French petition hits 1mn signatures against bee-killing pesticide
The petition, launched by a 23-year-old environmental health student, gained rapid support, with over 500,000 signatures added in just 24 hours over the weekend.
The 'Duplomb law,' named after the conservative lawmaker who proposed it, permits the use of acetamiprid despite scientific evidence linking it to bee population decline.
Supporters argue the pesticide is necessary for farmers, particularly beet and hazelnut growers, who claim they lack alternatives against pests.
However, critics, including beekeepers and environmentalists, label it a 'bee killer' and warn of broader ecological damage.
National Assembly Speaker Yael Braun-Pivet dismissed calls to abandon the law, stating it would 'save a certain number of our farmers.'
Meanwhile, petition author Eleonore Pattery condemned the legislation as a 'scientific, ethical, environmental, and public health aberration.'
The petition demands an immediate repeal and a citizen-led consultation involving health, agricultural, and environmental experts.
While petitions do not automatically trigger legal changes, surpassing 500,000 signatures could prompt a parliamentary debate. Green party leader Marine Tondelier has called on President Emmanuel Macron to intervene.
Acetamiprid remains legal in the EU but has faced scrutiny for its disorienting effects on bees. Its impact on human health remains uncertain due to insufficient large-scale studies.
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The Sun
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US tariff negotiations update as August 1 deadline looms
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The Star
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Balancing screen time and safety: The challenge for today's parents
At what age did you get your first smartphone or sign up for social media? For many adults, it likely happened in their late teens or early twenties, but for kids today, their dive into the digital world often comes much earlier, at times even before they start schooling. Countless concerns have been raised on whether children are being exposed to too much, too soon, and the potentially detrimental long-term effects that may come alongside it. Countries like Australia and France have taken a hardline stance on the matter, with France passing a parental consent law for users under 15, and Australia's under-16 ban is set to be enforced in December. French President Emmanuel Macron has even said that the country would impose a further blanket ban on social media use for those under 15, should progress at the EU level to limit teenage screen time lag behind. Meanwhile, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said back in January this year that the country does not currently have any plans to impose a minimum age requirement when it comes to social media access. He later said in March that any move to impose such a restriction would require a thorough analysis of how it could affect access to information and communication among those impacted, as well as the potential psychological and developmental implications. He also noted that most platforms have set 13 years old as a minimum age requirement, and said that the Malaysian government would monitor their enforcement. According to Siraj, platforms struggle with effectively enforcing age restrictions. — SIRAJ JALIL According to Siraj Jalil, president of the Malaysia Cyber Consumer Association (MCCA), such monitoring is a step forward, but is still not an airtight solution to the issue. 'Globally, platforms struggle to enforce age restrictions effectively, often relying on self-declaration mechanisms that are easily circumvented. 'Enforcement tends to be weak unless backed by strong regulatory requirements and technology-based age assurance. 'Malaysia should expect platforms to strengthen their verification systems and should complement this with national efforts to raise awareness among parents and children about the importance of respecting these thresholds,' he said. Srividhya Ganapathy, the co-chairperson of the Child Rights Innovation and Betterment (CRIB) Foundation, on the other hand, advocated for a more serious approach, stressing that monitoring alone is not enough. 'In practice, children regularly create accounts long before the age of 13, often without any real safeguards in place. The so-called enforcement of age restrictions is inconsistent and largely symbolic. 'Once online, children face a range of risks – cyberbullying being one of the most prevalent. Many children are targeted in private messages or group chats, with little visibility or intervention from adults. For some, the bullying continues across multiple platforms, and the lack of a clear support or reporting pathway means the harm often goes unnoticed and unaddressed. 'We cannot continue to rely on platforms to police themselves. Vague promises of monitoring aren't enough. We need enforceable standards, better age verification, and a proactive, not reactive, approach to safeguarding children online. Children's safety should not be left to the goodwill of corporations,' she said. Tech too soon? From the perspective of those like Srividhya, haphazardly setting an age requirement is not the end of the story. She believes that while such age requirements may serve as a benchmark, there needs to be an overarching strategy that includes measures to provide age-appropriate education so that kids learn how to engage the digital world via smartphones and social media when the time eventually comes. Srividhya believes that there needs to be an overarching strategy that includes measures to provide age-appropriate education so that kids learn how to engage the digital world via smartphones and social media when the time eventually comes. — Photo by Sanket Mishra on Unsplash 'Outright bans often drive children to access technology in secret, without support or protection. 'Instead, we must equip them with the knowledge and confidence to navigate digital spaces safely and responsibly. A minimum age should be the starting point, not the solution. 'We also need to acknowledge the realities faced by Malaysian families. 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'Therefore, while benchmarks are important, the more urgent need is for better education and resources for parents and children to use these technologies responsibly and safely from an early age,' he said. While it's clear that smartphones and social media have a place, parental involvement and guidance are crucial, at least according to Allistair Adam Anak Nelson, a registered clinical psychologist and lecturer at the Taylor's University School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He noted that research has drawn a link between the excessive use of social media and screen time at an early age with higher levels of depression, anxiety, poor sleep, body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem. These concerns are only heightened by exposure to things such as cyberbullying, unrealistic body standards, and the constant need for online validation. 'Childhood and early adulthood, roughly from the age of 10 to early 20s, is a time when the brain is still developing, especially in areas related to emotion regulation, self-control, and social awareness. 'This makes young people more vulnerable to the emotional highs and lows of social media. 'Age restrictions merely delay the exposure to age-inappropriate or harmful content, as many children can easily bypass them by entering false birthdates. Allistair Adam said thoughtful consideration is needed to develop healthy screen use. — Taylor's University 'Restrictions alone do not address the need for children to learn how to navigate the digital space safely and responsibly,' he said, further stressing the need for digital literacy. Allistair Adam added that it could come in the form of screen time boundaries set by parents, co-viewing content, open communication on media use, and modelling healthy digital habits. 'Children need more than just the ability to use a device – they must understand privacy, recognise safe content, and distinguish between reality and fantasy.' Meanwhile Raihan Munira Moh Sani, a lecturer with the Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation's School of Psychology (APU), said that these technologies should not be seen as being inherently harmful. 'When assessing a child's readiness for a smartphone or social media access, it is essential to look beyond age and consider developmental indicators. 'One important factor is social awareness and empathy, where children should be able to understand the impact of their words and actions on others and demonstrate respectful behaviour in both online and offline peer interactions. 'Equally important is their understanding of boundaries. This includes knowing what is appropriate to share online, recognising the importance of privacy, and being aware of screen time limits. 'These indicators reflect a child's ability to navigate digital spaces responsibly and safely,' she said. Clicking into childhood From Allistair Adam's point of view, there are no hard and fast rules on the 'right' age when it comes to children using things like smartphones, social media, or even engaging in online games. 'Often, smartphones are given to children as a digital pacifier to keep them calm or preoccupied, especially in public settings. 'While this may offer quick relief, developing healthy screen time usage requires more thoughtful consideration,' he said. Raihan Munira advised parents to look beyond age and consider developmental indicators to see if their kids are ready for screen use. — APU There are some guideposts available for parents to have a point of reference. 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She said that while Malaysian children are generally tech-savvy, with competency in navigating apps, social media platforms, and games, this does not necessarily translate to being able to engage digital spaces safely. 'Compared to children in some developed countries like those in Scandinavia or parts of Western Europe, Malaysian kids often have less structured digital education. 'This means they might be more exposed to online risks such as cyberbullying, privacy breaches, or harmful content. A Unicef study even found that while Malaysian youth are confident online, many don't fully understand how to protect themselves from threats. 'The good news is that digital literacy programmes are growing in schools, and awareness among parents and educators is increasing. From age six onwards, parents should set clear, consistent limits on both screen time and content, said Raihan Munira. — Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash 'But there's still a gap to close when it comes to teaching children not just how to use technology, but how to use it responsibly and safely,' she said. As Allistair Adam pointed out, 'studies from states such as Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Kedah show that most preschoolers are already using smartphones and other digital devices regularly'. One of the studies, 'Screen Media Dependency And Its Associated Factors Among Preschool Children In Kuala Lumpur' published in the Malaysian Journal Of Medicine And Health Sciences in May 2023, found that over 65% of preschoolers in Kuala Lumpur show signs of dependence on their devices. Another study, 'Determinants of Excessive Screen Time Among Children Under Five Years Old in Selangor, Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study' published in the International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health in March 2022, found that over 90% of preschoolers in Selangor exceed recommended screen time limits, underscoring a lack in digital maturity among Malaysian children when compared to their peers in countries with structured digital literacy programmes. 'This gap between access and readiness increases their vulnerability to digital dependency, cyberbullying, and misinformation. 'It highlights the need for nationwide digital literacy initiatives and child-focused online safety policies,' he said. Greater guidance Srividhya further called for concrete guidelines from the government that are 'clear, practical, and grounded in the realities of Malaysian families, not just borrowed from other jurisdictions or imposed in a top-down way'. 'There's too much uncertainty. Parents, schools, and even platforms are often left to interpret things for themselves, which leads to inconsistent decisions and, ultimately, children falling through the cracks.' She said that the country does not necessarily need new blanket laws, but rather a framework that provides guidance in the form of minimum standards that also offers some flexibility. This could come in the form of general suggestions for platforms based on age, and the specific kinds of digital competencies children need to access them, along with the responsibilities held by parents, educators, and platforms, she added. 'It's not just about when a child can go online – it's about how they should be supported when they do. 'Right now, our response to children's digital access tends to be reactive. A case goes viral, there's public outcry, and we start talking about bans or surveillance. 'But these approaches don't address the core issue: most children are getting online anyway – often unsupervised and unprepared. 'Without national guidelines that put child rights and child realities at the centre, we're just leaving families to figure it out on their own,' Srividhya said. For Allistair Adam, it comes down to ensuring that a child is emotionally prepared to engage with the digital world. 'For parents, assessing readiness involves observing whether the child can regulate their emotions, follow rules, manage screen time without being attached, recognise unsafe or inappropriate content, and communicate openly with their parents on their digital use. 'Children should also be able to balance screen time with other important daily activities such as schoolwork, play and family time. 'Policymakers, on the other hand, can support this by ensuring access to early digital literacy education, promoting age-appropriate platform design, and developing national guidelines that safeguard children's digital well-being. 'In the end, readiness is not just whether a child has the skills to manage screen time but whether they have received the right modelling, guidance, and support to use digital tools wisely – that should be the best indicator,' he said.
Herald Malaysia
an hour ago
- Herald Malaysia
The State of Palestine and the responsibility of the International Community
The ongoing tragedy in Gaza calls for a surge of humanity and the urgency of a shared response to the plight of the Palestinian people, which the Holy See has been consistently advocating for decades. Jul 28, 2025 UN General Assembly (ANSA) By Andrea TornielliPresident Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will recognise the State of Palestine, with a formal declaration to be made at the United Nations General Assembly this coming September. Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the 'High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution..' This conference was initially planned to take place at the UN headquarters in New York last June, under the leadership of the French and Saudi governments, but it was postponed due to the Israeli attack on Iran. The ongoing tragedy in Gaza - the repeated massacres of tens of thousands of innocent civilians who have died under the bombs, and who are now dying of hunger and deprivation, or being shot while trying to reach food - should make it clear to everyone how urgent it is to halt the military attacks that are causing this slaughter. At the same time, it highlights how indispensable a solution to the Palestinian question has become. This is a solution that the Holy See has been persistently calling for over many decades, and which cannot happen without the active contribution of the international community, as well as the countries directly involved. It is useful to recall that the Holy See signed a basic agreement with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) 25 years ago. Then, ten years ago, it signed a Comprehensive Agreement with the State of Palestine, which entered into force in January 2016. This decision and recognition are consistent with the concern expressed by Popes since 1948 about the condition of the Holy Places and the fate of the Palestinian people. Pope Paul VI was the first Pope to explicitly affirm that Palestinians were and are a people, not merely a group of war refugees. In his 1975 Christmas message, he asked the children of the Jewish people, whose sovereign State of Israel was already established, "to recognise the rights and legitimate aspirations of another people, who have also suffered for a long time - the Palestinian people.' In the early 1990s, John Paul II established relations with both the State of Israel (1993) and the PLO (1994), at a time when it seemed the two parties were close to an agreement and to mutual recognition of two States. In February 2000, a few months before Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's entry into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound sparked the second Intifada, the Holy See signed the aforementioned Basic Agreement with the PLO. Upon arriving in Bethlehem in March 2000, John Paul II stated: 'The Holy See has always recognized that the Palestinian people have the natural right to a homeland, and the right to be able to live in peace and tranquillity with the other peoples of this area. In the international forum, my predecessors and I have repeatedly proclaimed that there would be no end to the sad conflict in the Holy Land without stable guarantees for the rights of all the peoples involved, on the basis of international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions and declarations.' Nine years later, during his visit to the Holy Land, Benedict XVI reaffirmed: Let it be universally recognized that the State of Israel has the right to exist, and to enjoy peace and security within internationally agreed borders. Let it be likewise acknowledged that the Palestinian people have a right to a sovereign independent homeland, to live with dignity and to travel freely. Let the twostate solution become a reality, not remain a dream.' In 2012, the Holy See supported the admission of the 'State of Palestine' as an observer member of the United Nations. Pope Francis, during his 2014 visit to the Holy Land, said before Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas: 'The time has come for everyone to find the courage to be generous and creative in the service of the common good, the courage to forge a peace which rests on the acknowledgment by all of the right of two States to exist and to live in peace and security within internationally recognized borders.' It was also the first time he referred to the host country as the 'State of Palestine.' This led to the 2015 Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine, which insists on the two-state solution already envisaged in UN Resolution 181 of November 1947. The preamble of the Agreement, referencing international law, frames key points, including: the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination; the goal of the two-state solution; the symbolic and spiritual significance of Jerusalem for Jews, Christians, and Muslims; and its universal religious and cultural value as a treasure for all humanity. The preamble reaffirms the right of the Palestinian people 'freedom, security and dignity in an independent State of their own' - an 'independent, sovereign, democratic and viable State of Palestine on the basis of the pre-1967 borders, on the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, living side by side in peace and security with all its neighbours.' Referring back to the 2000 Basic Agreement with the PLO, the Comprehensive Agreement renewed the demand for 'equitable solution for the issue of Jerusalem, based on international resolutions,' asserting that 'unilateral decisions and actions altering the specific character and status of Jerusalem are morally and legally unacceptable,' and that 'any illegal unilateral measure, of whatever kind, is null and void' and 'creates obstacles to the search for peace.' This brief overview testifies to the consistency and realism of the position expressed in the appeals of recent Popes, in the Holy See's statements to the United Nations, and in the agreements signed to date. Immediately following the inhuman terrorist attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023, Pope Francis condemned the massacre and repeatedly called for the release of all hostages. At the same time, while recognising Israel's right to defend itself, the Holy See repeatedly - and in vain - called for restraint in targeting the entire Palestinian population in Gaza, and also denounced the attacks by settlers against Palestinians living in the West Bank, a part of the State of Palestine. Unfortunately, this did not happen: in Gaza and beyond, there are attacks that cannot be justified and represent a slaughter that weighs on the conscience of all. As Pope Leo XIV clearly stated during the Angelus on Sunday, July 20th, it is urgent and necessary 'to observe humanitarian law' and 'to respect the obligation to protect civilians, as well as the prohibition against collective punishment, indiscriminate use of force and forced displacement of the population.' The international community cannot continue to stand by while this massacre unfolds. One hopes that the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Resolution of the Palestinian Question and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, recognising the urgency of a collective response to the suffering of the Palestinian people, will vigorously pursue a solution that finally guarantees them a state with secure, respected, and recognised borders.--Vatican News
