
Watch: US embassy likens China to antisocial neighbour living in flats
Singapore and China have reacted angrily to an American social media video that compares Beijing's policies in the South China Sea to an antisocial neighbour who clutters the corridors of blocks of flats.
In an unusual attempt at 'outreach', the US embassy in Singapore posted an elaborate video showing bicycles, pot plants and other possessions crammed into a landing in a typical modern apartment block in the city.
'When we live together, it's important to respect each other's space,' the voiceover, by a young woman with a Singaporean accent, says. 'So imagine coming home one day and finding this. Does this remind you of anything else?'
With appropriate imagery of warships and extensive maps, the woman goes on to claim that China's attempts to claim
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Shocking moment tourist jumps into Terracotta Army clay warriors and damages statues before being overpowered by security guards
In a shocking act of recklessness, a tourist has sparked outrage in China after jumping into a section of the world-famous Terracotta Army, damaging two of the ancient clay statues in the process. The 30-year-old man, identified only by his surname Sun, launched himself over guardrails and a protective netting at the museum housing the clay warriors in the city of Xi'an on Friday. But the man did not stop there. Once inside the protected enclosure, he reportedly began pushing and pulling the priceless statues, resulting in visible damage to two of the figures. Museum security quickly intervened and subdued the intruder. Authorities say Sun suffers from a mental illness and confirmed that an investigation is currently underway following the incident. The pit he leapt into is an eye-watering 18ft deep - raising serious concerns about how he managed to breach safety measures. The Terracotta Army is a breathtaking collection of more than 8,000 life-sized soldiers created 2,000 years ago to guard the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. It is regarded as one of the country's greatest archaeological treasures. The Terracotta Army site has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 1987 and draws millions of visitors each year. Despite the shocking incident, a museum staff member revealed that the exhibit remains open to the public as normal, with officials working swiftly to assess and repair the damage. It comes after Vietnamese police last month detained a man over damage to an ancient throne which is considered one of the nation's most precious artefacts. The man, named locally as Ho Van Phuong Tam, 42, broke into a history exhibit and damaged the antique throne, conservation officials said on May 25. The ornate red-and-gold Nguyen dynasty throne was the royal seat of the last feudal family to rule Vietnam between 1802 and 1945 and has been preserved for posterity in Hue city's Thai Hoa Palace. Tam 'snuck into the Nguyen dynasty display area, screamed and then broke the front left armrest', a statement from the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre (HMCC) said. In footage circulating on social media and Vietnam news sites purporting to show the incident, the man can be seen sitting cross-legged on the two-century-old throne that is adorned with dragon motifs. Local reports claimed the man had purchased an entry ticket before approaching the roped-off area. He then climbed on to the throne while 'exhibiting signs of severe intoxication,' as per Vietnam News. Tam was quickly arrested but showed 'signs of psychosis, screaming, talking nonsense and could not answer the investigator's questions', the HMCC said. And also last month, a vandal sparked outrage after being filmed spray a penis onto a wall at an ancient Peruvian UNESCO site. In footage, the man was seen spraying the crude graffiti on one of the original walls of Chan Chan, a pre-Columbian city 300 miles north of Lima that is flooded with thousands of visitors each month. He wore a backpack and drew a giant black penis on the stone which is more than 600 years old and a World Heritage Site. Peru's ministry of culture said the culprit showed 'a grave disrespect toward our history and cultural heritage, as well as a violation of the regulations that protect archaeological heritage sites.


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Bruno Fernandes is spotted dining with Al-Hilal 'secret agent' as Man United captain weighs up £200m Saudi mega-move
Bruno Fernandes fueled speculation surrounding a potential move to the Saudi Pro League after he was spotted dining with an Al Hilal star. On the table is an offer believed to be worth £200milion over a three-year contract. Al-Hilal will push the Man United captain for a response to their £700,000-a-week tax-free deal, before approaching the Red Devils with an offer in the region of £100m. Mail Sport understands Fernandes' agent, Miguel Pinho, spent three days at the Four Seasons hotel in Riyadh last week, where he held face-to-face talks with Al-Hilal officials. But Fernandes' agent was not the only one in contact with Al Hilal personnel. The player was spotted at Joao Cancelo's birthday party over the weekend, sharing a group meal to celebrate the former Man City star turning 31. The two countrymen both suit up for the Portuguese national team, but the timing of this link-up will only send speculation soaring. 🚨🚨| Bruno Fernandes was seen with national teammate and current Al-Hilal player João Cancelo today. [ @hilalstuff ] — centredevils. (@centredevils) June 1, 2025 Fernandes just recently jetted back from United's miserable post-season tour in the Far East, where they limply lost in Malaysia against ASEAN All-Stars, in front of fans who had paid up to £260 to attend. After the second game of their tour, in which they came back from a goal down to beat Hong Kong 3-1, Ruben Amorim insisted he does not believe Fernandes has played his last match for United. The beleaguered boss: 'I don't think so. I don't know for sure. I think he wants to stay. He is saying no to a lot of things. 'The club can find other ways to make money. The feeling I get is that he wants to continue for sure with Man United, you never know.' Fernandes' recent social media activity could also be seen as a hint that he plans on staying. The 30-year-old reposted United's post on Instagram officially announcing Matheus Cunha's £62.5m move to Old Trafford on Sunday. United sources have re-iterated that they do not want to sell Fernandes, but the club are under even greater financial pressure after their defeat by Tottenham in the Europa League final cost them £100m in Champions League revenue. Speaking after the final, Fernandes himself acknowledged the possibility of a summer exit. He said defeatedly: 'If the club thinks it's time to part ways because they want to do some cashing in or whatever, it's what it is. Football sometimes is like this.' Al Hilal are keen to sign the Portugal international in time for the revamped 32-team Club World Cup, which begins on June 14. They have been drawn in Group H alongside European champions Real Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg and Mexican side Pachuca.


The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Ukraine and Russia meet in Turkey for peace talks with few hopes for a breakthrough
Delegations from Russia and Ukraine gathered in Turkey on Monday for their second round of direct peace talks in just over two weeks, although expectations were low for any significant progress on ending the three-year war. The Ukrainian delegation led Defense Minister Rustem Umerov was in Istanbul for the meeting, according to Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, said in a message posted on the Ukrainian Embassy Whatsapp group. The Russian delegation headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, arrived Sunday evening, Russian state media reported. Turkish officials said the meeting would start at 1 p.m. local time, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan presiding over the talks and officials from the Turkish intelligence agency also present. However, Ukrainian spokesperson Tykhyi said the start would be at midday local time. It was not immediately possible to clarify the discrepancy. Recent comments by senior officials in both countries indicate they remain far apart on the key conditions for stopping the war. Fierce fighting has in the meantime continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, and both sides have hit each other's territory with deep strikes. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack destroyed more than 40 Russian planes deep inside Russia, Ukraine's Security Service said, while Moscow pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones. Russian air defenses downed 162 Ukrainian drones over eight Russian regions overnight, as well as over the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, Russia's Defense Ministry said Monday. Ukrainian air defenses damaged 52 out of 80 drones launched by Russia overnight, the Ukrainian air force said. Two ballistic missiles struck a residential neighborhood in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Monday morning, including one that hit near a school, the city's mayor said. One missile landed near an apartment building, while the second struck a road near the school, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a statement and published a photo of a wide crater. 'Standing next to the crater, you realize how different it all could have been,' Terekhov wrote. 'A few more meters — and it would have hit the building. A few more minutes — and cars, buses would have been on the road.' No casualties were reported. ___ Suzan Frazer in Ankara, Turkey, and Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report. ___