Ukraine parliament speaker takes on duties of president

Parliament in Ukraine voted on Sunday to temporarily hand over the duties of president to the speaker of the assembly, Oleksander Turchinov. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Parliament in Ukraine voted on Sunday to temporarily hand over the duties of president to the speaker of the assembly, Oleksander Turchinov. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

KIEV (REUTERS) - Parliament in Ukraine voted on Sunday to temporarily hand over the duties of president to the speaker of the assembly, Oleksander Turchinov.

Lawmakers had already backed a motion on Saturday to oust President Viktor Yanukovych, who had abandoned the capital for eastern Ukraine and denounced what he called a "coup d'etat".

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