MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

L.A. Clippers score emotional win hours after owner Donald Sterling gets kicked out of NBA and fined $2.5M for racial remarks

Clippers owner Donald Sterling (lower right) — who, according to the league’s investigation, did spew racist rhetoric during a taped conversation with his former mistress V. Stiviano (far right) — has been suspended indefinitely as the Daily News called for. L.A. fans supported the team during their emotional win last night. read full story »

EXCLUSIVE Bronx boy, 4, may have died from consuming rat poison left by exterminator — 'The kids play outside and no one was watching [them]'

Little Juan Sanchez passed away Monday, a day after he may have swallowed poison left by an exterminator in the family’s Morrisania home, sources said.

Columbia student claims to New York's Belle Knox, offers $1,200 escort service

An anonymous Columbia student claiming to be New York’s male answer to the infamous Duke porn star has penned his own racy tell-all for a college blog.

University of Alabama athlete, honor roll student killed in storm was ‘true southern gentleman’ who sacrificed himself: friend

A beloved University of Alabama athlete and honor student who lost his life in Monday's violent storms is being remembered as "a true southern gentleman" who sacrificed himself to save his girlfriend.

ABOUT A BOY: Chicago girl, 14, guns down romantic rival in Facebook dispute: police

A Facebook feud between two 14-year-old girls over a boy ended when one gunned down the other on a Southside Chicago porch in broad daylight Monday afternoon, police said.

Florida Rep. Alan Grayson accuses wife of bigamy in divorce papers

Rep. Alan Grayson, a Florida Democrat, alleged in divorce papers that his union with his wife, Lolita, was a “bigamous marriage” because she was already married when he wed her in 1990.

Rent a Gent provides ladies with arm candy, cooking — but no sex

SINS OF THE FATHER: Cincinnati dad punched 3-month-old in face, killing her, police say

Police say a father in southwest Ohio hit his 3-month-old daughter with a closed fist before she was pronounced dead at a hospital.

EXCLUSIVE Election commission charges Rep. Charles Rangel’s reelection campaign for accepting $6.7K over limit

Rep. Charles Rangel’s reelection campaign accepted $6,700 in contributions over legal limits, the Federal Election Commission charged.

Mayoral candidate in New Jersey town allegedly caught on tape in racist rant

A candidate for Mayor of a small New Jersey town was caught on tape allegedly spewing a racist rant in which she said she didn’t want her village to become a “f------ n-----town.”

Second suspect charged in murder, kidnapping of Tennessee nursing student Holly Bobo

Three years after 20-year-old mysteriously vanished, Jason Autry, 39, was charged Tuesday with Especially Aggravated Kidnapping and First Degree Felony Murder, making the second arrest in the investigation.

NBA players, friends pour out support for ban of bigotry

NBA commish praised for banning Sterling from NBA for life

Supportive reactions poured in immediately after NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced a lifetime ban has been issued to Clippers owner Donald Sterling for making a series of racist remarks.

Expert: NBA commissioner was as tough as he can be, but Sterling will not break

Commissioner Silver was trying to make a point — that he imposed the maximum penalty he could, a maximum fine and a lifetime ban. The $2.5 million is nothing to Donald Sterling, but in principle, Silver is throwing the book at him.

Sterling is out, but who is in? List includes Magic and Diddy as potential owners

So Donald Sterling is out forever after Adam Silver's lifetime ban. But who is in? Here's a look at who could take over the day-to-day operations of the Clippers, and at least a few potential owners should the NBA get the embattled owner to sell his franchise.

EDITORIAL The NBA commissioner rightly bounces racist owner Donald Sterling out of the league

Bracing it was to see Commissioner Adam Silver speak with anger, authority and moral clarity — and ban Donald Sterling from the National Basketball Association for the rest of his miserable life.

Sterling's son-in-law rips Clippers' owner over racist remarks: report

Eric Miller has harsh words for his father-in-law and employer and says he doesn't care if it costs him his job with organization, according to TMZ.

Is this Rihanna's most risqué cover ever?

EXCLUSIVE Judge nixes $900G awarded to man who sued Mangia catering company over anti-Semitic harassment

Adam Wiercinski may have convinced the jury last fall that co-workers at Mangia 57 called him a “kike,” a “dirty Jew” and tossed pennies at him, but the plaintiff destroyed his credibility with Brooklyn Judge Leo Glasser by invoking his constitutional right against self-incrimination when he was cross-examined about using a fake name to collect salary and benefits.

White House task force to issue recommendations to combat campus rape

The Obama administration admonished colleges and universities — “No more turning a blind eye” — in new guidelines designed to stem sexual assaults on campuses and help the victims.

Mixture of heroin, alcohol caused deaths of ex-SEALs on 'Captain Phillips' ship

Seychelles police say a mixture of heroin and alcohol caused the deaths of two former U.S. Navy SEALs on the ship made famous by the 'Captain Phillips' pirate hostage crisis.

Boy Scouts member accidentally outed as gay on Facebook denied summer job with the organization

Garrett Bryant, 19, was looking forward to a leadership position in Arizona when he was told last month that he was being turned down because of his sexuality.

Mariah strips down for sultry magazine shoot

Sarah Palin defends bizarre waterboarding comments comparing torture method to baptism

Sarah Palin doubled down on bizarre comments made earlier this week comparing waterboarding to baptizing. “Actions to stop terrorists who’d utterly annihilate America and delight in massacring our innocent children?"

At least 11 injured in explosion at Southern California building: report

Of the 11 injured two are said to be critically. The explosion was at a La Habra commercial building in Los Angeles around 9:50 a.m., according to a report.

Developer behind 'Ground Zero mosque' plans Islam museum near World Trade Center

Sharif El-Gamal wants to construct a three-story museum devoted to Muslim arts and culture at his 45-51Park Place property, just blocks from the World Trade Center. The site will also include a sanctuary for prayer services and community programs, he said..

Christians in Virginia plan 40-day fast to protest gay marriage

The Family Foundation of Virginia is encouraging pastors and congregations to fast between Aug. 27 and Oct. 5 to fight against the legalization of gay marriage — in Virginia and around the country.

Justin dines with Kendall Jenner amid rift with Selena

Italian court that convicted Amanda Knox says victim's wounds suggest multiple assailants — and the pair fought the night of the murder

The appellate court in Florence on Tuesday issued a 337-page explanation for its January guilty verdicts against the American and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.

Mom of boy who stowed-away in plane to run away to her says she hadn't seen him in 8 years

The mother of a boy who stowed-away in a plane’s wheel well last week says her son wanted to see her but his father wouldn’t let him contact her.

DEADLY WEATHER TO CONTINUE: Meteorologists say more tornadoes looming in southeast part of U.S. as death toll rises to 29

A storm system that killed more than 20 people continued its march across a large swath of the U.S. Southeast on Tuesday, packing baseball-sized hail, damaging winds and the threat of more tornadoes.

President Obama’s approval rating falls to new low: poll

President Obama's approval rating has fallen to a new low, according to a recent poll. Only 41% of respondents approve of the job Obama is doing as President, according to the Washington Post/ABC News poll — the lowest marks of his five-plus years in office in any such Washington Post/ABC poll.

Dolphins protect swimmer from shark

British open-water swimmer Adam Walker was working on a 16-mile trek in New Zealand's Cook Strait when he spotted a great white shark below him. Not good, he thought. But then he was rescued — by a group of dolphins.

Lagging Twitter membership sparks falling share prices

Twitter’s shares fell more than 10% in after-hours trading Tuesday after microblogging site showed a slowdown in user growth. The stock, which closed Tuesday at $42.62, is down 33% this year.

NYPD officer arrested, charged with possession of child pornography

An NYPD officer was busted on child pornography charges after cops discovered he was downloading sickening sex clips onto his computer and sharing the material, police said on Tuesday.

Soros Fund employee stalked girlfriend, ruined her career: suit

Marta Billeci says in a lawsuit that ex-boyfriend Taye Famm would send her unsolicited text messages and emails, including confidential internal messages from his employer. Famm got an order of protection against Billeci based on 'outright lies,' and she was arrested after returning one of his calls, the suit says.

Kim and Kanye to marry in small civil ceremony: report

Boehner challenger fired over 'electile dysfunction' ad

An Ohio Christian college was not impressed with its French professor, who staged a campaign ad mocking “electile dysfunction” in Washington. J.D. Winteregg is a long shot candidate challenging House Speaker John Boehner in the midterm elections, but what he lacks in name recognition he is making up for in creativity.

Carriage driver allegedly lied about horse's age

The city's Health Department has accused a carriage driver of trying to fool regulators into thinking a 22-year-old carriage horse with breathing difficulties was actually a much younger animal in good health.

Florida girl recovering from vicious dog attack

Doctors have reconstructed part of the face of a little girl in Florida who was savagely attacked by a 100-pound-dog last week.

SEE: Brooklyn Decker gets naked, talks dirty in video

SEE IT: Woman leans out over Philadelphia train tracks, tumbles onto electrified rail

A woman waiting for a train at a Philadelphia train station tumbled onto the tracks as she leaned over the platform and landed on the electrified third rail.

Ivy League LI teen soon to unveil his choice

The boy genius from Long Island who has been accepted into all eight Ivy League schools is set to reveal his decision LeBron James-style.

EXCLUSIVE NYPD detectives downed at least 11 beers EACH prior to one shooting another in the wrist: source

The two detectives out drinking last week before one shot the other in the wrist were boozing for several hours -- each downing at least 11 beers, a police source said.

Witness to Central Park carriage horse crash advocates for ban in City Hall

The Oklahoma tourist who witnessed a scary Central Park carriage horse tumble last week trotted to City Hall Tuesday to push for a ban on the industry.Stefanie Sinclair, 29, chatted with several lawmakers in the City Hall rotunda and outside City Council chambers.