MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

FOUND! Two missing N.Y. Amish girls freed from 2 male kidnappers who hid them in isolated home after snatching them from family's roadside vegetable stand

Fannie Miller, 12, and Delila Miller, 6, abducted from their family's roadside vegetable stand in upstate New York, were found safe late Thursday, authorities announced.

New Jersey veteran says he was denied entry into Six Flags theme park for shirt supporting Marines

The shirt reading 'Keep Calm and Return Fire' and featuring a star-spangled M-16 rifle was apparently too much of a disturbance to allow park entry for father of three, Mario Alejandro, on Saturday.

Florida man calls 911 on HIMSELF after allegedly raping woman he lured off Craigslist

Deputies responding to a 911 call for sexual battery Tuesday said they were flagged down by Joel Jones who cried: 'I assaulted her. Take me to jail!' the Palm Beach Post reported.

Congressional delegation wants feds to investigate Eric Garner's death, broken windows policing

A half-dozen members of the city's congressional delegation are calling for a federal investigation into the Eric Garner case and the NYPD's "broken windows" crime-fighting strategy.

U.S. Marine filmed urinating on Taliban fighters’ corpses in 2011 found dead in home: report

Marine Cpl. Robert Richards, 28, a combat veteran and revered sniper, was found dead Wednesday night, according to a report. His death does not appear to be a suicide.

'A decent guy is getting f—d': NBC rude to departing 'Press' host Gregory

Veteran Chicago cop groped other officer’s daughter, 9, at barbecue: prosecutor

A Chicago police sergeant groped the 9-year-old daughter of another cop at a Saturday night barbecue at the officer’s city home, prosecutors said.

Banana exec cops plea to giving cocaine that killed sex partner following three-way in NYC hotel

Thomas Hoey, 46, told a federal judge he gave cocaine to Kimberly Calo, 41, following the January 2009 sex romp. He also admitted telling the other woman in the three-way to lie before the grand jury.

Deadbeat Wisc. dad busted at posh Los Angeles country club, owes $250K child support: prosecutor

But authorities in Wisconsin say Rodriguez, real name Raul Rodriguez Cardona, 48, owes some $250,000 in child support dating back to 1994 and hasn’t made a single payment since 1996.

Mississippi fugitive suspected of horrific child abuse caught in Oregon after five years on the lam

She’s gone by Jeanie, Dealie, Victoria and Vicki, but to the U.S. Marshals’ list of 15 Most Wanted, she’s Janet Killough Barreto.

Not so flawless! Beyonce accused of altering image

Nixzmary Brown's brother will receive treatment while in city child-welfare agency

The troubled brother of abuse victim Nixzmary Brown will receive treatment while in the hands of the city’s child-welfare agency.

La. woman uses dead sister’s info at hospital: cops

Talk about a fashion statement. Cops were able to bust a Louisiana woman for Medicaid fraud after she checked into the hospital using her dead sister’s name — and wearing a T-shirt memorializing the same sister’s memory.

First wave of U.S. National Guard arrives on Mexican border

Several dozen soldiers deployed in the Rio Grande Valley are part of the up to 1,000 troops called up by Gov. Rick Perry last month.

Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki resigns amid struggle against ISIS

Iraq's embattled Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki resigned Thursday, meeting a demand by President Obama as Iraq struggles to combat the threat posed by murderous Sunni jihadists.

New Jersey man strangled cousin, her 10-year-old daughter after woman caught him taking pornographic pictures of girl: authorities

Brian Farmer, 58, was collared late Wednesday after investigators determined he was at the Long Branch apartment of Joan Colbert, 62, and her daughter, Veronica Roach, before they were found dead.

Massachusetts mom to New Hampshire man who raped and killed her college-age daughter: 'I unequivocally hate you'

A New Hampshire man who raped and killed a college student was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the chance of parole after the victim’s family tearfully and angrily lamented what he took from them.

Back on? Strahan and Nicole spotted on lunch date

NewLink says Canadian Ebola vaccine trial could start in weeks

NewLink Genetics, which licensed an Ebola vaccine developed by Canadian government scientists, has enough doses on hand to launch the first human safety trial of an Ebola vaccine this summer.

Bear breaks into Colorado vehicle, chows down on turkey sandwich

A black bear was caught on camera after he broke into a tree-trimmer’s pickup truck and munched down a sandwich.

Accused gunman says he left NY because he 'had no winter clothes'

The man who gunned down an Inwood restaurant owner in 1986 bizarrely testified Thursday that he was not dodging the NYPD by avoiding New York for decades after the shooting, but went to Miami because he “had no winter clothes.”

Nearly $35G missing from bank accounts of Malaysia Flight MH370 passengers: officials

Approximately $34,911 is believed to have been stolen from four bank accounts belonging to the victims in July. Authorities in Kuala Lumpur say they have identified suspects in the mysterious withdrawals.

‘Make yah Ma proud, wear yah seatbelt’: Winners chosen in contest for humorous driver safety lines in Mass.

'Make yah Ma proud, wear yah seatbelt' was among the winners in a contest for humorous yet important driver safety messages in Massachusetts.

Armand Assante’s girlfriend could get as little as 15 days in prison for alleged online shopping spree on Josh Brolin’s credit card

Giselle Oliveira, 34, will need to make substantial restitution towards the $50,000 she allegedly stole in order to get the short jail term, a Manhattan Supreme Court judge said Thursday.

Hamill: To the people of Ferguson, justice is not about black or white

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — For two women from St. Louis, the protests in Ferguson, Mo. were about getting answers in the shooting death of Michael Brown.

Expert: Police response in Ferguson will have a long-lasting impact

Many of the most tragic riots in American history have taken place in the aftermath of a police encounter with a citizen.

New York

PRO-CORE! Two-thirds of students who didn't graduate need Common Core

Only 37% of New York State students graduated from high school prepared for college or a career. So while adults can argue about their narrow self-interests and political agendas, this is the only Common Core statistic that matters: Last year, we failed to meet our obligation to two-thirds of our kids.

ANTI-CORE! Common Core testing creates a narrative of failure

Four years ago, a group tied to testing and publishing companies, and bankrolled with Bill and Melinda Gates’ money, brought us the Common Core Learning Standards.

Just one of the 13 preschoolers allegedly molested by 22-year-old intern say they were abused: prosecutors

Malthe Thomsen, a Danish college student who worked as an intern at the International Preschools campus, faces multiple counts of sex abuse.

Cuomo snubbed by two of state's most influential employee unions

Gov. Cuomo was snubbed by two of New York’s most influential public employee unions Wednesday.

Public Employees Federation backs Zephyr Teachout

The state's second largest employee union snubs Gov. Cuomo and backs his Democratic primary opponent Zephyr Teachout.

LATEST FROM AROUND NEW YORK

FDNY to amp up disinfecting efforts after trainee firefighters infected with MRSA

They knew FDNY training was hard, but they probably weren't expecting this.

Rats! Brooklyn leads city in rodent complaints

Brooklyn is a tough place to be a rat. Kings County’s tattling humans have called in more complaints about their rodent neighbors than any other borough in the city, an MIT analysis of 311 data shows.

New York Methodist Hospital seeks Level II trauma center status

New York Methodist Hospital is in the process of upgrading its emergency room to handle serious trauma cases like gunshot wounds, stab gashes and major head injuries, the Daily News has learned.

Elizabeth Crowley: Remove teenage inmates from Rikers Island

Sixteen and seventeen-year-old inmates should not be housed at Rikers Island, the chair of the City Council’s criminal justice committee said.

It's a girl! Savannah Guthrie welcomes baby Vale

Williams spouse, Susan Schneider, releases heartfelt statement on her husband's passing

The full statement released Thursday by Susan Schneider, widow of Robin Williams:

Law forced us to release information on death of Robin Williams: sheriff

The Marin County Sheriff's office says the law is to blame for its release of disturbing details about Robin Williams’ suicide.

West Virginia woman jailed for attacking sister with spatula, biting finger

Stephanie Platt, 25, is accused of striking her sister with a spatula and biting the woman's finger as their mother tried to break up the fight in a Wheeling home on Tuesday.

Iraqi's Maliki resigns amid struggle against ISIS

Iraq's embattled Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki resigned Thursday, meeting a demand by President Obama as Iraq struggles to combat the threat posed by murderous Sunni jihadists.

Florida man and woman busted for having sex in parking lot

The sight of a half-naked man thrusting into a woman against a parked truck in a Florida parking lot gave cops “reasonable suspicion” that sex was happening.

West Virginia doctor allegedly let staff write Xanax, Oxycodone, Valium prescriptions, exposed herself to worker

A West Virginia doctor has been accused of doling out powerful prescription drugs and exposing her fake breasts to employees at her Martinsburg weight loss clinic.

TGIF! Check out the hottest celeb pics of the week

Pope Francis visits South Korea as North Korea fires 5 missiles for the occasion

The regime first fired three short-range missiles into the sea about a half-hour before the pontiff landed in Seoul. Then it fired off another pair to make sure he got the message.

Fla. sheriff’s department receives thank you letter from ex-homeless man

The heartwarming letter addressed to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department recognizes one of their deputies, Alex Alphonso, for helping him -- and his four-legged 'best friend' -- get back on his feet again after losing his job and home on the same day.

SEE IT Hiker lost in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains gets rescued after spelling 'HELP' on ground with pine needles

Mike Vilhauer, from West Sacramento, was picked up by a rescue helicopter after the pilot spotted his 10-foot SOS on the ground.

Va. officer shoots daughter, crashes car en route to hospital: police

A Virginia sheriff’s deputy shot his teenage daughter after he mistook her for an intruder as she sneaked into the home in the early morning hours, then crashed his car as he rushed her to the hospital, police said.

Pair of German artists are suspects in last month's Brooklyn Bridge 'white flag' swap, NYPD intel chief says,

A pair of German artists have become suspects in last month’s Brooklyn Bridge flag swap, NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence John Miller said Thursday.

U.S. Embassy families in Sierra Leone ordered out over Ebola concerns

The United States said on Thursday it had ordered family members at the embassy in Freetown, Sierra Leone to depart because of limitations on regular medical care as a result of the Ebola outbreak.

Becks sizzles on daddy-daughter beach day

EXCLUSIVE Brooklyn man awarded $150G for false arrest in front of young son

Spice & the City: DKNY, Rita Ora launch 'smell of NYC' fragrance

Obama, Hillary Clinton hug it out at Martha's Vineyard bash despite her foreign policy slam

Out with a bang: Chelsea baring all on Instagram

Brazil presidential race in disarray after death of prominent candidate in plane crash

French Montana talks to The News about dating 'Koko'

Russian aid convoy travels toward Ukraine as death toll from violence continues to rise

Sports

Manfred built resume through successes on labor and anti-doping front

Hal Steinbrenner brusquely dodged questions about how the Yankees would vote as Major League Baseball owners gathered at the Hyatt Regency this week to succeed Bud Selig as Major League Baseball's commissioner.

Sabres owner has inside track to buy Bills: report

Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula has emerged as the favorite to buy the Buffalo Bills, who were put on the market after Ralph Wilson died in March.

NBA schedule pits LeBron James against Heat in Miami on Christmas

LeBron James is taking his talents back to South Beach. …on Christmas. It's not expected to elicit the same venom and emotion as James' return to Cleveland with the Heat four years ago, but the King's first game in Miami since his departure highlights the 2014-NBA schedule.