Good morning! Morning Minutes is a round-up of stories that will break today and which we think you'd be interested in.
It appears on weekdays, available by 7am.
MAS annual report out today
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is releasing its annual report at noon today. MAS, which manages Singapore's foreign reserves, last July reported a reversal of a $10.6 billion loss to post an overall profit of $15.8 billion for the financial year ended March 31, 2014. This came as the MAS made investment gains and foreign exchange valuation gains on its official foreign reserves, which totalled $343 billion at the end of March 2014 and make up more than 90 per cent of the assets on the central bank's balance sheet. - MARISSA LEE
Launch of disaster relief programme
The S Rajaratnam School of International Studies is launching its Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Programme today. The programme aims to enhance coordination among civilian government agencies, militaries, non-governmental organisations, faith-based organisations and civil society groups to better deal with disasters in the Asia Pacific region.
SPH Staff Volunteers Club celebrates 5th anniversary
SPH Staff Volunteers Club is marking its 5th year today with two worthy causes.It will be treating 40 seniors from Toa Payoh Care Corner Seniors Activity Centre to lunch. And the meal will be at Dignity Kitchen, a social enterprise that trains the disadvantaged and disabled to be hawkers. - TOH TING WEI
Modi faces opposition to labour reform proposals
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will brace for fierce opposition to his labour reform proposals when a new session of parliament starts today. His plan to merge 44 labour laws into four, which include measures giving factories more leeway to lay off workers, has irked the country's top 11 unions, which have threatened a nationwide strike on Sept 2.