MANILA, Philippines – Filipina weightlifting icon Hidilyn Diaz will add another feather to her cap.

Diaz, the country’s first Olympic champion, will be enshrined by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) in its Hall of Fame during its Awards Night at the Manila Hotel on January 27.

Her crowning moment comes almost four years after Diaz ended the Philippines’ near century-long search for an Olympic gold medal when she emerged victorious in the Tokyo Games in 2021.

Diaz, who also won a silver medal in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, represented the country in four straight editions of the quadrennial showpiece, including the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games.

She will share center stage with gymnastics star Carlos Yulo, who will be feted with the coveted Athlete of the Year honors.

Drawing inspiration from Diaz, Yulo became the Philippines’ first double Olympic gold medalist as he ruled the floor exercise and vault events of the Paris Olympics last year.

Only 33 years old, Diaz is set to become the youngest member of the PSA Hall of Fame, which includes other icons Manny Pacquiao (boxing), Paeng Nepomuceno (bowling), Efren “Bata” Reyes (billiards), Lydia de Vega (athletics), Eugene Torre (chess), and Bong Coo (bowling).

Late FIDE president Florencio Campomanes is also a part of the PSA Hall of Fame.

Diaz enjoyed a long spell as the country’s premier weightlifter, with her four Athlete of the Year plums serving as proof.

Only Nepomuceno and Pacquiao have more Athlete of the Year wins with five each.

Although Diaz is near the twilight of her career as she missed qualification for the last Olympics, her prominence has put a spotlight on her sport, with many young weightlifters seeking to follow in her footsteps.

In the Paris Games, the Philippines sent Elreen Ando, Vanessa Sarno, and John Ceniza for its biggest Olympic weightlifting cast since 1988. – Rappler.com

• Donald Trump and the White House offered a muddy message on trade.
• Markets continued to be roiled by Trump's plans for retaliatory tariffs.
• In the meantime, GOP leaders said a bill to rein in Trump's tariffs is going nowhere.

President Donald Trump on Monday said he's not open to pausing planned reciprocal tariffs as his trade war continues to roil markets and create political headaches for fellow Republicans.

The White House, including Trump, continued to send conflicting messages about whether his tariffs were an effort to bring nations to the table or a massive policy shift aimed at reorienting the US economy.

"There can be permanent tariffs and there can also be negotiations," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business that "50, 60, maybe almost 70 countries now have approached" the White House to discuss tariffs.

Earlier in the day, White House senior counselor Peter Navarro wrote in the Financial Times, "This is not a negotiation. For the US, it is a national emergency triggered by trade deficits caused by a rigged system."

Amid mounting political pressure, the GOP leaders of both chambers made it clear they stand behind the president.

"I don't think that has a future," Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters about a bipartisan bill to rein in presidential tariff powers.

Thune's comments came after the White House formally said that Trump would veto a bill to rein in presidential tariff power.

So far, seven Senate Republicans, including Sens. Chuck Grassley and Mitch McConnell, have said they would vote for such a bill. Grassley is the senior most Senate Republican and third in line to the presidency. McConnell led Senate Republicans for nearly two decades.

Across the Capitol, Speaker Mike Johnson sounded a similar note.

"You've got to give the president the latitude, the runway to do what it is he was elected to do," Johnson told reporters when asked about similar House legislation.

Under Grassley's bill, new tariffs would expire if Congress didn't approve them within 60 days. Presidents would also be required to notify Congress of future tariffs ahead of their announcement. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, one of the most vulnerable House Republicans, has said he would introduce legislation similar to Grassley's in the House.

Before Trump, free trade was one of the pillars of the modern Republican Party. Trump has supported protectionist policies for decades and has been deeply critical of US trade policy.

The White House has sought to buck up support for Trump's latest round of tariffs amid a slump on Wall Street.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell for the third straight day on Monday.

Trump argues short-term pain will ultimately benefit the economy.