MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

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EXCLUSIVE: Husband gives gift of a lifetime — a new kidney — on Valentine's Day to the woman he fell in love with 40 years ago

Richard Mach gave his ailing wife, Joy, the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift this year — a life-saving kidney transplant. That's going to be a hard gift for her to top. read full story »

'I'm tired of hiding': Ellen Page, breakout star of 'Juno,' tells LGBT youth conference she is gay — WATCH THE SPEECH

"I’m here today because I am gay," Ellen Page, 26, told the group of LGBT teens at Time to THRIVE in Las Vegas, a conference at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in Vegas, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

MY BLOODY VALENTINE: Man kills girlfriend and tries to make it look like a suicide

Carlos Cadavid, 23, of Dania Beach tried to pass off the murder of his girlfriend as a suicide, but investigators in Florida didn't buy his tale.

'Been having sex with my friends mom for a year now': Disturbing Twitter account for Washington state school district is alleged student confessional

Since Clark County Fession's first tweets this month, all eyes have been on the extremely graphic account out of Washington that's only building in popularity possibly thanks to users' anonymity while submitting.

Washington dad suffocated 2-year-old as pay back to estranged wife, then attempted suicide: cops

A scorned Washington dad squeezed his 2-year-old to death before trying to hang himself with a dog leash after he learned his wife was seeing another man.

BREWING UP CASH: New York cafe selling latte for a whopping $7 — the most expensive in the state

Budin, a new café in Brooklyn, is believed to have set a new record for the most expensive espresso drink in New York, with a $7 licorice-flavored, lightly-roasted latte.

'I got punked again today. Like a little b----': Texts between Miami Dolphin Jonathan Martin and parents reveal depression struggle

Messages between Jonathan Martin and his parents indicate how he really felt about teammate Richie Incognito and the struggle he was battling.

A NEW FACTOR: It's a boy for Simon

Hawaii mom-to-be missing after burned-out SUV found in rural part of the island chain

Carly Scott's mother reported her missing Monday. She told police a family member last saw the 27-year-old redhead Sunday night at her sister's home in Haiku, in northeast Maui.

Five young siblings dead after raging fire at Minneapolis duplex

The early morning blaze killed five children under age 9. Two siblings and the father survived the blaze, which started on the second floor of the north Minneapolis duplex.

GRAPHIC CONTENT: British woman cuts off tattoo of ex-boyfriend's name and mails him skin

Her bloody Valentine! A scorned British woman cut out the tattoo of her ex-boyfriend's name and sent the skin to him in the post.

Norwegian mass murderer says he'll go on hunger strike — if he doesn’t get better toys

Anders Breivik — who had no problem admitting he snuffed the lives of 77 people during a bombing and shooting rampage — is a big fat whiner. He says his prison life is "hell" and he wants new video games.

Accused child rapist caught in Colombia after two decades on the run

Richard Haugh, 71, an accused child rapist, spent more than two decades on the lam - but was caught Friday and is headed back stateside to face charges in Massachusetts.

Which celeb got some new bling for Valentine's Day?

SEE IT: Suspected child molester pulls gun on reporter at his home (VIDEO)

A suspected child molester in Texas pulled a gun on a TV reporter who showed up to his house to ask about the charges, a local report shows.

IT"S NOT OVER: Winter snow to resume in NYC Saturday

White is the new blech. As New York City was digging out from a nor’easter that dumped nearly a foot of snow on the city, another inch or two of flakes were in the forecast for Saturday.

Dallas cop suspended over road rage attack — but no charges filed

Edgar Sanchez says he was chased, threatened, and had a gun pointed at his head by an off-duty policeman in Dallas after a frightening road rage attack.

Feds give banks road map for dealing with money from legal marijuana sellers

The White House has given banks a road map for conducting transactions with legal marijuana sellers so these new businesses can stash away savings, make payroll and pay taxes like any other enterprise.

Robo-Jesus is ‘resurrected’ at Buenos Aires Christian theme park

Tierra Santa, a religious theme park in Buenos Aires, is bringing the Bible to life with plaster, fiberglass, and just the right amount of kitsch.

BLAMING THE SUITS? USA asks for change amid speedskating woes

U.S. coaches scrambled to defend the suits, even while an effort was underway to get the International Skating Union to allow skaters to switch back to their previously approved suits if they wanted.

Joe Biden: There is no Republican party

A casually clad Joe Biden rallied House Democrats at a party retreat in Maryland on Friday - blasting the GOP for disorganization and affirming liberal allies that the country was with the Democrats. The Vice President said he wished "there was a Republican Party."

Pope Francis invites thousands of engaged couples to Vatican for Valentine’s Day date

The couples packed into St. Peter’s Square to listen to Francis’ advice about building lasting relationships. On Twitter, Francis told couples that a ‘faithful and fruitful marriage will bring you happiness.’

Newborn found alive after 'meth head mom' disappeared in Washington state, cops say

Everett police issued an Amber alert for the 17-day-old baby after the child disappeared with mom Roshell Marie Turner. The baby is possibly in poor health relating to the mother's meth habit, cops say.

4-year-old boy survives being thrown from SUV during highway crash

A 4-year-old California boy survived being tossed from an SUV during a crash when he landed on a small patch of plants just a few feet away from traffic, authorities said.

Rampaging camel attacks people and cars after escaping enclosure in Southern California

A camel escaped from a rural property outside Los Angeles early Friday, terrorizing locals and motorists for about a half hour before it was corralled, authorities said.

Fla. mom to reunite with baby abandoned while she was in jail

Jessica Conover is looking forward to a fresh new start after her 5-month-old baby boy Daniel was abandoned outside a fire station while she was in jail.

Christina Aguilera engaged to boyfriend Matt Rutler

Selfie helps cops snag accused burglars of California church

The self portrait of a 26-year-old man — found on a cellphone that was purportedly left behind at the crime scene at Hilltop Tabernacle Church in Chula Vista, Calif. — aided cops in their search for the suspects.

Elderly woman dies in Brooklyn blaze as neighbors rescue daughter

An elderly woman died in a Brooklyn house fire early Friday while a pair of Good Samaritans helped her adult daughter escape the blaze, authorities said. The 2:47 a.m. fire ripped through the first floor of the two-story townhouse on Bradford St. in East New York that neighbors said mother and daughter Sylvia and Angela Travis had shared for more than 40 years.

Piers Morgan interviewed by British cops in criminal investigation into phone hacking

CNN host Piers Morgan has been interviewed by British police investigating suspected conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails.

10,000 racial slurs tweeted every day: study British think tank

Racist language runs rampant on Twitter. A new analysis of 126,975 English-language tweets from around the world over nine days found that an average of 10,000 of them contain racial slurs each day.

Serial flasher targeting men, women and children on the loose in Portland, Ore. neighborhoods

A serial flasher is terrorizing the northeast corner of Portland, Ore., exposing himself to at least eight different people in about a month. He's described as a white man between 20 and 40 years old.

Health officials warn California commuters, students of measles exposure

A college student may have exposed thousands of Bay Area commuters — as well as other students at UC Berkeley — to the measles after he took public transportation and went to class while infected.

Taylor Momsen strips off for racy new music video

Wisconsin dairy workers charged with animal cruelty after undercover video

The abhorrent abuse captured by animal rights group Mercy for Animals in December shows the animals' mistreatment while handled by Wiese Brothers Farms in Greenleaf, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday.

Military developing pizza that lasts for three years

They call it the holy grail of ready-to-eat meals for soldiers — a pizza that can stay on the shelf for up to three years and still remain good to eat.

Trump tells Manhattan Republicans: Sure, I'd run for governor

Donald Trump thrilled 300 Republicans Wednesday night by promoting himself as a can’t miss candidate to defeat Gov. Cuomo. But this looks like yet another tease by The Donald, who repeatedly flirts with running for office but never, ever follows through.

Oregon boy had swastika carved into forehead, shot with BB gun during attack by teens: report

The Portland boy said he was tortured by four classmates for several hours before allowed to leave in exchange for drugs and a skateboard, according to a report.

Raissman: Jeter's skill of steering away from tough questions and controversy is as legendary as his play

Jeter managed his retirement message and the way it was delivered (on Facebook). As always, he was in control. The word will be part of Jeter’s legacy, especially with the media.

St. Francis basketball player arrested for assaulting girlfriend

White slapped the 20-year-old victim, choked her and then busted her laptop when he thought she had cheated on him in the Downtown Brooklyn dorm on Feb. 3, cops said.

Mexico City mulls legalizing pot

Leftist lawmakers on Thursday proposed allowing the sale of marijuana within Mexico City, seeking to join Uruguay and the U.S. states of Washington and Colorado in creating legal markets for the drug.

Teacher accused of having sex with 13-year-old boy relative

A special education teacher from Arizona had multiple sex sessions with a young male relative throughout last summer, police said. Christine Mazzarella, 47, is accused of seducing the 13-year-old boy at least four times — and possibly several more - in July 2013.

Case dropped against BASE jumper who watched new bride fall to death in Utah

Prosecutors are dismissing a misdemeanor citation filed against the husband of a Utah woman who died when her parachute failed to open after she leapt from a peak overlooking Zion National Park.

Man goes postal! Bites postman: cops

Don't bite the messenger! An Ohio man is seriously in the dog house after he sunk his teeth into a postal worker's leg because a check was late, police said. Robert Kiefer, 25, allegedly lashed out at the mail man outside his Akron home Saturday after realizing the promised check had not yet been delivered.

The Biggest Lugers: Roker, Lauer crash Olympic luge track

Sports

SEE IT Crazy finish! Arizona State stuns No. 2 Arizona in 2OT, 69-66

Jermaine Marshall scored eight of his 29 points in the second overtime and Jordan Bachynski blocked T.J. McConnell’s layup attempt with 6 seconds left, sending Arizona State to a 69-66 victory over No. 2 Arizona on Friday night.

No medal at stake, but USA-Russia set for key showdown

When Ryan Callahan, Ryan McDonough and their Team U.S.A. mates arrive at the Bolshoy Ice Dome Saturday, they won’t be engaging in a rinkside reenactment of the Cold War. They will simply be out to win a preliminary round Olympic game against a fabled foe.

All-Star Confidential: King James hopes snow won't bury MSG

Hey LeBron, we’ve got snowplows in New York. Or maybe LeBron James and his fellow NBA players can help shovel out the city, as part of their annual day of service during All-Star Weekend, if a major snowstorm hits the area next February when the game’s stars come to town.

Drummond earns Rising Stars Challenge MVP honors

Andre Drummond grabbed everything in sight, even that MVP trophy that came apart. Drummond had 30 points and a Rising Stars Challenge-record 25 rebounds, leading Team Hill to a 142-136 victory over Team Webber on Friday night.

Coco Austin brings ‘Peepshow’ act to New York City

Kate Mara strips down for GQ, talks ‘House of Cards’

Newlywed BASE jumper falls 2,000-feet to her death in front of husband after parachute fails to open

Amber Marie Bellows, 28, was killed after leaping from the 7,276-foot peak of Mount Kinesava in Zion National Park, Utah, at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Bruce Jenner flaunts longer, lighter hair following Adam's apple surgery

One day after photos emerged of the 64-year-old former Olympic gold medalist rocking a longer and lighter hairdo, it appears Jenner has added some serious volume to his new look.

Pittsburgh sisters found shot dead in basement of their home

Mystery surrounds the death of two adult sisters apparently shot dead in their Pittsburgh home's basement.

WATCH Samuel L. Jackson goes off on TV anchor for confusing him with Laurence Fishburne

Samuel L. Jackson had a very important message for news anchor Sam Rubin: "We don't all look alike!" The "Robocop" star was mistaken for Laurence Fishburne during a KTLA interview.

Autos

Corvettes at museum sinkhole to be restored by General Motors

Even a sinkhole can’t stop these Corvettes! Just days after a 40-foot-wide swath of land caved in at the National Corvette Museum, plans are already in place to get the eight affected cars back to pristine condition.

Latest Autos Reviews

BACK OFF B----ES: Khloe defends Kendall's catwalk

'LOVE CAN BE BLIND': Terrell Owens' wife attempts suicide two weeks into rocky secret marriage

The estranged wife of former All-Pro NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens reportedly tried to kill herself as the couple’s two-week marriage hit the skids.

‘Close NYC Schools During Snow Emergencies’ Facebook page gets 32k likes

A 15-year-old Staten Island boy schooled the mayor on Wednesday. Jeremy Dueñas emerged on Facebook as the voice of protest deriding the de Blasio administration’s decision to keep New York City schools open in the face of a pounding snowstorm.

Girl, 15, leaps 27 stories to her death off grandma's NYC apartment building

A 15-year-old girl with a history of psychological problems jumped 27 stories to her death from the roof of her grandmother's Upper West Side building Thursday, police sources said.

Puerto Rican Day Parade officials fired for ‘extreme negligence’ in failing to stop $1 million ripoff of annual march

Officials of the Puerto Rican Day Parade exhibited “extreme negligence” in failing to stop a $1 million ripoff of the annual march, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Thursday.

Fashion Week wraps up: 5 trends for fall

Judge rules that Virginia's same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional

A federal judge has ruled that Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen’s decision Thursday makes Virginia the second state in the South to have a ban on gay marriages overturned.

SEE: Woman's ear infested with fruit-fly larva, maggot

A Taiwanese woman who went to hospital with earache was shocked to find a maggot living inside her ear. Fruit-fly larva were also discovered moving around the 48-year-old's ear canal, which was full of a blood-stained discharge.

City asks judge to void police unions’ appeal on the stop-and-frisk ruling

Mayor de Blasio announced a deal last month with the plaintiffs of the stop-and-frisk suit, dropping the city's appeal of the decision that found the NYPD's use of stop-and-frisk was misused. The city filed papers Friday asking an appeals court to keep the police unions' from continuing with their appeal.

SEE: Teachers post 'Ice Ice Baby' video to announce snow day

Are these teachers too cool for school... or just a little bit lame? The administrators from North Carolina have become the latest web sensations after they donned ski gear to rap about class being canceled.

Florida woman pressured to get rid of 65 cats

The cats are running the mobile home. A Florida woman moved out of her High Point house last year — but left 65 cats to look after the 1,400-square-foot kitty pad. Much to her neighbors' chagrin. "It's inhumane," Pat Leber told the Tampa Bay Times.

Teen cries to reporters that slain mom ‘supported me my whole life’ — then confesses to her murder

A Washington State teen who gave a tearful interview to TV crews about his mom's murder now stands accused of battering her to death with a dumbbell.

Fat cat falls trying to jump on window ledge (VIDEO)

Someone needs to lay off the kitty kibble. Poor puss Skimbles has become a worldwide laughing stock after footage of him failing to jump onto a window ledge went viral.

Norwegian boy, 10, busted joyriding parents' car claims he's dwarf

It was a tall tale for a small boy. A 10-year-old busted joyriding his parents' car tried to tell cops he was a dwarf who'd forgotten his licence.

Blue Valentine: Kate Middleton stuns in periwinkle frock on Valentine's Day

Comics & Games

Hidato: Play Now! »

Jumble Solitaire: Play Now! »

Wumo: Read Now! »

Arlo & Janis: Read Now! »

TGIF! See the best celebrity photos of the week

SEE IT: Daredevil dangles from 2,000-foot Shanghai Tower

Risking life and limb, these adrenaline junkies have conquered China's tallest building. Under cover of darkness, they spent two hours dodging security to scale the 2,000-feet Shanghai Tower.

Cops hunt 'extremely short' man who groped woman in Brooklyn

This little guy is going to be in big trouble when cops get their hands on him. A man described as being “extremely short in stature” grabbed an unsuspecting woman’s backside at a Brooklyn train station and then hightailed it out of there before anyone could catch him, cops said Wednesday.

Bronx man, 45, stabbed to death in neck and stomach

A 45-year-old man was found viciously stabbed to death in a Bronx apartment building, police said Thursday. The body of Jamal Taylor was discovered sprawled on a second-floor landing at the Lafayette Ave. building near White Plains Road in Clason Point at 10:15 p.m.

Bratton names Jessica Tisch as NYPD's deputy commissioner of information and technology

The NYPD’s top cop continued revamping his department by promoting a holdover from the previous administration. Commissioner Bill Bratton on Wednesday named Jessica Tisch, the billionaire heiress who served as director of policy and planning for the counterterrorism bureau, to be deputy commissioner of information and technology.