ASIA

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The Malaysian government has been ordered by a court to return 172 rainbow-coloured watches it seized from watchmaker Swatch last year. The government said it took the timepieces from the Swiss company because they featured "LGBT elements." However, a court ruled the government did not have a warrant to confiscate the items and a law prohibiting their sale was only passed later, making the seizure unlawful.

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Despite an election setback that saw his coalition lose its majority in the lower house, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has won a run-off vote in parliament to maintain his position.

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Zhong Shanshan, China's richest man and founder of beverage giant Nongfu Springs, has publicly criticized the aggressive pricing tactics of online shopping platforms, accusing them of destabilizing industries amid the country's economic downturn. 

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In a significant diplomatic development, Afghanistan will participate in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, marking the first Taliban-era representation at a major climate summit since 2021. Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi confirmed on Saturday that "a delegation of the Afghan government will be in Baku" for the conference, which begins November 11.

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Delhi has shut all primary schools indefinitely as air pollution levels in the Indian capital reach hazardous levels, officials announced. Classes will shift online while the city battles a smog emergency caused by a mix of vehicle emissions, crop stubble burning, and weather conditions that trap pollutants. 

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Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been dealt a legal setback after a Kuala Lumpur court ordered him to pay 1.35 million ringgit ($308,078) in damages for defaming former Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng. The ruling, issued by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Friday, requires Muhyiddin to retract his defamatory statements against Lim and prohibits him from making similar claims in the future, according to state media.

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A special tribunal in Bangladesh on Tuesday asked the international police organization Interpol to issue a red notice for the arrest of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in connection with the deaths of hundreds of protesters during a mass uprising against her.

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The election of Donald Trump as the next US president is poised to bring about significant shifts in American foreign policy, potentially upending the status quo on multiple fronts a

mid global crises. Trump's "America First" approach, marked by non-interventionism and trade protectionism, is set to redefine Washington's stance on issues ranging from the Russia-Ukraine war to the US-China rivalry.