Celebration of Valentine's Day Prohibited in Certain Asian Regions
In a move to protect the environment, the California State Assembly has approved a bill to ban microbeads in cosmetics starting from 2020. This bill, if passed by the Senate, will make California home to the nation's toughest ban on microbeads in cosmetics.
Microbeads, tiny plastic particles often found in facial scrubs and other personal care products, can release billions of these particles into the water supply when washed off. These microbeads are harmful to marine life and the environment, and California has taken notice.
A previous version of this bill has already passed the California Assembly last year, but it failed to gather enough votes in the Senate. This time around, the bill includes a provision for manufacturers to have until 2020 to phase out microbeads from their products, providing a more realistic timeline for compliance.
The bill does not apply to products that contain microbeads in concentrations less than 0.3%. This exception is to avoid causing unnecessary disruptions to the cosmetics industry, while still making significant strides in reducing microbead pollution.
Meanwhile, across the globe, the celebration of Valentine's Day is under scrutiny in parts of Asia. In Indonesia and Pakistan, the holiday is banned or discouraged due to cultural and religious reasons. In Indonesia, the Islamic religious police enforce strict Sharia law, which includes banning Western products and activities like Valentine's Day gifts. The day is seen as promoting immoral behavior such as premarital interactions between men and women, which are strictly prohibited under local Sharia enforcement.
Similarly, in Pakistan, the day is considered un-Islamic and against the cultural values of the country. Authorities and religious groups argue that Valentine's Day encourages promiscuity and the erosion of Islamic traditions and family values, leading to official discouragement or bans on public celebrations.
However, in the United States, the spending on Valentine's Day is expected to decrease by 7%. This dip in spending may be due to various factors, including economic conditions and shifts in consumer behavior.
On a separate note, Kaspersky Lab, a Russian security software producer, has filed a U.S. federal lawsuit to overturn a Trump administration ban on the use of its products in government networks. The plaintiff claims the move deprived the company of its due process rights. An open letter from Kaspersky Lab states that the DHS failed to provide the company with due process.
In conclusion, while the world debates the merits of Valentine's Day celebrations and the use of microbeads in cosmetics, California is leading the charge in environmental protection and consumer safety. The bill now moves to the California State Senate for a vote, and if passed, will mark a significant step forward in the fight against microbead pollution.
- The discussions on Valentine's Day celebrations contrast with the ongoing debates in the California State Senate regarding the policy-and-legislation to ban microbeads in cosmetics, a move that reflects the state's commitment to relationships between humans and the environment, as well as general-news regarding consumer safety.
- Amidst the international controversy surrounding love-and-dating traditions like Valentine's Day, governments in Asia enforce strict policies and legislation to discourage the celebration of this holiday based on cultural and religious reasons, while California focuses on addressing the issue of microbeads in cosmetics, a concern that impacts relationships between humans and marine life.
- The California bill, aimed at reducing microbead pollution in relationships between humans and the environment, faces much smaller opposition compared to the criticism faced by the global celebration of Valentine's Day, as some countries view the holiday as encouraging crime-and-justice issues like premarital interactions and promiscuity, contrary to their religious and cultural values.
