Good morning! Morning Minutes is a round-up of stories that will break on Friday, Dec 4, and which we think you'd be interested in.
It appears on weekdays, available by 7am.
THAILAND TO HOST MEETING TO ADDRESS "BOAT PEOPLE CRISIS"
Thailand will host a regional meeting today (Dec 4) seeking solutions to address South-east Asia's "boat people" crisis. A crackdown by Thai police on human trafficking gangs brought the crisis to light earlier this year, with hundreds of migrants abandoned at sea or dying in jungle camps.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has called on countries in the region to treat migrants landing on their shores humanely and avoid a repeat of the tragedy.
US BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS TO RELEASE NONFARM PAYROLL DATA TODAY (DEC 4)
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics will release nonfarm payroll employment data for November today (Dec 4) - the last major data before the Federal Reserve holds its two-day policy meeting from Dec 15.
The data heavily affects the dollar, bond market and stock market. Analysts are expecting robust figures for the month, which would support the expected increase in interest rates by the Fed - its first in nearly a decade.
OPEC TO MEET IN VIENNA TODAY
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) will meet in Vienna today (Dec 4). Cash-strapped Opec nations from Venezuela to Iran are piling pressure on Saudi Arabia to reduce oil output, but the group's biggest producer insists it will only do so if countries outside the organisation join in. As OPEC's de facto leader, Saudi Arabia may propose an eventual group production cut of 1 million barrels a day that may take effect in 2016, reports said.
CHILDAID CONCERT TONIGHT
ChildAid, one of Singapore's biggest annual children charity concerts, opens at Marina Bay Sands on Friday night (Dec 4).
The 90-minute concert, now in its 11th run, features young talents from Singapore and the region performing in support of two charities - The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund.
The event will be attended by President Tony Tan Keng Yam. - EUNICE QUEK
