Indian Ocean

from restaurant menus to plastic 'soup'

WATAMU - Muslimchronicle

Gently, Kenzo the sea turtle is lowered onto a beach where a scattering of bottle caps, candy wrappers, yoghurt cups and discarded flip-flops scar an otherwise idyllic setting. As its human handlers step aside, Kenzo struggles out of the harness, pushes hard with its flippers on the sand, and slides into small waves specked with bits of plastic trash. Read more

Plague alert over Madagascar's dance

Antananarivo - Muslimchronicle

In Madagascar, ceremonies in which families exhume the remains of dead relatives, rewrap them in fresh cloth and dance with the corpses are a sacred ritual. But an outbreak of plague sweeping the Indian Ocean island nation has prompted warnings that the macabre spectacle, known as the turning of the bones or body turning, presents a serious risk of contamination.Read more

Madagascar plague death toll climbs to 74

Antananarivo - Muslimchronicle

An outbreak of highly contagious plague has claimed 74 lives in Madagascar over the past two months with the capital particularly affected, according to a new official toll published Tuesday. A total of 805 cases have been reported on the poor Indian Ocean island nation since August, the health ministry said in a statement. Madagascar has suffered plague outbreaks almostRead more

Three companies offering to search for MH370: Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur - Muslimchronicle

Three companies have offered to resume the search for flight MH370 but no decision has been reached on whether to take up any of the proposals, a Malaysian minister said Tuesday. US seabed exploration firm Ocean Infinity, Dutch company Fugro -- which was involved in the original hunt -- and a Malaysian company have made offers, Transport Minister Liow TiongRead more

Seychelles schools closed over plague fears

Victoria - Muslimchronicle

The Seychelles government ordered schools to close Friday, after the discovery of two suspected cases of plague thought to have been brought from Madagascar where the disease has killed scores. The health ministry has also put under surveillance 320 people who have come into contact with the two patients. A total of 12 people showing plague-like symptoms have been admittedRead more

Panic in Madagascar as Plague Spreads

London - Muslimchronicle

Crowds of fearful residents flock to their local pharmacies before dawn, desperate to buy masks and antibiotics to stave off a plague outbreak sweeping Madagascar. In just the past few days, the highly infectious disease has wreaked havoc in the poor Indian Ocean island nation, claiming six lives in the capital city Antananarivo and causing widespread panic. Like many ofRead more

India, US deepen defense ties during Mattis visit

New Delhi - Muslimchronicle

India and the US have agreed to enhance maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean, deepen defense ties and undertake joint efforts against terrorism. In a day-long visit on Tuesday, US Defense Secretary James Mattis met with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi. “It’s a historic opportunity to reshape the relationship, and the US recognizes India as a coreRead more

Cyclones by another name

Paris - Muslimchronicle

No matter what they are called -- cyclones, hurricanes or typhoons -- the giant tropical storms that form in oceans near the Americas and Asia can be deadly, destructive and terrifyingly capricious. At full throttle, these low-pressure systems pack more power than the energy released by the atomic bomb that levelled Hiroshima. In the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, theyRead more

At UN, US accuses Iran of flouting resolution

New York - Muslimchronicle

The United States on Thursday accused Iran of "repeatedly and deliberately" violating a UN resolution that endorsed the landmark 2015 nuclear deal and said the Security Council had failed to respond. US Ambassador Nikki Haley pointed to "repeated ballistic missile launches, proven arms smuggling", purchases of missile technology and a violations of a travel ban on Iranian military officials asRead more

Joint naval maneuvers between Oman and Iran begin

Muscat - Arab Today

An Iranian Navy flotilla departed for Oman on Saturday to attend a joint “maritime rescue drill” in the South Sea and north of the Indian Ocean, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported. The agency quoted the commander of Iran's First Naval Zone Admiral Hossein Azad as saying: “Providing security of the ships and preparing their rescue is necessary.” However,Read more