MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

FORT HOOD SHOOTING: Depressed combat veteran opens fire on fellow soldiers, slaying 3 and injuring 16 before killing himself

DEVELOPING: Four people, including the gunman, have been killed and 14 reported injured after the gunfire Wednesday afternoon at Fort Hood, the large military post in Killeen, Texas. The shooter, identified as 34-year-old soldier Ivan Lopez who was in uniform at the time, is dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. read full story »

EXCLUSIVE MTA worker gets spanked, written up by boss for 'conduct unbecoming' — on his DAY OFF — for attending annual No Pants Subway Ride

A subway motorman really got his bosses’ skivvies in a bunch by posting a photo of himself on Facebook wearing a hoodie, socks, colorful briefs and a big smile.

BREAKING MORE HORROR! Chile hit with 7.6-magnitude aftershock day after massive quake

IQUIQUE, Chile — The U.S. Geological Survey says a powerful 7.8-magnitude aftershock has rocked Chile’s northern coast, which was hit by a powerful magnitude-8.2 earthquake Tuesday night.

EXCLUSIVE BROWN AND OUT: UPS cans 250 Queens drivers after they staged a walk-out to protest against long-time employee's firing

One of the workers who faces dismissal just got back on the job following a near-fatal accident. Domenick DeDomenico (pictured) was in a coma for 10 days after getting hit by a car last year.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court REJECTS Jerry Sandusky appeal bid

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court won’t review Jerry Sandusky’s 45-count child molestation conviction. The justices ruled Wednesday that they won’t take up the former Penn State assistant football coach’s appeal.

Woman kidnapped outside Port Authority Bus Terminal, beaten, forced into prostitution

A woman kidnapped outside the Port Authority Bus Terminal was rescued in Utah after a terrifying 2,000-mile trip where she was forced to turn tricks along the way.

Cincinnati dad who killed daughter in accidental shooting gets 6 YEARS in prison

A Cincinnati man pleaded guilty to the accidental shooting death of his 11-year-old daughter during a drunken fight with the girl’s mother and was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison.

EXCLUSIVE: Strahan, Ray part of 'GMA' plan to take down 'Today'

EMERGENCY LANDING AT JFK: Delta Flight 886 diverted for hyrdaulic failure misses runway and ends up on grass

Delta Flight 886 from Atlanta was approaching LaGuardia Airport when pilots realized the hydraulics problem, a spokeswoman for the airline said.

Canadian couple to stand trial for engaging in sex act on plane

Jason George Chase, 39, and Alicia Elizabeth Lander, 25, allegedly hooked up on the Air Canada shuttle from Toronto to Halifax on Jan. 24.

Pennsylvania mom says 'crazy voices' drove her to sit on her two kids in her bathtub — killing one

Laurel Michelle Schlemmer, 40, of McCandless - located just north of Pittsburgh - was arrested for drowning her 3-year-old son, Luke, and critically injuring his 6-year-old brother, Daniel.

GRIME AND PUNISHMENT: Maryland mom fuming after her kid had to clean toilets during detention

Neshanna Turner was taken aback, then enraged after finding out her fifth-grade son was ordered to clean his school while serving detention.

College student visiting Colo. for spring break falls from balcony and dies after eating marijuana cookies

Levy Thamba, a 19-year-old exchange student, fell four-stories after eating the legally purchased cookies in what's believed to be the first publicized fatality linked to pot since its legalized sale in January.

NY state has highest 2011 tax burden: report

New Yorkers spent 12.6% of their per capita income in 2011 on state and local taxes, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation.

Terrorist magazine Inspire offers car bomb recipe that could explode in maker's face

NYPD officials said Wednesday the jihadist magazine’s instructions for making a car bomb could cause the assembled explosive to blow up in the maker’s face.

Georgia 911 operator saves her OWN father in first day on job

Crystal Morrow was flying solo on her first shift as a 911 dispatcher when her family had a medical emergency.

85-year-old Texas woman mauled by son’s pit bulls inside her home: cops

Two "very aggressive" pit bulls broke through a bedroom door and attacked Dorothy Hamilton inside her Kaufman, Texas, home.

Company responsible for WTC security has hired former FBI director’s firm to fix recent security lapses

The Durst Organization has hired blue-chip firm run by former FBI director Louis Freeh to help close security holes at 1 World Trade Center.

Maria sizzles on the sand in Cancun

EXCLUSIVE Queens Library scandal spurs state lawmakers to push for reforms

Lawmakers have introduced a bill to prevent a sequel to the page-turning drama of the Queens Library. The state legislation, which will be proposed Thursday, aims to curb runaway spending in the borough’s library system — as epitomized by embattled head Thomas Galante.

Protesters rally at Newtown gun organization’s DC event Newtown gun fans hit in D.C.

Protesters tried to confront attendees, including a politican attempting to use the back entrance to avoid them.

Flooding may slow search at Washington mudslide site

Efforts to recover bodies following a Washington state mudslide that killed at least 29 people could be hampered in the coming weeks if melting snow runs into a clogged river at the disaster site.

Nigella Lawson barred from U.S., stopped before flight to L.A.

Judge halts Texas executions over drug secrecy

A federal judge on Wednesday halted two executions in Texas, declaring that the state’s prison system must disclose to defense attorneys more information about the supplier of a new batch of lethal-injection drugs.

Company responsible for WTC security has hired former FBI director’s firm to fix recent security lapses

The Durst Organization has hired blue-chip firm run by former FBI director Louis Freeh to help close security holes at 1 World Trade Center.

SEE IT Newfoundland man trapped in house by snowbank

A Newfoundland man found his house snowed in as he opened his front door and saw a massive snow bank.

General Motors CEO Mary Barra grilled by lawmakers

Lawmakers Wednesday turned up the heat on General Motors, accusing the automaker of criminal deceit in its handling of a deadly parts defect.

Two Salt Lake City men busted for dragging child across street, tying to tree: cops

A Salt Lake City man allegedly dragged his friend's 4-year-old son across a street with a leash and tied him to a tree Sunday — all so he they could get stoned.

'Still expecting potentially an even larger earthquake': Chilean temblor that left 6 people dead not ‘the big one,’ experts say

Authorities in northern Chile discovered surprisingly light damage and just six reported deaths Wednesday from a magnitude-8.2 quake — a remarkably low toll for such a powerful shift in the Earth’s crust.

Worker at Dream New York hotel in Midtown falls eight stories to his death from scaffold perch

A worker fell to his death from scaffolding outside the Dream New York hotel in Midtown on Wednesday afternoon, plummeting eight stories, cops said.

Marco Rubio says he’ll decide on 2016 White House bid ‘around this time next year'

Rubio won his Senate seat in 2010 on a wave of support from the conservative Tea Party movement. He has since established himself as a leading voice on issues such as immigration reform.

Newtown residents want school shooter's home destroyed, turned into park: report

A survey conducted revealed many respondents feel the more than $11M given in donations should go toward buying and tearing down the home and turning it into a 'park or nature preserve.'

Daredevil teen who climbed atop WTC shows no bravado during brief court appearance

Justin Casquejo, 16, didn't say a word during the court hearing in Midtown Community Court where a judge ordered he undergo a youth assessment.

Warren: Supreme Court hadn't read the newspaper as they struck down campaign contribution limits

It's an absurdity too gross to be insisted upon. The Supreme Court majority must have missed their morning paper before again ruling that the more money that comes into politics, the better.

BUNNY LOVE: Humane Society offers to spray and neuter your pet for free

Here’s a way to make sure your bunnies don’t breed like rabbits — and then get dumped at parks and shelters.

Rare skin infection has now struck more than 60 who handled fish in NYC markets

The New York City Health Department has identified 66 cases of people infected from touching live or raw seafood in Chinatown markets across the city.

California game officers kill cougar after it stalks 5-year-old boy

California game wardens shot and killed a cougar after it stalked a young boy hiking with his family in Orange County on Sunday.

Texas man beaten, robbed by authorities in city jail: lawsuit

A Texas man claims he was wrongfully arrested before a group of jail workers pummeled him and stole his cash.

Saudi Arabia labels atheists as terrorists in new anti-dissident law

The Middle Eastern country has issued new legislation that labels all atheists as terrorists who are a threat to “public order.”

'Game of Thrones' star Natalie Dormer topless in sultry shoot

'Lord of the Rings' director Peter Jackson's private jet joins search for missing Malaysian plane

A spokesperson for Peter Jackson confirmed that a private jet owned by Peter Jackson is now helping officials hunt for the Boeing 777 that vanished on March 8, along with its 239 passengers and crew.

Ex-Northwestern QB Kain Colter takes his NCAA union battle to Capitol Hill

Former Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter took his cause to Capitol Hill, where he met with Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) to discuss Colter’s and other Northwestern players’ efforts to unionize.

Ousted Ukraine president: Crimea's 'tragedy' wouldn't have happened on my watch

Viktor Yanukovych said that he was "wrong" to invite Russian troops into Crimea, and vowed to try to persuade Russia to return the Black Sea peninsula.

New York boy tells court he accidently shot teen sister with .22-caliber Colt revolver

A 12-year-old Queens boy who accidentally shot his teen sister pleaded guilty Wednesday to criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree assault.

Man on trial for running Internet drug bazaar Silk Road shouldn't be charged with money laundering because Bitcoins isn't real currency: lawyer

Ross William Ulbricht is charged with using Bitcoins to shield activity related to drug deals, criminal services and murder-for-hire plots that took place on the site.

Manslaughter trial begins for 'doctor of death' who ‘peddled painkillers for cash’ out of Queens basement office

Dr. Stan Xuhui Li "abused his licenses" and prescribed potentially deadly drugs to patients "in pursuit of the almighty dollar," prosecutors charged Wednesday at the opening of his Manhattan Supreme Court trial.

INSULT TO INJURY: Thief swipes elderly Florida man’s car hours after he’s stabbed in separate attack

An elderly man who was stabbed and beaten during a robbery attempt in a Florida shopping center woke up the next day as the victim of another crime after he noticed his car had been stolen.

SEE IT: Bar Refaeli's sexy ad banned on Israeli TV

Obama gives Nancy Pelosi rosary beads from Pope Francis

“It means a great deal to me,” she told reporters about the papal present that Obama passed on Tuesday when they lunched together at the White House.

EXCLUSIVE Kathie Lee & Hoda: Sorry Emma! You won't look that beautiful forever

'I wanted him to understand he was not alone': Security guard reunites with burn victim he helped after Seattle copter crash

'KIDS AREN'T TEST SCORES': Parents oppose N.Y. Common Core by pulling kids out of school on exam day

GET LUCKY: Emily VanCamp sizzles as agent 13 in 'Captain America'

Man accused of killing wife after she asked for a divorce breaks down in tears on first day of murder trial

Florida kindergartner claims she was stopped from praying over lunch

Derek Jeter's Final Season

Sports

NFL Mock Draft: Houston Texans should take Johnny Football

The first round of the NFL draft is May 8 and every Thursday until then the Daily News’ Gary Myers will chart his Top 10 mock draft plus the Giants’ and Jets’ picks. Here’s the first installment.

Rocket must share juicy docs in McNamee lawsuit

A federal judge on Wednesday ordered Roger Clemens to share with his chief steroid accuser hundreds of juicy documents related to the damage-control campaign the Rocket launched in the aftermath of 2007’s Mitchell Report on doping in baseball.

Young right-hander Chris Archer signs 6-year, $25.5M deal with Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays agreed a long-term contract with another of their young pitchers, signing right-hander Chris Archer to a $25.5 million, six-year deal on Wednesday. The contract includes club options for 2020 and 2021 that could raise the value to $43.75 million.