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California oil spill: Aerial images reveal devastation 100,000 gallons oil spills

Independent: From the air the oil shimmers, dark and sinister. On the ground, it is sticky and foul. A series of images released by environmental activists have revealed the true crisis confronting a stretch of California coastline after more than 100,000 gallons of oil were leaked into the ocean. As Governor Jerry Brown issued an emergency proclamation declared to speed the dedication of resources to the area, clean-up teams north of Santa Barbara embarked on a third day of efforts to remove patches of oil....

Pennsylvania: Fracking chemicals detected in drinking water, says report

Independent: Residents in parts of Pennsylvania are confronting the danger that chemicals associated with fracking have seeped into drinking water. A report published in an academic journal reported that an analysis of drinking water sampled from three homes in the state’s Bradford County, had found traces of chemicals commonly found in Marcellus Shale drilling fluids. Tests shows the water in one household contained tiny amounts of 2-Butoxyethanol or 2BE, a common drilling chemical. Reports say the chemical...

Thai PM opens the floodgates in desperate bid to save Bangkok

Independent: Thailand's new prime minister last night opted for a high-risk gamble to try and save Bangkok from devastating flooding by allowing some of the surging waters to enter the city. By deciding to proceed with a controlled release of water through the city's network of canals, Yingluck Shinawatra and her senior officials are hoping to ensure any flooding to the capital city reaches no more than ankle deep. But they admit what they are doing is a gamble that could go wrong. "Originally, we believed...