Sri Lanka lifts media censorship

The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, has ordered the lifting of military censorship on local and foreign media.

The authorities say the media ministry has been asked to revoke the censorship immediately.

It was imposed under tough emergency law in May last year after Tamil Tiger guerrillas escalated their attacks on government forces.

Under the restrictions, journalists were not allowed to travel to rebel-held areas in the north of the island.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service