Iran closes newspaper and bans women's publication

The Iranian government on Monday ordered the closure of a daily newspaper and banned a planned

women's publication in the first media crackdown since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office in August.

"The Supervisory Board on the Press agreed to the temporary closure of Asia newspaper and Nour-e Banovan and ordered their cases sent to court," said the Culture Ministry in the ban, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters. (Reuters)