TODAY’s brief, Thursday, June 23

Schooling goes live on TODAY Sports’ Facebook

Singapore swimmer Joseph Schooling will be going live on TODAY Sports’ Facebook page at 9.30pm on Thursday night. He will share a glimpse of his life in the United States, discuss his Olympic dreams, and answer questions from readers.

CPI for May to be released

Singapore’s consumer price index for May — due to be released on Thursday — is expected to have fallen for the 19th straight month, dragged down by declines in the costs of housing and private transportation. The median forecast in a Reuters survey of 13 economists was for the all-items CPI to fall 0.8 per cent in May from a year earlier. In April, all-items CPI declined 0.5 per cent, extending a record run of consecutive year-on-year declines in headline CPI to 18 straight months — the longest streak since Singapore’s independence in 1965.

Britain goes to poll

Britain goes to polls on Thursday on a defining referendum on European Union membership with the outcome going down to the wire and expected to shape the future of Europe. Polling stations will open at 0600 GMT and will close at 2100 GMT. The official result is due some time after 0600 GMT on Friday but partial results and turnout figures from 382 counting centres will be announced from about 0100 GMT on Friday.

Widodo travels to Natuna Islands

Indonesian President Joko Widodo will travel to the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea on Thursday to reinforce his country’s sovereignty there. This comes after Indonesian warships fired warning shots and detained a Chinese-flagged fishing boat and seven crew near the islands last week. The latest skirmish with Chinese fishing vessels is the third confrontation near the Natunas this year and comes amid rising regional tensions over China’s assertiveness in the area.

Aung San Suu Kyi visits Thailand

Myanmar’s State counselor and Foreign Affairs Minister Aung San Suu Kyi visits Thailand on Thursday as part of a three-day visit. She is expected to sign accords on labour and border crossings, and is scheduled to visit a town hosting Myanmar nationals who are working in Thailand. This is Ms Suu Kyi’s second trip abroad since taking power in April, having first traveled with her hand-picked President Htin Kyaw to Laos, which currently holds the rotating chair of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean).

Singapore Sports Awards 2016

The Singapore Sports Awards 2016, which honours the Republic’s outstanding sporting achievements of sportsmen and sportswomen in both national and international competitions in the year 2015, will be held at the Raffles City Convention Centre on Thursday night. Event starts at 6pm.

Weather forecast

Thundery showers are expected mainly over southern and eastern Singapore in the late morning and early afternoon, with temperatures ranging from 24°C to 34°C.