Our daily swim around the world

🐋🇪🇸 Orcas off the coast of Spain appear to be playing a game when interacting with (and damaging) nearby ships. That’s the conclusion of a new research project led by marine conservation organization CIRCE, which runs counter to earlier claims by experts who thought the behavior was first inspired by a female orca who had a traumatic run-in with a boat. CIRCE’s investigation found at least 20 orcas in the region have learned to play with ships’ rudders since 2020 by copying the behavior of their elders.

🇨🇳📵 Chinese regulators unveiled new restrictions for children accessing the internet via smartphone. All Chinese residents under the age of 18 will be cut off from accessing the internet on a mobile device from 10 pm to 6 am once the new law, first announced yesterday, takes effect on September 2. In addition, the law will impose maximum daily time limits for internet usage via smartphone, ranging from 40 minutes for kids under eight to two hours for 16- and 17-year-olds. Chinese parents are allowed to bypass these restrictions if they wish.

🇹🇼 The Taiwanese government began providing free period products in all schools and universities this month. On Monday, Taiwan’s Ministry of Education announced a $3.2 million plan to provide all of the country’s educational institutions with free tampons and sanitary pads. Taiwan is the third country in the world to do so, following Scotland (2020) and New Zealand (2021).