World news in brief
Turkish journalists in terrorism trial
Prominent journalists and other staff at a Turkish opposition newspaper went on trial yesterday accused of supporting a terrorist group, in a case that critics of President Tayyip Erdogan consider an attack on free speech. "Journalism is not a crime", chanted several hundred people gathered outside the central Istanbul court to protest against the prosecution of 17 writers, executives and lawyers of the secularist Cumhuriyet newspaper. Prosecutors are seeking up to 43 years in jail for newspaper staff accused of targeting Mr Erdogan through "asymmetric war methods".
"I am not here because I knowingly and willingly helped a terrorist organisation, but because I am an independent, questioning and critical journalist," one of the defendants, columnist Kadri Gursel, told the court. Mr Gursel, who, along with editor Murat Sabuncu and other senior staff, has been in pre-trial detention for 267 days , was prevented from hugging his son in the courtroom by security guards, the newspaper said on its website.
The 324-page indictment alleges Cumhuriyet was effectively taken over by the network of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed for the failed putsch last July, and used to "veil the actions of terrorist groups". Mr Gulen has denied any involvement in the coup.
The newspaper is also accused of writing stories that serve "separatist manipulation". Other defendants include Ahmet Sik, who once wrote a book critical of Mr Gulen's movement. Former editor Can Dundar, who is living in Germany, is being tried in absentia. Reuters
Pakistan: suicide bombing in Lahore kills 26
A suicide bomber struck near a police team in the eastern city of Lahore yesterday, killing at least 26 and wounded another 54, many of them police officers, an official said. A suicide bomber on a motorcycle struck near police guarding a demolition site at Kot Lakhpat's vegetable market on the outskirts of Lahore, Senior police officer Haider Ashraf said.
Mr Ashraf said many of 54 wounded were policemen and several bystanders were wounded by the impact of the powerful blast. The outlawed militant group Tehrik-e-Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, confirming they used a suicide bomber on a motorcycle.
Rana Sanaullah, the home minister of eastern Punjab province of which Lahore is the capital, said antistate elements who want to see instability in the country were behind the attack. "No matter what name they use, these terrorists are one but they cannot demoralise the Pakistani nation," said Mr Sanaullah. AP
French philosopher drowns rescuing children
A leading French philosopher who wrote a book on risk-taking has died after attempting to rescue two children from drowning. Anne Dufourmantelle entered the water at Pampelonne beach near St Tropez on 21 July after the children got into difficulty.
Witnesses say she immediately tried to reach them but was swept away by a strong current. Attempts to resusciate her after she was recovered failed, according to local media reports. The children were later rescued by lifeguards, unharmed. It was unclear whether Dufourmantelle knew them.
She wrote several essays on the importance of risk-taking, as well as a book titled Praise of Risk, which was published in 2011. French culture minister Françoise Nyssen said in a statement that Dufourmantelle was "a great philosopher who helped us live."
Fisherman catches rare blue lobster and donates it to science
A New Hampshire lobsterman has joined an elite club after catching a rare blue lobster. Greg Ward initially thought he had snagged an albino lobster when he examined his catch yesterday off the coast New Hampshire–Maine coast.
The lobsterman, who has been fishing for 32, years quickly realised his hard-shell lobster was a unique blue and cream colour. "This one was not all the way white and not all the way blue. I've never seen anything like it," he said. He gave the rare crustacean to the Seacoast Science Center in Rye to study and put on display.