Things you need to know today: July 25, 2016

Dear Rappler readers,

Today, President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his first State of the Nation Address (SONA). What should he tell the country? Check out the program flow and follow our live coverage! We also asked different sectors to weigh in on what the president should say. 

Below are the big stories we think you shouldn’t miss.

 

President Duterte’s first message to the nation

A plea for peace and a call to stop hatred are among the key messages President Duterte is expected to highlight in his first SONA speech. Other than that, expect a lot of surprises from this man who, barely a month into his presidency, has already flouted convention many times. 

LP joins House supermajority

It happens every time a new administration takes over and it should come as no surprise now: members of the Liberal Party, who once led the majority coalition during the Aquino administration, have once again changed colors. Collaboration or political opportunism?

LTE in 95% of PH cities and municipalities by 2018?

That is what Smart Communications and PLDT committed to in the 3-year network rollout plan it submitted to National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in order to secure the latter’s approved the co-use arrangement with Miguel Corporation (SMC).

15-hour mega jam in UK as France heightens border checks

Are UK voters now paying for Brexit? British holidaymakers who spent hours sweating in their cars on Sunday may have experienced the first sign of what it means to live outside the European Union.

Trump: Renegotiate or we pull out of WTO

If he becomes US president, Republican candidate Donald Trump says he would slap punitive import taxes of up to 30% on firms that moved manufacturing activities abroad. He says he is even prepared to pull out of the World Trade Organization, calling the latter “a disaster.”

Are you ready for the singularity?

Exponential advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have opened up the possibility of humans no longer being the dominant force on Earth. What can humans do to stay relevant?

Watch our live stream of President Duterte’s first SONA here:  

What exactly is the State of the Nation Address? Why is it important? Find out through this video: