Honduras imposes media restrictions

Honduras's government has imposed a new law limiting media freedoms in the country, amid a political standoff between Roberto Micheletti, the de facto leader, and Manuel Zelaya, the deposed president. Talks between the rival factions entered a three-day pause on Saturday, prolonging uncertainty over a possible resolution to the almost four-month old crisis. The new legislation gives Micheletti's government the power to close down radio and television stations that incite "social anarchy" or "national hatred". Oscar Matute, the interior minister, denied the measures amounted to controlling the media, saying the government was was applying rules allowed under international law. "It doesn't represent any kind of control of the media," he was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying.