MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

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'We are equally puzzled': Experts confess there is no guarantee missing Malaysian airline will ever be found in the deep sea as talks of terrorist involvement slowly begin fizzling out

Meanwhile, a yellow object that rescue officials believed could be a life raft turned out to be a hunk of moss-covered trash, once again dashing hopes in the fruitless search for the plane. read full story »

BREAKING NEWS Mystery passenger ID'd: Man using stolen passport on Malaysia Airlines flight is Iranian asylum seeker

One of the two men traveling on a missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner with a stolen passport was a 19-year-old Iranian man believed to be trying to migrate to Germany, and had no terror links, police said Tuesday.

Mob rat commits crimes while working for feds, attempts to get out of 45-day sentence

An ungrateful mob rat caught committing crimes while working undercover for the feds tried to weasel out of serving a lousy 45 days behind bars, even though the judge could have sentenced him Monday to five years.

Barry Bonds says ‘without a doubt’ he belongs in Hall of Fame in first day at SF Giants camp

Welcome to the world of a kindler, gentler Barry Bonds. The all-time home run king is back in baseball working as a Giants spring training instructor, seven years removed from his final season with San Francisco, and three years after he was convicted of one obstruction count in federal court in connection with the BALCO steroid scandal.

Democrats turn focus to taking on wealthy Koch brothers

Democratic Senate candidates, facing withering criticism on the national health care law, are gambling they can turn voters against two billionaire brothers funding the attacks — even if few Americans would recognize the pair on the street.

Ohio man charged with killing 3, including off-duty cop celebrating his birthday, at nightclub

An off-duty police officer celebrating his birthday and two other men were shot and killed at a northern Ohio nightclub over the weekend after an argument erupted when the shooter punched the officer’s wife, relatives said.

EXCLUSIVE: Karrueche dumps Chris after secret rehab visit with RiRi

'Handful' of countries check to see if passports are lost, stolen

Two of the passengers who boarded the doomed flight did so using travel documents reported stolen from a resort region in Thailand over the past two years. It’s a problem that happens too often. More than 1 billion times last year, people boarded planes without their passports being checked against an Interpol database of 40 million stolen or lost travel documents, Interpol says.

Hamill: Missing Malaysia Airlines jet brings back past plane horrors

The mysterious disappearance of the 777 jet brings to mind the 1960 collision of a TWA Constellation and a United DC-10 over New York, or the 1978 crash of the Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182.

HIGHER EDUCATION: U.S. News releases 2015 Best Graduate Schools rankings

Higher education often comes with a high price tag, but if it's a graduate school degree the cost may be worth it.

Woman, 94, dies after son beat her with her own cane: cops

The 94-year-old woman brutally beaten with her own cane by her son in Brooklyn last week died Monday from her injuries, cops said. Dorothy Farrell’s death at Kings County Hospital will lead to a murder charge against her 64-year-old son Mark, sources said.

EXCLUSIVE Ex-officer pushes for probe of 'toxic' Bronx Navy training center

A prominent Manhattan defense lawyer is calling for a probe into the "toxic environment" at a U.S. Navy training center in the Bronx that he alleges allows certain officers to treat the place like a saloon while others face abuse and acts of retaliation.

Raissman: Media underestimates Phil Jackson's chances of success with Knicks

Listening to three days of Phil Jackson talk has led us to a singular conclusion: This guy, still known as “The Zen Master,” is now a broken-down, money-grubbing hermit, an old man who doesn’t have the skill set or stamina to be a “modern” NBA GM.

Joe McGinniss, ‘Fatal Vision’ author, dies at age 71

Joe McGinniss, the adventurous and news-making author and reporter who skewered the marketing of Richard Nixon in “The Selling of the President 1968” and tracked his personal journey from sympathizer to scourge of convicted killer Jeffrey MacDonald in the blockbuster “Fatal Vision,” died Monday at age 71.

Boston train derails from tracks near Fenway Park; 10 people injured

A train derailment near Fenway Park in Boston hospitalized 10 people but none of the injuries are considered serious.

Parents file first lawsuit over city's axed charter schools

Families from embattled Success Academy Harlem Central Middle School filed suit Monday to compel Mayor de Blasio to provide free public space in a nearby district school.

High and mighty Colorado officials report roughly $2M in recreational pot taxes in 1st month

The tax total reported by the state Department of Revenue indicates $14.02 million worth of recreational pot was sold.

Judge delays sentencing in killing of 17-year-old during a confrontation over loud music

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A judge in Jacksonville is postponing until Friday a decision on whether he will sentence a Florida man convicted of attempted murder during a confrontation over loud music ahead of the 47-year-old software developer's retrial on first-degree murder.

Britney flashes leg in short shorts and Uggs

EXCLUSIVE GOP-allied Albany Democrats aid Adriano Espaillat in race against Rep. Charles Rangel

State Sen. Adriano Espaillat has cast himself as the progressive candidate representing change in his Democratic primary against Rep. Charles Rangel. But records show that Espaillat has accepted a $6,500 donation from a conference made up of five breakaway Democratic state senators who have aligned themselves with Republican lawmakers, preventing the Democratic Party from taking control of the chamber.

NO LAUGHING MATTER: Clown-related crimes soar in parts of England with reports of balloon-carrying suspects following kids to school

Among the most hair-raising reports out of Greater Manchester over the last year included a teenaged boy's claim that a clown holding balloons tried to grab him in Rochdale.

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGE Mexican cartel leader killed in shootout, three years after first reported dead

WARNING: Graphic content. Kingpin Nazario Moreno Gonzalez played dead for more than three years before his body was recovered Sunday from a shootout with federal police.

Mad Woman! Moss describes 'horrible' marriage to Armisen

'Shoe bomber' sidekick testifies at trial at bin Laden's son-in-law

A British man who plotted with "shoe bomber" Richard Reid to blow up American jetliners for Al Qaeda took the witness stand Monday in the Manhattan trial of Osama bin Laden's son-in-law.

Owner of castle on Long Island, NY, thanks doctors, family and God for surviving nearly fatal shooting two weeks ago

Oheka Castle owner Gary Melius thanked doctors, his family and God in a video released Monday — but gave no insight into the shooting that nearly took his life two weeks ago.

LEAST ELIGIBLE BACHELORS: Are they studs or duds?

Baltimore Ravens lineman Jah Reid arrested after allegedly head-butting man in Florida strip club

Jah Reid, who's 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds, is facing misdemeanor battery charges after he allegedly beat a man who accidentally bumped into him inside the jiggle joint.

Snowden: U.S. obsession with surveillance hurts fight against terrorism

Uncle Sam's fixation with mass surveillance has tied up resources that could have thwarted real terror plots, fugitive leaker Edward Snowden argued Monday.

Military judge refuses to dismiss sex assault charges against Army general who allegedly forced female captain to have sex

A military judge has declined to dismiss sexual assault charges against an Army general.

EDITORIAL Gov. Cuomo's challenger, Rob Astorino, is fighting for Republican voters in a largely Democratic state

Hammond: Rob Astorino launched his long-shot campaign with a particularly deft move: dosing Gov. Cuomo with a taste of his own rhetoric.

EXCLUSIVE State Senate could bring DREAM Act back to the floor even though it won't pass

ALBANY — State Senate leadership is considering bringing the controversial DREAM Act to the floor even though the votes are probably not there to pass it, sources told the Daily News. The move would aim to help Senate co-leader Jeffrey Klein (D-Bronx) and his breakaway group of five Democrats, who control the chamber with the Republicans

Man who killed 7 wins $500K lawsuit against jail guard

A former handyman serving life in prison for the 1993 murder of seven people at a suburban Chicago restaurant has been awarded nearly a half-million dollars in a civil lawsuit in which he alleged a jail guard punched him in the face.

STEVE IRWIN'S FINAL MOMENTS: Cameraman reveals stingray stabbed the Crocodile Hunter 'hundreds' of times 'like a knife through butter' in seconds

Justin Lyons, the sole witness to the tragic death, describes to an Australian talk show how a massive stingray used its tail to cut through the famed TV host. The 44-year-old's final words were 'I'm dying.'

Dallas Stars forward collapses during game against Columbus Blue Jackets

It was a scary moment at America Airlines Arena as Stars forward Rich Peverley collapsed on the bench during Monday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Heroin overdose 'an urgent public health crisis': U.S. attorney general

Citing sharp increases in deadly heroin overdoses, the U.S. attorney general reiterated the Obama administration's call for wider training and use of the anti-overdose drug naloxone.

Sbarro pizza chain files for Chapter 11 for the second time in three years

The tourist favorite has 1,000 to 5,000 creditors, $100 million to $500 million in assets and $100 million to $500 million in estimated liabilities, according to a document filed in federal court.

Kate Upton says she'll sue website over fake nude pics

Feds to probe jail sex claims by ex-guard impregnated by cop killer Ronell Wilson

Claims made by the correction officer impregnated by convicted cop killer Ronell Wilson of rampant sex behind bars are now part of a federal probe, officials said.

Jeb Bush would make a 'fantastic' President, says son George P. Bush

George P. Bush insists his dad Jeb would make a “fantastic” President after his straight-talking grandmother, Barbara, expressed hesitancy about another Bush White House.

OUT OF BOUNDS: Minnesota GOP state rep under fire after racist tweet about NBA players

State Rep. Pat Garofalo has been criticized after making comments about the NBA that many feel were racist.

Hang 10! Chris Hemsworth hits the surf in L.A.

Sexy Dutch economist accused of stalking Citigroup exec makes deal to get rid of her criminal case

Heleen Mees will have the charge dropped if she stays away from Willem Buiter, undergoes counseling and doesn't get arrested. Her lawyer says she plans to hit back with a lawsuit against Buiter.

California woman stung 1,000 times by swarm of bees following two-car accident

A 51-year-old California woman was stung more than 1,000 times in a horrific attack by a swarm of bees triggered by a seemingly minor two-car accident.

Manhattan College outlasts archrival Iona in the MAAC championship game

Manhattan's George Beamon extended a single finger skyward and then was enveloped in a bear hug by Rhamel Brown. Shane Richards took his shiny new baseball cap and turned in backwards. RaSahwn Stokes pointed to the Jasper faithful that bussed the 140 miles to see their team.