Good morning! Morning Minutes is a round-up of stories that will break on Thursday (Dec 1) and which we think you'd be interested in.

It appears on weekdays, available by 7am.

Get The New Paper free from today

The New Paper will begin a new chapter on Thursday (Dec 1), when the 28-year-old newspaper becomes a free sheet, following its merger with My Paper.

The new product, catering to professionals, managers, executives and businessmen, will be available Mondays to Fridays from 7am to 9am at 49 MRT stations and across selected malls.

On Saturdays, readers can pick up a copy at 31 MRT stations. It will also be free online at www.tnp.sg.

Najib to open Umno meeting

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also president of Umno, will open the main meeting of Malaysia's largest political party on Thursday (Dec 1), with expectations that he will rally the Malay nationalist party to gear up for the next general election, widely expected to be held next year. The meeting runs until Saturday.

China manufacturing data out today

An employee works inside a chemical factory in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China on Oct 18, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS

Two sets of data on manufacturing activity in China last month will be released on Thursday (Dec 1), giving observers a sign of whether a recent uptick in output could be sustained.

Both the official NBS manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) and the Caixin PMI rose to 51.2 in October, beating market expectations to hit the highest level since July 2014.