Sam Beltran

3 weeks ago | lifestyle.inquirer.net | Sam Beltran

In September 2019, Zsolt Siket arrived in Boracay to take the helm as vice president for operations and business development at The Lind Boracay, the five-star hotel nestled on the pristine shores of Station 1 along White Beach. Armed with an extensive career background in hospitality from his home country, Hungary, as well as various stints in London, Switzerland, Thailand, and China, working for a premier resort in one of the most highly awarded islands in the world should have been a breeze.

3 weeks ago | scmp.com | Sam Beltran

When a Chinese coastguard vessel appeared off the coast of Zambales province in late May, it didn’t fire a shot or issue a threat. Instead, it lingered – uninvited, silent and unmoving. To analysts in Manila, the message was loud and clear: Beijing was testing new tactics in the South China Sea, one quiet incursion at a time.

3 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Sam Beltran

NowUS police, protesters clash in Los Angeles following immigration raidsProtesters gathered after immigration agents took dozens of people into custody during raids across Los Angeles. There have been tense confrontations in Los Angeles as riot police and demonstrators – protesting federal immigration raids – squared off in the downtown area. Earlier on Friday, United …NowWhy are ice cream prices soaring this summer? Coconut oil, a crucial ingredient in the summer treat, is getting more expensive.

3 weeks ago | scmp.com | Sam Beltran

Japan has ratified its reciprocal access agreement (RAA) with the Philippines six months after Manila did, with the long-awaited move seen as a signal that Manila has proved its value as a strategic and defence partner to Tokyo. The ratification by the Diet follows Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s recent visit to the Philippines, with analysts previously observing that the trip suggested his administration was poised to finalise the agreement.

3 weeks ago | scmp.com | Sam Beltran

France is stepping up its diplomacy in Asia to gather support for a key United Nations treaty on marine resource protection, warning that any delay in its ratification could leave the Philippines and other regional countries on the sidelines of a crucial global conference next week.