Almaty, 28 August 1996 (RFE/RL) -- President Nursultant Nazarbayev plans to hold a news conference soon about rumors that he once owned the ill-fated TWA jetliner that crashed in the Atlantic last month after takeoff from New York City, Kazakh reports say today.
U.S. officials have made clear that Nazarbayev never owned the plane. But reports have surfaced in Kazakhstan -- and rumors continue to spread -- that Nazarbayev once owned the plane and returned it because of mechanical problems.
Teachers go on strike
Teachers in Turkistan City, in southern Kazakhstan, have staged a strike and demonstration against local officials. The teachers are demanding overdue wages be paid. There has been a series of strikes, especially in southern Kazakhstan, over overdue wages.
Ethnic Russian Leader Reported Detained
Nina Sidorova, the former leader of an ultra-nationalist ethnic-Russian movement in Kazakhstan, is reported to have been detained in Almaty.
Sidorova fled to Moscow this year after Kazakh officials opened a criminal case against her. She was accused of offending the official representatives of a court and hooliganism. Sidorova is known to have strong supporters in Russia. It is not known why she returned to Kazakhstan.
U.S. officials have made clear that Nazarbayev never owned the plane. But reports have surfaced in Kazakhstan -- and rumors continue to spread -- that Nazarbayev once owned the plane and returned it because of mechanical problems.
Teachers go on strike
Teachers in Turkistan City, in southern Kazakhstan, have staged a strike and demonstration against local officials. The teachers are demanding overdue wages be paid. There has been a series of strikes, especially in southern Kazakhstan, over overdue wages.
Ethnic Russian Leader Reported Detained
Nina Sidorova, the former leader of an ultra-nationalist ethnic-Russian movement in Kazakhstan, is reported to have been detained in Almaty.
Sidorova fled to Moscow this year after Kazakh officials opened a criminal case against her. She was accused of offending the official representatives of a court and hooliganism. Sidorova is known to have strong supporters in Russia. It is not known why she returned to Kazakhstan.