Good morning! Morning Minutes is a round-up of stories that will break on Friday, May 6, and which we think you'd be interested in.

It appears on weekdays, available by 7am.

SCDF to announce plans for work year

SCDF will announce its plans for this work year today (May 6). This year's theme is "Building a Nation of Lifesavers: Innovate to Transform".

In line with the SCDF's 2025 vision of "A Nation of Lifesavers" and in support of the SG Secure national movement, the SCDF has adopted a shift in its community engagement framework where it leverages on the community's emergency preparedness competencies and focuses on enhancing their levels of competencies as Community First Responders.

Kim Jong Un to deliver keynote address at opening of party congress

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is expected to deliver a keynote address at the opening of Friday's (May 6) party congress, which will be scrutinised for suggestions of a significant policy shift or personnel changes.

While the agenda - and even the duration - of the event is still unknown, the congress is expected to confirm Mr Kim's "byungjin" policy of pursuing nuclear weapons in tandem with economic development.

Dip in US non-farm payrolls expected

The United States will release its unemployment report for April today (May 6), amid a sluggish economy as a strong dollar and tepid global demand cast their shadow on exports.

Economists expect non-farm payrolls data to be slightly down from March, while the unemployment rate is forecast to hold steady.

A private report released on Wednesday (May 4) showed employers hiring the fewest number of workers in three years last month, but the economy's firm fundamentals could keep US Federal Reserve on track to raise interest rates twice this year.