In aging Japan, the 18-year-old voter gets welcomed to the voting booth

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYiKsE-UdOcoIV6qz2zqsT2V7g_FHMJSnq8myDom1Ym5yT_SYlNdT2aMzEBr7rpn07v6_HkQyGsXEwTyS2I1_uTp_wT5pvN7fsTdAKgYkwjjmgBUHN0eoh979pA8l8A3jGHriUh42Tag/s1600/990887_1_Japan+youth_standard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="In aging Japan, the 18-year-old voter gets welcomed to the voting booth" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYiKsE-UdOcoIV6qz2zqsT2V7g_FHMJSnq8myDom1Ym5yT_SYlNdT2aMzEBr7rpn07v6_HkQyGsXEwTyS2I1_uTp_wT5pvN7fsTdAKgYkwjjmgBUHN0eoh979pA8l8A3jGHriUh42Tag/s400/990887_1_Japan+youth_standard.jpg" title="In aging Japan, the 18-year-old voter gets welcomed to the voting booth" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.5em;"> <span class="eza-dateline all_caps" style="text-transform: uppercase;"><br /></span></div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.5em;"> <span class="eza-dateline all_caps" id="dateline" style="text-transform: uppercase;">TOKYO — </span>Across Japan, millions of 18-year-old students have been getting instruction in a brand new topic: how to vote. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> Some 2.4 million 18- and 19-year-olds are eligible for the first time to cast ballots in this Sunday's House of Councillors election. Their entree into the voting booth marks the biggest enfranchisement in Japan since 1946, when women were granted suffrage and the voting age was reduced from 25 to 20. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> In a country where more than a quarter of citizens are 65 or older, empowering the rising generation to engage in politics is seen as a possible avenue for injecting new voices into an aging electorate and perhaps even altering a moribund political landscape. And the main political parties are attempting to meet the newest voters on their own turf, churning out videos, animated messages, and online campaigns. Meanwhile, public schools have offered lessons on the electoral system and how to fill in ballot papers. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> <span style="letter-spacing: 0.32px;">The stakes could be high on Sunday: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which holds a majority of seats already, is predicted to further increase its seats, and a two-thirds majority in the House of Councillors could allow the government to reform the pacifist clause of Japan's Constitution, opposition to which has been strong among students. </span></div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> <span style="letter-spacing: 0.32px;">But 18- and 19-year olds make up just a few percent of the electorate and are less likely – even with the novelty – to vote. Most notably, many of the new voters are already disillusioned with a politics that has seen the voting rate fall to a record low of below 53 percent for the 2014 election, six prime ministers in as many years before Mr. Abe took power in 2012, and uneasy alliances between parties of opposing ideologies.  </span></div> <h2 style="font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.44em; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: -0.02em; line-height: 1.25; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px;"> Planning to vote</h2> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> Three first-year students at Azabu University, in Kanagawa, just south of Tokyo, all intend to vote.</div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> "I think young people do want their voice to be heard," says Nasuzu Ishi, who is 19. But she sees little hope for change. "Politicians say one thing and do another. Abe didn't talk much about changing the Constitution at the last election; it was all about economics. So it's hard to trust him." </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> The government passed bills that reinterpret Article 9 of the Constitution last September, allowing the military to engage in overseas conflicts. But it couldn’t change the clause due to the lack of a two-thirds majority. Many observers believe that is Abe's <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2015/0919/New-era-for-Japan-allowing-overseas-combat-role-for-military" style="color: #008996; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">true political mission</a>, rather than his so-called "Abenomics" of massive monetary easing. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> "I was shocked when Abe announced he was going to reinterpret Article 9; there was no need to do that. And Abenomics isn't really working, either," says Mizu Sekine, who is 18.</div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> "And the government has postponed the rise to 10 percent for the consumption tax, but the national debt isn't getting paid down. It's just being pushed back on to our generation to deal with," adds Ms. Ishi. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> Japan's national debt of a quadrillion yen ($10 trillion) is around 240 percent of GDP, the highest rate in the world. Japan's young voters have seen little to let them believe that a meaningful political dynamic is possible in Japan, where the LDP has held power for all but a few years over more than half a century. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> "[Yoichi] Masuzoe seemed trustworthy, but then look what happened," says Ms. Sekine, referring to the LDP governor of Tokyo who resigned in June over a misuse of funds scandal. "But the opposition is a mess, too," she says, pointing to the merger of the center-left Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) with the center-right Japan Innovation Party in March, leaving many voters confused as to what the new Democratic Party's ideological position is. </div> <h2 style="font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.44em; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: -0.02em; line-height: 1.25; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px;"> Please cast your vote</h2> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> Public officials, at the behest of the government, are doing what they can to encourage voting among the new segment of the electorate. Still, efforts to educate young voters are having mixed results.</div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> "We had a class in social studies at high school about election and voting, but it was right before our final exams, so everybody was like "yeah, yeah," and just took the leaflets," says Sekine.</div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> But at least one teacher at a public high school in a satellite city of Tokyo believes about 60 percent of his third-year students who are eligible to vote will do so by July 10. That would put their turnout in line with the average turnout in national elections since 2000.  </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> "We have a big baseball game on Sunday, the day of the election, and we got a call from the education board telling us to make sure the students all go and vote by Saturday. You can cast your vote up to a week early in Japan," says the teacher, who asked not to be identified as he didn't have permission to talk publicly. "I understand they want to raise the voting rate, but I don't think it is right to pressure the students, voting isn't compulsory in Japan." </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> The school held a mock election in April to let students practice. "In Japan, you have to write the name of the candidate on the ballot paper yourself, so we explained how to do it and what kind of abbreviations can be used for the political parties," says the teacher. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 1.8em; margin-top: 1.8em;"> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="eztoc21556427_6" name="eztoc21556427_6" style="color: #008996; letter-spacing: 0.32px; outline: none;"></a></div> <div style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.32px; line-height: 32px; margin-top: 1.8em;"> And politicians know these new voters will be part of the electorate for decades to come. With around 95 percent of young Japanese graduating from high school, it is an attractive demographic. Since the law was passed lowering the voting age, the teacher notes, the school has seen a sudden increase in local politicians making speeches at its graduation ceremonies.</div> </div>

In aging Japan, the 18-year-old voter gets welcomed to the voting booth

TOKYO —  Across Japan, millions of 18-year-old students have been getting instruction in a brand new topic: how to vote.  Some 2.4 m...

Read more »

Half of working Britain has seen no rise in living standards since early 2000s

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Squeeze on earnings and rising housing costs have hit family budgets, fuelling disillusionment at economic and political status quo</em></div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> Weak income growth and rising housing costs have effectively wiped out any gains for low and middle income working age households since the early 2000s, providing the backdrop to disillusionment with the political and economic status quo, according to a major new report published today (Tuesday) by the Resolution Foundation in the aftermath of the UK’s Brexit vote.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> By taking into account the drag on living standards of rising housing costs, the report shows that family budgets have been more squeezed than standard measures of incomes imply. The Foundation warns that this squeeze started well before the financial crisis and has occurred despite post-crisis record low interest rates putting downward pressure on housing costs. The Foundation adds that since the early 2000s rising housing costs have born down most heavily on low-to-middle income households.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> Looking at the impact of housing costs on living standards among different groups, the report shows from the start of the income slowdown in 2002 to 2015:</div> <ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px; margin-top: 0px;"> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 85 Heavy", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif;">Over half of households across the working age population</strong> have seen falling or flat living standards – equivalent to almost 11 million households;</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Two-thirds of the growth in <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 85 Heavy", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif;">average working age income</strong> has been wiped out by rising housing costs;</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;">More than all of the growth in <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 85 Heavy", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif;">private renter income</strong> has been wiped out by rising housing costs; and,</li> <li style="box-sizing: border-box;">The same is true for households headed <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 85 Heavy", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif;">by someone aged 25-44</strong> who will also have seen all of the growth in average income wiped out by rising housing costs.</li> </ul> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> The report shows that while London is a standout case in terms of how housing costs have dragged down living standards – the share of income spent on housing has risen by almost a third in the capital since the early 2000s – it is wrong to see this as a southern problem. It finds that the North is catching up with the South – Scotland, the North West and the East Midlands have all experienced sharper increases in housing costs as a proportion of income than the South East and South West.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> The Foundation notes that regional differences in the strength of leave votes were rooted in long term geographical economic inequality rather than shorter term trends, and that explanations for last week’s vote go far beyond economic concerns. But the widespread squeeze on living standards for working Britain since the early 2000s has affected all parts of the UK, increasing dissatisfaction with the status quo.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> As politicians from all parties consider how to respond to last week’s vote, the Foundation says they will need to understand these trends and respond to them, including with a renewed focus on house building.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> It adds that while many aspects of incomes are hard for government to directly influence in a globalized world, the failure on housing is home grown – and tackling it is well within the power of government.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> With the short-term economic turbulence caused by the Brexit decision likely to increase inflation, the Foundation also says that now is not the time to press ahead with rolling out large cuts to working age benefits that will further erode living standards for lower income households.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 85 Heavy", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif;">Torsten Bell, Director at the Resolution Foundation said:</strong> “There were many factors – both cultural and economic – behind Britain’s decision to back Brexit last week.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> “But stagnating living standards have been an important background to rising dissatisfaction with the economic and political status quo, particularly among poorer households. The fact that the British people have seen successive governments fail to seriously address problems that are well within their control, such as housing, has only reinforced that feeling. “</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 85 Heavy", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif;">Lindsay Judge, Senior Policy Analyst at the Resolution Foundation said:</strong> “Britain’s stagnation in living standards has a range of roots – from low pay growth to high inflation during the financial crisis. But rising housing costs have played a much bigger part than is normally appreciated.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> “And while it’s not possible for government to solve all the living standards challenges we face, the failure to address our housing crisis is a long and sustained home grown public policy failure. Finally getting to grips with our housing crisis would help to boost living standards for millions of people and have the added benefit of helping young people, many of whom have been hit hardest in recent years.”</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: "Avenir LT W01 55 Roman", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px; margin-bottom: 10.5px;"> <a href="http://www.resolutionfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/AHC.gif" rel="lightbox-0" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #699999; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="AHC" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-9807" height="464" src="https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/AHC.gif" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; vertical-align: middle;" width="681" /></a></div> </div>

Half of working Britain has seen no rise in living standards since early 2000s

Squeeze on earnings and rising housing costs have hit family budgets, fuelling disillusionment at economic and political status quo Weak...

Read more »

UKIP leader Nigel Farage stands down

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="story-body__introduction" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 28px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Nigel Farage says he is standing down as leader of the UK Independence Party.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 23px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Mr Farage said his "political ambition has been achieved" with the UK having voted to leave the EU.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> He said the party was in a "pretty good place" and said he would not change his mind about quitting as he did after the 2015 general election.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Leading UKIP was "tough at times" but "all worth it" said Mr Farage, who is also an MEP. He added that the UK needed a "Brexit prime minister".</div> <ul class="story-body__unordered-list" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 18px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <li class="story-body__list-item" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.375; list-style: square outside; margin: 18px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="story-body__link" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-36570120" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(17, 103, 168, 0.298039); border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Live: Reaction to Farage quitting</a></li> </ul> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Mr Farage said the party would campaign against "backsliding" on the UK's exit from the EU, saying he planned to see out his term in the European Parliament - describing his party as "the turkeys that voted for Christmas".</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> He said his party's "greatest potential" lay in attracting Labour voters, adding that he would not be backing any particular candidate to replace him.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> "May the best man or woman win," he said.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Mr Farage said he would "bury the hatchet with anybody" including UKIP's sole MP Douglas Carswell, who tweeted an emoji picture of a smiley face as the leader's resignation was announced.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The two have repeatedly clashed and tensions rose when they backed rival Leave campaigns ahead of the referendum.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Mr Carswell told the BBC's Daily Politics Mr Farage had "played a role" in the EU referendum, but said his departure represented a "huge opportunity" for the party.</div> <figure class="media-with-caption" style="background-color: #111111; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 24px -24.6406px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="media-player-wrapper" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <figure class="media-player" data-playable="{"settings":{"counterName":"news.politics.story.36702468.page","edition":"Asia","pageType":"eav2","uniqueID":"36702468","ui":{"locale":{"lang":"en-gb"}},"externalEmbedUrl":"http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/uk-politics-36702468\/embed","insideIframe":false,"statsObject":{"clipPID":"p040cxqb"},"playlistObject":{"title":"UKIP's only MP Douglas Carswell on the resignation of party leader Nigel Farage.","holdingImageURL":"http:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/images\/ic\/$recipe\/p040d092.jpg","guidance":"","simulcast":false,"liveRewind":false,"embedRights":"blocked","items":[{"vpid":"p040cxqd","live":false,"duration":363,"kind":"programme"}],"summary":"UKIP's only MP Douglas Carswell on the resignation of party leader Nigel Farage."}},"otherSettings":{"advertisingAllowed":true,"continuousPlayCfg":{"enabled":false},"isAutoplayOnForAudience":false}}" id="media-player-2" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 0px; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 24px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 346.609px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 0px; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 346.609px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 616.203px; z-index: 1;"> <div id="media-player-2jumpMediaPlayer" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; left: 100px; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 600px; padding: 8px; position: fixed; top: -9999px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1000000;"> <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36702468" id="media-player-2jumpMediaPlayerLink" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(17, 103, 168, 0.298039); border: 0px; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 0.9em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jump media player</a></div> <div id="media-player-2beforeFlash" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; left: 100px; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 600px; padding: 8px; position: fixed; top: -9999px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1000000;"> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/faqs/online/mp_accessibility_help" id="media-player-2beforeFlashLink" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(17, 103, 168, 0.298039); border: 0px; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 0.9em; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Media player help</a></div> <div style="border: 0px; bottom: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; left: 0px; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div id="media-player-2afterFlash" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; left: -999px; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 8px; position: fixed; top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1000000;"> <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36702468#afterFlash" id="media-player-2returnToMediaPlayerLink" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(17, 103, 168, 0.298039); border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.</a></div> </div> </figure></div> <figcaption class="media-with-caption__caption" style="border: 0px; color: #ececec; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.8125rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;"><span class="off-screen" style="border: 0px !important; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 1px !important; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1px !important;">Media caption</span>UKIP's only MP Douglas Carswell on the resignation of party leader Nigel Farage</figcaption></figure><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> He described the chances of him running for leader as "somewhere between nil and zero" and said the winning candidate had to "steer UKIP away from the temptation of becoming an angry, nativist party."</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Mr Farage announced his decision to stand aside in a speech in London, saying: "I want my life back, and it begins right now."</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> He has been leader of UKIP for most of the past eight years, standing down briefly in 2009 and being re-elected the following year.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> He said he would quit after failing to win his seat at last year's general election, but stayed on after the party rejected his resignation.</div> </div>

UKIP leader Nigel Farage stands down

Nigel Farage says he is standing down as leader of the UK Independence Party. Mr Farage said his "political ambition has been achie...

Read more »

While The Spotlight Was On Offshore Drilling, Fracking Quietly Made Its Way Into Our Oceans

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFAIMEhLbflntsLdGY1h02WWHln6xT0Pw0zU8LYNbCFHpCRRkJTo4mvYEDqU6ZfSfFmWqAiN3YMLhh-2gfcfbmIOeR_10FjEc7zDCJPv-WmglmFhDAg9N3liDpFd80G616y_q6wqlvb0/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="While The Spotlight Was On Offshore Drilling, Fracking Quietly Made Its Way Into Our Oceans" border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFAIMEhLbflntsLdGY1h02WWHln6xT0Pw0zU8LYNbCFHpCRRkJTo4mvYEDqU6ZfSfFmWqAiN3YMLhh-2gfcfbmIOeR_10FjEc7zDCJPv-WmglmFhDAg9N3liDpFd80G616y_q6wqlvb0/s400/download.jpg" title="While The Spotlight Was On Offshore Drilling, Fracking Quietly Made Its Way Into Our Oceans" width="400" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While The Spotlight Was On Offshore Drilling, Fracking Quietly Made Its Way Into Our Oceans</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The Gulf of Mexico has been struggling with the pollution from offshore oil drilling for a long time, a struggle that was dramatically highlighted by <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/07/29/3465261/bp-oil-spill-coral-reefs/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill</a> six years ago.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> But now it has come to light that the oil industry is conducting offshore fracking in the Gulf, which is even more dangerous than conventional oil drilling, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. The group received copies of more than a thousand fracking permits from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) following a court order.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Under the Obama administration, between 2010 and 2014, more than 1,200 permits to frack in the Gulf were approved through a largely rubber-stamp process, the Center for Biological Diversity<a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2016/offshore-fracking-06-28-2016.html" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">said</a>. The EPA, which does not permit offshore drilling, has meanwhile allowed fracking companies to dump their wastewater directly into the ocean, with little to no environmental review and no system of water monitoring.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> “Fracking has largely been in a shroud of secrecy,” explained Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director at Center for Biological Diversity, whose group was tipped off to the practice after reporters revealed that fracking was occurring in federal waters off California.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> "It is a dangerous activity that has no place in our oceans or the Gulf of Mexico," she told ThinkProgress. The group hasn't yet received all of the documents requested, so the current tally of fracked locations is incomplete.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> During fracking, on or offshore, chemical-laced water is injected at high pressure into shale formations below ground. The sandy water fractures the shale, releasing the gas or oil trapped inside. Onshore, <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/04/14/3768993/environment-america-fracking-report/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the practice</a> has been tied to increased earthquakes, methane leaks, and drinking water contamination. The chemicals used during fracking include <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/06/19/3671819/fracking-contaminants-in-texas-drinking-water/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">known carcinogens and other toxic elements</a>.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> It appears that the agencies weren't particularly concerned about what fracking's impact might be.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> "Even the regulators, until recently, were not really aware it was happening," Sakashita said.<br /> "The EPA didn’t really know what chemicals — and still doesn’t know what chemicals — are being discharged into the Gulf of Mexico."</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> There were some 76 billion gallons of waste water from fracking released into Gulf waters in 2014 alone, the group estimates. On land, wastewater is either put into storage wells or ponds, or it is treated before being released back into streams and rivers. The EPA requires the water to be relatively clean for it to be put into surface water sources. But that's not the case offshore.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> "When I first called EPA… they basically responded to me that they don’t keep track of [wastewater dumping] and they don’t know," Sakashita said. Companies are only restricted from dumping water that includes a certain amount of oil or gas in it, and the chemicals used in fracking are usually kept confidential.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> But the last thing the Gulf needs is more poisonous water dumped into it.</div> <div class="photo-box aligncenter" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: none; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; margin: 0.5em auto; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 640px;"> <img alt="A sheen on the Gulf waters shows where oil is leaking from a rig. " src="https://cdn.thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/30150216/27584385580_253e3709ca_z.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto !important; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 640px;" /><br /> <div class="photo-caption" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.8rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.1em; padding: 0.5em 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> A sheen on the Gulf waters shows where oil is leaking from a rig.</div> <div class="photo-credit" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.7rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;"> CREDIT: GULF RESTORATION NETWORK</div> </div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The Deepwater Horizon spill was the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, but it's hardly the only spill the Gulf has had to deal with. In fact, oil spills of various sizes are literally always happening in the Gulf. Just last month, <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/05/13/3778155/shell-gulf-spill/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">a pipeline spilled</a> nearly 90,000 gallons of oil about 100 miles south of Louisiana's coast. At least one of the wells attached to the pipeline is being fracked, advocates said.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The Gulf Restoration Network, which conducts monthly flyovers of the Gulf and coastal Louisiana, recently released new photos of another leak. They found a five mile long, 400 foot wide sheen coming from the well, which has been leaking for 12 years. The company that owns the well, Taylor Energy, claims it cannot fix it, according to Raleigh Hoke, a campaign director for the Gulf Restoration Network.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> "It’s clear that the industry can’t operate safely in this region," Hoke told ThinkProgress.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="520" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://curtbradley.cartodb.com/viz/c31983fe-3cb3-11e6-9a00-0e787de82d45/embed_map" style="border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="100%"></iframe></div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> His group has seen an increase in fracked wells versus conventional wells over the past five years or so, he said, although he wasn't sure why the transition was occurring. It could be, as it is in onshore drilling, that fracked wells can access oil and gas reserves that are harder to get via conventional drilling.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> "As the easiest oil and gas resources are being tapped, the industry is going into more and more dangerous operations," Hoke said. The BP spill, for instance, was significantly worse because the company was operating in very deep waters.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Hoke questions why the Gulf is so uniquely affected by this issue.</div> <div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Recently, the administration released a final five-year plan for BOEM that removed a previous proposal to explore for oil off the southeast coastal states, including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The proposal <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/02/03/3743887/atlantic-drilling-opposition-along-east-coast/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">engendered a broad outcry</a>, despite support from governors, with residents in coastal communities concerned that the activity would jeopardize their livelihoods as well as the local environment.<br /> <br /> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> And in February, the Department of the Interior agreed to a moratorium on fracking in federal waters in the Pacific until an environmental assessment could be completed. (Much to environmentalists' disappointment and incredulity, the assessment <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/06/01/3783386/offshore-fracking-california/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">was completed</a> in late May, and BOEM determined that fracking was unlikely to have a “significant” impact on the environment.)</div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", Calibri, "Trebuchet MS", "Lucida Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0.4em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> But the Gulf is getting fed up with paying the price for the rest of our dependence on oil, Hoke said, pointing out that some of the most vulnerable communities in the country are in coastal Louisiana. "We shouldn’t be the sacrifice zone for supplying oil and gas to the country," he said.</div> </div> <br /></div>

While The Spotlight Was On Offshore Drilling, Fracking Quietly Made Its Way Into Our Oceans

While The Spotlight Was On Offshore Drilling, Fracking Quietly Made Its Way Into Our Oceans The Gulf of Mexico has been struggling wit...

Read more »

UK Govt Spends Over Half a Million in Attempt to Cover Up MI6 Torture Case

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">United Kingdom</em> (<a href="http://www.reprieve.org.uk/" style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3d97c2; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Reprieve</a>) – </strong>The UK Government has spent over £600,000 on lawyers in an attempt to stop a torture case being heard in court, documents obtained by human rights group Reprieve have revealed – even though the victims bringing the case have offered to settle for an apology and a token payment of one pound.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> Abdul-Hakim Belhaj and his wife Fatima Boudchar were kidnapped and tortured in a joint MI6-CIA ‘rendition’ operation in 2004, and have brought a case against the UK Government, along with Jack Straw, who as Foreign Secretary was responsible for MI6 at the time, and a former senior director at the intelligence agency, Mark Allen, who took credit for organising their kidnap.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <br /></div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> The lawsuit was filed in December 2011 after secret documents emerged in the aftermath of Gaddafi’s downfall showing that MI6’s Mark Allen claimed that the intelligence responsible for the rendition was British.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) <a href="http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/latest_news/crown_prosecution_service_statement_operation_lydd/" style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3d97c2; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">recently announced</a> that, despite having been handed over 28,000 pages of material by Metropolitan Police investigators, it would not be bringing charges over the rendition due to a ‘lack of evidence.’  However, the civil claim brought by Mr Belhaj and Ms Boudchar remains before the UK Supreme Court, who are currently considering whether it should be allowed to proceed.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> The CPS decision, and the UK’s wider involvement in the CIA torture programme, is due to be debated by MPs <span class="aBn" style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">this Wednesday</span> (<span class="aBn" style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">29 June</span>).</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> Ms Boudchar was heavily pregnant at the time of the rendition, during which she says she was chained to a wall in a secret CIA prison in Bangkok, punched, and then bodily taped to a stretcher for the full 17-hour flight to Libya.  In a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36489647" style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3d97c2; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">recent interview</a> with the BBC, Ms Boudchar described the experience: “I was six months’ pregnant. I was so scared that I was going to die.”  Mr Belhaj, as a prominent opponent of Colonel Gaddafi, was subjected to years of imprisonment and torture.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> <br /></div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> The documents obtained by Reprieve reveal that the government’s legal team includes 11 barristers, who are being paid fees of up to £250 per hour. By autumn last year, as part of a total spend of £613,558.45 on the case, £26,580.25 had been spent defending Mr Straw and a further £109,785.85 on Mark Allen’s defence. This does not include the legal costs incurred during the Supreme Court hearing, which are likely to have made the total significantly higher.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> Supreme Court judges are currently assessing the Government lawyers’ claim that UK courts should be barred from hearing the claim on the grounds that it would damage relations with allies, including the United States.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> Commenting, <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">Cori Crider, a lawyer for the family and a director at international human rights organisation Reprieve</strong>, said:</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> “The government has wasted over half a million pounds in taxpayers’ money arguing that torture cases shouldn’t get their day in court, simply to spare the blushes of MI6 and the CIA.  Meanwhile my clients Abdul-Hakim and Fatima are prepared to settle for just £3 – one pound per defendant – and an apology.</div> <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.625px; word-wrap: break-word;"> “The Government must use this week’s Parliamentary debate on renditions as a chance to finally come clean over Britain’s involvement in rendition and torture, and apologise to the victims of this shameful practice.  Saying sorry to the women and children that were kidnapped and abused by British intelligence is not only the right thing to do – it will allow our country to finally move on from this dark chapter in the ‘war on terror.’”</div> </div>

UK Govt Spends Over Half a Million in Attempt to Cover Up MI6 Torture Case

United Kingdom  ( Reprieve ) –  The UK Government has spent over £600,000 on lawyers in an attempt to stop a torture case being heard in c...

Read more »

Two B.C. men charged with harassing wildlife over viral moose-riding video

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.83em; padding: 0px;"> FORT NELSON, B.C. — Conservation officials in British Columbia say two men have been charged in connection with a moose-riding video that went viral last year.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.83em; padding: 0px;"> The video posted to YouTube showed a man jumping on a moose and briefly riding the animal as it tried to cross a lake.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.83em; padding: 0px;"> Chris Doyle of the B.C. Conservation Officer Service says two Fort St. John men face charges under the B.C. Wildlife Act.</div> <div class=" fsk_splitbox_9" id="fsk_splitbox_9" style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; height: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" id="fsk_frame_splitbox" mozallowfullscreen="" name="fsk_frame_splitbox" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial; height: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 620px;" webkitallowfullscreen=""></iframe></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.83em; padding: 0px;"> He says the men are charged with harassing wildlife with the use of a boat, attempting to capture wildlife and hunting big game that was swimming.</div> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kl4kJ9TGhJA" width="620"></iframe> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.83em; padding: 0px;"> <br /></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.83em; padding: 0px;"> <br /></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.83em; padding: 0px;"> The names of the accused have not been released but they are to make their first court appearance on Aug. 8 in Fort Nelson.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px;"> The video of the incident, which allegedly occurred in Tuchodi Lake near Fort Nelson, went viral last year after it was posted by B.C.-based group Wolftracker TV.</div> </div>

Two B.C. men charged with harassing wildlife over viral moose-riding video

FORT NELSON, B.C. — Conservation officials in British Columbia say two men have been charged in connection with a moose-riding video that ...

Read more »

‘True Islamic ideals’: Muslim group break Ramadan fast with Irish LGBT community

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-aubma6gM5ICpZdw4mLmYTC34jApYlBfWPFHYs_qHu1UIWhN9aw1yOU4njpDs6oGrBr46nUL85u6IRHzDP5IXPubSxAd7L5FDgPA9ll9zwFMTVWbcXR1upYnGSco7jDdbNVWGH_rK5M/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="‘True Islamic ideals’: Muslim group break Ramadan fast with Irish LGBT community" border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-aubma6gM5ICpZdw4mLmYTC34jApYlBfWPFHYs_qHu1UIWhN9aw1yOU4njpDs6oGrBr46nUL85u6IRHzDP5IXPubSxAd7L5FDgPA9ll9zwFMTVWbcXR1upYnGSco7jDdbNVWGH_rK5M/s400/download.jpg" title="‘True Islamic ideals’: Muslim group break Ramadan fast with Irish LGBT community" width="400" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">‘True Islamic ideals’: Muslim group break Ramadan fast with Irish LGBT community<br /><div class="article__summary summary " style="background-color: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Gill Sans Light", Helvetica; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"> A Muslim group aimed at fostering peace and integration in Ireland has joined with members of the country’s LGBT community to break bread during Ramadan.</div> <div class="article__text text " style="background-color: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Gill Sans Light", Helvetica; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"> <div class="article__tags-trends" style="border-left-color: rgb(178, 178, 178); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; float: right; font-size: 0.7em; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em 10px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 284.625px;"> <div class="tags-trends" style="margin: 0px 0px 0.6em 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span class="tags-trends__heading" style="display: block; font-size: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Trends</span><a class="tags-trends__link" href="https://www.rt.com/trends/viral/" rel="trend" style="background: transparent; color: #044faa; font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Viral</a></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 0.6em; padding: 0px;"> In an effort to display <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“true Islamic ideals,”</em> the Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council invited a whole host of people from outside the faith to share in the spirit of the holy holiday on Saturday.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 0.6em; padding: 0px;"> Fasting is observed from dawn to sunset during Ramadan to display self-restraint and is one of the five pillars of Islam.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 0.6em; padding: 0px;"> During the day, participants in the holy event must refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, sex, and other pleasures until nightfall.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 0.6em; padding: 0px;"> <strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://www.rt.com/viral/347470-ramadan-problems-summer-solstice/" style="background: transparent; color: #044faa; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">READ MORE: #RamadanProblems: How to fast where the sun never sets</a></strong></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 0.6em; padding: 0px;"> <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“As more than one billion Muslims worldwide celebrate Ramadan by fasting and appreciating the blessings given to us it is equally important for the Irish Muslim community to reach out to our neighbors as an example of true Islamic ideals,”</em> said<a href="http://impic.ie/media/irish-imam-stands-by-lgbt-community" style="background: transparent; color: #044faa; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri,</a> imam and chairman of the council.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 0.6em; padding: 0px;"> The shared Iftar dinner, the meal when the fast is ended, took place in Dublin and was also attended by Jewish holocaust survivor and guest speaker Tomi Reichental.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 0.6em; padding: 0px;"> Dr. Al-Qadri has been an outspoken supporter of the LGBT community in Ireland, likening discrimination against gay and transgender people to that experienced by Muslims.</div> <div class="rtcode" style="margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; padding: 0px;"> <iframe __idm_id__="462849" allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="400" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F1437153957%2Fvideos%2F10210163819958778%2F&show_text=0&width=400" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial; display: block; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;" width="400"></iframe></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 0.6em; padding: 0px;"> Following the Orlando shootings at a gay nightclub in Florida, he told the <a href="http://impic.ie/media/irish-imam-stands-by-lgbt-community" style="background: transparent; color: #044faa; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Irish Examiner </a>that he stood with the LGBT community.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 0.6em; padding: 0px;"> <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“I stand with the LGBT community and I am against the marginalization of any group,”</em> he said.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 0.6em; padding: 0px;"> <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“It should not have happened. We are a minority ourselves, we understand what discrimination is.”</em></div> </div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /></div>

‘True Islamic ideals’: Muslim group break Ramadan fast with Irish LGBT community

‘True Islamic ideals’: Muslim group break Ramadan fast with Irish LGBT community A Muslim group aimed at fostering peace and integration...

Read more »