MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

JULY 4TH HURRICANE? Tropical Storm Arthur gathering strength off Florida coast will produce 50-MPH winds, massive rain

The storm is on track to be a hurricane by Thursday. The National Hurricane Center urged those as far north as Virginia to monitor the storm.

A-Rod to be SUED over legal fees in Biogenesis doping case: sources

Veteran sports attorney David Cornwell, who represented Rodriguez in the 2013 Biogenesis doping battle, intends to sue Rodriguez for nonpayment of roughly a $500,000 in legal fees, The News has learned.

JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon diagnosed with throat cancer, will undergo radiation treatment

Jamie Dimon, chairman and co-CEO of JP Morgan Chase, has been diagnosed with throat cancer and will undergo radiation treatment, he told employees in a memo Tuesday.

Philadelphia food truck explosion injures at least 12 people, two critically: report

At least 12 people were hurt after a propane tank exploded Tuesday aboard a Philadelphia food truck, leaving at least two people with critical injuries, according to reports.

Obama blasts GOP for blocking road funding

President Obama hopes there’s a bridge to sanity in funding the nation’s decaying transportation system.

Nicole Scherzinger opens up about bulimia battle

New York State Senate's second-most powerful Republican charged with lying to FBI about using his influence to get son a job at law firm

Thomas Libous' son Matthew, was charged in a separate indictment with failing to report $282,126 in income to the IRS, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announced.

Former News of the World editor blames paper's lawyers for not telling him phone hacking is illegal

Andy Coulson, convicted of turning Rupert Murdoch's best-selling tabloid into a criminal enterprise, is blaming the newspapers' lawyers for failing to tell him that phone hacking was a crime.

EXCLUSIVE Metro-North fires 9 rookie conductors and reassigns 3 others after caught cheating on safety exams

METRO-NORTH fired nine rookie conductors and reassigned three others Tuesday amid an investigation of cheating on critical safety exams.

Cargo plane crashes into building in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya — Four people were killed when their cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Nairobi, a police official said Wednesday.

Beyonce sparks Jay Z cheating rumors during tour

SEE IT ISIS jihadists mock Obama in video: 'Did you prepare enough diapers for your soldiers or not?'

A jovial jihadist, sitting inside an American-made truck, delivered a mocking video message to President Obama.

Man arrested in Belize, charged with 2005 NY murder

Cops busted a man who strangled a Staten Island woman and stuffed her body into a barrel nearly nine years ago, authorities said Tuesday.

EDITORIAL Believe it or not, there's more bad political behavior than ever in Albany

Hammond: Gov. Cuomo’s decision to shut down his corruption-fighting commission nine months early looks more questionable with every fresh indictment in Albany.

South Carolina woman falls through hospital ceiling, crashes stolen car into house: deputies

After Christie Davis was busted for stealing a car, she convinced deputies to take her to a hospital, escaping through the facility's ceiling and having it all come crashing down — literally.

Teen left with airbag imprinted on eyes after its deploy

Fascinating photos released by the New England Journal of Medicine show the 17-year-old girl with a checkered pattern painfully etched into her eyes. Incredibly after just two weeks her eyes had completely healed.

Cameron talks about first ever nude scene: 'You see everything'

Bronx teacher uses innovative program to educate students on HIV/AIDS

As AIDS ravaged the city, Bronx teacher Thomas Porton took it upon himself to ensure students understood the deadly disease.

His kinda town? Melo impressed as Rose, Chicago roll out red carpet

If Carmelo Anthony was wondering how the Chicago Bulls players would receive him, he got his answer in the form of a one-time NBA MVP. Derrick Rose, who famously avoided trying to recruit LeBron James to Chicago four years ago, was part of the Bulls contingent that met with Anthony on Tuesday, the first day of the free agent recruiting period.

Ohio man arrested after 8-year-old son plays hooky from church

Police in Blanchester spotted Jeffrey Williamson's son Justin by himself near a busy street and brought him home. Justin told his dad he was going onto the bus for church but went off to play instead.

Florida man jailed after beating up pet rabbit: cops

James Wertz, 28, was collared by Palm Beach County police officers Friday after they say he not only punched the rabbit but violently squeezed it.

Warren: Obama bashes Republicans as he seeks a bridge to somewhere

The President upped the rhetorical ante against congressional Republicans Tuesday, saying at least 700,000 construction jobs are at risk due to their inaction in Congress.

New York

Mayor de Blasio backs up Obama immigration policy

Mayor de Blasio voiced strong support for President Obama’s go-it-alone effort on immigration reform Tuesday, calling current policy “absolutely ridiculous.”

Mayor de Blasio calls parking proposal 'commendable'

Relief from the city’s maddening alternate side of the street parking regulations finally may be on the way. Mayor de Blasio on Tuesday called a proposal by City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez to ease the rules “commendable.”

TAKE A SEAT: NYPD announces crackdown on subway acrobats who flip, somersault and pole-dance underground

NEW YORK — The underground acrobats who flip, somersault and pole-dance among New York City subway riders as trains roll are drawing a new audience — police officers.

Upper West Siders reaffirm rent strike, protesting rodents, ‘slum’ conditions

Residents of two Upper West Side buildings reaffirmed the rent strike they waged more than a month ago following a heated protest Monday outside their rat-infested homes.

Number of homeless kids attending city schools spikes: report

The number of homeless kids attending city schools jumped to 76,816 in 2012-13 from 68,371 the previous year, says a new analysis out Tuesday from the Independent Budget Office.

LATEST FROM AROUND NEW YORK

Mayor de Blasio signs bills to report on charter schools, waive Sandy rebuilding fees

Mayor de Blasio signed a bill Tuesday to require the city to publish reports detailing the demographics and academic records of all charter schools co-located with traditional public schools.

Hockey players shot by drunken off-duty NYPD cop plan $90 million lawsuit

Two weekend hockey players fired a $90 million legal slapshot Tuesday at an NYPD officer accused of shooting at them while he was drunk.

Summer school student numbers fall 25%

THE NUMBER of kids in summer school fell by more than 25% this year after schools boss Carmen Fariña lifted the city’s longstanding requirement that students who fail state tests must attend makeup classes.

City to up funding for arts in schools by $23 million, hire 120 teachers

The city will spend $23 million more on arts education next year and hire 120 new art teachers for middle and high schools, Mayor de Blasio announced Tuesday.

'Man Finds Food' pulled after star's Instagram rant goes viral

Ohio couple, terminally ill son, 6, die after small plane crashes

An Ohio couple and their terminally ill 6-year-old son all died after their small plane crashed into a ski lift in the Colorado mountains near the Continental Divide on Monday.

White House pays $37.8M in annual salaries for employees — not including Obama and Biden

Among 456 employees, the White House pays $37.8 million per year in salaries, not including the President or the Vice President, Obama administration data shows.

Embattled State Sen. Thomas Libous also fighting cancer

The indictment of veteran state Sen. Thomas Libous is just the latest hardship for the Binghamton Republican.

Monica Lewinsky opens up about Clinton affair in first TV interview in 11 years: 'I was a virgin to humiliation'

Lewinsky, in her first TV interview since 2003, blasted the Starr Report, which detailed her sexual relationship with then-President Clinton.

World Cup players and WAGs share behind-the-scenes snaps

Mother admits to repeatedly poisoning two sons with Visine eye drops: report

Samantha Elizabeth Unger's arrest last month caps the repeat hospitalization of her oldest 3-year-old son for life-threatening symptoms after his chronic poisoning in Orrtanna, Penn., according to a report.

SEE IT South Carolina highway trooper threatens to use Taser on Bengals’ Sam Montgomery during traffic stop

A suspended South Carolina state trooper threatened to use a Taser on Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Sam Montgomery during a traffic stop last week for speeding.

Hobby Lobby pushes female face in PR effort for contraception court case

The family behind the Hobby Lobby case went to great lengths to show it was no company of old men, investing in a savvy PR effort featuring its female members in an apparent preemptive strike.

Federal judge strikes down Kentucky’s gay marriage ban

A federal judge in Kentucky has struck down the state’s ban on same-sex couples getting licenses and marrying in the state.

Sports

Harper: Lifeless Yanks masquerade as semi-contender only because of sorry state of AL East

More and more these Yankees look like the most expensive disaster since one of those big-budget Kevin Costner movies of yore. Is this what the making of ‘Waterworld’ looked like? David Price is David Price, but these days it barely seems to matter who’s doing the pitching for the opposition.

Crazy Capitals spend $67M on defense

Many NHL general managers were cautious about giving out long-term contracts as free agency opened at noon Tuesday, but plenty of players still cashed in, and there were still the exciting surprises and swaps that this annual frenzy promises.

Lawrence: Bosh, Wade deals set up King’s return to Heat

The Big Three appears to be staying in Miami, and that’s good news for the Heat and bad news for Phil Jackson and the Knicks. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were hammering out new deals with the Heat on Day 1 of free agency, with James looking at a short-term deal that would finally make him the highest-paid player on his own team.

Coffey: With win over Nadal, newcomer Kyrgios arrives at Wimbledon

Once he was on the other side of all this, the kid with no name and the big game who would show up on a big court and go after some legend the way a hunter goes after his quarry. Now Rafael Nadal knows what it feels like. Now, at age 28 with his 14 Grand Slams, Nadal knows what it’s like to look across the net at a player who doesn’t have any clue he’s not supposed to do this, whose own mother didn’t think he could win.

Goalie Tim Howard plays down heroic effort in U.S. loss to Belgium

Sometimes, you gain your most meaningful praise not from your allies, but from opponents. And to a man on Tuesday, the Belgians came out of the locker room and said they had never seen a goalkeeping show like the one by Tim Howard on Tuesday.