Residents living in close proximity to the fracking industry in Monroe County, Ohio, say it has brought noise and traffic.

Drilling companies suggest trillions of cubic feet of shale gas may be recoverable from underneath parts of the UK through a process known as "fracking".

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a technique designed to recover gas and oil from shale rock. But how does it work and why is it controversial?

Image source, Victoria Noakes

The boss of a sofa-making company said it is "very disappointing" that Home Secretary Amber Rudd accused his firm of recruiting "exclusively" from Romania and Poland.

Matt O'Flynn, who runs Hastings-based Collins and Hayes, said that 75% of his staff are actually from the UK.

Ms Rudd visited the company, which is in her constituency, in August 2015.

She said the firm did not consider training up locals, despite the availability of a local college.

Read more.

Victoria Derbyshire

"There's going to be a lot of angry people here in Lancashire today," says Cat Smith, the Labour MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood.

She tells the Victoria Derbyshire show that local democracy has been "overridden" by central government.

She says Lancashire County Council's decision to reject applications for fracking was "made in a fair way", and the UK government's decision is "an affront to localism [and] an affront to local democracy".

She adds that the decision is also bad for future energy policy and, while fracking may create some jobs, more will be lost in industries such as tourism. She asks:

The energy firm Cuadrilla had two applications rejected by Lancashire County Council but the company will now be allowed to frack at a location called Preston New Road, near Little Plumpton. It follows an appeal by the company.

Government backing will now enable shale rock to be fracked horizontally for the first time in the UK, in a bid to yield more gas.

Back in May, North Yorkshire county council gave the green light to Third Energy to vertically frack an existing well at a site in Kirby Misperton.

The government has given the go-ahead to one fracking scheme in Lancashire, but has refused permission for a second project in the county, Friends of the Earth said.

And, according to shale gas fracking firm Cuadrilla, the goverment has said it needs more time to decide on whether to grant permission for the Roseacre site, having given permission for fracking to proceed at Preston New Road.

Lancashire County Council refused permission to extract shale gas at the two siteslast year on grounds of noise and traffic impact, forcing Cuadrilla to appeal.

Mark Mardell
Presenter, The World This Weekend

Image source, Getty Images

Smart politicians ride the wave of the times, but the really special ones surf the coming curve, the wave of the future.

For years I have been watching and predicting the rise of those politicos who defy our stultifying times - who throw aside the conventions imposed by the media and their fellows and allow themselves to be themselves, whatever the risks.

Voters have been entranced by authenticity in an age of plastic politicians.

So it is fascinating that Theresa May bucks this trend for blokeish charm. Is she just an anomaly bucking the trend or does it tell us something more profound?

Read more.

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland could lose between 30,000 and 80,000 jobs as a result of Brexit, according to an economic analysis.

But the Fraser of Allander Institute said the Scottish economy would be "cushioned" from the likely impact compared with the rest of the UK.

A report suggested that Brexit could lead to more migration to Scotland from other parts of the UK.

Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted Scotland and the UK could "get a better deal abroad" after leaving the EU.

Read more.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

New independent research seen by the BBC suggests Heathrow airport could build a new runway without breaking European pollution laws.

Professor Rod Jones from the University of Cambridge told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "the pollution that we're seeing at Heathrow is not all coming from the airport" but from the wider transport area.

Image source, gett

The government is due later to reveal whether it backs fracking plans, in a landmark ruling for the UK shale gas industry.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid is deciding on a planning appeal by firm Cuadrilla to test frack in Lancashire.

His backing would enable shale rock to be fracked horizontally for the first time, in a bid to yield more gas.

But protesters say it uses techniques that risk the environment because of the chemicals and pressure used.

Read more.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

The former Labour leadership contender Owen Smith has said it is time for the party to unite, external to fight the Conservatives.

But he voiced fears that Labour was not making inroads in terms of the public popularity necessary to form a government.

He said that political battles are "won in the centre ground" and Labour needs to be seen as a "centre-left party" - but the public does not currently see the party in that way.

And the MP for Pontypridd told John Humphrys he is still not prepared to serve in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet.

The Times said Theresa May was calling time on cheap money, rogue bosses and rigged markets in an appeal to working-class families.

The Telegraph interpreted her speech as stressing the need for the state to be "a positive force".

And Mrs May was "consigning Cameron to history", according to The Guardian. 

Catch up with all the front pages.

Image source, Getty Images

New, independent research seen by the BBC suggests Heathrow airport could build a new runway without breaking European pollution laws.

The study measured poisonous nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels using 40 sensors in and around the airport.

It then used modelling to predict what would happen in the future.

Ministers will decide within weeks whether to enlarge Heathrow or rival Gatwick and the environmental impact will play a big part in that decision.

Read more.

Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland Political Correspondent

One of the prospective candidates for the UKIP leadership, Raheem Kassam, has attacked the party's leader in the Welsh Assembly, Neil Hamilton.

Mr Kassam told 5live Breakfast that Mr Hamilton had "sought to divide" the party and make it a "laughing stock".

He said that if he became leader Mr Hamilton would be the second person out of the door, without specifying who would be first.

Mr Kassam - a former adviser to Nigel Farage - said he intended to fight a "clean campaign" without briefing behind the backs of other candidates. UKIP, he said, has to make sure Brexit happens and give voice to those who feel disenfranchised.

Image source, AP/BBC

Welcome to live updates on the day's politics stories.

Following the surprise resignation of UKIP leader Diane James after only 18 days in the role, two contenders so far have entered the contest to succeed her.

UKIP migration spokesman Steven Woolfe and Nigel Farage's ex-adviser Raheem Kassam have declared they will stand.

Mr Woolfe, who was barred from standing in UKIP's last leadership election, said the party could replace Labour as the main party of opposition, while former chief of staff Mr Kassam said he would stop "duplicity" in the party.

The announcements came after Mr Farage announced he would return as UKIP's interim leader until a fresh election could be held to find Ms James' successor.

Read more.