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Timmy the humpback whale escapes to the North Sea

Timmy the humpback whale escapes to the North Sea

The whale calf’s repeated stranding off the coast of Germany sparked widespread concern and extensive media coverage. Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026 A humpback whale calf that earned huge media attention and the nickname Timmy after being repeatedly stranded in shallow waters near Germany has been released into the North Sea by rescue team. The operation to save the sea mammal, launched as its health deteriorated, transported Timmy in a water-filled barge and released him off Denmark on Saturday. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Karin Walter-Mommert, one of the private financiers of the operation, said the whale appeared to be swimming freely and in the right direction upon his release, the APF news agency reports. He “should now swim up the Norwegian coast toward the Arctic”, she said. Timmy was first spotted near Germany’s Baltic Sea coast on March 3. He repeatedly got stuck in shallow waters, despite efforts to encourage him back to the deeper sea. Far from his natural habitat of the Atlantic Ocean, the whale became distressed, and the public became invested in his plight as his health deteriorated and experts worried that he would not survive. The stranded whale blows water on a sand bank in Kirchdorf. Germany, April 9, 2026 [Michael Probst]/AP Photo] Several efforts to rescue him, including using inflatable cushions and a pontoon, were unsuccessful, leading German officials to suggest he was doomed. A private initiative to save the animal was then approved by Germany’s Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state, but that sparked debate as to whether it would be best to let him die in peace or push him to return home, an ordeal that could have proved too much for him. Advertisement Timmy developed a skin condition as a result of the Baltic Sea’s low salt content, and would barely move for days at a time, his breathing irregular. The International Whaling Commission said in April that with each stranding causing additional harm, “the chances of survival [had become] negligible”. However, the use of the special barge finally saw Timmy returned to his natural habitat. It is not clear why the whale swam into the Baltic Sea, far from the Atlantic Ocean. Some experts say the animal may have lost its way while swimming after a shoal of herring or during migration. A GPS transmitter was reportedly attached to the whale before his release, suggesting there could be more updates to come, with the case having been furiously followed by online media in particular. Adblock test (Why?)

Why are maritime laws failing to secure the seas?

Why are maritime laws failing to secure the seas?

Wars and territorial disputes are rewriting the rules of global shipping. Wars and territorial disputes are rewriting the rules of global shipping. From the Strait of Hormuz to the Panama Canal, and the Red Sea to the Black Sea, maritime traffic is under increasing threat. Is shipping becoming the new global battleground? And why are the decades-old laws governing the seas failing? Presenter: James Bays Guests: Rockford Weitz – director of the Fletcher Studies programme at Tufts University George Theocharidis – professor of maritime law and policy at the World Maritime University Stavros Karamperidis – associate professor in maritime economics at Plymouth University Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)

The rise of political violence under Trump

The rise of political violence under Trump

Redi Tlhabi speaks to Professor Robert Pape on the rise of political violence in the US. After the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, has the US entered a new age of political violence? The third alleged attempted assassination of US President Donald Trump in recent years follows a series of politically motivated violent incidents last year, including the assassinations of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk and Democratic state legislator Melissa Hortman. What is causing the increase in political violence in America? And how much is the Trump administration driving the politically divisive atmosphere with violent rhetoric and lethal foreign policy? This week on UpFront, Redi Tlhabi speaks with Robert Pape, professor of political science at the University of Chicago and author of the upcoming book “Our Own Worst Enemies: America in the Age of Violent Populism”. Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)