Malaysia Pulse delivers breaking news, politics, business, sports and lifestyle coverage from Malaysia and Southeast Asia — trusted, timely and independent.
Thai authorities have detained at least eleven French citizens since early summer with quantities of cannabis found in their luggage. Investigators believe they were duped into serving as unwitting drug mules.
France has enacted a sweeping telemarketing ban requiring businesses to obtain explicit consent before contacting consumers, effective August 11. The legislation imposes substantial fines and threatens the Moroccan call centre industry, which depends heavily on the French market.
France faces an exceptional wildfire season with 119,000 hectares consumed since January. Despite slightly improved humidity, high temperatures and dry conditions keep risks elevated across vulnerable regions.
France is escalating security measures at its Spanish frontier in response to a migration influx affecting the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa, deploying additional personnel and surveillance equipment.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced 308 arrests linked to the country's wildfire crisis, with roughly two-thirds involving suspected arson. The major Gironde fire has consumed nearly 42,000 hectares.
France faces its worst wildfire season since World War II, with nearly 90 firefighters injured and over 220,000 people evacuated from the Gironde department alone. The government warns fires could persist for months.
Two French firefighters have lost their lives while tackling a fire that erupted near Bordeaux Airport in southwestern France. The incident occurred as the region faced severe wildfire warnings.
France has become the first European Union member state to prohibit social media use among children under 15 years old, with lawmakers overwhelming approving the legislation this week.
France's parliament is rushing to vote on legislation banning social media for under-15s and mobile phones in high schools, with final approval expected by July 21 before the summer recess.
France is grappling with its worst wildfire season since World War II, with nearly 40,000 hectares of forest and vegetation destroyed since January 2026, driven by exceptional temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius.
France's parliament has endorsed an assisted dying law permitting terminally ill patients to end their lives under carefully defined conditions. The measure passed with 291 votes to 241, though faces constitutional review.
Authorities detained more than 160 people across France following clashes after the nation's 2-0 World Cup semifinal defeat to Spain, with most arrests linked to firework mortars aimed at police.
Firefighters in France battled two simultaneous blazes that consumed more than 1,300 hectares of protected forest near Paris, with authorities arresting two individuals suspected of deliberately starting the fires.
A massive wildfire in the Fontainebleau forest south of Paris has forced the evacuation of over 1,000 residents and tourists while consuming 800 hectares. French authorities suspect arson.
Paris prosecutors have launched an investigation into comments made by a Paraguayan lawmaker regarding French football captain Kylian Mbappé, signalling heightened scrutiny of statements about the star player.
Chinese football fans expressed frustration over Paraguay's physical tactics and perceived lenient refereeing during their World Cup defeat to France, with many suggesting stricter officiating would have changed the outcome.