BBC News Online: World: South Asia

Ban shortened on Sri Lanka papers

The Sri Lankan government has shortened a ban it imposed on two newspapers that were accused of breaking its censorship regulations.

The newspapers the English-language and Sinhalese editions of the Sunday Leader were ordered to close for six months in May, as heavy fighting was taking place against Tamil rebels for control of the Jaffna peninsula.

The chief censor said President Kumaratunga had reduced the ban by more than half.

The newspapers' publisher had been appealing against the ban.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service