Violent clashes erupt over Lyon-Turin rail link in French Alps.
French police used tear gas on protesters seeking to stop the construction of a high-speed rail link between Lyon and Turin, Italy, which opponents argue will damage the sensitive Alpine environment. The new line, backed by the European Union, will link Lyon and Turin, with 70% of the tracks in France and 30% in Italy, and a 57.5 km tunnel crossing the Alps between Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and Suse. Supporters say it will ease freight road traffic, but opponents say the ecological damage risks being devastating, and springs are already starting to dry up due to the construction.