Rescuers on Thursday again attempted and failed to free a humpback whale stranded on Germany's Baltic Sea coast, employing a large suction dredger to remove sand around the animal. Two excavators dug a trench in an attempt to free the whale, which has been stuck in shallow waters at the Timmendorfer Strand beach since early on Monday, drawing heavy media attention.

Nicole Hansen said she was diagnosed with breast cancer in February.

Both crises share common roots and solutions, researchers say.