a wildfire in the south of Kefalonia forced evacuations late at night as the fire spread through multiple villages.
Earlier in the week, a firefighter died after battling flames near the Peloponnese port town of Gytheio.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek Prime Minister, has warned of “extremely difficult” days ahead.
There is a further threat of more fires as wind gusts have exceeded 78mph in the last few days.
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) hasn’t issued any specific warning regarding the wildfires in Greece, but does have some advice.
It does read: “There is a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October. Ensure that your mobile phone is registered to receive emergency alerts to warn you of wildfires near your location.”
The advice from GOV.UK says:
“Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly.
“To avoid starting wildfires:
“Causing a wildfire or a forest fire is a criminal offence in Greece – even if unintentional. If you see a fire, call the emergency services on 112.
“Be cautious if you are in or near an area affected by wildfires:
Flights to airports such Athens International Airport and Heraklion in Crete remain unaffected.
If you are due to fly in and have concerns, it may be worth contacting your airline to check if they are operating normally.
If you do choose to cancel your trip, it is best to contact your airline or holiday provider.
There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings unless government advice changes.
The jet went down near the Miramar airbase in San Diego and aerial video showed a plume of black smoke rising from the wreckage in a dirt field.
Published On 1 Aug 20261 Aug 2026
An F-35B stealth fighter plane has crashed in California, but its pilot ejected and is expected to survive, the US Marine Corps said.
The jet went down on Friday near the Miramar airbase in San Diego. “The pilot ejected, was transported to a local medical facility in stable condition for evaluation and treatment of non-life-threatening injuries,” the Marine Corps said in a statement.
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Aerial video from a news helicopter showed a plume of black smoke rising from the wreckage in a dirt field, with multiple military and firefighting vehicles and people standing nearby. What appeared to be white flame retardant covered the ground, and at least one person was spraying the wreckage with a fire hose.
Candace Hadley, a spokesperson for San Diego Fire, said firefighters were on scene to respond to a vegetation fire that sparked near the crash site. She referred additional questions to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
The base used to host the Navy fighter pilot training school depicted in the original Top Gun movie and was known as “Fightertown USA” in its heyday. The school was relocated to Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada in 1996 after the base was transferred to the Marine Corps.
The US Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force together have more than 630 F-35s, according to a 2024 analysis by the Government Accountability Office. The F-35B is one of several versions, and has an engine designed for short takeoffs and vertical landings. A single F-35B costs about $109m. The report estimated that the overall F-35 programme will cost roughly $2 trillion after the military buys more than 1,800 more jets and operates them for decades to come.
At least seven other military aircraft have crashed in the United States this year, according to the Flight Safety Foundation’s Aviation Safety Network database.
The most serious incident involved a B-52 bomber that crashed shortly after taking off in California’s Mojave Desert in June, killing all eight people on board.
WILDFIRES are continuing to sweep across Europe and Turkey is one of the latest countries to battle the blazes.
Here’s everything you need to know right now about travelling to Turkey.
Fires have broken out in various parts of Turkey.
One location which is popular for holidays is Antalya, and within the province there are multiple wildfires.
Currently, these are further inland than the coastal resorts popular with tourists.
The Fethiye–Antalya highway was temporarily closed due to smoke but later reopened under controlled conditions.
Another serious and active fire is in Seydikemer, 20-minutes away from the city of Fethiye, where 600 people have been evacuated from their homes.
It’s in the hills between Fethiye and Marmaris – the fire started on Wednesday morning and spread into woodland.
On the northwestern Aegean coast, three neighborhoods in the Ayvalık district – Hacıveliler, Tıfıllar, and Bağyüzü – have been evacuated.
This is as a precaution due to a wildfire spreading across Turkey’s western Balıkesir province.
Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said on X: “We are continuing to fight the wildfires day and night.
He said emergency responders had tackled 169 fires across the country since Wednesday, and 163 of those have “been completely brought under control.”
Most of Turkey is still considered safe to travel to, excluding the areas of the Syrian-Turkey border.
But officials do heed warning about the natural disaster as there is a “high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October”.
It reads: “Wildfires happen frequently in Turkey during summer.
“You could get a fine or prison sentence for lighting a fire of any kind or discarding cigarettes in risk areas such as woodland. Look out for signs that tell you fires, barbeques, and smoking are prohibited.
“If there is a wildfire in your area, local authorities may tell you to leave your accommodation. Follow the directions of local authorities.
“If you see a wildfire, call emergency services on 112.”
GOV.UK adds that “extreme temperatures can affect many areas of Turkey over the summer months.”
Flights to Turkey remain unaffected.
If you are due to fly in and have concerns, it may be worth contacting your airline to check if they are operating normally.
As the Foreign Office has not warned against travel to Greece, there are no special circumstances in place for holidaymakers to cancel their trip and receive a full refund.
Depending on what travel insurance you have, your policy might include natural disaster cover.
If so, your insurance policy should cover you for when you are unable to reach your holiday destination due to natural disasters, like wildfires.
So it is worth checking your travel insurance policy.
If you do choose to cancel your trip, it is best to contact your airline or holiday provider.
There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings unless government advice changes.
Three times in three decades, Qana's shelters were bombed. AJLabs tracks a village the Israeli military keeps hitting.
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CRETE is the latest destination to be struck by wildfires and with it being a holiday hotspot for Brits, lots are asking – is it still safe to travel to?
Here’s everything you need to know right now about travelling to the Greek island.
The majority of the wildfires in Crete are on the south of the island.
On Wednesday, a large fire broke out in the south of the Rethymno regional unit where around 8,000 people have been evacuated.
A large fire is being tackled near the villages of Krya Vrysi, Orne and the coastal resort of Agia Galini.
Hotels in Rethymno have been placed on high alert.
It’s believed the fire that has been exacerbated by 125km per hour winds has destroyed a number of homes in the area.
According to the BBC, it’s one of the biggest active fires on the island, with its front exceeding 9.3miles.
Hundreds of residents and tourists were evacuated from Krya Vrysi on Wednesday.
Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to battle the blaze, and two sadly died on Wednesday during high winds in Crete.
Forecasters warn fire-prone conditions will spread towards the centre of Europe this week, with Greece among one of the places most affected.
The travel advice for Greece remains unchanged.
But there are warnings on being prepared for wildfires which are “high risk” between April and October.
The advice from GOV.UK reads:
“Ensure that your mobile phone is registered to receive emergency alerts to be warned of wildfires near your location.
“Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly.
“To avoid starting wildfires:
“Causing a wildfire or a forest fire is a criminal offence in Greece – even if unintentional. If you see a fire, call the emergency services on 112.
“Be cautious if you are in or near an area affected by wildfires:
Flights to Crete remain unaffected.
If you are due to fly in and have concerns, it may be worth contacting your airline to check if they are operating normally.
As the Foreign Office has not warned against travel to Greece, there are no special circumstances in place for holidaymakers to cancel their trip and receive a full refund.
Depending on what travel insurance you have, your policy might include natural disaster cover.
If so, your insurance policy should cover you for when you are unable to reach your holiday destination due to natural disasters, like wildfires.
So it is worth checking your travel insurance policy.
If you do choose to cancel your trip, it is best to contact your airline or holiday provider.
There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings unless government advice changes.
Robert Way
Nvidia (NVDA) announced on Monday that it is teaming up with Safe Superintelligence, the new artificial intelligence lab created by former OpenAI (OPENAI) co-founder Ilya Sutskever, in a “long-term strategic partnership.”
Separately, Nvidia has made an additional investment in Safe Superintelligence. The
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who is running for mayor against incumbent Karen Bass, seized on significant decreases in street homelessness in her district Friday while blasting increases citywide.
Street homelessness — people living outdoors or in their vehicles — went down by 49% in Raman’s district compared to the previous year, she said at a press conference Friday.
Citywide, street homelessness increased nearly 8%, while overall homelessness, which includes those living in shelters and other temporary facilities, increased 3.4%, according to numbers from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s January point-in-time count that were released Friday.
The contrast between her district and the city overall offered Raman an angle to present herself as more effectively handling the homelessness crisis than Bass.
An estimated 45,194 homeless people live in the city, with about 36% of them in shelters, according to LAHSA.
“Far fewer people living outside. Far more people indoors,” Raman, who has served on the council since 2020 and is chair of the City Council’s housing and homelessness committee, said at the press conference. “As mayor, that is the approach, and the results, that I want to deliver citywide.”
The numbers across the city were a setback for Bass, who has made homelessness one of her signature issues and previously touted two straight years of drops in street homelessness.
Raman cited her office’s homelessness team and their “aggressive interventionist” approach as reasons her district — which extends from Los Feliz and Silver Lake into Studio City, Sherman Oaks and other parts of the San Fernando Valley — did not suffer the same increases as other parts of the city.
She said her team is very familiar with homeless individuals in the district and knows many by name. The team tracks homeless encampments on a map and makes sure that empty shelter beds are filled, she said.
Bass’ campaign said Raman was attacking the mayor’s Inside Safe program, which moves homeless people from the streets to shelter and motel beds, at the same time that it contributed to the decreases in her district.
Raman has critiqued Inside Safe as too costly and insufficiently transparent.
“Nithya Raman is taking credit for the results of Inside Safe while campaigning against it,” Alex Stack, a spokesperson for Bass’ campaign, said in a statement. “While Raman takes credit for the City’s work in her district, ignoring the fact that she’s the Chair of the Homelessness & Housing Committee for ALL of Los Angeles, Mayor Bass is working to move our city forward and address years of neglect.”
Raman responded to those critiques at her press conference, saying that her district only had three Inside Safe operations over the past four years — fewer than some other districts.
She deflected when asked Friday about her responsibility for citywide homelessness, as chair of the city’s housing and homelessness committee.
“Council can pass legislation … move motions forward, but it is the mayor that has charge of the implementation and outcomes,” she said.
Citywide, Inside Safe has moved more than 6,000 people into hotels, motels and other types of interim housing since Bass took office in December 2022. But by May 31, 41% of those people had returned to homelessness, according to LAHSA figures collected separately from this year’s homeless count.
Bass attributed the citywide homelessness increases in part to funding cuts by the state and federal government. She also said the county has not provided adequate mental health or substance counseling services.
“This crisis was ignored by city leaders for decades, it’s only now that we’ve seen a historic decline,” she said in a statement Thursday. “I will never stop fighting until we end street homelessness, because no Angeleno should be sleeping on the street.”
Times staff writer Doug Smith contributed to this report.
A SLEW of Howard Stern Show stars have confirmed they’re still employed just days after a dozen staffers were sacked in a series of layoffs last week.
In a video posted before the World Cup final on Sunday, several employees are seen inside the Stern wing of SiriusXM studios playing a very uncoordinated soccer game.
The Instagram post tagged several staffers, many of whom have played an on-air role on the show.
JD Harmeyer, Jon Hein, Steve Nowicki, Jason Kaplan, Will Murray, Sal Governale, Richard Christy and Mike Pearlman were tagged in the video.
On July 13, at least a dozen Stern Show staffers, including on-air personalities, were shown the door, after it was announced in a Zoom call that Stern would only be doing just one live show a week after his long summer break.
The layoffs included several on-air fan favorites such as Benjy Bronk, Jon Blitt, Memet Walker and Mike Trainor.
Insiders are calling the severance packages handed to these longtime staffers downright insulting, especially since some had been with Stern for his entire two-decade run at SiriusXM.
One source revealed that workers received barely more than a single week of pay for each year they put in.
“You would think Stern would have taken care of these guys after decades of loyalty,” the source said.
Every ten years on the job only earned them two months of pay, plus a strict NDA threatening to strip away even that tiny payout.
In the media world, standard severance usually runs closer to two weeks of pay per year worked.
The shocker comes right after the radio host locked in his latest SiriusXM extension in late 2025, after even admitting on air that he was not entirely sure he would sign on again.
During the announcement, he assured listeners the new agreement would give him more free time while keeping him on the airwaves.
Under the 2026 schedule, he was supposed to broadcast live Monday through Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Eastern.
Back in August 2025, sources indicated that Stern and Sirius management were unlikely to come to terms on his massive $100 million yearly deal, leaving many to believe the legendary show was finally coming to a close.
Although he did end up renewing with the network, this severely reduced broadcast schedule signals that Sirius is no longer throwing around that kind of massive payday.
FIRES across Spain have resulted in 11 deaths and widespread chaos, with tourists forced to flee their villas and evacuated from hotels.
Here is everything you need to know if you have a holiday to Spain coming up.
Extreme temperatures have resulted in wildfires in parts of Spain, along with France, Portugal and Greece.
The hot weather – expected to go over 40C this week – has resulted in dry forests and conditions, making them more prone to wildfires.
Local authorities have deployed over 150 firefighters and 200 military personnel to tackle them.
It is Spain’s worst wildfire in more than two decades and the Andalusia region’s most devastating in history
The fires in Spain are predominantly along the south of the country.
The blaze broke out in Los Gallardos, Almeria, southern Spain, and have since spread to areas including Cadiz.
Aragon, Catalonia and Valencia are the other regions tipped to be worst-affected.
All of Spain still remains safe to travel to, according to the UK Foreign Office.
However, they do have updated the travel advice.
The website states: “Local authorities have reported a wildfire in Los Gallardos, Almería, in Andalucía.
“If you are in an area affected by the wildfire:
The UK government also has wider information on them in general, saying: “Wildfires happen often in Spain, including on the islands, during the summer months.
“Be aware of your environment when visiting or driving through woodland areas. For information on wildfire risk visit the Spanish Meteorological Office (AEMET).
“Causing a wildfire is a criminal offence in Spain, even if unintentional. Make sure cigarette ends are properly extinguished, do not light barbecues and do not leave empty bottles behind.
“You can be heavily fined for not following the rules against lighting outdoor barbecues in forest areas. Make sure you know the rules if considering a barbeque.
“For information on what to do in the event of a wildfire, visit Civil Protection.”
Most holidays remain unaffected if you are heading to Spain in the next few weeks.
Passengers will be contacted by their tour operator or airline if this changes.
June 5 (UPI) — NASA briefly moved five of the seven crew members aboard the International Space Station to the docked SpaceX Crew Dragon “Freedom” while Russian cosmonauts planned to repair leaks in a transfer tunnel in the Russian module.
The Russian crew members decided to only perform measurements Friday, so Mission Control told the crew members it was OK to exit the safe haven configuration.
“Roscosmos has paused Friday’s structural repair efforts … as more measurements and data is assessed. Given this development, NASA has instructed the crew members inside the Dragon spacecraft to end the safe haven procedures and return to planned operations aboard the International Space Station. We look forward to working with Roscosmos on a collaborative approach to address the leaks,” NASA Spokesperson Bethany Stevens posted on X.
The cracks have created a small air leak on and off for about six years and is a safety risk.
“The Zvezda service module transfer tunnel, known as PrK, has suffered from cracks and leaks for some time, and has been mitigated by Roscosmos as much as possible to date. The cracks have always been a concern that NASA watches very closely. NASA and Roscosmos have been working to determine the root cause of the cracks, and Roscosmos manages the issue through operational mitigation measures and periodic partial-repair efforts,” Steven wrote in another post.
The NASA Crew-12 members on the ISS include: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot and Andrew Fedyaev. Astronaut Chris Williams went to the Dragon spacecraft, Stevens said.
Roscosmos noticed a slow pressure drop in the tunnel last month after a Russian cargo ship arrived, CBS News reported. NASA and Roscosmos have been working on “operational mitigation measures and periodic partial-repair efforts.”
A HOLIDAY destination known for being home to one of the Wonders of the World is back open to Brits after being removed from the unsafe to travel list.
Earlier this year, the UK Foreign Office advised against non-essential travel to Jordan due to the Iran conflict.
However, earlier this week, the travel warning was downgraded to allow holiday travel again.
While this still excludes the 3km border of Syria, it means the popular destinations can welcome tourists again.
One of the main sites to see is Petra, one of the seven Wonders.
Nicknamed the Rose City, the ancient capital dates back to 300BC and is one of the most popular places visited by tourists, usually on day trips.
There is also Wadi Rum, which many compare to feeling like another planet and is where you can find amazing desert camps, or Wadi al Hasa, a 25-mile canyon that is popular with trekkers,
Or you can stay in the capital of Amman, where most UK flights operate to, or Jerash, called the “Pompeii of the East” for its ruins.
The Sun’s Alex Matthew’s visited. saying: “To get the most from your experience, you have to get up early — not just to beat the desert heat but to avoid the endless stream of families and elderly day-trippers wielding selfie sticks.
“Kick off your stay in Amman with a trip to the Citadel. Built on one of Jordan’s earliest settlements, these stunning ancient ruins include the impressive Temple of Hercules.
“A three to four-hour drive from the capital, a visit to Petra makes for a long day — but you won’t regret a single minute.
” The huge stone pillars and ornate figures of the Treasury will have you gawping in sheer disbelief. “
Flights to Jordan are with Royal Jordanian, which start from £270 return if travelling after summer.
Or you can book adventure packages, with Intrepid seven-day trips from £533pp.
Flights take around five hours, although try and avoid travelling in July and August – temperatures can hit 40C.
It can also drop to 11C or even freezing in the desert, but now is the best time to go with termpatures around 30C.
Ricky Martin had to stop his concert Thursday in Montenegro after someone in the audience “discharged tear gas toward the stage,” causing an “abrupt” interruption to the show as fans retreated and got any needed medical attention, the singer’s publicist said in a statement posted on Instagram.
The show did go on.
“As a precautionary measure, Ricky Martin and his entire team exited the stage while security personnel and local authorities worked to contain the situation and ensure the safety of those in attendance,” the statement said.
“We didn’t understand what was happening,” one shaken Montenegran concertgoer said on Instagram during the outdoor show. “Suddenly, people started pushing each other, and we smelled pepper spray. Many people quickly covered their mouths and left the area. I don’t know if there’s still anyone in the area right now. I didn’t see what the police did. I can hear that the concert has started again, but I left the area. I hope everyone is OK.”
Whether the substance was tear gas — which, incidentally, is a powder, not a gas — or pepper spray is unclear. Both substances have similarly irritating effects, despite different ingredients. Tear gas is typically employed by law enforcement for crowd control while pepper spray is often used by individuals for self-defense, according to hazmat and crime-scene cleanup company Bio Recovery, which operates mainly in the American south. Both substances can disperse widely in the air.
Martin, 54, decided to resume the show once authorities said everything was back under control even though “members of the artist’s team advised against continuing the performance,” the publicist’s statement explained.
The headlining performance, which was part of festivities marking the 20th anniversary of Montenegro’s restored independence following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, came as the “Livin’ la Vida Loca” singer gets ready to embark on a European tour with dates in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Czechia, Poland, Hungary, Istanbul and more from June into August.
Also Friday, Martin announced he would join the U.K.’s Heritage Live Festivals with a show Aug. 22 at the Royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk with Sugababes, Olly Alexander and Sophie Castillo. It will be his only U.K. show in 2026. Other artists appearing in Heritage Live shows in July and August include UB40, Lionel Richie and Eric Clapton.
“The rise of Latin music as a global force has been phenomenal, and we’re thrilled to welcome one of the true pioneers who helped bring it to a massive international audience,” Giles Cooper of Heritage Live Festivals told the BBC. “It’s set to be an incredible party.”
Martin, who hails from Puerto Rico, joined Bad Bunny’s all-Spanish halftime show at Super Bowl LX in February with a 30-second cameo in a scene invoking the cover of the latter singer’s album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” Clad in all white, Martin sat in a white chair and dove into “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii,” a ballad that implores Puerto Ricans, should the opportunity arise, to resist compromises that Hawaiians made when those islands became a U.S. state in 1959.
Strategic ambiguity, the US policy of neither explicitly supporting nor opposing Taiwanese independence, has been considered effective for decades in maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait. However, the summit between Trump and Xi Jinping on May 14-15, 2026, in Beijing revealed signs that this formula’s effectiveness is beginning to be limited. China pushed the US not merely to “not support” but to actively “oppose” Taiwanese independence. The US responded by displaying an inconsistent position. Taiwan openly asserted its sovereignty. All three responses emerged within less than 24 hours, and no international forum was able to manage the contradictions.
AT His strategic ambiguity is not simply a matter of US foreign policy. It reflects deeper limitations in the global governance system in addressing unresolved sovereignty issues. At the same time, China is actively promoting an alternative world order through its Belt and Road Initiative, non-interventionist principles, and multipolarity agenda, which indirectly influence how the Taiwan issue is positioned on the international stage. Without a concrete framework for joint governance, the potential for miscalculations across the Taiwan Strait will continue to increase.
On May 16, 2026, the day after Trump left Beijing, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement. Taiwan is a sovereign and independent nation. It is not under Chinese rule. This statement was not new rhetoric.
What makes this significant is the context. Trump had just called a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan a bargaining chip in negotiations with Xi Jinping. China had just successfully pushed the US to soften its tone on Taiwan. In less than 24 hours, three main actors make statements that cannot all be true at the same time. And there is no one international institution that has the authority to decide which is more valid.
This isn’t a sudden diplomatic failure. It’s the result of a policy of strategic ambiguity that has been in place for more than five decades and is now beginning to show its limitations.
Strategic ambiguity was once effective because all parties had an incentive not to test its limits. That situation is changing. China is becoming increasingly assertive. militarily and increasingly actively shaping an alternative global order. Taiwan is becoming more assertive in claiming its political identity. The US under Trump is increasingly unpredictable. In these conditions, the ambiguity that once served as a buffer for stability has now become a source of uncertainty. The global governance system lacks adequate instruments to fill the gaps left by this increasingly outdated formula.
Starting from the background, a US strategic ambiguity towards Taiwan was born of deliberate compromise. In the Shanghai Communique (1972), Washington used the word “recognizes” China’s position that Taiwan is part of China, not “accepts.” The difference in vocabulary was no accident. It opened diplomatic normalization with Beijing without formally abandoning Taipei.
This formula was then codified through the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 and three joint US-China communiques. During the Cold War era and the two decades that followed, this formula remained relatively stable because China was not yet strong enough to challenge it militarily and Taiwan was not yet confident enough to challenge it politically. As noted by T.Y. Wang in the journal Politics and Policy, strategic ambiguity is designed not only to deter China from attacking Taiwan but also to restrain Taiwan from taking steps that Beijing might deem provocative.
But the conditions that made that formula effective have changed structurally. Taiwan’s democratization since the 1990s has produced a political identity increasingly independent of the “One China” narrative. The PLA’s military modernization has changed the cost calculations of conflict. And Trump’s return to the White House has brought a transactional approach that, as noted by the Global Taiwan Institute, exacerbates existing ambiguities with conflicting signals that are record arms sales accompanied by a striking rhetorical silence on US security commitments to Taiwan.
On the ground, this uncertainty has already resulted in a measured escalation. Military exercises: Justice Mission 2025 In December 2025, a full-scale blockade of Taiwan was simulated, with over 90 aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait in a single day. These median line violations were not an anomaly. Since 2022, they have become increasingly routine and have rarely elicited an organized response from the international community.
The most important part to understand next is about the One China Policy. The One China Policy affirms that a single label includes three irreconcilable positions. Beijing maintains that Taiwan is an unreturned province and that reunification is a non-negotiable goal. Taipei maintains that the Republic of China (ROC) is a sovereign state that predates the People’s Republic of China and that the two have never ruled each other. Washington maintains its own version, based on the Taiwan Relations Act, that recognizes Beijing’s position without explicitly endorsing it.
These three positions exist simultaneously because they have never been tested in an international forum that has the authority to decide which is more valid. Brookings Institution; he noted that this policy was originally designed for a period when China was not yet acting like a revisionist power. Now, conditions have changed, and the old formula requires a recalibration that has yet to materialize.
There’s a compelling argument here. Strategic ambiguity has also served as a deterrent to war. It prevents China from attacking because it’s unsure whether the US will intervene. It also prevents Taiwan from declaring formal independence because it’s unsure whether the US would defend it. In this logic, ambiguity is a feature, not a bug.
However, analyst Brandon K. Yoder in the European Journal of International Relations, The effectiveness of deterrence hinges on credibility, which is currently eroding. When Trump called weapons for Taiwan a “negotiating chip,” he indirectly communicated to Beijing that the US commitment was conditional. When commitments are conditional, their deterrent effect is significantly weakened.
What results is not new stability, but rather an increasingly unpredictable gray area. Each party operates based on its own assumptions about the limits that can be tested. Without governance mechanisms that explicitly clarify these limits, the risk of miscalculation continues to grow.
The Taiwan issue cannot be read in isolation from China’s broader agenda of reshaping the global order. Over the past two decades, Beijing has not only protested the existing international system but also actively developed an alternative.
The Belt and Road Initiative, which now encompasses more than 140 countries, is more than just an infrastructure project. As analyzed in China Quarterly of International Strategic Studies, BRI serves as both a governance and economic mechanism, linking infrastructure development with new standards of connectivity and cooperation that reflect the Chinese model of development without political conditions.
Beyond the BRI, China is actively pushing three major initiatives: the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative. They share a common thread that is strengthening the norm of sovereignty, rejecting intervention based on Western values, and promoting multipolarity as a substitute for single-party hegemony. Bruegel noted that the concept of “Community with a Shared Future for Mankind” popularized by Xi at Davos 2017 has even been included in several UN General Assembly resolutions, demonstrating how far China has succeeded in pushing its global narrative into multilateral institutions.
The relevance to the Taiwan issue is that the more countries accept China’s sovereignty-based, non-interference-based governance framework, the more limited the space for international mechanisms to challenge Beijing’s claims to Taiwan. China’s global governance agenda and its claims to Taiwan are not separate issues. They are part of the same project: redefining who has the right to set the rules of the game in what have traditionally been called “internal affairs.”
This also makes Trump’s and Xi’s bilateral approach a more suitable instrument for China’s interests. When the Taiwan issue is managed through negotiations between the two great powers, broader norms, such as the right to self-determination and representation of sovereign entities, are not discussed. Observer Research Foundation noted that BRI cooperation with the UN from 2015 to 2019 was more about mutual legitimacy than structural integration, and a similar pattern is seen in the way China uses multilateral forums to validate its diplomatic positions without actually committing to the process.
Trump’s and Xi’s meeting in May 2026 shows a pattern that deserves serious attention. That is, the Taiwan issue is now managed almost entirely outside the multilateral framework. There are no regional forums, no UN mechanisms, no activated joint protocols. There are just two leaders, two delegations, and an agenda far broader than just Taiwan.
Observation: Both sides reveal a glaring asymmetry. In China’s version, Taiwan is referred to as the “most important issue,” and Xi warned of potential conflict if handled incorrectly. In the US version, Taiwan is not mentioned at all. CSIS noted that the meeting resulted in a commitment to “strategic stability” without concrete instruments to realize it. The lack of crisis communication protocol. Limited incident management framework. There isn’t any commitment to refrain from provocative military exercises.
This is not simply a shortcoming of the meeting. It reflects a more systemic limitation. namely the limitations There is no sufficiently authoritative multilateral platform to address this issue. The UN Security Council is hampered by Beijing’s veto power. ASEAN adheres to the principle of non-intervention, which actually benefits China’s narrative. The G20 has no mandate to address sovereignty disputes.
The result is what could be called a governance deficit. This doesn’t mean there are no institutions, but rather that the existing ones are insufficiently effective for the situation. And it’s in this deficit that military escalation moves in to fill the space that structured diplomacy should be filling. Modern Diplomacy noted that the US approved an $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan by 2025 while simultaneously sending ambiguous rhetorical signals, a combination that makes it difficult for both China and Taiwan to read exactly where the real line is.
The following three recommendations are not intended to resolve the Taiwan status question. Their purpose is more limited and more immediate. namely for reducing the risk of miscalculation before a minor incident escalates into an uncontrollable crisis. All three rely on existing political conditions and momentum.
First, the momentum of the Trump-Xi meeting should be used to establish a permanent, dedicated military crisis communication channel for incidents in the Taiwan Strait. The most relevant precedent is the Washington-Moscow hotline, established after the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, precisely because the world had nearly come to war due to miscommunication, not intention. CNBC noted the May 2026 meeting resulted in a relatively constructive atmosphere between the two leaders. This is a rare window of opportunity and should be used for something concrete.
Second, Indonesia, as a BRICS member and ASEAN dialogue partner with a relatively balanced working relationship with Washington and Beijing, could propose a regional consultation forum focused on managing incidents in the Taiwan Strait. This would not be a forum to decide Taiwan’s status, but rather a technical mechanism for de-escalation procedures and crisis communication. ASEAN has the foundation for this through the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, and Indonesia’s current position within BRICS provides added legitimacy in Beijing’s eyes.
Third, the US, China, Japan, and South Korea need to negotiate a joint commitment that no party will change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait through force. This is inspired by the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, which successfully committed European countries not to change their borders by force, despite many of their mutual distrust. The agreement did not resolve existing disputes, but it did raise the costs of escalation measurably. With Xi seeking economic stability before 2027 and Trump seeking to avoid military engagement far from the US mainland, both sides’ calculations are now more open to this type of commitment than in previous periods.
It can be concluded that strategic ambiguity is one of the most ingenious products of Cold War diplomacy. It maintained stability in the Taiwan Strait for decades, not by solving the problem, but by making all parties unsure whether testing its limits was a good idea.
The conditions that make that formula work are changing simultaneously. China is stronger and more assertive. Taiwan is more assertive in its political identity. And the US under Trump is sending signals that are more easily read as conditional than committed. These three changes are not occurring one after the other, but simultaneously, and the global governance system has not yet responded accordingly.
The Trump-Xi meeting in May 2026 is neither a turning point in the war nor a step toward a resolution. It is a reflection of the current situation: three actors with three different interpretations, no referee, and increasingly little room for error.
What’s needed isn’t a final solution on Taiwan’s status, as that won’t come anytime soon. What’s needed are concrete steps that reduce the risk of miscalculation while keeping all options open. Crisis channels, regional consultative forums, and non-escalation commitments are small steps but have clear historical precedent. The question is whether the political will for these small steps can still be found amidst the escalating rivalry.
Travel fans loved the ‘genius’ idea (stock photo)(Image: Getty)
A family has gone viral after using what’s been described as the ‘ultimate’ travel hack to simplify their holiday. The ‘smart’ method could be ideal for anyone visiting crowded tourist areas.
According to Clarissa Hen, who posts on TikTok under the username @Clarhens, her family used AirTags to keep track of each other during a recent day out in Japan. Sharing a video of the ‘genius’ hack in action, Clarissa wrote: “Ultimate travel hack: Put airtags on everyone before going to crowded tourist traps.”
As seen in the post, everyone received a lanyard with their own AirTag, making it easier to find each other after they were finished exploring. The idea caught the attention of social media users.
The video went viral, racking up over one million views and more than 50,000 likes. In her caption, Clarissa asked viewers if they thought the hack was ‘smart or extra’.
Explaining why her family gave it a go, she wrote: “When everyone has the attention span of a goldfish, airtags are key!!! No need to worry about someone’s phone dying or them not replying/answering (like my dad and sister) you can just track them like lost luggage lol.”
In response, TikTok users were quick to share their thoughts. While not everyone was convinced, several viewers loved the idea. Someone commented: “We just have meeting spots when we break up and come back together at the same place.”
Another social media user said: “Me and my friends shared our google maps locations and it was so helpful.” A different response read: “Use the Life360 app!! It’s free and it is super accurate! Used it to find my friends when we went to Japan.”
Meanwhile, a commenter wrote: “But if y’all have iPhones you wouldn’t need AirTags, just saying.” But Clarissa replied: “Yes we have our phone locations on too but iPhone batteries can run out within the day and cell service isn’t always reliable so AirTags are a great alternative!”
Other social media users loved the hack. A fan of the idea commented: “Needed this for all my aunties.” Another reply said: “Genius.” Someone else wrote: “Very smart.” More praise read: “I love this!”
A viewer shared: “That’s literally what I did with my family in Japan so I can freely roam around.” Meanwhile, a commenter replied: “Wait!!!! This is so smart! I gotta do this with my family at Disney.”
Clarissa said: “Right!?? Soo useful lol we all lost each other then I tracked them down.” Someone else claimed: “Save those for Tokyo Disney if you’re going. I got lost TWICE for HOURS both times and I was just trying to find a place to pee.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Four Memphis residents are suing U.S. and Tennessee officials, saying they have been harassed, arrested and physically mistreated for engaging in First Amendment protected activities by observing and recording law enforcement agents in their city.
A lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court targets the Memphis Safe Task Force, comprising agents from 13 federal agencies that President Trump ordered to the city to fight crime alongside Tennessee State Troopers and the Tennessee National Guard.
Since late September, hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement personnel tied to the task force have made traffic stops, served warrants and searched for fugitives in the majority Black city of about 610,000 people. The lawsuit says the task force has conducted over 120,000 traffic stops.
“In the professed name of crime control, Task Force agents have stopped, menaced, and arrested Memphians engaging in routine, day-to-day activities,” the lawsuit states. “In response, Memphians encountering Task Force agents in public, including Plaintiffs, have stopped to gather information about and record Task Force activities.”
Emails from the Associated Press to the U.S. Department of Justice and a spokesperson for the task force were not returned on Wednesday morning.
Federal officials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, former Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, have visited Memphis to praise the task force. Miller in October predicted the surge in law enforcement would make the city “safer than any of you could ever possibly imagine” and that “businesses and investment are going to pour in, and Memphis will be richer than ever before.”
The task force is part of a larger effort by Trump to use National Guard troops and surge federal law enforcement in cities, particularly ones controlled by Democrats. Following troop deployments in the District of Columbia and Los Angeles, he referred to Portland, Ore., as “war-ravaged” and threatened apocalyptic force in Chicago. Speaking last year to U.S. military leaders in Virginia, Trump proposed using cities as training grounds for the armed forces.
The lawsuit accuses task force agents of systematically retaliating against the four plaintiffs and other members of the public engaged in similar observations. It claims the threats and harassment are the “direct result of federal policy” that views observing federal agents performing their duties in public as a threat of harm to those agents. The lawsuit also claims that federal and state officials have failed to train their agents not to retaliate against citizens engaged in First Amendment protected activities.
The lawsuit asks the court to declare that retaliation against the plaintiffs for observing and recording law enforcement activity is unconstitutional and to prohibit the agents from further retaliation. It also targets a Tennessee law that requires observers to stand at least 25 feet away from law enforcement officers, if they are warned to do so, or face arrest. The suit asks the court to declare unconstitutional the use of the “Halo Law” against defendants who are not interfering with agents or impeding their duties.
Loller writes for the Associated Press.
