Ukraine: Snipers ordered to shoot

Ukraine: Snipers ordered to shoot

KIEV, Ukraine

Ukraine’s interim authorities on Thursday accused fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych of ordering snipers to open fire on protesters and getting help from Russian security agents to battle his own people, but they provided no evidence directly linking him to the bloodbath in Kiev that left more than 100 people dead.

Acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov also accused his predecessor, who was in charge of police, of recruiting gangs of killers, kidnappers and thugs to terrorize and undermine the opposition during the monthslong protests.

The inquiry revealed by Kiev’s new leadership examined the months of anti-government protests that culminated in the bloodshed that peaked Feb. 20, just days before Yanukovych fled to Russia.

More ships, planes join search for jet

PERTH, Australia

Search crews hunting for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 headed back out to a remote patch of the Indian Ocean today, a day after leaders of the two countries heading multinational efforts to find the missing jetliner vowed that no effort would be spared to give closure to the families of those on board.

More resources were committed to the search today, with 14 planes and nine ships planning to scour an 84,000-square-mile expanse about 1,100 miles northwest of Perth, the Joint Agency Coordination Center overseeing the search said. Ten planes were involved in Thursday’s search.

On Thursday, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak flew to Australia for briefings on the search for the Boeing 777 and to meet with his Australian counterpart, Tony Abbott, whose country is overseeing the hunt in a desolate expanse of the Indian Ocean.

FDA approves overdose antidote

WASHINGTON

Friends and family will be able to take the first step to save a loved one from an overdose of heroin or powerful painkillers called opioids.

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved an easy-to-use device that automatically injects the right dose of an overdose antidote named naloxone before an ambulance arrives. Doctors could prescribe it for family members or caregivers to keep on hand, in a pocket or a medicine cabinet.

Opioids include legal prescription painkillers, such as OxyContin and Vicodin, as well as illegal street drugs such as heroin.

More than 700 climb stairs of World Trade Center

NEW YORK

They’re high steppers of a different sort.

More than 700 people took the long way up at the World Trade Center on Thursday — climbing the stairs — for the inaugural “Runyon Up,” a fundraiser for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.

Elite climbers went first, leading the pack at 4 World Trade Center. Participants could either tackle all 72 floors or do a partial climb of 54.

Tim Donahue was the first man to reach the 72nd floor, making the climb in just under nine minutes. The 44-year-old New York City teacher does several tower climbs a year. The first woman was Shari Klarfeld, 33, of Plainview, who made it in slightly more than 11 minutes.

“It’s striking how new this building is. It’s like an unused baseball glove,” Donahue said.

Some firefighters from New Jersey came to the climb in full gear.

Associated Press