Zimbabwe paper off the streets

The independent press has been targeted by the government

Zimbabwe's only privately-owned daily newspaper, the Daily News, has again stopped publishing.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court upheld the government's right to stop journalists working without official accreditation from a media commission.

The newspaper is expected to remain off the streets until its journalists comply with the law.

The tough media regulations were introduced in March 2002 after President Robert Mugabe won elections.

"Following yesterday's Supreme Court judgement, it means that if the paper is published, journalists will be arrested," a source at the newpaper told AFP news agency.

The government has applied to bar the Daily News from publishing, and a ruling is awaited from Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku.

The paper was shut down last September but resumed operations two weeks ago after wining a court battle against the government, which immediately appealed.