Good morning! Morning Minutes is a round-up of stories that will break on Friday, Jan 15, and which we think you'd be interested in.

It appears on weekdays, available by 7am.

Parliament opens

Singapore's 13th Parliament opens at 3.30pm today (Jan 15) with 91 MPs taking their oaths of allegiance.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam will also address the new Parliament at 8.30pm, setting out the Government's goals and directions for its five-year term.

The various ministries will also outline their plans and policies in statements called addenda to the President's address over the next week. The House will then sit for five days from Jan 25 to debate the President's address.

Seminar to help SMEs stay relevant

Minister of State for Manpower Teo Ser Luck will attend the Enterprise Growth Series on developing lean and future-ready small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seminar, organised by the Workforce Development Agency and Singapore National Employers Federation. The seminar aims to encourage SMEs to anticipate alternate futures, identify opportunities, develop strategies, and build teams to drive organisational transformation.

Launch of updated carpool app

Ryde, a local carpool app launched in April, will launch an updated version with enhanced features today (Jan 15). The app connects private-car drivers and passengers using Global Positioning System technology to allow them to carpool. Depending on the distance, the app proposes a payment of between $5 and $15, which the driver can choose to collect from the rider to defray the costs of petrol and tolls. - ADRIAN LIM

Yingluck back in court

Thailand's former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra returns to the court today (Jan 15) for another hearing in a trial on criminal negligence looking into her role in a debt-ridden rice subsidy scheme during her administration. The authorities have resolved to sue seven executives of four rice mills accused of supporting an alleged "irregularity" involving the subsidy programme, media reported.