Oman tackles oil slick after sanctioned tanker runs aground

Oman is dealing with an oil slick covering about 390 square kilometers after the tanker Caroline Bezengi, which was carrying about 1 million barrels of Russian Urals crude, ran aground off the Hallaniyat Islands.

The vessel appears to have been stranded for about seven weeks and had previously been sanctioned by the U.K. and EU, Bloomberg reports.

The slick is spreading north and northeast, with the nearest point about 7km from the shoreline, threatening coral reefs, fish, turtles, dolphins and whales in the area.

Authorities are using aerial surveillance, satellite imagery and subsea inspections to contain the spill, secure the vessel and transfer its remaining cargo.

UAE to ban most single-use plastics in pollution crackdown

The UAE is preparing to impose a ban on most single-use plastics widely used in the food delivery industry, under a major push to reduce pollution.

From Jan. 1 it will be illegal to import, manufacture or trade a range of single-use plastic and styrofoam items, including cutlery, straws, beverage cups and lids, plates and food containers, The National reports.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment sent a reminder on Tuesday urging all businesses to comply with the laws, which were previously announced.

Rules around single-use plastic bags, which were banned in Abu Dhabi in 2022 and UAE-wide in 2024, will also be tightened.

Studies have found that nine out of 10 turtles and five out of 10 camels found dead in the UAE had plastic in their stomachs.