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There are serious conversations to be had when it comes to barbecue: Is it spelled with a C or with a Q? The answers are probably a few searches-on-Google away, but I choose to leave it a mystery for now.

For over a year now, I have made peace with an induction cooker. I have learned its ways and have accepted it for what it is. We’ve had no serious issues between us; even with the arrival of the handy-dandy air fryer.

Heading towards the inevitable dominance of vertical living in Cebu City, I’ve learned to appreciate one basic truth. With fire comes flavor. For obvious reasons, gas and open fires do not bode well with residential towers and the like.

I’ve learned to seek out good roasts, grills and barbecues right in the middle of the metropolis because cooking on open fire has become somewhat rare. Is this another reason why samgyupsal is very much a hit — aside from its draw of serving unlimited portions for a set price? But that’s for another story.

For today, I give props to Straight Up Roof Deck Bar over at Seda Central Bloc Cebu. I’m a fan of its roast pork, beef and chicken. On some days, the well-seasoned pork is served with a glass skin that breaks after biting into it. The roast beef, as expected, is a heavy-hitter. The chicken can be had as your main or sort of a break in between enjoying the pork and beef. All of these, smothered with gravy or peppercorn sauce, I can have with a plateful of steamed vegetables.

Meat lovers dining in the business hotel — whether at its Misto Restaurant or the roof deck bar — would be delighted to see the huge portions of beef, pork and chicken cooking over an open fire. Just recently, it showcased the authentic flavors of Lechon de Cebu and Bacolod Chicken Inasal with a week-long inasal festival. There was also a two-day only “BBQ & Beer Bonanza” (here we go with the letter Q ) which offered diners unlimited barbecue and beer.

“Is this the only place where you can get good, open-fire barbecue and beer?” Of course not. “How about in and around Cebu IT Park?” Maybe, one of the few. “How about the same quality of food and drinks but served in a place that offers a wonderful view of the area as well?” We’re getting to probably just a handful now.

If you ask the servers, there’s a corner that gives you a splendid angle of Cebu IT Park at night — mimicking the likes of dining in Singapore or Hong Kong, to a degree. Have a few more beers, you could be staring at the Gardens by the Bay.

The hotel’s buffet schedules, promos and dining options vary depending on season, so it’s best to give them a call to know what to expect. Cheers!

India's Manipur state is on the boil, with social media flooded with visuals of people killed and injured in armed attacks. Violent protests broke out after an attack on June 29, while a

Cebu City has morphed into the best town to get some seriously good chicken wings. As the demand shoots through the roof, the city has become synonymous with piping hot plates of wings that just keep flying out of the kitchen. These wings are pure happiness on trays whether you like them classic, Korean, American or Mexican.

In celebration of International Chicken Wings Day, SunStar Best of Cebu presents the winners for Best Chicken Wings Category and Best Unli Chicken Wings Category in this article.

Southside Chicken Wings

This two-time winner of the Best Chicken Wings award in 2019 and 2020 knows how to create the perfect balance. Its wings are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, giving you the best of both worlds.These wings are the masters of staying crispy and fresh, even when they take a saucy plunge. At Southside Chicken Wings, one can kiss soggy wings goodbye, as the place guarantees only the crispiest and most flavorful pieces make it onto one’s basket.

Its best-selling lineup includes Cajun Glazed Wings, Inferno Wings and Chilli Garlic. Its must-try favorites like the Smokey Chipotle, Szechuan Wings and Winter Spiced Wings also deserve a special nod. With prices under P200 for a six-piece wing, Southside Chicken Wings offers affordable and incredibly satisfying options that will take your tongue a trip across the globe.

Southside Chicken Wings is located at Jumabon St., San Antonio Village, Banilad, Cebu City.

Badboyz Wings

Anything one tries here is bound to be an unforgettable wingz experience until the last bite. It takes the wing game to a whole new level by offering an array of flavorful sauces, including Honey Sriracha, Garlic Parmesan, Honey BBQ, Mild Buffalo, and many more. But wait, if one’s up for some fiery and tear-inducing bites, it’s got its customers covered with its Angry Buffalo and Suicide flavors that pack a mouthful of heat.

Pair these delicious wings with a side of rice and if one wants to cool things down a bit, Badboyz Wingz has a decent selection of local beers, champagnes, mixed drinks or cocktails.

With back-to-back wins for Best Chicken Wings in 2021 and 2022, this place is a hit among friends and family for KTV date nights. And it’s not just about the wings, the place also spices things up with fun events like Slogos nights, tempting promos for “barkada,” satisfying lunch deals, and epic celebrations for special occasions.

Badboyz Wingz is located at The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu City.

Burrow

Burrow, a true pioneer in the city’s chicken wing scene, has claimed the prestigious title of Best Unlimited Chicken Wings by BoC not once, but twice—in 2019 and 2022. Beloved by urban-dwellers, this extraordinary wing joint doesn’t just fly by the seat of its pants, it takes flavor to new heights. Each bite delivers a straightforward and delightfully sweet explosion of flavor that will have diners reaching for seconds even before they finish their first batch.

At Burrow, one will find all the must-try flavors like Garlic Parmesan, Mild Teriyaki, Asian BBQ, Chili and Classic wings, all priced under P199. Patrons love the gimmick-free dining experience at Burrow, where one can leave the door feeling full without feeling heavy. One can truly enjoy a satisfying and wallet-friendly wing feast.

Burrow has three branches scattered across the city: Lahug, Parkmall and SM Consolacion.

BRADLEY Beal was drafted on his 19th birthday and spent his entire 20s with the Washington Wizards, where he scored a lot of points, enjoyed a little team success, but also suffered through plenty of painful losses.

On Wednesday (Thursday, PH time), he turned 30. Not a bad time for a new chapter in the three-time All-Star’s life and basketball career.

Beal was introduced as a member of the Phoenix Suns on Thursday at the Footprint Center, more than a week after he waived a no-trade clause that allowed him to be sent to the desert in exchange for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet and a package of future draft picks.

“I feel refreshed, I feel rejuvenated,” Beal said. “This is an exciting moment for me. This is an awesome team.”

Beal is now part of one of the NBA’s most star-packed starting lineups, including 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant, three-time All-Star Devin Booker and former No. 1 draft pick Deandre Ayton. They’ve also got a new coach in Frank Vogel, who led the Los Angeles Lakers to a title in 2020.

“Bradley Beal is one of the best players in the NBA,” Vogel said. “We’re thrilled to have him be a Phoenix Sun with KD and Book. That forms a trio of three of the most prolific scorers in the game. A great two-way center, one of the best two-way centers in the game.

“These pieces are a great foundation for what we hope will be a championship run for this franchise.”

Beal’s arrival marks the latest big move for new owner Mat Ishbia, who has had an extremely eventful tenure since purchasing the franchise from the embattled Robert Sarver in February. Almost immediately after he was introduced, he approved the team’s big deal to land Durant at the trade deadline.

A few months later, he got into a brief sideline spat with Nuggets star Nikola Jokic during a playoff game. (The two have since made up.)

Now Ishbia and general manager James Jones have swung a deal that brings Beal and his big scoring numbers across the country. The three-time All-Star has averaged at least 20 points per game in each of the past seven seasons, including a career-high 31.3 points per game during the 2020-21 season.

Beal never got past the second round of the playoffs with the Wizards, but still has plenty of fond memories of his tenure in the nation’s capital.

“I have a lot of emotional ties to that city, my family was established there,” Beal said. “So I just want to take a moment to thank the city of D.C., thank the organization for allowing this partnership to happen.”

But Beal also admits he’s excited about his new challenge. The sharpshooting guard was often the Wizards’ main scoring option, but in Phoenix, he’ll be sharing the load with several other stars.

The Suns are trying to win their first championship since coming to the NBA in 1968. They’ve lost in the Finals three times — in 1976, 1993 and 2021.

“I’m excited to play with two Hall of Famers, I’ve never done that,” Beal said. “I’m excited about what that brings. They’ll push me in ways I’ve never been pushed and hopefully I’ll do the same.”

Beal’s arrival also means the Suns will have to engage in some salary cap gymnastics to fill out their roster. The foursome of Durant, Beal, Booker and Ayton will make more than $160 million next season.

A summer of bargain hunting on the free agent market awaits, but that’s a problem to worry about another day.

For now, Beal and the Suns are relishing a roster that looks like it will be among the very best in the league during the upcoming season.

“Hopefully, we can chase this ring,” Beal said. / AP

This story has been adapted from UN News.

Thailand, 30 June 2023 - A cross-border collaboration between law enforcement agencies in countries in Southeast Asia supported by the UN in Thailand is helping to tackle organized crime along one of the world's "biggest drug trafficking corridors".

The effort is centred on the Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Myanma

THREE-TIME world title challenger Arthur Villanueva dominated tough but inexperienced Thai Chatre Buakaewdee and stopped him in the fourth round in their scheduled six-round bout last Thursday, June 29, 2023, at the Spaceplus Bangkok RCA in Bangkok, Thailand.

Villanueva was calm and composed in the opening round. He landed a solid right straight that rocked the wild Thai fighter.

Villanueva had Buakaewdee in all sorts of trouble in the second round. He was accurate with his head shots and landed some vicious shots to the body.

Villanueva continued to target the body and landed some heavy head shots, but Buakaewdee was very tough and wouldn’t go down in the third round.

Villanueva punished Buakaewdee with some devastating hooks to the body and uppercuts to the head in the fourth. The referee finally saw enough and waved off the fight at the 1:43 mark.

The 34-year-old Villanueva, a former ALA Boy, won his activity fight after almost a year out of the ring. He improved to 35-4-1 with 20 knockouts. Buakaewdee suffered his first career defeat and dropped to 1-1 with a knockout.

Villanueva is looking for another world title run in the bantamweight division. He’s currently rated No. 19 in the bantamweight division by the World Boxing Council.

Three other Pinoy fighters were victorious in Thursday’s boxing show in Thailand.

Ador Torres (9-4-1, 6 KOs) successfully defended his Asian Boxing Federation (ABF) welterweight belt with a second-round stoppage of Thai prospect Sakda Langkabam (4-2, 4 KOs).

Jopher Montano (16-5-1, 14 KOs) also retained his World Boxing Organization Oriental welterweight strap with a sixth-round technical knockout of Muhammad Bilal (11-4-1, 9 KOs).

Unbeaten super flyweight female prospect Wenie Cline Verano (10-0, 7 KOs) ended a four-year hiatus with a unanimous-decision win over Monthawee Srisongkhram (2-2, 1 KO). (EKA)

FORMER world champion Milan Melindo makes the first title defense of his Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) Silver featherweight strap against South Korean prospect Kang Jong Seon on Saturday, July 1, 2023, in Gwangju City, South Korea.

“My training went well. This will be a good fight because I’m fighting in his territory. This will be a challenge because my opponent is tall and skillful,” Melindo told SunStar Cebu. “I will surprise the boxing world.”

Melindo won the OPBF Silver featherweight belt with a lopsided unanimous decision over tough Thai Chaiwat Buatkrathok on Jan. 11 in Cebu City.

The 35-year-old Melindo has been training at the Prime Stags Gym in Talisay City. He had a solid camp with quality sparring with the likes of Filipino boxing legend Nonito Donaire Jr., former world champion Johnriel Casimero, former world title challenger Jeo Santisima, Kit Ceron Garces, Pete Apolinar, Franco Serafica, Marco Pomar and Ian Donaire.

Melindo is the former International Boxing Federation light flyweight champion after dethroning Akira Yaegashi in 2017.

Meanwhile, Kang is a former World Boxing Organization Oriental featherweight titleholder. He won the vacant title with a unanimous-decision win over Nam Jun Lee in 2021.

Kang suffered his first career defeat last year after bowing down to Filipino prospect Lienard Sarcon in South Korea. He successfully bounced back with a fourth-round technical knockout of Indonesian journeyman Ricky Manufoe on Feb. 18.

Melindo tipped the scales at 125.5 pounds, while the 21-year-old Kang weighed-in at 125.9 pounds.

Melindo is 39-5 with 14 knockouts, while Kang is 16-1-2 with nine knockouts. (EKA)

A 48-YEAR-OLD woman from Barangay Cogon Pardo, Cebu City strongly denied that there was foul play in the death of her 75-year-old lover inside a room at a resort in Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City on Wednesday night, June 28, 2023.

In an interview with SunStar Cebu, Evelyn Miñoza Magpayo explained that she and the elderly man have been going on dates in the said resort for the past 10 years.

In fact, their relationship bore a son, who is now eight years old.

Magpayo refuted claims that she killed the victim, saying she even tried to revive him by biting his ear and pinching the bottom of his foot or sole when he lost consciousness.

“Pag human namo nahagba nag kalit sa akung dughan si Tatay, tatay man akung tawag ana niya, unya niingon siya nako nga “adto na gyud ko Belen,” sabot nako adto nami, ako siya nga gipabarog na pero wala na gyud siya molihok mao to nangayo kog tabang ako gipislit ang kiting ug gipaak nako ang dunggan mao to naay samad sa dunggan niya,” according to Magpayo.

(After our (sexual encounter), Tatay suddenly fell on my chest, I called him dad, then he said to me "I'm going now Belen," I thought we're going, I made him stand up but he didn't move anymore, that's why I asked for help, I pinched the bottom of his foot, I bit his ears, which got wounded).

She said she then asked assistance from the resort’s employees when her lover did not respond.

Magpayo, however, admitted that the victim complained of tiredness before they checked in at the resort.

She clarified that the victim did not take a male enhancement drug, asserting that he was still physically active.

“Wala na siya moinom ug tambal kanang pagana sir kay dili man gyud na siya moinom. Kondisyon kaayo na si Tatay uy kay makatulo man gani na siya ka round pirme,” she added.

(He didn't take medicine to increase sex drive sir, because he doesn't consume that. Tatay is in excellent shape since he can consistently make three rounds).

She acknowledged that the victim's children got angry at her because she often came to their house.

Her only request from the victim’s children was to allow her to attend the victim's wake so she could serve him for the last time. (AYB, TPT)

China will introduce measures on a trial basis to help with its application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

GROUP B leaders F2 Logistics and Cignal clash even as PLDT and Akari kick off their campaign in Group A in the the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City, Metro Manila on Saturday, July 1, 2023.

F2 Logistics and Cignal will slug it out in a key face-off with the winner gaining the edge in what looms to be a wild race to the semis among six teams. The Cargo Movers dispatched the Farm Fresh Foxies in three, while the HD Spikers repulsed the Petro Gazz Angels in four in last Tuesday’s opener of the mid-season tournament of the league.

That makes their 6 p.m. encounter crucial in their semis bids, with F2 Logistics coach Regine Diego upbeat about their chances to make it back-to-back behind a solid crew reinforced by three ace rookies.

Former middle Ivy Lacsina expects to get better in a new role as open spiker after leading the Cargo Movers’ romp over the Foxies with 13 points while Aby Maraño, Kim Dy, Majoy Baron, who combined for 26 points, have always been ready to provide leadership and support, along with Myla Pablo, Ara Galang and Kim Fajardo.

But what makes F2, which finished fourth in the recent PVL All-Filipino Conference, formidable is the presence of rookies Jolina dela Cruz and setter Marionne Alba, who debuted with seven and five points, respectively.

With a single-round format in the two-division elims setup among 11 teams, every game counts and like F2, expect Cignal, bannered by Ces Molina, Roselyn Doria, Riri Meneses, the come-backing Jovelyn Gonzaga and skipper Rachel Anne Daquis, to likewise go flat out to nail the all-important win before the league takes an 11-day break to give way to the VNL (Volleyball Nations League) staging. (jnp)

The United Nations Security Council voted today to dissolve its beleaguered stabilization force in Mali, a serious blow to the future of human rights monitoring and protection of civilians in the conflict-torn region.

The Security Council said the withdrawal of the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali's (MINUSMA) approximately 15,000 armed

Let us continue to pray for former priest, now National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant, Frank Fernandez. We received news that he and his wife Cleofe Lagtapon were convicted of illegal possession of firearms at Taguig City Regional Trial Court Branch 266. The lawyers will likely submit a motion for reconsideration.

As peace advocates, we continue to clamor that the golden years of Frank’s life would be better used in peace-work and dialogue, rather than have him languishing behind bars. This is especially so as his conviction is alleged to have been orchestrated using manufactured evidence, planted at the time of his arrest.

Frank’s defense team presented that he and his wife were already under custody hours before the alleged arrest, taken to and from the hospital, and were returned to the place of arrest for evidence photos.

Since the defendants were under medical treatment, we were surprised by this case and its verdict.

As a peace consultant of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines-NDFP peace process, we urge for respect of Frank’s Jasig (Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantee) protection as well as humanitarian considerations given his advanced age.

Let us pray the peace processes can resume so that genuine peace can take root in our country.

People who call Cebu their home deserve to be called Cebuanos.

I don’t care if you’re originally from the National Capital Region, from other parts of the Visayas, or from Mindanao. You can even be from a country in Africa, from the subcontinent or wherever, I’m down with it. You are more than welcome to be my brother or sister.

However, and it is a big HOWEVER, you have to follow a few criteria.

For me, the most important is knowing how to speak the language spoken in Cebu. And by that, I mean Cebuano.

You don’t have to be fluent. But the fact that you are trying to learn my language already warms my heart, and I will be more than happy to help you improve your vocabulary to make you a better speaker.

It shows you are sincere in wanting to assimilate.

The other thing you must understand is that more than 90 percent of Cebuanos are Roman Catholics. I could have the numbers wrong, but I am confident that majority of Cebuanos are papists. Not all are practicing, though.

So what does that mean?

Well, when January comes around and locals start getting into a religious frenzy -- I exaggerate, of course, but just a little bit -- get into the habit of going two steps forward and one step backward. It takes much longer to reach your destination but the fun is in the journey, right?

Right.

Forget the fact that other Christian denominations may consider some of the practices heretical, but hey, when in Cebu...

So where am I going with this, you might ask? I can’t be yammering about for no apparent reason, right?

Right.

Earlier this week, the whole country celebrated Eid’l ad-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, which commemorates Abraham’s devotion to Allah (God) and the survival of his son Ishmael.

I’m familiar with the Old Testament so I know who Abraham is and what he was willing to do in the name of religion.

The Jews, Christians and the Muslims all respect that.

Then the executive director of the Office of Muslim Affairs and Indigenous Cultural Communities said Cebu City must have a grand mosque to serve the large number of Muslims, around 6,000, living here, adding that Cebu is the only major city in the country not to have one.

I have to admit I ended up raising my eyebrows inadvertently.

The last time I checked Muslims account for less than one percent of Cebu City’s population.

A migrant from Iligan City said a grand mosque will “create an identity among Muslims” in Cebu. Another migrant from Lanao del Sur said “it will encourage young Muslims to engage more in religious practices.”

I have nothing against diversity. In fact, I believe that having a mix of people coexist peacefully only enhances a culture.

But they need to ask themselves, are they Cebuano Muslims or Muslims in Cebu?

The United Kingdom government's anti-boycott bill will be debated next week in parliament, the latest in a growing list of measures which fundamentally undermine free speech and democrati

The recent approval of a P40 increase in the daily minimum wage for private sector workers in the National Capital Region received criticism from three senators, who argue that the raise falls short of meeting workers' needs. 

A ONE-YEAR-OLD boy died after he was ran over by a sport utility vehicle (SUV) as he crossed the street.

The incident happened at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 29, 2023, along the national highway in Barangay San Roque, Asturias town.

The victim was identified as Jherence Taglucop, who sustained severe head and body injuries.

According to Police Staff Sergeant Ronald Duran of Asturias Police Station, the child crossed the street without being noticed by his mother, Babie Enejean Purisima Taglucop, 22.

The Ford Everest Titanium (C45676) color black driven by Junthy Lepiten Valenzuela, 44, married, from Barangay Poblacion, Asturias, hit the victim.

Valenzuela was on his way home when the incident occurred.

He said the incident was so sudden that he failed to avoid the child.

Valenzuela was brought to Asturias police station but was later released after he promised to shoulder the funeral expenses of the victim. (GPL, TPT)

Hanoi [Vietnam], June 30 (ANI/WAM): Vietnamese men's football secured 95th place in FIFA's latest rankings and No.1 in Southeast Asia after its wins over Hong Kong (China) and Syria in friendly matches in June, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported. In the Southeast Asian region, Thailand climbed one place to 113th in the world thanks to its 2-2 draw with Chinese Taipei and 1-0 victory against Hong Kong (China). The Philippi

THE municipal assessor of Minglanilla town was suspended.

Mayor Rajiv Enad placed the town's municipal assessor, Melanie Vargas, on a 15-day preventive suspension.

The suspension order came after the local government learned that Vargas has not finished her reappraisal work despite the deadline given by the Cebu Provincial Government.

Enad asked Vargas to explain why the increase in real property values was slightly lower and why only 10 establishments were inspected.

As this developed, Mayor Enad organized a task force that will reappraise the real estate properties in the municipality.

"Na shock si Mayor Rajiv sa hitabo tungod kay sa iyang weekly meetings with department heads, ni report man ang assessor nga okay na ang tanang mga buluhaton sa iyang opisina," it added.

(Mayor Rajiv was shocked by the incident because in his weekly meetings with the department heads, the assessor reported that all the tasks in his office are done).

Lawyer Junrie Bragat, municipal administrator, expressed his commitment to finish the reassessment as soon as possible as well as to facilitate and deliberate on the results of reappraisal reports.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia had earlier called a meeting this week with all the assessors, engineers, treasurers, and mayor representatives of the 44 municipalities in the province to find out what progress has been made.

Vargas, when asked to explain, however said that she was not done yet with her reappraisal work.

Garcia gave all the municipal and city assessors under the jurisdiction of Cebu province to complete their reassessment reports in three months.

Because of the said incident, the Minglanilla municipal council submitted a resolution requiring Vargas to undergo an investigation. (ANV, TPT)

POLICEMEN in Cebu province are now ready to provide tight security for the Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE) this coming October 30, 2023.

According to Police Colonel Rommel Ochave, the chief of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CCPO), they have already prepared contingency plans such as the deployment of police officers in the polling precincts and the patrolling of the barangays as the election draws near.

One of their tasks is to dismantle the private armed groups or PAGS and go after criminals who are hiding weapons that can be used in the campaign period.

But Ochave disclosed that they have not been able to keep track of any armed groups that could be utilized in the October election.

“As of now based sa ating validation wala pa yung mga private armed groups or armed groups nga pweding gamitin nung mga kandidato (that can be used by the candidatese) but continuous yung ating info gathering together with our counterpart sa AFP and other branch of government para masiguro na tahimik yung (to ensure a peaceful) election,” Ochave said.

In the 1,202 barangays in Cebu, the police have not yet monitored any election-related incidents, but they continue to investigate by tracking back the events of the previous election.

According to Ochave, they are now looking forward to the submission of the certificates of candidacy from August 28 to September 2 since this is the time when places where there are heated political rivalries will likely be known.

It is on August 28 when the gun ban starts.

Like in the previous elections, the police will intensify the conduct of checkpoints especially when the Comelec gun ban starts.

Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office (PRO 7) announced that they are always prepared regardless of whether the BSKE in Negros Oriental will proceed as scheduled.

But PRO 7 Chief Brigadier General Anthony Aberin said they still have to wait the decision of the concerned government agency.

“But we have to understand also na hindi naman po ang PNP ang mag di-decide (it is not the PNP that will decide), whatever the decision of the higher office or the agency concerned we the PNP will fully support to it,” Aberin explained.

The PRO 7 also pointed out that the crime incidents in Negros Oriental has lessened.

“We have seen that crime incidents on the first 100 days after March 4 has dwindled compared to the 1st 100 days before March 4,” Aberin said.

Police and military personnel beefed up security in Negros Oriental after Governor Roel Degamo was shot to death inside his residential compound in Pamplona town on March 4.

The incident also killed eight people and injured 17 others.(AYB, BBT, TPT)

Medical professionals are often easy targets for online scammers seeking to profit off disinformation, which leaves their reputations tarnished.