Malaysia Pulse delivers breaking news, politics, business, sports and lifestyle coverage from Malaysia and Southeast Asia — trusted, timely and independent.
Malaysia's hopes of reaching the Hyundai AFF Cup final took a significant blow on Sunday when they fell to a 0-2 defeat against Vietnam in the first leg semi-final at Cheras Stadium, leaving them facing a daunting task in the return fixture.
Malaysia's national football team advanced to the semi-finals of the 2026 ASEAN Cup after defeating the Philippines 1-0 at home. The Harimau Malaya will now face defending champions Vietnam in a two-leg playoff.
Vietnam has detained its deputy agriculture minister and three other officials in connection with a widening corruption investigation centred on durian exports to China, the country's largest agricultural market.
Vietnam is drafting legislation to restrict social media use by children under 16, requiring parental registration and monitoring. The move mirrors similar policies adopted across Asia and Europe to protect minors from online harms.
Vietnam's Foreign Ministry has pushed back against fresh US tariffs under Section 301, arguing the country has robust mechanisms to prevent forced labour and fully complies with ILO standards.
Vietnam has declared a natural disaster emergency on Ho Chi Minh Road in Tuyen Quang Province following severe damage from consecutive heavy rainfall in June. The government has mobilised repair efforts across two damaged sections.
Fifteen Indian tourists who perished when a speedboat capsized near Vietnam's Phu Quoc island last Saturday are being returned to their home states. One survivor remains critically ill while authorities investigate safety lapses.
An Indian national faces trial in Ho Chi Minh City for allegedly smuggling 1,477 diamonds into Vietnam across five trips. The case also involves bribery and fraud charges against four co-defendants in what authorities describe as an organised smuggling operation.
Vietnam's National Assembly has approved faster court procedures for handling juvenile drug rehabilitation cases, cutting decision timelines from 15 to 10 days and introducing electronic document processing to improve efficiency.