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.
Chance for Singapore's female SEA Games athletes to shine
Singapore shooter Jasmine Ser stands a chance to clinch her first gold medal of this Games in the women's 50m three-positions team and individual events.
Home favourite Sasha Christian, meanwhile, will be looking forward to adding to the gold she won in women's wakeboarding four years ago. The sport was not included at the 2013 Games in Myanmar. - LEE MIN KOK
Over 12,500 students in ITE's class of 2015 to graduate
ITE's class of 2015 will be attending the ITE Graduation Ceremony on Friday. Over 12,500 students are graduating in the 2014/2015 academic year. Of these, 630 of them will get Certificates of Merit for being the top 5 per cent of their cohort in various programmes, and 223 among them will get Course Medals for being top performers. - AMOS LEE
Cooperative for ex-offenders to hold appreciation event for its sponsors
The Industrial and Services Co-Operative Society Iscos, a cooperative for ex-offenders, is on Friday organising an appreciation event to thank two of its sponsors, the Goldbell Group and Trafigura Foundation. The cooperative's programmes and services are geared towards connecting beneficiaries with supportive employers and providing social support, among other things. - ONG KAI XUAN
Thai Prime Minister to have orchid named after him during Singapore visit
Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, on the last day of his two-day trip to Singapore, will on Friday visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where he will have the honour of having an orchid named after him. General Prayut will also have lunch with Singapore's business leaders at a forum organised by International Enterprise Singapore and pay a visit to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre.
Philippines to air documentary in bid to defend its stance on South China Sea
The Philippines will on Friday broadcast a three-part documentary to defend its position on the disputed South China Sea, countering a Chinese television series that laid out Beijing's so-called nine-dash line claims. The documentary, titled Karapatan sa Dagat, or maritime rights, will be aired on state-run television as the country observes Independence Day. Reuters cited Mr Charles Jose, the foreign ministry spokesman, on Thursday as saying the objective was to inform the Filipino people and rally their support behind the government's policy and action.
Ex IMF chief Strauss-Kahn to hear verdict in French trial
A French court will on Friday rule on whether the former chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dominique Strauss-Kahn is guilty of aggravated pimping charges linked to a string of sex parties five years ago. Strauss-Kahn says he is innocent and has claimed he is being prosecuted for a swinging lifestyle that is no one else's business. Although the trial had exposed lurid details of champagne-fuelled orgies and prostitution, Strauss-Kahn looked likely to again avoid conviction as even the prosecutor in the case has called for him to be acquitted, saying there was insufficient proof he had been at the heart of a prostitution ring.
