Ukrainian president, opposition, agree on deal to end crisis

The Ukrainian president and opposition leaders had agreed to an internationally mediated deal to resolve the country's bloody standoff, which has left dozens killed, the presidential press office said Friday. The deal includes provisions for constitutional changes that would limit presidential power, and for holding early presidential elections in Dec. 2014, parliamentary leader of the ruling Party of Regions Alexandr Efremov said. The announcement follows overnight meetings involving President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders along with the foreign ministers of Poland, France and Germany, and the chairman of Russia's Human Rights Commission. Ukraine's anti-government rallies turned violent Tuesday, when protesters attacked police with Molotov cocktails and set fires outside the parliament, while the police responded with stun grenades and water cannons. The standoff left at least 77 people dead and hundreds of other injured. Protests in Ukraine began in November after Yanukovych shelved a trade and economic agreement with the EU and turned instead to Russia for financial aid.