MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

CHEATING DEATH: Houston firefighters pluck trapped construction worker hanging from window ledge as roaring 5-alarm blaze engulfs structure — SEE THE VIDEO

The incredible smoke and fire can be seen from miles away as it overtakes the building at West Dallas and Marcini, KPRC reported. read full story »

DEVELOPING Three Secret Service agents sent home from the Netherlands for disciplinary reasons before Obama trip

The U.S. Secret Service says three agents were sent home from Amsterdam for disciplinary reasons on Sunday.

Texas teen’s sexual affair with married science teacher ruined his future as a Marine, suit claims

A Texas boy’s sexual relationship with his married high school science teacher caused him such emotional distress that it ruined his planned career in the armed forces, the teen claims in a lawsuit.

THIS is trespassing: Two CNN journalists arrested for trying to sneak into World Trade Center site: officials

Producer Yon Pomrenze, 35, and cameraman Connor Fieldman Boals, 26, were busted by Port Authority cops after they were caught trying to climb a fence, according to a PA spokesman.

N.D. mom starved 13-year-old son, who weighed 21 pounds at death: authorities

Tiny and frail Aidan Edward Bossingham was found dead in his mother’s garbage-strewn Kenmare home, which authorities said was unkempt and reeked of feces.

WAR DRUMS? North Korea test-fires mid-range ballistic missiles in violation of U.N. resolutions: Seoul

North Korea test-fired what appeared to be two mid-range ballistic missiles Wednesday, South Korea said, hours after Pyongyang rivals South Korea, Japan and the U.S. met in the Netherlands to discuss the country.

PHOTOS: Kim rocks the Big Apple with sexy sheer gown

South Carolina man hits girlfriend with anger management workbook, she cuts him with boxcutter: deputies

Sheelah Thompson and her boyfriend Tyler Ford were allegedly fighting about their relationship Monday night at their Spartanburg apartment when Ford rolled up the book and hit his girlfriend on the cheek.

Michigan man pleads guilty to killing his girlfriend in failed suicide attempt

Robert Caldwell, 33, pleaded guilty Friday to involuntary manslaughter, discharge of a firearm while under the influence, felony firearm possession and resisting and obstructing police, according to a report.

'My teeth were halfway out of my mouth': Group of young girls attack Temple University student before beating another with a brick, 5 arrested

A Temple University student said she was attacked by a group of young girls across the street from a Philadelphia police station — just minutes before the mob beat another 19-year-old student.

'I tried to stop them': Ohio man kills wife, turns shotgun on himself in front of teenage daughter

Robert and Lisa Seeber's 18-year-old daughter, Martina, called 911 in the middle of their fight but it was no use.

EXPERT: Obama fears NYC nuclear attack, but he again proposes to cut budget for city's protection

President Obama is right to be worried about the possibility of a nuclear weapon going off in Manhattan. Attacking the city is on virtually every terrorist's bucket list.

NY budget would set aside $300M for pre-K — $40M less than Mayor de Blasio sought after

The emerging deal — first reported by The News on its website Tuesday afternoon — would provide $40 million less than Mayor de Blasio had sought and is not funded by the hike in the city income tax on the wealthy the mayor wanted.

Eva Moskowitz encouraged by Mayor de Blasio's softening on charters but wants state-level protection

Charter school crusader Eva Moskowitz praised Mayor de Blasio Tuesday for softening his tone on the privately run, publicly funded schools.

TREE HUGGER IN THE BUFF: Naked Alabama man climbs pine tree to 'make it his home': cops

Michael Howard Long, 40, who climbed a 40-foot pine tree in Arab, Ala., without any clothes on over the weekend, pleaded guilty to public lewdness Monday, according to local media.

One dead, four injured by body parts after person hit by train in New Jersey station: police

A man was struck and killed by a northbound New Jersey Transit train at the New Brunswick station, and four people on the platform were struck by "debris" and suffered minor injuries, cops tell The News.

Convicted ‘lone wolf’ terrorist Jose Pimentel gets 16 years in prison

Pimentel pleaded guilty last month to attempted criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree as a crime of terrorism.

Bernie Madoff’s former accountant is final Ponzi scheme defendant going to trial

Paul Konigsberg, 77, is charged with conspriacy and filing falsified business records. He is expected to go to trail this year, but Monday's jury verdict against the Madoff Five may spur him into a deal, experts said.

HOT! Guess which celeb posted this sexy photo

EXCLUSIVE Gonzalez: Controller Scott Stringer rejects $6M settlement with Hewlett-Packard for 911 overcharging

Settlement, which totaled $6 million, was reached during the Bloomberg administration's final days with Hewlett-Packard to repay a tiny fraction of what it overcharged the city for the modernization of the 911 system.

Man jailed for New Jersey shoe store robbery 15 years ago robs store again day after release: police

Christopher M. Miller was arrested Saturday after allegedly reenacting the same crime he committed at the Stride Rite store in Toms River in 1999.

Cement truck drives off Hollywood Hills cliff, lands upside down

The unidentified driver managed to free himself from the wreckage before firefighters arrived. Authorities received a 911 call about the crash near 1845 North Crescent Heights Blvd. at 12:55 p.m.

PHOTOS: Bikini-clad Beyonce plays by the beach...

EXCLUSIVE NYPD policy: Neutralize 'active shooter' without delay

The NYPD has a new “active shooter” protocol — and it’s clearly designed to avoid actions that cost lives in high-profile attacks like Newtown and Kenya.

Report shows dentists bilked NY state's Medicaid program cheating patients with questionable bills

The state’s Medicaid program paid through the teeth for questionable billings by shady dentists and orthodontists, a new federal report charges.

Pal of Boston marathon bomber threatened authorities with pole before being fatally shot: prosecutor

Ibragim Todashev allegedly agreed to give a statement about his involvement in a triple murder in Massachusetts before he was killed during questioning in a Florida apartment complex last year.

California grandmother freed from prison after serving 32 years of life sentence for first-degree murder

Mary Virginia Jones walked out of an L.A. prison late Monday after USC law students took up her case and successfully argued Jones was forced into her role in the crime by an abusive boyfriend.

... and steps out in Barcelona with daughter Blue Ivy

Oscar Pistorius' defense team could call on him to testify as soon as Friday

Just when — and for how long — fallen Olympian Oscar Pistorius will testify is the big question that will go a long way to determining the outcome of his trial for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp.

World leaders play ‘dirty bomb’ nuclear war game at Netherlands summit to see how they’d respond to attack

President Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron and a group of other leaders played a game called ‘Nukes on the Loose,’ according to a report.

Nate Silver tells readers to 'shut out noise' from Democrats criticizing research

Nate Silver is fighting Democrats who are trying to undermine the validity of his midterm election forecast that projects a GOP takeover of the U.S. Senate.

Key Texas shipping port partially reopens after massive oil spill

One of the nation's busiest seaports to ship traffic was reopened Tuesday, three days after a collision between a barge and a ship spilled up to 170,000 gallons of tar-like oil into the waters south of Houston.

EXCLUSIVE Khloe leaves Joan Rivers out to dry following Kim sext tape spoof

Immigration service pushes for childhood arrivals to sign up for work permits

'Don't have immigration papers? Scared of deportation? Want to get a work permit?' a new flyer plastered around immigrant neighborhoods provocatively asks. The poster — in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Haitian-Creole and Hindi — is part of a city-wide push to get more people to sign up for a special program called deferred action for childhood arrivals, which grants social security cards and work permits to young immigrants here illegally.

University of San Diego student arrested for throwing eggs at cops

A University of San Diego student was arrested for throwing eggs at two traffic enforcement officers during a tirade over someone else’s vehicle.

5 bodies found inside plane crash wreckage in Colorado reservoir: authorities

Crews are working to pull the wreckage from the water so they can retrieve the bodies. Their identities have not yet been released.

CATWALKERS: East Harlem fashion show stars sassy senior models

WATCH Man tries to break into police station to get his skateboard: cops

Nathaniel Mirelez tried to break into the Troutdale, Ore., to get his skateboard back after a shoplifting bust. His bumbling attempt was caught by the department's security cameras.

Man run over, killed trying to stop drunken Chicago man from driving: police

A drunken Chicago man driving away from a West Town bar dragged another tavern patron to his death as the Good Samaritan tried to stop the loaded driver from getting behind the wheel, police say.

Fans of comatose racing legend Michael Schumacher should be prepared for 'really bad news': doctor

Fans of race car champ Michael Schumacher, who has been in a coma since a skiing accident in December, should prepare for “really bad news,” according to the former chief doctor for Formula One.

Miranda Kerr, son Flynn out on the town NYC

Donald Rumsfeld: A 'trained ape' has better foreign policy skills than Obama

In a Fox News interview, the former secretary of defense slammed the President’s administration and it’s handling of foreign policy, specifically with Afghanistan and outgoing President Hamid Karzai.

Cops closing in on suspect in 1979 cold-case murder in Pennsylvania

For the first time since the brutal stabbing of Holly Branagan in 1979, police believe they may have identified a suspect.

As Central Park horse Roger trots off, Rudy Giuliani blasts move to end Manhattan's horse carriage industry

It’s happy trails time for one of Central Park’s best-known carriage horses. Roger, the red-headed gelding whose photogenic face has appeared on “Sex & the City” and “Law & Order,” will hang up his horseshoes for good Tuesday, said his longtime owner Ian McKeever

It's splitsville for Gwyneth and Chris Martin after 10 years

Mumps outbreak at Ohio State University spreads to surrounding community

More than 60 cases of mumps have been confirmed in central Ohio following an outbreak at Ohio State University, according to public health officials.

Texas teacher arrested for performing oral sex on 15-year-old boy in her classroom: cops

Corrie Anne Long, 43, is accused of abusing the 15-year-old Hopper Middle School student during a long-running sexual affair.

New Jersey senator wants to legalize growing, selling marijuana in state

Democrat Nicholas Scutari cited the tax revenue netted in Colorado, which legalized weed this year. He estimated New Jersey's haul would be $100 million a year.

Kardashian clan rolls out clothing line for baby girls

TRUTH, JUSTICE AND $15G BAIL: Christopher Reeves busted in Superman shirt on DUI, drug charges

Sailor gunned down at Naval Station Norfolk, security forces kill male suspect

The honeymoon's not over: JT and Jessica Biel sizzle on vacation

SEE IT SWEET MESS! Massive honey spill sparks miles-long traffic jam on California freeway

TAKING THE ZZZ TRAIN: Calif. woman falls asleep on Caltrain and wakes up alone, stuck in storage yard

Sports

Myers: Wilson's death, Kelly's cancer battle have Buffalo blue

Andre Reed, Bruce Smith and Thurman Thomas showed up at Jim Kelly’s house in Buffalo on Friday, and as much as they tried to make it seem like old times, Kelly’s spirits were down when they arrived, and his three teammates were sad when they left.

SEE IT: Twins play hilarious March Madness prank on Mike Pelfrey

While Wichita State's NCAA Tournament run didn't live up to expectations, it did inspire an amazing prank at the expense of Minnesota Twins pitcher Mike Pelfrey.

MLB, union talking tough on PED penalties

Major League Baseball and the Players Association are in negotiations to eliminate the loophole that will require the Yankees to pay nearly $3 million to Alex Rodriguez this season despite his season-long doping suspension, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

L'ville mayor has Kentucky fans seeing red

The mayor of Louisville is ready to paint his town red. Mayor Greg Fischer has declared Friday “Cardinal Red Day” and is encouraging fans to wear red, businesses to display red signage and homeowners to get some red out there, too, in advance of Louisville’s Sweet Sixteen matchup against Kentucky on Friday night.