MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

EXCLUSIVE: Facebook 'friend' turns into foe as teen suspected in robberies, vicious attacks on women falls for trap set by police

When dogged cops set out to rid the streets of a creep accused of robbing and menacing women, they sent 15-year-old Kalief Jackson a fake Facebook friend request from a flirtatious female looking to hook up. read full story »

Pregnant college student who has been missing for 2 weeks found dead 450 miles from her home on side of Canadian highway

Loretta Saunders, 26, was studying missing and murdered Aboriginal women. She was last seen on her way to collect $700 rent from tenants living in her apartment.

Ousted Ukrainian president resurfaces in Russia, says he is still lawful ruler

Viktor Yanukovych’s declaration — reportedly issued from a Kremlin sanitarium outside Moscow — came as dozens of armed gunmen seized control of government buildings in Ukraine’s Crimea region.

WATCH Shocking video shows how a terrorist could breach an airplane's cockpit in just two seconds

Cockpit doors were strengthened after 9/11. But Ellen Saracini, widow of United Airlines Flight 175 Capt. Victor Saracini, is pushing for added security.

Cruise ship worker left female passenger 'painted in blood' after vicious rape attack: report

Prosecutors say Ketut Puhayasas, 28, snuck into the bedroom of a 31-year-old woman enjoying a week-long cruise from Fort Lauderdale and carried out his sick Valentine's Day attack.

TOUCHY TEACHER: Substitute educator busted after he's caught masturbating in front of students in courtyard: cops

A substitute teacher at a Connecticut high school was arrested for masturbating in a stairwell while leering at students in the courtyard Wednesday, police said.

Florida teen football standout committed to Louisville busted in underage cousin sex case

Sharieff Inuka Rhaheed-Muhammad recently signed to the Louisville athletic program, but it may now be in jeopardy as he faces a felony charge after allegedly impregnating his 14-year-old cousin.

No longer a single 'Girl'! Allison Williams gets engaged

Boston Marathon implements 'no bags' security policy for 2014 race

This year’s Boston Marathon will have a “no bags” policy as part of stepped-up security following last year’s deadly bombing, the Boston Athletic Association announced.

Philadelphia cop defends former side job running fetish websites and phone sex lines: 'Where are your morals at by judging somebody?'

Terra Barrow said she ran the operation as a way to support her sick father. The Department doesn’t restrict cops from working on erotic hotlines or websites, but will seek to ban it now.

SEE IT Bus driver beats student with broom handle

Autumn Bonilla, 14, claims she almost blacked out when Charlotte McDaniel, 41, allegedly took the broom to her face and broke her nose on the Indianapolis school bus — but admits to starting the ruckus.

Florida mom charged after telling cops she buried her 2-year-old daughter in suitcase

Rachel Fryer, 32, allegedly admitted to putting the body of Tarji Gordan, 2, in a suitcase after finding the girl not breathing after a caseworker's visit to her home on Feb. 6, according to Sanford police.

WAKE-UP CALL: City Council Speaker Mark-Viverito to back Sen. Espaillat in bid to oust longtime Harlem congressman Charles Rangel

Our new daily morning politics read gives you a fresh serving of the latest news and a forecast for the day to give you a leg up on what's going down at City Hall, Albany and Washington.

'I am alive and I’m grateful': Ex-CNN reporter speaks out after freak accident forces arm to be amputated

The veteran TV journalist underwent emergency surgery Feb. 14 — but when his blood pressure suddenly plunged during the procedure, doctors amputated his left arm above the elbow.

North Korea fires four short-range missiles into eastern waters: South Korea

An official with South Korea's Defense Ministry said North Korea fired four projectiles into the waters off its east coast in what appeared to be an exercise.

Swiss teacher accidentally shows X-rated amputee porn on overhead projector

While students at KV Zürich Business School studied, an educator tried to secretly watch his fetish porn — but he forgot to turn off the overhead projector.

FBI recovers cash stolen by 'Trash Talk Bandits' in Colorado's biggest ever bank heist

Cash stolen in Colorado's biggest ever bank heist has been recovered by the FBI. The dramatic raid, on Jan. 21, saw two robbers hit a Wells Fargo branch in the Denver suburb of Westminster.

Zircon crystal confirmed by scientists to be 4.4 BILLION years old

Scientists have discovered a piece of the Earth’s crust that dates back roughly 4.4 billion years — only a shade younger than the planet’s known origin.

Hawaii plane crash from Lanai Island leaves 3 dead, 3 injured

An outbound flight from Hawaii’s Lanai Island crashed about a mile from the airport, killing three people and leaving three others injured, authorities said Thursday.

FBI and Amherst College reopen investigation into 1975 art heist

The hunt for a Dutch Golden Age painting that was swiped from a Massachusetts art museum has been reopened — and its hoped-for recovery would be nothing short of a masterpiece.

SEE IT: The video Bieber doesn't want you to witness

OPINION Greenman: Gentrifiers, hold your heads high! The phenomenon slammed by Spike Lee is innocuous, inevitable and healthy

Strip it down, and Lee is plainly attacking what he sees as racial encroachment. That’s offensive.

'THEN I HAVE NO MEMORY': Kerry Kennedy says she has no recollection of moments before hit and run, recalls growing up without 'Daddy' in DWI trial

In a trembling voice, the daughter of slain Sen. Robert F. Kennedy spelled out her name Wednesday as she prepared to testify in Westchester County Court.

EXCLUSIVE LEFT TO SUFFER: Patients at Brooklyn hospital forced to wait 2 HOURS before seeing a doctor

The average emergency room patient at Kings County Hospital Center waited a whopping 113 minutes before being seen by a doctor in 2013, the Daily News has learned.

Seth Rogen hits Capitol Hill to promote Alzheimer's awareness...

Galactic neighborhood gets bigger as NASA discovers 715 new planets

Better huddle up, because the galaxy just got crowded. NASA has announced the discovery of 715 new planets - the biggest ever batch to be unveiled at once.

French cops slammed for tweeting photo of murder victim in order to identify him

Police were criticized as 'insensitive' for taking to the official Twitter account to ask for the public's help in identifying the dead man and posting his picture, which was later taken down.

Key West man arrested on drug charges told cops: ‘I thought cocaine wasn’t illegal in Florida’

Guy Lanchester, 46, was reportedly caught red-handed outside the Pier House Resort early Sunday morning after resort security reported hearing a woman yelling behind the establishment.

... while Ben Affleck testifies in Washington on violence in Congo

Newborn found clinging to life in Texas dumpster

A 16-year-old girl thought her living newborn baby was dead when she ditched him in a Houston dumpster Tuesday, a government worker said.

Federal judge strikes down Texas gay marriage ban

In recent months federal judges have struck down similar bans in Utah, Oklahoma and Virginia, although those decision are under appeal.

YouTube must take down ‘Innocence of Muslims,’ film that sparked outrage: judge

A federal judge ordered Wednesday that YouTube must take down a film blamed by the Obama administration for sparking the deadly September 2012 protests at the American embassy in Benghazi.

Class action suit slams city's property tax system as discriminating against renting blacks, Hispanics

The city’s property tax system has long been criticized for favoring homeowners over renters, but a bombshell lawsuit filed Wednesday charges that it discriminates against blacks and Hispanics as well.

Massive 82% of Democrats want Hillary Clinton to run for President: poll

A whopping 82% of Democrats say they want Hillary Clinton to run for President in 2016, a new poll shows. Only 13% of Democrats said they don't want to see the popular former Secretary of State run, the New York Times / CBS poll released Tuesday night found.

Medical examiner unable to come up with cause of death for autistic New York boy: officials

The M.E.'s office ran an exhaustive battery of tests, but were unable to determine what killed the 14-year-old autistic teen who went missing in October from his Queens high school.

Baltimore County cops investigate video of confrontation between college student and officer

A man filming Baltimore County police cracking down on a raucous crowd ended up drawing one of the cop’s ire — and caught it all on camera.

Mt. Gox, top bitcoin exchange, quickly goes dark after $365M heist

Documents supposedly leaked by the company show 740,000 bitcoins were stolen from Mt. Gox days before the site mysteriously went down Tuesday.

Maryland police chief apologizes for saying 37 people died of pot overdoses in one day

He must have been high. A Maryland police chief has apologized for his claim that 37 people died of marijuana overdoses the day the sticky icky became legal in Colorado. Annapolis Police Chief Michael Pristoop made the nutty claim about wacky tobacky during testimony before a state Senate committee considering two bills to legalize or decriminalize marijuana.

Kathie Lee & Hoda: Alec says he hates all the attention, so why is his wife still on TV?

Texas teen thrown in disciplinary school for bringing beer to school by mistake

A 17-year-old in South Texas is stuck in an alternative school after he brought a can of beer for lunch earlier this month by mistake.

Punishments for subway grinders equal those of pervs who grope: Court of Appeals

The state's highest court unanimously ruled that rubbing your genitals against another person merits a charge of 'forcible touching,' upholding the conviction of straphanger Luis Guaman.

So long Piers, hello Rosie O'Donnell? Insiders say CNN eyeing comic as replacement

EXCLUSIVE Harper: Sandy Alderson tells Mets executives, personnel that team can win 90 games

At a staff meeting a couple of days ago, Sandy Alderson told Mets executives and baseball personnel that he strongly believes that the ballclub can and maybe even should win 90 games this season. Yes, 90.

Woman survives harrowing 30-foot fall from cliff in San Francisco

A woman taking in dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean became part of the drama herself—falling about 30 feet from the top of a cliff in San Francisco.

Breakaway New York State Senate Democrat Tony Avella of Queens has drawn the ire of fellow Democrats

Spurned Democrats have a warning for Queens state Sen. Tony Avella — watch your back come September.

Raymond Felton says gun arrest 'is not a distraction,' will play for Knicks against Heat on Thursday

Raymond Felton was back practicing with the Knicks on Wednesday, one day after he was released on $25,000 bail after being charged with two counts of felony weapons possession.

Texas man flees hospital in ambulance that brought him there

Charles Cedrick Jennings, 35, was reportedy brought into the emergency room at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth for a psych examination when he decided to leave.

Hamill: Even in death, rookie cop Eddie Byrne's assassination in Jamaica sparked the beginning of a safer city

Just before 1 a.m. on Wednesday, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton went back to the streetcorner where Officer Eddie Byrne was assassinated on Feb. 26, 1988, some 26 years ago.

UNMOVE-A-BILL: New NYC mayor and family delay calling Gracie Mansion home

Eight weeks after he took office, Mayor Bill de Blasio finally spent an evening at Gracie Mansion — but he’s still not ready to call the place home.

Casey Anthony maintains babysitter was real person at bankruptcy deposition

Casey Anthony maintains that a babysitter her attorney acknowledged was fabricated at her 2011 murder trial is a real person.

Judge rules TV can broadcast substantial portions of Oscar Pistorius murder trial

A South African judge says major parts of 'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius' trial on charges he killed his girlfriend can be televised.

YouTube videos trigger tingling 'brain orgasms' in ASMR practitioners

There is a growing online subculture that seeks solace in the sounds of rustling wrappers and hushed voices.

Pippa Middleton speaks out about THAT dress

Golden Gate Bridge marks milestone with 46 suicides in 2013

San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge marked a milestone in 2013 as 46 people leaped to their deaths in what appears to be the deadliest year for suicides at the California landmark, a watchdog group said on Tuesday.

Is a covergirl catfight brewing at Sports Illustrated?

GOING SOUR! Controller Stringer says milk contract for schools may have been tainted

Three companies that sell thousands of gallons of milk each year to the Department of Education for the city’s 1 million school kids may have engaged in illegal collusion to pump up profits, a new city audit alleges.

Sports

Former Patriots tight end Hernandez facing two more lawsuits

Former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez is facing two more lawsuits, this time filed by the families of two men who were shot and killed in Boston’s South End in 2012.

Woods trying to get game in order at Honda Classic

He still cuts an imposing figure, still attracts the crowds, still creates the buzz. But what Tiger Woods no longer does is get into everybody else’s head.

Uehara looks to build on breakout 2013 with Red Sox

After taking live batting practice recently against teammate Koji Uehara, Dustin Pedroia cracked to a few reporters, "How are your ears? They hurt?" It was a wry reference to a few crackling line drives the Boston second baseman had hit.

Lightning's St. Louis wants to be dealt to Rangers: report

Lightning right wing Martin St. Louis has requested a trade from Tampa Bay, according to several reports, but according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie in a Toronto radio interview, St. Louis (“Saint Lou-ee”) asked to be dealt only to one team: the Rangers.

Autos

General Motors recall: 842,000 more cars affected by faulty ignition switches

General Motors on Tuesday doubled to 1.6 million the number of small cars it is recalling to fix faulty ignition switches linked to multiple fatal crashes.

Latest Autos Reviews

Khloe on life after Lamar: 'I hope and pray I have kids'

Confused Japanese tourists trigger highway chase with Utah cops – pursuit ends with family being pulled from rental car at gunpoint

The 7-mile chase began at the Utah-Arizona border after the family drove erratically in a DUI patrol zone. The driver told police she did not know what the flashing sirens meant and tried to get out of the way.

SEE IT: Gigantic storm off Ireland captured on ship's cabin camera

Suffer from sea sickness? Then look away now. What life is really like out on the ocean wave has been revealed in this astonishing video.

BLOOD ON HIS HANDS: Florida man accused of killing pregnant girlfriend with machete

Youvens Madeus, 24, of West Palm Beach is charged with first-degree murder after the body of his girlfriend, Horacia Simeus, was found in their shared home Monday morning.

Woman arrested for stabbing man to death in Brooklyn public housing complex

Latrina Crocker was cuffed in the death of Michael Artist, who was found dead in a second-floor stairwell at the Brooklyn public housing unit.

Michigan educator under fire for filming herself, principal teasing autistic boy stuck in chair and forwarding video throughout school

The teacher and the school's principal seemingly teased the child and asked him if he wanted to be 'tasered' before the video was replayed in class and forwarded to other staff.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal defends criticism of Obama economic policy

Bobby Jindal is defending his harsh criticism of President Barack Obama within yards of the Oval Office, saying “in America we don’t have a king.”

Connecticut child left school with confused great-grandfather, parents furious at school over mistake

A Connecticut father is furious after his son was picked up from school by a confused elderly man — and the administration didn’t call police after the bizarre mix-up.

Cops hunt fiend who abducted, sexually assaulted mentally disabled woman in California

Police said the suspect - who stands about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs approximately 190 pounds - abducted the 53-year-old woman as she stood outside a closed bus station in Long Beach.

Hayek's brother may face manslaughter charges for fatal car crash

Orioles skipper makes prospect write paper on Frank Robinson

Josh Hart needed a history lesson at spring training. The outfielder, selected 37th overall in last June’s amateur draft, was visiting Baltimore’s major league spring training camp on Monday when manager Buck Showalter introduced him to Hall of Famer Frank Robinson.

Rape charges dropped against three in Newburgh, N.Y.

A teenager from Brooklyn and two young men from Long Island have been cleared of charges related to a suspected rape at a Newburgh college dorm.

THAT'S BULL! Former 'Mob Wives' star files $40M suit against ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ for ripping off her image, life story

Karen Gravano, whose father was Salvatore (Sammy the Bull) Gravano, filed the suit in Manhattan Supreme Court Monday saying the game made a character based on her without her permission.

EXCLUSIVE Vet driven to suicide after women sues her for custody of stray cat, sparking online harassment and protest that 'sent business into a nosedive'

Dr. Shirley Koshi, 55, owner of Gentle Hands veterinary clinic in Riverdale, was found dead of an apparent suicide after a bitter stray cat custody battle with an animal rescuer.

PHOTOS: Kim dotes on North before trip to Paris

Comics & Games

Hidato: Play Now! »

Jumble Solitaire: Play Now! »

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Arlo & Janis: Read Now! »

Stacy Keibler, Kate Mara sizzle at Vanity Fair party

A MOTHER'S ANGUISH: Mom of sick teen carried away in stretcher after hearing her daughter will be placed into foster care as state, family disagree over what ails her

Chaos erupted outside a Massachusetts courtroom on Monday after Justina Pelletier’s family learned that the sick teen might be placed in foster care.