Clashes over fuel price moves Kazakhstan to declare emergency

MOSCOW: Kazakhstan on Wednesday declared a nationwide state of emergency after protests over a fuel price hike erupted into clashes and saw demonstrators storm government buildings. The Central Asian country has been roiled by protests since the start of the year which escalated Wednesday into clashes with police. Authorities cut internet and mobile phone access nationwide in response and earlier declared states of emergency in the epicentres of the rallies — financial capital Almaty and the Mangystau province — as well as in the capital Nur-Sultan, where no demonstrations have so far been reported. The state of emergency was later extended across the entire ex-Soviet country