Kyrgyzstan

The BBC has resumed local language broadcasts in Kyrgyzstan two weeks after having its programming pulled off the air over an alleged breach of contractual obligations, the British station said Dec. 17. Authorities have drawn criticism from government opponents for the recent halting of broadcasts by the BBC and US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Kyrgyz Service. Pressure on the international broadcasters comes amid growing public frustration with the worsening economic climate and widespread power shortages in the impoverished Central Asian nation. Government critics accuse Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan of coordinating efforts to clamp down on independent media in the region. (AP)