## Spain aims to ban flushing of wet wipes, with manufacturers paying for cleanup

Authored by theguardian.com

The Spanish government is preparing a law that will oblige wet wipe manufacturers to cover the costs of cleaning huge wads of their product from the country’s clogged-up sewers and water-treatment plants.

According to the law’s outline, wet wipes and balloons are among the 10 single-use plastic items most commonly found on beaches in the EU.

“Wet wipes – even those made with natural polymers that haven’t been chemically modified – have a negative environmental impact and significantly affect the functioning of the sewer and purification networks,” the legislation says.

The draft notes that microfibres from wet wipes also end up in rivers and other bodies of water, leaving local authorities with hefty cleanup bills and environmental fines.

Figures from the Spanish Association of Water Supply and Sanitation put the annual cost of clearing wet wipes from sewer and purification systems at €230m (£190m).

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### EA Cancels Black Panther Game, Closes Cliffhanger Games

Authored by ign.com

Electronic Arts is canceling its planned Black Panther game and shutting down developer Cliffhanger Games, IGN has learned.

In addition to closing Cliffhanger and canceling Black Panther, EA is also laying off some individuals on both its mobile and central teams.

The email doesn't mention EA Sports, but this is due to Miele running EA Entertainment, while EA Sports is a separate division. »

### China is now the biggest debt collector in the developing world, report says

Authored by npr.org

China is now the biggest debt collector in the developing world, report says.

The report points to diplomatic pressure within China to restructure unsustainable debt and to recover outstanding debts from abroad for the change.

As of 2023, more than a quarter of the external debt in developing countries was owed to China, the report says. »

### Researchers puzzle over rash of baby monkey kidnappings

Authored by npr.org

On an island in Panama, a fad that one researcher called "viscerally disturbing" has recently taken off among a group of young male monkeys.

These adolescents and juveniles have started to kidnap the infants of another monkey species, seemingly just for kicks.

The capuchins that have started kidnapping howler monkey babies live on Jicarón island, which is part of Panama's Coiba National Park. »

### Russia committed war crimes against civilians in Ukraine’s Kherson region, UN concludes

Authored by politico.eu

Russia captured Kherson in March 2022, shortly after the start of President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale war on Ukraine.

The Ukrainian army recaptured Kherson eight months later, but not before Russia had conducted sham referendums in which, the Kremlin claimed, the majority of the Kherson population supported the region joining Russia.

However, international journalists who got unauthorized access to Kherson before the Ukrainian government, showed Kherson residents expressing joy as they were celebrating liberation from the Russians. »

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