MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

Central Park Five, who were wrongfully convicted in 1989 beating and rape case, settle with city for $40 million

The five young black men who were wrongfully convicted in the 1989 beating and rape of a Central Park jogger have agreed to a $40 million settlement with the city, it was reported Thursday.

CRIMES OF PASSION: ‘Sexy’ mugshot goes viral after California cops post it on Facebook

Jeremy Meeks' chiseled, baby-blue-eyed mugshot has already drawn drawn more than 5,000 ogling comments, 1,000 shares and 20,000 'likes.'

'I don’t know what ‘racketeer’ means, but I’m not it': Accused drug lord Ronald 'Ra Diggs' Herron denies illegal actions, murder charges

Ronald (Ra Diggs) Herron, 32, took the stand in his own defense Thursday in Brooklyn Federal Court. He says he turned his life around to pursue a rap career after leaving prison in 2007.

Agents at Newark Airport seize cookies with $50,000 of cocaine baked inside

Officials at Newark Liberty International Airport have confiscated a batch of cookies with a street value of more than $50,000.

Gonzalez: Rangel, Espaillat's Democratic primary needs more interpreters working the polls

Tuesday’s Democratic primary battle between legendary Harlem congressman Charles Rangel and his leading challenger, State Sen. Adriano Espaillat, is bound to draw considerable national attention.

Happy Birthday Captain: 40 reasons we love Derek Jeter

BREAKING Eight injured as garbage truck crashes into Brooklyn deli

Eight people were injured when a garbage truck crashed through the wall of a corner-store deli in Bedford-Stuyvesant early Friday morning, police said.

'This guy needs to be put away': California man, 76, punched in face in apparent road rage attack

Ron Tornocello said he had just pulled into a CVS parking lot in El Cajon when a man approached him and yelled at him for talking on his cellphone while driving, then suddenly punched him in the face.

MURDER IN THE PARK: Cops investigate double homicide at Kansas cemetery

As Kansas City police officers taped off the area, a woman was seen crying while desperately seeking the identity of the two men she feared could be her sons, according to a report.

Raissman: When it comes to soccer and World Cup, Mike Francesa all right with me

Over many moons of pontificating to the unwashed masses, Mike (Sports Pope) Francesa has portrayed himself as the expert’s expert, the All-Knowing One. So when he admits he is a soccer dope, as he did Tuesday during his sermon delivered on the WFAN balcony, the pontiff deserves to be praised, not excoriated or lambasted.

Kim K. gives the world an eyeful by the pool in wet tank

Three wounded in shooting outside Denver-area concert

The Jefferson County Sheriff's office says the Red Rocks Amphitheater was shut down late Thursday night after the violence erupted in the parking lot as the concert ended.

EXCLUSIVE Nearly 400 Brooklyn assistant district attorneys received at least 4% salary raises

There’s finally some good news for Brooklyn prosecutors — most of them received long-awaited raises Thursday.

ARMED AND BREAKFAST: Florida man charged with attempted murder after throwing hot grits

Edward Holley, 60, was taken into custody Wednesday at an Orange County home after allegedly flinging the hot pan's contents on Darryl Blacknell, 29, resulting in second- and third-degree burns on 30% of his body.

75 U.S. government scientists possibly exposed to live anthrax at CDC lab

As many as 75 scientists working in U.S. federal government laboratories in Atlanta may have been exposed to live anthrax bacteria and are being offered treatment to prevent infection, the U.S.

Susan and Geena recreate ‘Thelma & Louise’ selfie

Bernie Kerik lawyer slams former Alex Rodriguez attorney Joe Tacopina again

Joe Tacopina’s motion to dismiss Bernie Kerik’s racketeering lawsuit is “an emotional outburst of feigned outrage” intended to derail efforts to expose the brash celebrity lawyer’s long history of client misconduct, according to papers filed in federal court in Manhattan.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker at center of nationwide 'criminal scheme' involving illegal fund-raising

Newly released documents show prosecutors are alleging Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was at the center of a nationwide "criminal scheme" to illegally coordinate with outside conservative groups.

‘Swiss Cheese Pervert’ pleads guilty, avoids jail time

Philadelphia’s own “Swiss Cheese Pervert” pleaded guilty Thursday to harassing four women with pieces of dairy he wanted rubbed on his crotch.

EXCLUSIVE Staten Island's stalking arrests to increase with new crime initiative

Stalkers are about to be yanked out of the shadows and tossed into the light.

New York

Brooklyn teacher uses theater to build skill and confidence in her students

For 16 years, theater teacher Beatriz Cordoba has shared her love for the stage — as well as the creativity it fosters in students at Brooklyn’s Public School 212, whether they’re ready for the spotlight or not.

Smartphone thefts down thanks to iPhone ‘kill switch’

Smartphones are becoming less of a hot commodity to robbers as long as they have a ‘kill switch,’ New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Thursday.

Two women charged in $5M heroin bust in the Bronx

Two women were arrested and $5 million worth of heroin, including 25,000 street-ready glassine envelopes of the drug, was recovered in the Bronx, officials said Thursday.

LATEST FROM AROUND NEW YORK

Revel Casino employees told they may be out of a job without sale

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Atlantic City’s Revel Casino Hotel warned its staff Thursday that it will shut down this summer if a buyer can’t be found in bankruptcy court.

NY’s medical marijuana bill slammed for prohibiting smoking

New York State’s medical marijuana bill, the Compassionate Care Act, is expected to be passed in Albany Thursday night. However the bill contains a controversial caveat: no smoking.

TGIF! Check out the hottest celeb pics of the week

Taliban militants destroy NATO trucks in Afghan

Taliban militants destroyed NATO trucks at a key border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan Thursday, setting off a gun battle with police guards.

Minnesota dad STUFFS FIST down 10-year-old foster son’s throat as cruel punishment

A Minnesota surgeon tried to kill his 10-year-old foster son when he stuffed a gloved fist in the child’s mouth, police said.

Republicans cry ‘deception’ over lost IRS hard drive with alleged Tea Party emails

Many taxpaying citizens might fantasize that the Internal Revenue Service will permanently lose their info, but in the case of ex-IRS official Lois Lerner’s missing emails, it looks like they actually did.

Car wash owners, workers clash over city license bill

Backers say it’s a necessary check after a number of car washes were caught paying less than minimum wage and violating other labor laws amid a unionization drive. But owners complained the proposal’s costly requirements would put law-abiding operators out of business.

California Rep. Kevin McCarthy picked to replace Eric Cantor as House majority leader

The Republican establishment struck back Thursday as GOP insider Rep. Kevin McCarthy easily won a vote to replace Eric Cantor as House majority leader.

Adam Carolla is kissing up to the Kardashians

Judge throws out part of lawsuit that claimed NBCUniversal defamed George Zimmerman

A judge threw out part of a lawsuit against NBCUniversal that claims the television network defamed George Zimmerman in a 2012 broadcast.

Russia resumes buildup after Ukrainian offensive

MOSCOW — Russia is resuming its military buildup along the Ukrainian border in an apparent attempt to intimidate its neighbor, NATO’s chief said Thursday.

Court overturns law that bans people from sleeping in cars

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court on Thursday struck down a 31-year-old Los Angeles law that bars people from living in parked vehicles, saying the vaguely written statute discriminates against the homeless and poor.

New Jersey steps up probe of Gov. Chris Christie: report

Gov. Chris Christie’s political problems may not be water under the bridge. U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman is getting ready to lower the boom on alleged bad acts committed on the Republican governor’s watch, according to Esquire.

Jesse Friedman sues Nassau DA, claiming false accusations

In papers filed in Nassau County Supreme Court, Jesse Friedman, 45, says Kathleen Rice and two of her press officers falsely accused him of writing "horrific pornography" while behind bars and defamed him by calling him “a psychopath.”

Sports

FedEx pressured to reassess relationship with Redskins

Dan Snyder has vowed that he will never change the name of the Washington Redskins, so critics of the controversial name a federal board called "disparaging to Native Americans" this week are going after his corporate allies instead.

Sherman sparks full-squad scuffle at Seahawks camp

The Legion of Boom is still hitting hard — even at mini-camp. During Wednesdays' mandatory workout, Seattle Seahawks cornerback and media favorite Richard Sherman got into a scuffle with wide receiver Phil Bates.

Feinsand: Yanks blew Jays away, make statement in AL East with sweep

If you had any doubt that the American League East race is a wide-open one, you should have known better. The Yankees finished off a three-game sweep of the first-place Blue Jays, pulling them even with Toronto in the loss column and as close to the top of the division as they’ve been in nearly a month.

NBA Mock Draft: Embiid's foot injury clouds things

Joel Embiid, widely projected as the top pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, suffered a stress fracture in his right foot in recent days and is facing surgery, throwing the top of the draft into chaos.

BEST OF WEEK 1: From Van Persie's wonder goal to Brooks' heroics

LATEST NEWS: Bondy: U.S. skeptical of Ronaldo injury talk ahead of Portugal clash; Bondy's World Cup Diary: Already airing out my dirty laundry in Brazil; Japan lets 10-man Greece off the hook in 0-0 draw; Suarez sinks England's World Cup hopes in 2-1 Uruguay win; Jozy Altidore ruled out for U.S. World Cup showdown vs. Portugal; View All

Angie Martinez lands new gig after leaving Hot 97

EDITORIAL Albany retreats from rigor in measuring teacher performance

The state and city teachers unions were downright ecstatic Thursday after apparently winning a reprieve from having tough new Common Core tests factored into teacher evaluations.

Teacher’s aide shoved boy, 8, in small metal locker after he misbehaved at Manhattan elementary school: lawsuit

Yaashia Harris says in her Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit that her child broke his right ring finger while trying to punch his way out of the metal locker at the Mickey Mantle Elementary School last January.

Connecticut woman tries to hire man to viciously attack ex-husband for $2,500: police

Cynthia Hannon, 59, who wanted the man to break her ex's jaw, nose and ribs, was charged with first-degree assault and conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, according to local media.

Julian Assange to mark two years in Ecuadorian embassy the best way he knows how — by leaking documents

Two years of being trapped inside an Ecuadorian embassy has not sweetened WikiLeaks wizard Julian Assange's disposition.

'I'm going to gut this thing': Baltimore cop facing animal cruelty charges after slitting dog's throat

A Baltimore cop allegedly slit the throat of a dog that officers had under control. Jeffrey Bolger, 49, was booked felony animal cruelty charges Wednesday, his department said.

Katy's eyebrows near invisible after bleaching

‘Sick notes' for fans with World Cup fever sold in China

A time difference of up to 12 hours between China and Brazil has given Chinese wheeler-dealers a lucrative opportunity selling fake sick notes to football fans staying up all night to watch World Cup games.

Ex-Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer calls Southern men ‘effeminate,’ says Eric Cantor set off his 'gaydar'

The Democrats populist cowboy, former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, said Republican Rep. Eric Cantor set off his “gaydar.”

Shelly Sterling’s lawyer says Donald Sterling threatened to kill him: 'I’m going to take you out'

Shelly Sterling's attorneys will ask a judge Thursday to order Donald Sterling and his attorneys to stop threatening, harassing or intimidating his wife's legal team and the doctors who determined the Los Angeles Clippers' co-owner was mentally incapacitated.