Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Thursday that while Cuba does not want military aggression from the United States, his country is prepared to fight should it happen. Diaz-Canel spoke during a rally that drew hundreds of people to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the declaration of the Cuban Revolution’s socialist essence. “The moment is extremely challenging and calls upon us once again, as on April 16, 1961, to be ready to confront serious threats, including military aggression. We do...

Asian refiners have grown increasingly reliant on US crude as oil-starved fuel makers scour the globe to replace Middle Eastern supply and stave off shortages that could ripple through the broader economy. Buyers in Japan led the charge to purchase May-loading cargoes from the US early in the month, with South Korean, Singaporean and Thai processors also among customers, said traders familiar with the matter. At least 60 million barrels of grades from the US Gulf were bought for loading next...

Hong Kong police are hunting for a man after mobile phones were snatched from two women moments before MTR train doors closed at two different stations. Police received reports from two victims, aged 48 and 33, at 8.24pm and 8.33pm on Thursday, respectively, that their phones had been grabbed by a man at Lai King and Mei Foo stations. The suspect, believed to be about 30 years old, took advantage of the closing doors to snatch the devices and escape. The stolen phones – an OPPO Find X9 and an...

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. The role of the management committee of Wang Fuk Court owners’ corporation is expected to be a key focus on Friday at a hearing by an independent panel investigating Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, with a former chairman of the body and a construction worker set to testify. In an earlier session, residents accused Tai Po district councillor Peggy Wong...

China’s food supply could be vulnerable to global price spikes triggered by extreme weather or global conflict, as international bodies warn the US-Israel war on Iran is worsening food insecurity worldwide. The country has sufficient staple grain supplies, but Beijing said the nation’s food sector still faced structural challenges, including a weak processing industry and a lack of high-quality crop varieties in some areas. These weaknesses could pose problems for China if global food markets...

Manycore Tech, a design software developer hailed as one of Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons”, made its trading debut in Hong Kong on Friday, with shares rising 172 per cent at the open, as the company positions itself at the intersection of artificial intelligence and the physical world. The company’s shares opened at HK$20.70 (US$2.64), rising 172 per cent versus the offer price of HK$7.62. The firm raised HK$1.09 billion from its initial public offering (IPO). On the grey market on Thursday,...

March is a highlight of Hong Kong’s cultural calendar. Last month, as I welcomed delegates to the International Cultural Summit during Art Week, many told me they had come to network with local and international collaborators and explore Hong Kong’s museums, galleries and performance venues. Tens of thousands attended Art Basel, Art Central, gallery openings, performances and other events across the city. The month also buzzed with jazz, opera, classical concerts and other performances, with the...