Hillary Clinton: I oppose Keystone XL pipeline

Ms Clinton's comments break her silence on the Keystone XL pipeline

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says she opposes a controversial pipeline which would carry Canadian oil to the US.

The US State Department is still studying whether to go ahead with the Keystone XL project.

Mrs Clinton has previously avoided taking a position on the matter.

But at a campaign event, Mrs Clinton said the pipeline would be a "distraction from the important work we have to do to combat climate change".

"Therefore, I oppose it," she told supporters in Iowa.

Until now, Mrs Clinton, a former secretary of state, had avoiding giving an opinion on the project, saying she did not want to interfere with the Obama administration's deliberations.

But her main rival for the Democratic candidacy, Bernie Sanders, has long opposed the scheme and called on her to make her position clear.

The 1,179-mile (1,897km) pipe was first proposed seven years ago, and would transport oil from the oil sands in Alberta, Canada, to the Gulf of Mexico via Nebraska.

Supporters say the project will create jobs and US increase energy security, while opponents say it will only increase carbon emissions.