Dugongs killed to order for their tusks - marine scientist

2 Oct 13:06 Key points summarised by AI

A marine scientist suspects recent dugong deaths in the Andaman Sea are due to hunting for their incisor teeth (tusks), noting three out of four found dead or injured had missing tusks.
The scientist believes hunters are fulfilling orders for tusks to be made into amulets, not for online sale, due to severe penalties for illegal trade in protected species.
Current protection measures are deemed insufficient; the scientist suggests upgrading surveillance and increasing monitoring personnel in dugong-frequented areas.
Growing public interest in rescued dugongs like Yamil and Mariam is seen as an opportunity to drive stronger protection for the species.

Suchada: Meet the reluctant star of Thailand’s cryptic crypto drama

Yesterday 15:38 Key points summarised by AI

Thai MP Suchada Zhang Thaensap faces intense scrutiny over her husband’s substantial 1.84 billion baht wealth, with opposition lawmakers alleging connections to international scam networks.
A significant portion of her husband, Taiyang Zhang's, declared assets includes a 1.44 billion baht loan to the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, which still owes him 1.34 billion baht.
Opposition MP Rangsiman Rome accused Suchada's husband of links to online scam networks and gambling sites, prompting Suchada to vehemently deny the claims, demand evidence, and file a defamation complaint.
Taiyang Zhang's background includes co-founding Ren Protocol, later sold to Alameda Research (linked to the FTX collapse), and some of his former associates have been convicted in crypto company failures.
Suchada, a former actress and first-time MP, maintains her husband's innocence, while her party leaders have distanced themselves from the allegations, deeming it a private matter.