MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

FLIGHT RISK: Malaysia Airlines pilot's 'Democracy is Dead' T-shirt fuels talk he hijacked the plane in an act of protest

The mystery of the missing Malaysia Airlines jet deepened Sunday as a photo surfaced of one of its pilots, Capt. Zaharie Ahmad Shah (inset) wearing a T-shirt with the slogan “Democracy is Dead” and searchers set course for the Indian Ocean. read full story »

RIGGED ELECTION? Crimea residents vote to secede from Ukraine but U.S. lawmakers call results a 'sham' and made 'under threats of violence'

More than 95% of residents in Crimea voted to side with Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin — which has muscled control of the peninsula in the wake of the demonstrations that toppled the government in Kiev.

SEE IT Malaysia Airlines pilot filmed being trained in Boeing 777-200 a month before flight disappeared

A month before he was a co-pilot in a bizarre plane disappearance, Malaysia Airlines pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid was happy to finally be getting his chance to fly a Boeing 777-200.

Drunk Seattle firefighters beat homeless man for sleeping on firefighter memorial

Two firefighters are accused of drunkenly beating up a Seattle homeless man for sleeping on a memorial dedicated to firefighters who have died in the line of duty.

SEE IT Moments before suspected road-rage killing caught on video

Police have released video that shows the harrowing final moments before a man was gunned down in his vehicle in an apparent act of road rage in Pennsylvania.

Third suspect charged in Aspen socialite Nancy Pfister’s murder

In a surprise twist, Nancy Pfister’s trusted assistant Kathy Carpenter was charged on Friday night with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder, authorities said.

SEXY SHAMROCKS: Check out the hottest Irish celebs

New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade, oldest in the nation, set to kick off

It's time for blarney and bagpipes. New York’s 253rd St. Patrick’s Day parade will kick off at 11 a.m. Monday on Fifth Ave. at 44th St.

Army general accused of forcing female captain into sex act will take plea deal

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair, 51, is expected to plead guilty to lesser charges Monday in military court at Fort Bragg, N.C.

EXCLUSIVE Cleaver killer David Tarloff's dad grilled on son's trial-delay plan

Crazed cleaver killer David Tarloff coldly told his father he hoped delays in his third trial for murdering an Upper East Side therapist would frustrate the victim’s family, causing them to “throw in the towel,” claimed a prosecutor in the case.

British girl not 'strong enough' to perform CPR kicks dad in chest to save life

Izzy McCarron stamped on her father Colm's chest when she realized she wasn't strong to get his heart going with her arms.

Lovett: Activist for poor makes more than Gov. Cuomo

A leading activist for the poor who has ripped Gov. Cuomo over the issue of income inequality actually makes more money than the governor.

Emotional services held for the eight people killed in East Harlem explosion

At three emotional services Sunday — two just blocks from the massive collapse on Park Ave. and a third in Astoria, Queens — congregations mourned the loss of the eight people killed in Wednesday’s explosion.

Donohue: Evacuation driver has lived the pain of blast victims who became homeless

When the East Harlem victims were displaced, an MTA bus brought them to a Salvation Army facility. Their driver, Angel Felix, could relate to their pain. He became homeless at age 16.

'STOP, STOP': Mom screams out as son, 5, gets struck and killed by van in Brooklyn

A 5-year-old boy was struck and killed by a minivan Sunday night in Brooklyn, police said.

Man dressed as Rambo — complete with weapons — disarmed inside bar

A Florida action anti-hero armed with a gun and knives entered a bar dressed like Rambo and opened fire, but two patrons subdued him before he fully reenacted the character’s films.

Money for mental-health services in wake of Sandy Hook shooting is drying up

Charities paying for mental health care for children and families affected by the Sandy Hook school shooting are running short of money, and officials don’t know how much they’ll need and for how long to address the psychological scars from the mass shooting.

Model sues Playboy after radio host allegedly tries to tee off her butt — misses, whacks her hard

A Playboy model claims she was hit in the buttocks with a golf club. Elizabeth Dickson — who has not appeared in the magazine, according to the International Business Times — is suing for $500,000.

EXCLUSIVE Gwyneth caught in middle of $6M suit over beauty brand she endorses

Arizona gunman gets 249 years for killing nine at Buddhist temple

Johnathan A. Doody, 39, committed the murders when he was 17 at the Wat Promkunaram temple outside of Phoenix in an August 1991 robbery attempt. He was retried after his initial conviction was thrown out in 2011.

Gov. Cuomo defends his stance on charter schools while taking jab at Speaker Mark-Viverito

In an apparent swipe at Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Gov. Cuomo said Sunday that public schools have just as much big-money backing as charter schools. Cuomo’s defensive comments came a day after Mark-Viverito slammed him on Twitter for his support of “hedge fund backed charters.”

Jurors hug parents after convicting nanny who killed their baby boy

The mother of Cash Bell will never hold her baby boy again. But the jury in an Omaha courtroom did the next best thing: convicted a nanny of child abuse resulting in death and embraced the crying mom.

'Housewives' teen daughter strips nude in racy photo shoot

STOUTTA HERE! Guinness skips St. Patrick's Day Parade over policy on gays

Guinness announced Sunday that it’s pulling its sponsorship of Monday’s parade down Fifth Ave. because gays and lesbians are not allowed to march openly.

Tibetan monk sets himself on fire in China

A monk set himself on fire Sunday in an ethnic Tibetan area of northwest China, the country’s official news agency reported.

Spanish police hire strippers to protest old uniforms, equipment

Spanish police came up with a novel way to complain about "deplorable" working conditions — they hired strippers.

EXCLUSIVE Movement to honor Irish immigrant killed in Vietnam War grows

Lance Cpl. Patrick (Bob) Gallagher, who was killed weeks before he was set to leave Vietnam, was given the Marine Corps' second-highest honor, the Navy Cross. Now, others inspired by his bravery are asking the military to name a ship after him, and issue a posthumous Medal of Honor.

Relatives of missing Malaysia Airlines passengers are still holding onto hope

One week after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared, relatives of the 239 people aboard still believe in the unbelievable: Their loved ones are somehow alive.

Malaysia 'resisting' aid, scrutiny on Flight 370: Rep. Peter King

Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.) Sunday slammed the Malaysian government for “resisting” international aid and scrutiny in the search for answers about the fate of flight 370.

White House: No Obamacare individual mandate delay

The White House will not delay the “individual mandate” at the core of Obamacare, a top Administration official said Sunday. “That will not happen,” top White House advisor Dan Pfeiffer said Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, amid Republican calls for a delay of the requirement that Americans have health insurance by March 31 or incur a fine assessed with their 2013 tax return.

NYC transit workers union celebrates Irish rebel roots — and draws nationalist party members

The transit workers union reveled in its Irish rebel roots Saturday during a celebration in Brooklyn that drew leading members of the nationalist Sinn Fein party.

Bush-Gore replay? What to look for In today's Crimean vote

By the time most Americans are returning from church or finishing lunch, Vladimir Putin will have orchestrated word of the alleged results in Sunday’s referendum on whether Crimea joins Russia.

Lupica: Phil Jackson hiring buys James Dolan some time as Knicks fans fume

For now, it apparently will cost only $50 million or $60 million or whatever Phil Jackson is going to make off the Knicks to neutralize the protest some Knicks fans were planning.

Lady Gaga reveals being bankrupt for Monster Ball Tour

Crimea annexation a 'fait accompli;' struggle with Putin not over: McCain

Just back from a visit to the Ukraine, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Sunday that the annexation of Ukraine is a “fait accompli,” but the standoff with Russian President Vladimir Putin is far from over.

Former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has advanced cancer

Former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has been diagnosed with an advanced form of an unknown cancer, the Boston Globe reported. The newspaper said in a story posted on its website Saturday that doctors found were unable to find the source of the cancer that had metastasized.

Kim Kardashian stuns in white for family dinner

China's Twitter-like messaging service Weibo files for $500M U.S. IPO

Twitter-like messaging service Weibo Corp filed on Friday to raise $500 million via a U.S. initial public offering, as Chinese companies flock to the American market in record numbers.

Long Island teen stabs younger brother, 14, multiple times

A Long Island teen has been charged with attempted murder after stabbing his younger brother multiple times with a kitchen knife , cops said. The attack happened Friday at a Williston Park home. Nassau County police say 18-year-old Ruben Renderos told his 14-year-old brother that he wanted to kill himself.