MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

NYPD seeking 5 suspects who swapped U.S. flags atop Brooklyn Bridge for white ones, causing fear over lack of security

Hunky Calif. high school teacher’s nude photos hacked, emailed to 300 students, staffers: police

~~Four sexually-explicit photos of popular John Muir science teacher, Richard Rose, popped up in 287 inboxes on July 10 with a jovial subject line reading, 'enjoy,' KTLA reported.~~

TAMPERED: Int'l monitors say sliced apart cockpit among 'significantly altered' wreckage at Malaysia Airlines crash site

They found several pieces of the Boeing 777, including its cockpit, had been sliced apart with diesel-powered saws. But the group said it could have been done as part of an effort to reach victims' bodies.

EXCLUSIVE LIRR deal includes a second raise for conductors: They’ll get $10 per shift in ‘certification pay'

~~Some Long Island Rail Road workers are getting raises greater than the 17% pay hikes announced last week.~~

SEE IT: Fallon and The Rock dress up for hysterical fitness skit

EXCLUSIVE Manhattan subway delays target of MTA service enhancements

~~The MTA’s next set of service enhancements will address frustrating subway delays caused by faulty equipment, and extend at least two bus routes into new areas, the Daily News has learned.~~

Okla. teen engaged in sex acts with children as young as 4-year-old, including one who is HIV positive, while volunteering in Kenya: FBI

~~A 19-year-old Oklahoma missionary has been charged with traveling to Kenya to engage in sex acts with disadvantaged children as young as 4 years old.~~

Missing pregnant woman may have been shot while hunting with married ex-Marine lover: police

The missing, pregnant wife of a Marine may have been shot while out on a “special day” of hunting last month with her married ex-Marine neighbor, with whom she was having an affair, a shocking search warrant details.

OH, MY! Irina Shayk suffers 'Marilyn' moment

Conn. police department’s attempt to arrest own officer for brutality REJECTED by state’s attorney

A Connecticut police department’s attempt to prosecute one of its own officers for brutality was thwarted by the Hartford state’s attorney, who decided the officer’s conduct was not criminal.

Florida couple busted after witness records them having sex on beach

~~A Florida couple was arrested for having sex on a public beach in front of several horrified witnesses — including a 4-year-old girl, police said.~~

Friend of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev may have provided pistol used to kill MIT officer

~~Stephen Silva made an initial appearance in federal court on charges related to heroin trafficking and possession of a handgun with an obliterated serial number.~~

Miranda still with billionaire that replaced Orlando

EXCLUSIVE Gov. Cuomo sets to boost fines for mistreating, stealing pets

~~Gov. Cuomo is set to sign legislation Wednesday that boosts the fines for mistreating or stealing “companion animals” from $200 to $1,000, the Daily News has learned.~~

'IT'S REALLY HURTFUL': Facebook page fat-shames overweight or obese people in Calif. community

~~The page, which labeled itself an 'entertainment service' out of Yuba City, was reportedly taken down Monday after showcasing photos of obese or overweight people and ridiculing them.~~

Two appeals courts issue separate, contradictory rulings on Obamacare subsidies for low- and middle-income families

~~A new legal battle emerged over Obamacare after two federal appeals courts issued contradictory rulings Tuesday on a key aspect of the landmark healthcare reform law.~~

Expert: Hanging massively heavy U.S. flags atop Brooklyn Bridge is a dangerous, exhilarating task

~~Hanging the 12-by-18-foot U.S. flags from the poles atop Brooklyn Bridge’s two towers is an arduous, dangerous and exhilarating task.~~

America is still vulnerable to terrorism as Al Qaeda-affiliated groups grow and turn to cyber attacks: study

~~America is still astoundingly vulnerable to terror attacks, a new study by the authors of the 9/11 Commission Report warns.~~

New York

PICTURED Tree snaps in half, falls on Brooklyn man in Bedford-Stuyvesant

The victim, identified by a relative as Wayne Knight, was walking on MacDonough St. near Saratoga Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant when the splintered portion of a Bradford Pear fell on him about 2:50 p.m.

Girl, 10, dies after being pulled out of the water at Coney Island beach

~~Takara McDuffy of Staten Island was swimming with her 9-year-old sister when the pair began to struggle in the surf near Stillwell Ave. about 6:50 p.m, cops said.~~

Dov Hikind uses campaign funds to make charitable donations to community powerbrokers

~~Longtime Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind utilizes his campaign warchest as a charitable foundation, new disclosure records reveal.~~

NYPD school safety agent burned her child’s right knee and left ankle with a lighter: cops

~~An NYPD school safety agent found herself in handcuffs early Tuesday after she burned one of her children with a lighter, authorities said.~~

LATEST FROM AROUND NEW YORK

18-year-old arrested in triple shooting in Bronx, which cops call a drug deal gone wrong

~~Cops say they have cuffed an 18-year-old who blasted away at three people — killing one of them — during a Harlem drug deal gone wrong.~~

City's ex-chief of audits fined $5G for talking to his former workers on behalf of his accounting firm

The former chief of audits at the city Department of Finance was fined $5,000 for contacting his former employees on behalf of his new private accounting firm, the Conflicts of Interest Board said.

Brooklyn middle-schoolers get judge to approve record contract worth up to $1.7 million

The three kids, guitarist Malcolm Brickhouse, 13, bassist Alec Atkins, 13, and drummer Jarad Dawkins, 12, in the group, Unlocking the Truth, were in Manhattan Supreme Court to have a judge approve the deal with Sony Records.

Selena celebrates 22nd birthday with mystery man

Let go a year too soon from Rikers, but reeled in a week later

KIMMANIE Waisome is now back in 2014. Jail officers apprehended the 23-year-old robber in Jamaica, Queens, about 12:10 p.m. Tuesday — a week after officials at Rikers Island mistakenly released him a year early.

Avonte's Law to require new regulation on school door alarms

~~The City Council is slated to pass Avonte’s Law on Thursday, requiring the Education Department and NYPD to determine which schools need door alarms.~~

Mayor de Blasio blocks Landmarks Preservation Commission nominee for potential conflict

~~Mayor de Blasio on Tuesday nominated two people to serve on the Landmarks Preservation Commission, but he withdrew another nominee because of potential conflicts of interest.~~

Heirs of Brooklyn man sue Florida couple for $60 million for ‘ancient’ Bible

The children and grandchildren of David Arakie filed the Brooklyn Federal Court suit against Sam and Aviva Greenberg of Boca Raton because they allegedly failed to return the "Five Books of Moses."

MEOW! Carmen Electra is fit and trim leopard print bikini

Myers: Victor Cruz's recipe for Giants new offense? Just add some (Jerry) Rice

As soon as Victor Cruz heard the Giants hired Ben McAdoo as offensive coordinator, and he would be running his version of the West Coast offense, Cruz began studying old 49ers tapes of Jerry Rice, the greatest receiver of all time.

600-PLUS DEAD: Death toll rises in Gaza as Israeli soldier goes missing amid 2-week war

~~The solider went missing during a missile battle in the Gaza Strip. Hamas leaders claim to have captured him. International diplomats are working to end the violent two-week conflict.~~

EDITORIAL It's time to offer more than just words in response to Russia's deeds

~~Lieberman: Vladimir Putin’s Russia put powerful anti-aircraft missiles in the hands of poorly trained rebels in eastern Ukraine.~~

Michigan woman ‘pissed off’ after bad sex convicted of shooting lover

~~Talk about a gut shot. A Michigan woman was convicted of shooting her longtime lover in the stomach after bad sex, but a judge let her out on bond as she appeals the conviction.~~

Sports

Harper: Cashman orders the 'velos,' says Headley trade based on analytics

In explaining why the timing was right for the Chase Headley trade, Yankees GM Brian Cashman could have simply cited the third baseman’s impressive numbers since having an epidural injection a month ago to relieve pain from a herniated disc in his back.

Vacchiano: Giants guard John Jerry vague on BullyGate issues

The Giants talk about character all the time, as if that’s just as important to them as a person’s ability. They talk about signing good people, not just good players. That’s why the signing of John Jerry is one of the strangest moves they’ve ever made.