Coup-accused fans stand trial

Turkey: The trial of dozens of football fans opened yesterday with the defendants accused of an attempted coup because they took part in last year’s mass protests.

Thirty-five fans face life in prison if convicted of trying to “remove the government” through “violence and force.”

Hundreds of fans gathered outside the Istanbul courthouse in a show of solidarity with the defendants.

Far-right NPD loses gagging attempt

Germany: The Federal Constitutional Court has dismissed a lawsuit by the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) to gag a cabinet minister who had spoken out against it.

The NPD had argued that Minister for Families Manuela Schwesig violated its rights when she said: “The number one aim must be that the NPD does not get into the state legislature.”

The court said ministers are obliged to be politically neutral only when using the authority or resources of their office.

Nazca ‘vandals’ names not given

Peru: The government said on Monday that Greenpeace hadn’t given it the names of activists accused of damaging the world-renowned Nazca lines.

Officials have said they would seek charges for “attacking archaeological monuments.”

But Culture Minister Diana Alvarez-Calderon said she “hasn’t obtained names, passports, addresses” of the activists involved.

“Greenpeace’s representatives say they want to conduct an investigation that will last about a month,” said Ms Alvarez-Calderon.

Caracas marches over US sanctions

Venezuela: Government supporters marched in the streets of the nation’s capital Caracas on Monday to protest against new US sanctions.

The country’s socialist government called the march against the move by the US Congress and to mark the anniversary of Venezuela’s constitution.

Thousands of Venezuelans marched bearing signs with slogans such as “respect Venezuela” and “Yankee go home.”

Google News site shut due to law

Spain: Google has followed through with a pledge to shut down Google News in Spain ahead of a Spanish intellectual property law requiring news publishers to receive payment for content.

The company’s Spanish Google News page, normally full of aggregated news content, vanished yesterday morning.

It was replaced by a message claiming Google was “incredibly sad” to announce the closure and a lockout of Spanish publishers from its 70 other Google News sites around the world.

12 stranded after tunnel collapse

Vietnam: The tunnel of a hydroelectric plant under construction in Lam Dong province collapsed yesterday, trapping 12 workers.

Project manager Pham Dinh Hieu said the incident occurred as the workers were putting concrete on the tunnel’s dome. Twenty other workers escaped unhurt.

Rescuers experienced difficulties pumping oxygen to the workers trapped inside.