Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023.

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READ: Court lifts freeze order on Megaworld assets

A QUEZON City court ordered the lifting of a ruling to freeze the assets of property giant Megaworld after it posted a counterbond as security for the payment of claims sought by construction firm Datem Inc. In an order dated Nov. 24, 2023, Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 105 Presiding Judge Rochelle Yvette Galano ordered the discharge of the writ of preliminary attachment (WPA) issued against Megaworld on November 15. The counterbond of P873,324,248.89 posted by Megaworld is equivalent to the amount fixed by the court order on November 9. In a statement, Megaworld said the court's order lifting the Writ of Preliminary Attachment (WPA) in its favor paves the way for unraveling the truth. It said it was confident that with a fair trial, justice will prevail in its favor.

READ: Hamas releases Filipino, 23 others as Gaza truce starts

A FILIPINO caregiver was among the first batch of hostages released by the Hamas militant group on Friday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Israeli Embassy in Manila said separately on Saturday. He was identified as Gelienor "Jimmy" Pacheco, who is now under medical evaluation at the Shamir Medical Center in Israel, according to a statement from the Israeli Embassy. Pacheco, 33, was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz last October 7 when Hamas fighters attacked the southern border of Gaza on the Israeli side. His 80-year-old patient was among those reported killed.

READ: New batch of hostages to be freed

Hamas fighters are set to release a new wave of hostages on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, officials said, offering hope to anguished families after seven weeks of war that have killed thousands of people. Key mediator Qatar was expected to announce the numbers of prisoners and hostages to be freed later Saturday, the second swap since a four-day ceasefire came into effect on Friday and largely silenced the guns on both sides. Israeli authorities said they had received a list of the hostages to be freed but did not provide numbers or the precise timing. On Friday, the first day of the truce, Hamas released 24 hostages, according to key mediator Qatar and an official Israeli list. They comprised 13 Israelis — all women and children, including some dual citizens — 10 Thais and one Filipino.

READ: UP to face La Salle in UAAP 86 Finals

THE University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons will face the De La Salle Green Archers in the finals of the UAAP 86 men's basketball tournament. Top-ranked UP dethroned the Ateneo de Manila University with a 57-46 victory and marched to its third straight Finals appearance, while number two seed La Salle demolished third seed National University, 97-73, in the other semifinals showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Saturday. Mark Nonoy topscored for La Salle with 20 points.Kevin Quimabao added 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Evan Nelle chipped in 15 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the Green Archers, who reached the UAAP Finals for the first time in six years. The first ever UP versus La Salle best-of-three finals duel starts on Wednesday, November 29.

Topping Business

READ: PH-UAE trade, investments to grow

THE United Arab Emirates (UAE) targets to achieve a fivefold increase in trade and investments with the Philippines within three to five years once the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the free trade agreement between Manila and Abu Dhabi, enters into force. Visiting Minister of State of Foreign Trade of the UAE, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, met with officials of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Friday to finalize the terms of reference (TOR) of the CEPA, which is the scoping stage of the free trade agreement (FTA). On the sidelines of the UAE-Philippines Business Forum in Taguig City on Friday, DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual and Al Zeyoudi said in a chance interview that both sides target to sign the TOR during the visit of the Philippine delegation to Dubai for the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference 28th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP28) next week. The Philippine delegation to the COP28 in Dubai will be led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In Sports

READ: Magic stun Celtics for 6th straight win

Moritz Wagner scored 27 points, and the Orlando Magic beat the Boston Celtics, 113-96, on Friday (Saturday in Manila) for their sixth straight victory, throwing the Eastern Conference's Group C up for grabs in the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament. Paolo Banchero added 23 points and seven rebounds, and Franz Wagner had 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists in one of 10 In-Season Tournament games Friday. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 26 points. Jaylen Brown added 18, but made just two of 16 shots after scoring 12 points in the first 10 minutes. The Magic finished 3-1 in group play. Boston is 2-1 with a game at home against Chicago coming up Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila). The Brooklyn Nets, who beat the Magic, are also 2-1 pending a game against Toronto on Tuesday.

READ: Australia beats Finland to reach Davis Cup final

Alex de Minaur smoothly guided Australia into a second successive Davis Cup final with an assured 2-0 win over Finland on Friday (Saturday in Manila) in Malaga. The world No. 12 wore down Emil Ruusuvuori in a 6-4, 6-3 straight sets triumph after Alexei Popyrin beat Otto Virtanen, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, in the first singles rubber. Australia, who last won the competition in 2003, will face Novak Djokovic's Serbia or Jannik Sinner's Italy in Sunday's final. Australia captain Lleyton Hewitt said reaching the final means "a hell of a lot" to him. The 28-time champions, behind only the United States, ended Finland's fairy-tale run with little fuss, and the captains agreed not to play the deciding doubles.

READ: Opinion

Today's Times editorial is on the drug menace lurking amid ICC discussions. Read the full version on print or digital or listen to the Voice of the Times. Featured columnist on the front page is Marlen Ronquillo who writes about the triangle of autocracy.

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