Guardian: The governments controversial attempt to establish a shale gas industry in the UK took another step forward on Thursday as it handed out new licences for onshore gas and oil exploration in 159 blocks, in a move campaigners say could open up swaths of the country to the controversial practice of fracking.
Before companies can go ahead and start producing oil and gas commercially, they have to submit to a series of safety and environmental checks, though campaigners have always maintained these...