Kazakhstan's president promises tough response to violent protests

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Wednesday he had taken over as head of the country's Security Council and promised to act with "maximum toughness" amid the worst unrest for more than a decade in the Central Asian republic.

Tokayev said in a televised address to the nation there had been casualties among security forces. He said he would not leave the country and would stay in the capital city of Nur-Sultan.