Key Points

• Reaction as US President Donald Trump imposes new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China.
• Cyclonic-like rain totals hit north Queensland.
• Pope Francis designates Majayjay Church as minor basilica, the first in Laguna to receive the honour, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
• The first Filipino priest to be ordained as a bishop in Australia, Bishop-elect Rene Ramirez, along with Bishop-elect Thinh Nguyen, was ordained to the episcopate at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne on 1 February 2025.
• The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney informs all Filipino registered voters under their jurisdiction that the Commission on Election has already issued Digital Voter's IDs.