Morning Minutes: What will make headlines, July 27, 2016

US Secretary of State John Kerry (left) will meet Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday (July 27).
PHOTO: REUTERS/AFP

Good morning! Morning Minutes is a round-up of stories that will break on Wednesday, July 27, and which we think you'd be interested in.

It appears on weekdays, available by 7am.

Kerry meeting Duterte in Manila

US Secretary of State John Kerry, fresh from a gathering with foreign ministers from Asean and China in Laos, meets Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday (July 27) in Manila, with the South China Sea issue expected to be high on the agenda.

Mr Kerry said he would encourage Mr Duterte to engage in dialogue and negotiations with China when the two meet.

Clinton expected to get party's nod

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a Democratic Party organizing event on July 25, 2016. PHOTO: AFP

The US Democratic Party is expected to create history on Wednesday (July 27) by anointing Mrs Hillary Clinton as its candidate for presidency, the first time a major US political party has picked a woman for the role.

A dose of political theatre could be in store, however, as her rival, Mr Bernie Sanders, is seeking to place his name in nomination during the vote.

Fed likely to defer rate increase

A man walks past the Federal Reserve Bank on Dec 16, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

Economists predict there is less than a 10 per cent chance the Federal Reserve will boost interest rates at the end of its two-day Federal Open Market Committee meeting on Wednesday (July 27) .

The US central bank is expected to defer any possible increase until September or December, as policymakers hold out for more evidence of a pick-up inflation. Central to the debate is how to reconcile upbeat US economic data with a global growth slowdown.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.