MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

'I was going to return the bus when I was done' — Maniac caught after stealing coach and going on joyride through Staten Island neighborhood

Nickolas Ellias, a 20-year-old Staten Island man, who is “obsessed” with buses crossed the line early Monday — and stole one from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, officials said.

Expert: Iran will try to squeeze U.S. if we ask for help stopping terrorists in Iraq

If President Obama is open to working with Iran to stop the Sunni terrorists in Iraq, he better be prepared for Iran to ask for something big in return. For the Obama administration, every issue with Iran is separate: we can ask for their help in Iraq while also pressuring them to make nuclear concessions and opposing Iranian fighters alliged with the Syria regime in Syria’s civil war.

JetBlue apologizes after girl, 3, forced to urinate in seat because flight attendant denied her access to toilet while plane was delayed on tarmac

The airline has apologized and offered a $5,000 charity donation after the 3-year-old girl was prohibited from using the restroom while the plane sat on the tarmac at a New York airport last week.

Violent ex-con arrested for killing Phoenix priest, beating another during church robbery

A homeless, fresh-out-of-prison “career criminal” was nabbed Sunday for killing an Arizona priest and wounding another as he robbed a Phoenix Catholic church last week, police said.

Former Rikers Island jail supervisor not guilty of covering up attack on inmate after convicted murder beat other corrections officers

Former Assistant Deputy Warden Edwin Diaz was found not guilty of beating up an inmate in 2012 and then falsifying records about the incident

SEXY STROLL: Kim takes North for walk braless in tuxedo

Florida fraternity did not kick out openly gay pledge because of 'homophobic' brothers: investigation

A university panel found that a text message sent to Dumont claiming he was denied membership because of 'homophobic' members was misguided.

Queens students, parents, teachers demand removal of 'tyrannical' and 'discriminatory' Bryant High School principal

Critics have alleged that Namita Dwarka, principal of William Cullen Bryant High School, neglected special-needs students and took away math and science programs.

EXCLUSIVE Judge orders feds to stop reading emails mob boss Thomas DiFiore wrote to lawyer while as an inmate

A Brooklyn judge has ordered federal prosecutors to refrain from reading email communications between reputed Bonanno crime boss Thomas DiFiore and his lawyer until she makes a ruling on the issue.

Lupica: Tony Gwynn aka Mr. Padre leaves us with great baseball memories

Bud Black is now the manager of the San Diego Padres, a team that was the beneficiary of Tony Gwynn's grace and talent for two decades, and this is what Black told me on Monday when he learned of Gwynn's death from cancer at the age of 54.

Don't call her 'Little Miss': Abigail Breslin is all grown up!

Principals push retroactive raises in union talks with city

Contract talks between the city and the principals union are underway, and sources say the negotiations center on back raises for school leaders and reducing the mountains of paperwork faced by school administrators. The city’s 6,100 principals and school administrators have worked without a contract since 2010. And like teachers, they will be seeking retroactive raises and some changes to work rules.

Raissman: A's blowing out Yankees doesn't dampen spirits of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman

Now, nothing can faze Suzyn (Ma Pinstripe) Waldman and John (Pa Pinstripe) Sterling. Not blown calls. Not reading a commercial for a salad topped with strawberries over and over and over again.

Italian soccer fan allegedly KILLED wife, two young kids before going bar to watch World Cup match

Italian Carlo Lissi, 31, is charged with triple murder after the bodies of his wife, Cristina Omes, and two young girls, ages 5 and 20 months old, were found in his family's Motta Visconti home early Sunday, UPI reported.

SEE IT 'MY DAD'S ALMOST DEAD!': West Virginia girl’s Facebook post credited with saving father’s life

A 10-year-old girl's heart-wrenching Facebook plea for help after a tree fell on her father is being credited with likely saving his life.

50 Somali-based terrorist group shot into crowded bar, conducted door-to-door executions

The Kenyan government was on the hunt Monday for Al Qaeda-linked terrorists who slaughtered at least 48 people, including crowds of people watching the World Cup, in a series of cold-blooded attacks and executions on two coastal towns.

Katy comes VERY close to wardrobe malfunction

AT LEAST SHE WAS QUIET: Alleged prostitute passed notes to undercover cop at suburban Mass. library, authorities say

Brittany Macintyre, 20, was allegedly caught offering her services to an undercover cop at the quiet public lending house in Tewksbury on Tuesday. To respect the peaceful ambiance, the duo started passing written notes between each other.

'THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR AN ADULT': Terrified Florida woman gets stuck in tree

The 23-year-old had scaled part of the gigantic banyan near the entrance of downtown Bayside Marketplace on Sunday when she became disoriented.

Man found shot to death in Crown Heights section of Brooklyn: police

A 49-year-old Brooklyn man was found shot to death in his apartment Monday morning, police said.

City Controller Scott Stringer wants businesses to offer flexible work schedules to workers

Stringer and City Council members announced a proposed bill that would guarantee workers the right to ask for schedule adjustments to care for family members and to bar employers from punishing them for making the request.

Mom released from mental health facility years after stabbing son to death

An Oklahoma mom has been released from a mental health facility after serving more than eight years for stabbing her 6-year-old son to death while suffering mental breakdown.

New York

BULLETS IN BROOKLYN: Gunman shot and wounded by officer after firing at cops in East New York, police say

A 23-year-old gunman was shot and wounded by a cop in East New York after he fired at officers early Monday, police said.

Cuomo said bill to legalize pot could 'wreck havoc'

Gov. Cuomo on Monday expressed fear that a bill to legalize marijuana in New York could “wreak havoc.”

EXCLUSIVE Salvation Army pushes to build state-of-the-art senior home on E. 125th St. for displaced Upper West Side elderly

The Salvation Army has its sights set on East Harlem, with plans to build a gleaming new affordable senior residence atop a refurbished community center on E. 125th St.

LATEST FROM AROUND NEW YORK

Bronx medical giant Montefiore shrinks plans for suburban mega-clinic

Bronx medical giant Montefiore will scale back its unpopular plan to build an 11-story outpatient megaclinic in Riverdale, the hospital told community board members last week.

Posh condo sale sets new Queens record as waterfront real estate booms

A posh pad in Long Island City that fetched $3.35 million from a Colombian jetsetter last month ranks as the priciest condo sale in Queens history, brokers said.

HIP CHECK: The pelvis is the hot new body part

Aaron Hernandez’s lawyers challenge evidence in murder case, trial date tentatively set for October 6

A tentative trial date has been set for October 6 in the murder case against former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez.

Moody's upgrades New York's bond rating, moves state's outlook to stable

Gov. Cuomo received an election-year gift Monday from a major financial ratings firm. Moody’s Investors Service upgraded the state’s bond rating to its best level since 1975 and moved the state’s outlook to stable.

Low-income tenants, city politicians push Rent Guidelines Board for rent freeze

Cash-strapped tenants and a parade of city politicians crowded into the Rent Guidelines Board hearing on Monday to rally for the first rent freeze for stabilized apartments.

'MINI'-INSPECTION: Verne Troyer shares photo of TSA search

Armed felon wanted for Wisconsin, Minnesota crime spree: authorities

Eric (Buck) Hall, 38, is believed to be heading to St. Paul Park, Minn. or Vilas County, Wis. while possibly armed with two firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition following his release from prison last week, The Star Tribune reported.

Engine part from Richard Rockefeller's doomed flight from Westchester County found by investigators

Federal investigators recovered an engine part of the doomed Rockefeller plane that they hope will show them how the engine was working in the final moments of flight, authorities said.

Citi Bike racks up complaints from riders over operational issues that continue to linger

Broken docks, racks with no bikes available and non-working credit card machines make the popular Citi Bike system tough to use, customers said.

Sports

Rose bets he'd be a hit if reinstated

Baseball’s Hit King ambled along the right field grass, wearing an untucked Bridgeport Bluefish No. 14 jersey, his gait hampered by a gimpy right leg.

Hit King Rose laments Gwynn's death

The Hit King's biggest lament for the late Tony Gwynn? That the Hall of Fame Padre didn't wear pinstripes or Dodger blue. "I’ll probably get in trouble by saying this, but the only bad thing about Tony Gwynn was he played in San Diego, which is a wonderful city," said Pete Rose.

Lawrence: Heat must remember the Alamo

After suffering a humiliating Finals defeat that knocked him off the NBA throne, LeBron James would do well to remember where the Miami Heat's two-year reign ended.

Hats off! Mueller's trick leads Germany in Portugal thrashing

Thomas Mueller scored a hat trick as Germany turned on its style and power to rout 10-man Portugal 4-0 in their World Cup Group G opener on Monday.

Hats off! Mueller's trick leads Germany in Portugal thrashing

Thomas Mueller scored a hat trick as Germany turned on its style and power to rout 10-man Portugal 4-0 in their World Cup Group G opener on Monday.