Honduras launches anti-crime plan

The Honduran president, Carlos Flores, has named a new security minister as part of a plan to tackle escalating crime in the country.

President Flores said the appointment of Guatama Fonseca marked the start of the implementation of a national security plan which would confront lawlessness and delinquency.

He announced a restructuring of the country's police force which -- with eight-thousand officers -- has been described as being inadequate for a country of almost six-and-a-half-million people.

Correspondents say Honduras saw a dramatic rise in violent crime during the term of Mr Fonseca's predecessor ,Elizabeth Chiuz, with robberies, assaults and kidnappings becoming rife.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service