An official of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, hugs in May "Mariam," a baby dugong lost from her mom in southern Thailand. The 8-month-old dugong nurtured by marine experts after it was found has died with plast in her stomach.(Sirachai Arunrugstichai via AP.)
A sick baby dugong beloved in Thailand has died with bits of plastic in her stomach, officials reported Saturday.
“Mariam” was adopted by the Thai public and became an internet sensation after being discovered alone without parents, Sky News reports.
Dugongs are a type of mammal that is sometimes thought to be the source of the mermaid myth, the news outlet reported
The animal died Saturday a week after being found ill and refusing to eat.
"Marium," a baby dugong lost from her mom in Thailand, was found last week bruised after being chased and supposedly attacked by a male dugong during the mating season. (Sirachai Arunrugstichai via AP)
"Many pieces of small plastic clogged her intestines and caused inflammation, leading to blood infection and inflamed lungs,” one of her vets Nantarika Chansue said on Facebook, according to Sky News.
Last week, she was found bruised after being chased and supposedly attacked by a male dugong during the mating season, said Jatuporn Buruspat, director-general of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resource.
Hong Kong - Thousands of teachers braved hot, stormy weather on Saturday to march through downtown Hong Kong to denounce perceived government inaction and alleged police brutality against students protesting the city's extradition bill crisis, now pushing into its eleventh week.
Carrying umbrellas to battle vacillating heat and rain, teachers streamed up a main highway and snaked through a park chanting "protect the next generation of students!".
The protest began at a park called Chater Garden in downtown Hong Kong and was planned to end at the home of the city's embattled leader Carrie Lam, but was redirected by police.
"As a teacher, we have to show our support to them," said Carina Ma, a secondary school English teacher in her forties who was marching on Saturday.
"If the teachers are not the role models to stand against the brutality and violence, we cannot teach our students well. So we must come out and stand up for them."
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The mood was both determined and angry, with some marchers waving their signs in front of police and chanting "Free Hong Kong!"
Teachers are the latest sector of society to join widespread demonstrations that have rocked the Chinese territory since early June.
What began as a protest against a now-shelved extradition bill that would allow suspects to be sent to mainland China has swelled into wider fury over Chinese interference into the affairs of the semi-autonomous territory.
While protesters have been demonstrating for nearly three months, the Beijing-backed government has refused to concede on any of the protesters' five main demands, which include universal suffrage, full retraction of the bill, and amnesty for all arrested protesters.
Most demonstrations have been peaceful but come nightfall fringe groups have often clashed with police, erupting into tear gas-filled chaos in the streets.
Hong Kong police said on Thursday they had arrested at least 748 people since the protests began.
'They feel really hopeless'
English teacher Ma is concerned for the safety of her students as well as their wellbeing, especially with the new school year approaching.
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"I think most of them cannot focus in the lessons. They are so confused and angry and emotional," she said, noting that many are dealing with political disagreement within their families. "At school, if we can't make them feel supported and [listened to], they really feel hopeless".
Ming Lam, 34, a clinical instructor,echoed these concerns.
"Definitely I worry about their studies because they spend much time fighting for Hong Kong freedom and democracy," said Lam, fanning a baby strapped to her chest.
She also worries about her students being able to safely get to classes in different hospitals on weekends amid tear gas and roadblocks.
Hong Kong has seen several scuffles between police and protesters during the weeks of demonstrations [Al Jazeera/Casey Quackenbush]
Kristof Van den Troost, an assistant professor at the Centre for China Studies at the China University of Hong Kong, said he feared what the "government is doing to Hong Kong" amid the ongoing protests.
"[We] keep going on even though the pressure is very high to stop and give up, because everything feels so hopeless," said the 37-year-old Belgian native who has lived in Hong Kong for 14 years.
"Things are quite nervous at the moment. We expect that there will be tensions on campus soon because the school year is going to start. Things are going to be very turbulent".
'Threats' from Beijing
Tensions have been particularly high this week after an airport occupation turned bloody on Tuesday night, with protesters beating and tying up two men from mainland China.
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Beijing has also ramped up its rhetoric, saying the protests were showing signs of "terrorism" and releasing images of troop build-ups across the border in Shenzhen. But some Hong Kongers remain unperturbed.
"I don't believe the Chinese government will do anything," Lam said. "I think it's only a threat".
Van den Troost agreed that Chinese military intervention seemed unlikely. "It would be bad for China itself," he said. "The main thing for Hong Kong is to stick to non-violent protests because we don't want to give the mainland government an excuse to come here."
"It's always a possibility. During June 4, 1989, people didn't expect that the army would crack down and they did, so you never know," he said, referring to the Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing.
“Like it or not, Tlaib and Omar are fast becoming the face of the Democrat Party," the president wrote. "Cortez (AOC) is fuming, not happy about this!”
But the New York Democrat apparently wasn't buying it. She simply added a laughing emoji to a retweet of Trump’s tweet.
Trump’s comment came amid a string of tweets Friday responding to Tlaib’s announcement that she would not travel to Israel to visit her grandmother despite having been granted permission to enter the country from Israeli officials.
"Israel was very respectful & nice to Rep. Rashida Tlaib, allowing her permission to visit her 'grandmother,'" Trump wrote. "As soon as she was granted permission, she grandstanded & loudly proclaimed she would not visit Israel. Could this possibly have been a setup? Israel acted appropriately!"
Israeli officials initially denied entry to Tlaib and Omar, pointing to the pair’s itinerary which stated they planned to visit “Palestine” and not “Israel.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considered the phrasing evidence that the two U.S. congresswomen intended to use their trip to promote a boycott of the Jewish state.
When Tlaib initially requested the visit to her grandmother, she pledged not to "promote any boycotts against Israel." She subsequently tweeted that visiting her grandmother under those conditions would go against her beliefs.
That prompted criticism from Israeli Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, who tweeted that Tlaib apparently hated Israel more than she loved her grandmother.
That is not a sentence from an Onion article, although you could be forgiven if you made that mistake. This President, the most unorthodox resident of the White House in modern history, is actually, apparently, interested in buying Greenland -- the world's largest island currently owned by Denmark.
This raises all sort of questions -- like, literally, dozens -- but I've boiled it down to five key ones, which I will now attempt to answer.
It makes sense to get the big one out of the way first, right? Why would the US President want to purchase an island that is 80% covered by an ice sheet and where less than 60,000 people actually live? Trump himself hasn't said -- yet -- but there are a few obvious reasons.
The second is for geopolitical reasons. The United States already has a foothold in the country -- Thule Air Base -- and, as The Wall Street Journal, which broke the Greenland purchase story, notes:
"Located 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle, it includes a radar station that is part of a U.S. ballistic missile early-warning system. The base is also used by the U.S. Air Force Space Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command."
Third, Trump is a man very interested in his legacy in office. Buying Greenland would be a major bullet point on his presidential resume.
2. Is Greenland for sale?
Seems like no!
"#Greenland is rich in valuable resources such as minerals, the purest water and ice, fish stocks, seafood, renewable energy and is a new frontier for adventure tourism," tweeted the country's government on Friday morning. "We're open for business, not for sale."
Nope -- despite what Twitter might make you think.
The United States has actually pursued the purchase of Greenland before, according to a Danish historian named Tage Kaarsted. In 1946, US Secretary of State James Byrnes -- serving under President Harry Truman -- broached the idea with the Danish foreign minister at a United Nations meeting in New York. Nothing ever came of it. Almost 100 years before that, Secretary of State William Seward -- fresh off the US's purchase of Alaska -- apparently looked into buying Greenland from the Danes.
4. Does the US buy a lot of other countries?
One of the last times the United States bought land from a foreign country was in 1867, when Seward orchestrated the purchase of Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million. It didn't work out so well -- and has gone down as "Seward's Folly" in the history books. The US also purchased the Philippine islands from Spain in 1898 for $20 million and the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917 for $25 million.
The most famous land acquisition by the United States came earlier -- 1803 to be exact -- when we agreed to the Louisiana Purchase with France. The US paid $15 million at the time for land that makes up almost one-quarter of America's current territory.
5. How does that saying go about Greenland and Iceland?
It goes like this: Greenland is actually icy and Iceland is actually green. And it's generally true! Blame the Vikings for the names!
The Point: Donald Trump has a lot of wild ideas as president. Buying Greenland may be one of the most unorthodox. But it's also not one of his worst.
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correctly state the history of US land purchases.
Sources quoted in other media differed over whether the president was joking or seriously hoping to expand US territory.
How has Greenland reacted?
Officials in Greenland have insisted that the island is not on the market.
"Greenland is rich in valuable resources such as minerals, the purest water and ice, fish stocks, seafood, renewable energy and is a new frontier for adventure tourism. We're open for business, not for sale," the foreign ministry said in a statement shared on social media.
Greenland Premier Kim Kielsen repeated the comments in a separate statement. "Greenland is not for sale, but Greenland is open for trade and cooperation with other countries, including the USA," he said.
"No thanks to Trump buying Greenland!", she wrote on Twitter, adding that a "better and more equal partnership with Denmark" was the way forward.
Poul Krarup, editor-in-chief of Greenland's Sermitsiaq newspaper, told the BBC he "couldn't believe" Mr Trump's remarks.
"Greenland is an independent area in the Danish kingdom and must be respected as such," he said.
But he said he thought the chances of Mr Trump's reported ambitions being realised were unlikely.
"We'd like to cooperate with the US, no doubt about that, but we are independent and we decide who our friends are."
What about Denmark?
Politicians in Denmark have ridiculed the idea of a possible US acquisition.
"If he is truly contemplating this, then this is final proof, that he has gone mad," foreign affairs spokesman for the populist Danish People's Party, Soren Espersen, told national broadcaster DR.
"The thought of Denmark selling 50,000 citizens to the United States is completely ridiculous."
"Out of all things that are not going to happen, this is the most unlikely. Forget it," Danish Conservative MP Rasmus Jarlov wrote on Twitter.
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who took office earlier this year, has not commented on the reports.
She is set to visit Greenland this weekend and has said she is "very much looking forward" to it.
Mr Trump is scheduled to visit Denmark in September but there is no indication that the possible acquisition of Greenland is on the agenda.
The WSJ reported that it was "unclear" how the US would go about acquiring Greenland if Mr Trump was serious.
Where is Greenland?
Greenland is the largest island in the world (after Australia, which is defined as a continent in its own right). It is an autonomous Danish territory, located between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans.
It has a population of about 56,000 people concentrated around the coastline. Almost 90% are indigenous Greenlandic Inuit people. It has a limited self-government and its own parliament.
More than 80% of the island is covered by an ice cap. Global warming is feared to be causing the ice cover to melt increasingly quickly but has also increased access to its mineral resources.
Why would it be appealing to Trump?
Mr Trump has reportedly taken an interest in Greenland, in part, because of its natural resources, such as coal, zinc, copper and iron ore.
But while Greenland might be rich in minerals, it currently relies on Denmark for two thirds of its budget revenue. It has high rates of suicide, alcoholism and unemployment.
"The United States has a compelling strategic interest in Greenland, and this should absolutely be on the table," he tweeted.
Can countries buy territories?
Historically, countries have acquired territory not only through military conquest but also financial deals.
Under the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, the US acquired about 827,000 sq miles (2.1m sq km) of land from France for $15m (£12.3m). In 1867, the US reached a deal with Russia to purchase Alaska for $7.2m.
The US later purchased the Danish West Indies in 1917 and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
However, law professor Joseph Blocher wrote in 2012 that the "market for sovereign territory seems to have dried up".
"To be sure, there is still an active market for proprietary interests in public land... But borders - sovereign territory, rather than property - do not seem to be for sale."
The idea of purchasing Greenland was first mooted during the 1860s under the presidency of Andrew Johnson.
In 1867, a report by the US State Department suggested that Greenland's strategic location, along with its abundance of resources, made it an ideal acquisition.
But no official move was made until 1946, when Harry Truman offered Denmark $100m for the territory.
He had earlier toyed with the idea of swapping land in Alaska for strategic parts of Greenland, according to AP.
The company has been caught in a political firestorm because of the city's pro-democracy protests that have angered Beijing. Its business and stock price is also hurting -— hundreds of its flights were canceled when protesters overran the airport and bookings are down.
"This is a grave and critical time for our airlines.There is no doubt that our reputation and brand are under immense pressure and this pressure has been building for some weeks, particularly in the all-important market of mainland China," Hogg wrote in a memo to staff which Cathay shared with CNN Business. "Could we have managed things differently? In hindsight, 'yes'."
Paul Loo, the airline's chief commercial officer, is also stepping down, the company said in a stock exchange filing on Friday. The resignations, first reported by Chinese state media, will take effect on Monday.
"Recent events have called into question Cathay Pacific's commitment to flight safety and security and put our reputation and brand under pressure," said Cathay Chairman John Slosar in a statement. "This is regrettable as we have always made safety and security our highest priority."
Slosar did not elaborate further, but the airline has been swept up in numerous controversies related to the demonstrations.
China said last week that it would not allow Cathay flights crewed by people who have taken part in "illegal demonstrations, protests and violent attacks" to use its airspace, a rule the airline said it would follow.
Cathay then warned it could fire employees who take part in illegal protests. On Wednesday, the company said it had terminated two pilots, without disclosing the reason. A well-placed source within the company told CNN the pilots were fired in association with activities related to ongoing protests.
The company source said one of the pilots was charged with rioting in Hong Kong and had been suspended from duty since July 30.
China's aviation authority said earlier this week that it met with Merlin Swire, the billionaire head of Cathay's biggest shareholder, Swire Pacific. Swire Pacific has been among the companies to condemn "illegal activities and violent behavior" in Hong Kong.
Worker participation in the protests is not the only issue that Cathay is grappling with. The political turmoil that has engulfed Asia's premiere financial hub for nearly 11 weeks is also starting to take a toll on Cathay's bottom line.
The airline was forced to cancel more than 150 flights last week amid a day of mass demonstrations and strikes. The protests at Hong Kong's international airport earlier this week led to nearly 1,000 flights being canceled.
Cathay said last week that protests affected its passenger numbers last month, and were continuing to "adversely impact" future bookings.
Cathay's(CPCAY) stock has plummeted nearly 24% since April.
"It has been my honour to lead the Cathay Pacific Group over the last three years," Hogg said in a statement. "I am confident in the future of Hong Kong as the key aviation hub in Asia. However, these have been challenging weeks for the airline and it is right that Paul and I take responsibility as leaders of the company."
Hogg will be replaced as CEO by Augustus Tang, the chief executive of Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company, another Swire firm. Loo will be replaced by Ronald Lam, the head of HK Express, a Cathay subsidiary.
CNN's Laura He, Michelle Toh and Sandi Sidhu contributed to this report.
Sources quoted in other media differed over whether the president was joking or seriously hoping to expand US territory.
The White House has not commented on the reports.
Where is Greenland?
Greenland is the largest island in the world (after Australia, which is defined as a continent in its own right). It is an autonomous Danish territory, located between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans.
It has a population of about 56,000 people concentrated around the coastline. Almost 90% are indigenous Greenlandic Inuit people. It has a limited self-government and its own parliament.
More than 80% of the island is covered by an ice cap. Global warming is feared to be causing the ice cover to melt increasingly quickly but has also increased access to its mineral resources.
Greenland Premier Kim Kielsen has not commented publicly on the reports about Mr Trump.
Why would it be appealing to Trump?
Mr Trump has reportedly taken an interest in Greenland, in part, because of its natural resources, such as coal, zinc, copper and iron ore.
But while Greenland might be rich in minerals, it currently relies on Denmark for two thirds of its budget revenue. It has high rates of suicide, alcoholism and unemployment.
"The United States has a compelling strategic interest in Greenland, and this should absolutely be on the table," he tweeted.
Is Greenland up for sale?
As Greenland's foreign ministry pointed out, the island is not on the market.
"Greenland is rich in valuable resources such as minerals, the purest water and ice, fish stocks, seafood, renewable energy and is a new frontier for adventure tourism. We're open for business, not for sale," it said in a statement shared on social media.
"No thanks to Trump buying Greenland!", she wrote on Twitter, adding that a "better and more equal partnership with Denmark" was the way forward.
Politicians in Denmark have ridiculed the idea of a possible US acquisition.
"If he is truly contemplating this, then this is final proof, that he has gone mad," foreign affairs spokesman for the populist Danish People's Party, Soren Espersen, told national broadcaster DR.
"The thought of Denmark selling 50,000 citizens to the United States is completely ridiculous."
"Out of all things that are not going to happen, this is the most unlikely. Forget it," Danish Conservative MP Rasmus Jarlov wrote on Twitter.
The WSJ reported that it was "unclear" how the US would go about acquiring Greenland if Mr Trump was serious.
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who took office earlier this year, has not commented on the reports.
She is set to visit Greenland this month and has said she is "very much looking forward" to it.
Mr Trump is scheduled to visit Denmark in September but there is no indication that the possible acquisition of Greenland is on the agenda.
Can countries buy territories?
Historically, countries have acquired territory not only through military conquest but also financial deals.
Under the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, the US acquired about 827,000 sq miles (2.1m sq km) of land from France for $15m (£12.3). In 1867, the US reached a deal with Russia to purchase Alaska for $7.2m.
The US later purchased the Danish West Indies in 1917 and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
However, law professor Joseph Blocher wrote in 2012 that the "market for sovereign territory seems to have dried up".
"To be sure, there is still an active market for proprietary interests in public land... But borders - sovereign territory, rather than property - do not seem to be for sale."
