Russian Oil Spills from Grounded Tanker, Fouling Beaches in Oman

A major ecological disaster is unfolding in Oman, where a massive oil spill has spread to over 2,000 square kilometers and has begun fouling beaches. The oil spread largely unchecked for weeks, after a tanker carrying 800,000 barrels of Russian crude ran aground in a protected marine reserve, following an unexplained attack on ​the vessel in June. This comes after President Trump on Monday threatened to “bomb the shit out of” Oman if it gets in the way of U.S. efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, crude oil futures climbed to over $90 dollars a barrel Monday following reports that Iran had seized a UAE-owned tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. gas prices have set a mid-August record amid stalled talks with Iran, with the national average at $4.06 a gallon. www.democracynow.org