Kazakhstan protests: government resigns amid rare outbreak of unrest

President appoints acting prime minister after earlier declaring a state of emergency to tackle widespread demonstrations over rising fuel prices

Kazakhstan's president has accepted the resignation of the government, hours after he declared a state of emergency in large parts of the country in response to a rare outbreak of unrest.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has appointed Alikhan Smailov as acting prime minister, the president's office said early on Wednesday. Smailov was previously the first deputy prime minister.