Her stand described as a conversion by the daily newspaper Lib?tion took French public

Her stand, described as a “conversion” by the daily newspaper Lib?tion, took French public opinion by surprise. Ms Royal, 52, has issued some tough statements recently on law and order, and has often been criticised for her conservative positions. Only two years ago, she had been more reticent about the divisive issue of gay marriage.But after the Socialist Party adopted a platform that includes gay marriage and adoption, Ms Royal had no choice but to stick to the party line.Even though her approval rating keeps on rising, she still needs to fight to win the Socialist nomination in November for the presidential candidacy in a party where most leaders resent her for stealing the limelight.. S?l? Royal, the Socialist front-runner for next year’s presidential race in France, has said she supports civil unions for homosexuals in a policy U-turn on the eve of today’s Gay Pride march in Paris. Meanwhile, child mortality rates are on a par with the poorest African nations and women’s life expectancy is the lowest in the region.Mr Callanan warned the EU that unless more pressure is applied on the regime to reform its human rights record Brussels should remain cautious of any new trade agreement “That would send out completely the wrong signal,” he said..

Known to his people as Turkmenbashi (Father of all Turkmen), the “one and eternal” leader has a penchant for unusual edicts, such as banning gold teeth and renaming January after his mother.”The place is seriously sinister,” said Martin Callahan “This guy’s picture is literally everywhere. Every billboard, even every official you meet has a lapel with their leader’s face on it.” Mr Niyazov has presided over the near collapse of a state that should be benefiting from the world’s fifth largest gas reserves but is instead descending into economic freefall.In the capital, Ashgabat, oil revenue has allowed the Niyazov regime to build splendid palaces and self-congratulatory gold statues. “The Turkmen government is one of the most repressive in the world. It’s shocking that the European Union could contemplate signing a trade agreement with a government that is so notorious for its human rights violations.”Since Turkmenistan became an independent republic in 1991, a bizarre personality cult has built up around Mr Niyazov.

Witnesses reported seeing five security agents plant a package in Mr Amanklychev’s car, raising fears that he could be falsely accused of drug and weapons offences in order to keep him in custody.Over the next three days, two more human rights activists and four family members were arrested, including Ogulsapar Muradova, a journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.”We are profoundly concerned that those detained are at risk of torture and ill treatment,” said Holly Cartner, the director of the Europe and Central Asia division at Human Rights Watch. Human rights groups fear the prisoners are being tortured.The latest arrests began on 16 June when security forces detained Annakurban Amanklychev, 35, a human rights activist and member of the Turkmenistan Helisinki Foundation for Human Rights No charges have been brought against him. “All the talk you hear is about peace,” says this unregenerate rebel, “but the only time you will ever have peace is when the people of the 32 counties elect one parliament.” Ireland reacts * IRISH INDEPENDENTA masterfully drawn story of patriotism and rebellion, absolutely righteous in its commitment to exposing the barbaric colonial oppression by the British. It is not, however, a paean to the IRA or a call to arms for modern-day republicans. The EU has been accused of ignoring human rights abuses in Turkmenistan by considering a trade agreement with the repressive former Soviet republic despite a recent crackdown on political dissidents and human rights activists. Assault rifles and pistols are commonplace and disputes are settled either through revenge attacks or through clan-based Islamic courts.Since reports started to circulate in Mogadishu that the warlords who recently controlled the city were financed by the CIA to capture suspected al-Qa’ida members, anti-foreigner sentiment has boiled over. A number of Western journalists have been stoned or heckled while reporting on demonstrations.Mr Adler is at least the tenth foreign journalist to have been killed in Somalia since 1991 In 2001, he received the Amnesty International Media Award..

The pulverising effect of concentrated firepower is all too obvious – homes have collapsed and solitary walls stick out like jagged teeth in front of rubble.Thursday’s surprising move towards peace was welcomed by diplomats worried about the worsening relationship between the Islamists, who seized Mogadishu from warlords on 5 June, and Somalia’s weak but internationally recognised government.”It’s a step in the right direction – there was a real risk that the two sides were going to end up fighting,” a Western specialist on Somalia said. “It’s a sign of pragmatism on both sides – good will is stretching it a bit far.”President George Bush has previously declared he will not tolerate Somalia becoming a Taliban-style Afghanistan Neighbouring states are pouring in money and arms. The UN and aid agencies are setting up emergency programmes.After Baghdad, Mogadishu is now one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Kate Peyton, a BBC Africa producer, was accompanied by another BBC journalist who was not injured.Yesterday’s killing occurred a day after Somalia’s largely powerless UN-backed government led by President Abdullahi Yusuf signed a tentative peace deal with a representative of the Islamic group controlling Mogadishu.

This has calmed fears of a resurgence of fighting.The two sides agreed on Thursday to end their military and propaganda campaigns, recognise each other and hold further peace talks in July in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.As The Independent’s correspondent Kim Sengupta recently reported, Mogadishu has been all but destroyed by anti-aircraft artillery and mortars, leaving a landscape of densely packed but crumbling housing. it was a single shot and within a second he was down,” a witness said.In February last year another unidentified gunman shot and killed a senior BBC journalist in Mogadishu. Another Western journalist at the event was unhurt.
Channel 4, who had worked with Mr Adler in the past, described him as a “longtime friend”. The network said that it was “deeply saddened” to hear of his death, but that he had not been working for them in Mogadishu.Somalis had been protesting and demonstrating in support of an agreement reached on Thursday night in neighbouring Sudan that called for an immediate ceasefire and conferred recognition on the interim administration.After the single gunshot rang out, participants at the rally fled in panic and the scene was littered with dozens of sandals. “The man was in a vehicle and came out to take video shots of some angry youths who were burning American and Ethiopian flags …