Agence France-Presse: President Barack Obama called US oil production an "important" source of energy as America transitions towards cleaner resources, defending his move to allow petroleum giant Shell to drill in the Alaskan Arctic.
Obama's administration gave the petroleum giant a green light three days ago to explore the Chukchi Sea near Alaska -- as long as the Anglo-Dutch firm has the correct permits from the agencies that regulate the environment and marine mammal health.
Environmental groups oppose the drilling...