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No 'significant' threat? U.S. federal agencies quietly pave the way to restart offshore fracking in California

offshore fracking california
© Wikimedia CommonsOffshore fracking may soon restart in California.
Two federal agencies on Friday quietly finalized two reports, set for release next week, that found offshore fracking in California poses no "significant" risk to the environment—paving the way for oil and gas companies to resume the controversial extraction method in the Santa Barbara Channel and imperiling the region's wildlife in the process, opponents said.

The announcement Friday from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (OEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement puts an end to a court-ordered ban on offshore fracking in federal waters off the coast of California. The moratorium was put into place in January as part of a settlement with the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), which challenged the Obama administration's 'rubber-stamping' of offshore drilling activity without an environmental review.

Environmental activists warned on Friday that kicking off a new round of drilling in the area puts wildlife at risk from chemical-laden wastewater and said they would be willing to file another lawsuit to keep it from happening.

"The Obama administration is once again putting California's beautiful coast in the oil industry's crosshairs," said Miyoko Sakashita, director of CBD's Oceans program. "Our beaches and wildlife face a renewed threat from fracking chemicals and oil spills. New legal action may be the only way to get federal officials to do their jobs and protect our ocean from offshore fracking."

Comment:


Airplane

Small plane crashes into Hudson River; search and rescue under way

hudson river
© ffprovinggrounds / Instagram
A small plane crashed into New York's Hudson River, with multiple witnesses saying that it was submerged under the water. New York emergency crews are at the scene. Coast Guard and NYPD harbor units are searching the river, according to WNBC.

The pilot remains "unaccounted for," officials told reporters during a Friday night press conference.

The New Jersey State Police recanted a previous report that one survivor had been in the water. The person turned out to be a swimmer unrelated to the crash. Meanwhile a NJSP helicopter and boats as well as two divers continue to search for any possible survivors.

Diners at Waterside Restaurant in North Bergen, New Jersey, told WNBC they saw a small World War II-type plane appear to start landing, then go into the water nose first. The FAA confirmed it was a vintage WWII P-47 Thunderbolt, according to WNBC.

Ambulance

At the ripe old age of 96, Dr. Heimlich finally gets to use his own maneuver

heimlich maneuver
Henry Heimlich, the doctor behind the lifesaving Heimlich maneuver, has only now put the emergency technique to practice for the first time - over 40 years after developing it.

The 96-year-old surgeon found himself having to use the emergency technique on Monday after a woman at his senior citizen's center in Cincinnati, Ohio began choking on her food.

Although Heimlich has previously demonstrated the maneuver in a teaching context, he says he has never actually had to use it on a person who was choking.

Black Cat

The fruits of Kiev's police reform: Crime up nearly 50%

Ukraine cadets with Poroshenko
© AFP / Sergei SupinskyUkraine cadets with their lame leader Poroshenko
Crime is out of control in Ukraine. The police reforms conducted with so much pomp and ceremony last year have failed to bear fruit. Their only results, Russian online newspaper Svobodnaya Pressa suggested, "has been numerous photos of beautiful young patrolmen and women in new American-style uniforms and sunglasses. Statistics, alas, show that the new cops aren't able to cope with the criminals."
Last month, Ukrainian National Police chief Khatia Dekanoidze admitted that the crime rate in Kiev had jumped by 45% between 2015 and 2016, and proposed a "comprehensive approach" toward combating the threat.
Meanwhile, "Eka Zguladze, her predecessor and the ideological inspiration for the reform of Ukraine's police service, did not admit anything, but resigned from her post as deputy head of the Interior Ministry in late April and left for France," the newspaper added.

Attention

Turkish refugee camps: Centers for pedophilia and organ trafficking

refugee camp
A prominent Turkish journalist revealed dreadful facts about the Syrian refugee camps in his country that include raping children and selling the refugees' body organs and women.

Yashar Idan, the representative of BirGun newspaper in Ankara, told the Iran-based Arabic-language al-Alam news channel that tens of children have been raped in Nizip camp in Southern Turkey and the body organs of a number of refugees have been sold in the market.

According to Idan, it is a shame for the Turkish government that calls the Nizip camp a role model for other refugee camps that such crimes are committed in there, while these are only the rapists and not the camp's officials who are tried and punished.

BirGun newspaper had earlier this month revealed that 30 Syrian children were raped for months at Nizip and government authorities failed to notice. It came amid reports that Turkey is not a safe country for asylum seekers.

Clipboard

'Moderate' domestic abuse? Pakistani clerics offer guide on how to 'lightly' beat wives

pakistani woman
© Mohsin Raza / Reuters
A husband has the right to beat his wife "lightly" if she disobeys him, according to a Pakistani religious body. The organization's top cleric later added that a handkerchief, hat or turban could be used to hit spouses.

The advice is part of a 163-point legislation proposed by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) in Pakistan, local media reported Thursday. Copies have been sent to all provincial assemblies.

"A husband may, when needed, lightly beat his wife," the bill said, as cited by Dawn newspaper, adding that "three consecutive declarations of divorce [by women] will be punishable."

The CII-proposed bill also includes plans to regulate breastfeeding and contraception.

"Mothers must breastfeed for two years," "A ban on advertisements for baby formula/substitutes for breast milk," "A woman cannot use contraception without the husband's permission" - these are a few recommendations listed on the proposed legislation.

Comment: Farzana Bari is right: this legislation is not only bad PR, it's just plain wrong. How about some equivalent legislation against husbands, for when a wife wants her man to "mend his ways"? Better yet, how about some 'legislation' teaching men to actually see their wives as human beings and develop healthy relationships?


Cards

The 25 rules of disinformation and propaganda

money deal
25 Rules of Disinformation - Possible rules of Operation Mockingbird

1. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Regardless of what you know, don't discuss it — especially if you are a public figure, news anchor, etc. If it's not reported, it didn't happen, and you never have to deal with the issues.

2. Become incredulous and indignant. Avoid discussing key issues and instead focus on side issues which can be used show the topic as being critical of some otherwise sacrosanct group or theme. This is also known as the "How dare you!" gambit.

3. Create rumor mongers. Avoid discussing issues by describing all charges, regardless of venue or evidence, as mere rumors and wild accusations. Other derogatory terms mutually exclusive of truth may work as well. This method works especially well with a silent press, because the only way the public can learn of the facts are through such "arguable rumors." If you can associate the material with the Internet, use this fact to certify it a "wild rumor" which can have no basis in fact.

Comment: Further reading:


Jet2

Two US Navy F-18 Super Hornet fighter jets crash in the Atlantic off North Carolina's coast

US fighter jets
© Mike Blake / ReutersUS F-18 fighter jets.
Two of the US Navy's F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets have crashed off the coast of North Carolina on Thursday, the US Coast Guard confirmed. Their crews have been recovered and taken to a hospital.

Four people have been recovered and taken to the Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, the Virginian-Pilot reported citing Coast Guard Petty Officer Fagal Nifin.

Nifin said the extent of the crew members' injuries is "unknown." One of the crew had a leg injury, reported WCTI.

Comment: See also: Egypt's head of forensics denies reports of explosion and human remains retrieved from missing EgyptAir Flight 804


Megaphone

Outrage in Brazil: Teenage girl gang raped by more than 30 men, video posted to web

outrage in Brazil
© Ueslei Marcelino / Reuters
Social media users have voiced outrage on Twitter as Brazilian police continue to search for more than 30 men believed to be involved in raping a teenage girl and posting a video of the attack online.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly visited her boyfriend's house in Rio De Janeiro and was drugged before waking up in a different house, surrounded by dozens of men, according to the BBC.

It was only when she reportedly returned home later that day, she discovered her attackers had filmed the incident and posted images on social media.

The 40-second video clip was also shared on Twitter, attracting a series of misogynistic comments before being removed from the site.

Green Light

Putin only world leader to apologize for traffic jams in Athens

Russian President Vladimir Putin
© Sputnik
Russian President Vladimir Putin was the only world leader to apologize for the inconvenience his visit created to the residents of the Greek capital of Athens, national media reported.

The outlet singled out Putin's remark made at joint statements with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras as unique in the face of customary safety measures and traffic arrangements during official visits.

"I am thankful to the people of Athens for the warm reception and ask their forgiveness for certain problems that may have been created," Putin was quoted as saying by the news247.gr online news outlet late Friday.