Morning Minutes: What will make headlines, April 6, 2016

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat arriving at Parliament House for his first Budget speech on March 24, 2016. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

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

It appears on weekdays, available by 7am.

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat to address Budget 2016 issues

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat will respond to concerns and comments on Budget 2016 that 51 MPs spoke about over the past two days in Parliament. MPs will then vote to approve the Budget.

This will be followed by debate in the Committee of Supply, in which MPs file "cuts" that give them time to speak on each Ministry's spending plans. They will debate the Ministry of Home Affairs' plans this afternoon.

Changi Airport to welcome Fiji Airways

A Singapore Airlines aircraft at Changi Airport Terminal 3. PHOTO: ST FILE

Changi Airport is slated to welcome the arrival of Fiji Airways. The direct service connects Singapore with Nadi, Fiji. The service is also significant because it will be the first time Singapore is connected to the South Pacific islands. With this route, new tourism and trade opportunities are expected for Singapore and Fiji. - RACHEL CHIA

Dutch voters to decide on European treaty to deepen ties with Ukraine

An European Union flag flutters outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels. PHOTO: REUTERS

Dutch voters will decide whether to support a European treaty deepening ties with Ukraine in a referendum that will test sentiment towards Brussels ahead of Britain's Brexit vote in June.

The broad treaty is already provisionally in place, but has to be ratified by all 28 European Union member states. The Netherlands is the only country that has not done so.

Any rejection by Dutch voters or by the government would give Russian President Vladimir Putin, who opposes deeper EU-Ukraine ties and who many Dutch blame for the July 2014 downing by pro-Russian rebels of a Malaysia Airlines plane travelling from Amsterdam, a victory in his war of words with the West.

An EU decision to push on with the treaty despite a "no vote", whether the government respects it or not, could be damaging for the EU and highlight EU problems ahead of the British vote.

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