The next step in relieving the central government’s six-month blackout on communication in Xinjiang occurred on Sunday with the restoration of some text-messaging services, reported the New York Times. Following mass riots that killed 197 people and injured in excess of 1,700 in the city of Urumqi last July, restrictions on internet and international telephony services were imposed. The measures are being slowly repealed as authorities have restored internet access to the state media source People’s Daily website and two web portals. While the restrictions were originally put in place in a supposed effort to relieve long-simmering Uighur resentment towards the Han majority that had been inflamed by social networking, the regional government has said it will restore services "based on the relevant situation, step by step."