MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS NEWS

EXCLUSIVE: NYC great-granny, 82, fights charges after arrest for spray-painting fence in property dispute with neighbor

Sylvia Kordower-Zetlin has been warring with Arlo Devlin-Brown, the newly appointed chief of the Public Corruption Unit in the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office — but prosecutors say she crossed the line when she tagged the backyard fence that separates the properties on W. 113th St.

Hamill: From cheers to tear gas as cops again clash with protesters in Ferguson, Mo.

In a local church, people gave a standing ovation on Sunday afternoon to Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri Highway Patrol. But hours later on W. Florissant Ave. — near where Officer Darren Wilson killed unarmed Michael Brown with six bullets — Johnson was seen as the enemy.

Hamas lose optimism in talks with Israel as ceasefire deadline nears

A Palestinian negotiator said Sunday his side is “less optimistic” about indirect talks with Israel over the Gaza war as a deadline on a temporary ceasefire looms.

Ukraine troops push into city under rebel control

Army troops have penetrated deep inside the rebel-controlled city of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, in what could prove a breakthrough development in the four-month-long conflict, the Ukrainian government said Sunday.

EXCLUSIVE Brooklyn man wins $125,000 settlement after claiming he was arrested for recording stop-and-frisk

He didn't strike it as rich as the cops predicted, but a Brooklyn man has scored a $125,000 settlement of his federal lawsuit that said he was falsely arrested for recording a stop-and-frisk by police on his cellphone.

SEE IT: Robin's heartfelt video for dying cancer patient

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange prepares to leave Ecuadorean Embassy in London after revealing poor health

LONDON - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says he will be leaving the Ecuadorean Embassy in London soon - but did not say when or explain his decision.

Accused Grand Central Station stabber, who violently slashed 3 people, claims it was self-defense

A man accused of viciously stabbing three men in a drunken brawl in Grand Central Station on Saturday was only acting in self-defense, his lawyer said at his arraignment.

Former South Korea sex slaves ask Pope Francis for solace

SEOUL, South Korea — Lee Yong-soo hopes a meeting Monday with Pope Francis will provide some solace for the pain that still feels fresh more than seven decades after Japanese soldiers forced her into prostitution during World War II.

Ohio man admits to having sex with up to 100 dead women — 'I would just get on top of them and pull my pants down'

An Ohio morgue attendant has admitted having sex with up to 100 corpses. Kenneth Douglas, from Hamilton, said he had sexually abused three corpses while high on drink and drugs in 1991 and 1992.

ABC anchor Vargas checks into rehab again

Lovett: Zephyr Teachout could hurt Gov. Cuomo in Democratic primary

No one thinks Fordham Law School Prof . Zephyr Teachout will beat Gov. Cuomo in the Sept. 9 Democratic primary — but she could hurt him, experts said. . Zephyr Teachout will beat Gov.

Twist in the 'she-cave' case: Burglar claims responsibility for closet theft, says items were fakes

Someone claiming to be the burglar who lifted up to a million dollars in luxury goods from Theresa Roemer's lavish closet in The Woodlands contacted the Houston Press last week and sent the paper what were purportedly some of the pilfered items.

Memorial held for slain Washington state 6-year-old: ‘Jenise was a bright star in our life’

Friends, family, neighbors and even strangers in the hundreds paid their respects to Jenise Wright, the 6-year-old slain near her Bremerton, Washington home, at a memorial service on Saturday afternoon.

EDITORIAL The real Moreland takeaway

Benjamin and Schwarz: The swirl of attention around Gov. Cuomo’s shuttering of the Moreland Commission is an easy distraction. Like a magician’s trick, it takes our attention off of where it should really be focused: on the commission’s crucial recommendations for campaign finance reform.

California juvenile arrested for making school shooting threats over Instagram

Police have arrested a juvenile accused of posting threats of a "huge" shooting to California high school students over Instagram.

Stasi: Robin’s $30M alimony contributed to his death

EDITORIAL Eva Moskowitz just got more toxic

Whitmire: Now Eva’s done it; really done it. The already-controversial Eva Moskowitz committed the one sin that can only worsen the attacks against her and bolster attempts to block her plans to expand her Success Academy charter network: Her kids killed it on the state tests.

Two rappers shot, killed — among 10 shot over weekend in four boroughs

Two aspiring rappers were shot to death during a festive summer weekend that turned frightening after ten people were shot in four boroughs, police said.

Maryland father and 3-year-old daughter killed after he swipes girl from relative's house, prompts wild police chase and shootout

It was the father who shot a 3-year-old girl during a Maryland gunfight with police on Saturday, a medical examiner’s report says.

World's most pierced man denied entry into Dubai because of appearance

The world's most pierced man has been barred from entering Dubai. Rolf Buchholz, who has 453 piercings plus two horns on his forehead, was turned away by officials at the conservative Gulf State's airport.

GUN IN MY FACE: News photog cuffed, detained while on the ground with demonstrators in Ferguson

Daily News multimedia journalist Pearl Gabel's first-person account: I was walking toward the police with my hands in the air, when suddenly an officer pointed a rifle at my face.

New York

'I'd do anything to give Yusuf his life back': Ringleader haunted by 1989 murder of Brooklyn teen — a notorious racial case

No matter how much time passes, Keith Mondello knows he can never escape his past. It’s a painful truth for the man who was at the center of one of the most notorious racial crimes in the city’s history — the murder of Yusuf Hawkins.

After collecting hard drives, local D.A. '100%' sure there will be more charges for upstate couple who abducted, sexually abused two Amish sisters

An upstate prosecutor says additional charges are planned against a New York couple accused of kidnapping and sexually abusing two young Amish sisters.

Former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik says heavy-handed approach by Ferguson, Mo. police to protests was ‘absolutely needed’

Former New York top cop Bernard Kerik defended Sunday the military gear and tactics used by law enforcement in Ferguson, Mo., to help quell violence following the police shooting death of an unarmed teenager.

Drunken crash kills woman on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn

A 32-year-old woman was killed when two drunk drivers collided in a gruesome crash on Eastern Parkway early Sunday, cops said.

Bronx man assaulting girlfirend is shot twice by cops after refusing to drop kitchen knife

A Bronx man wielding a kitchen knife was shot by police on Sunday after he refused to drop the weapon while assaulting his girlfriend, cops said.

LATEST FROM AROUND NEW YORK

'I DIDN'T SHOOT THE GUY': Joey Fama, serving 32-year-to life, claims innocence in 1989 shooting death of Yusuf Hawkins in EXCLUSIVE jailhouse interview

In 1989, Joey Fama (right) was named the “triggerman” in the Yusuf Hawkins murder. Now he’s inmate #90B1671. Fama, now 43 and in his 25th year behind bars, says he doesn’t deserve either label.

Bill de Blasio joins paradegoers at the New York City Indian Parade

Mayor Bill de Blasio joined thousands of paradegoers at the New York City Indian Parade on Madison Ave. in midtown Sunday.

City pruning wrong trees, wasting tax dollars: report

Controller Scott Stringer’s office found that contractors hired by the Parks Department were pruning some trees that didn’t need to be cut back — and didn’t prune other trees at all.

Staten Island grade schoolers start a 3-day adventure at Universal Orlando Resort, courtesy of the Daily News

A group of lucky Staten Island grade schoolers touched down in sunny Florida early Sunday morning to start a three-day adventure at Universal Orlando Resort, courtesy of New York’s Hometown Newspaper.

Multitasking Hilaria does yoga while writing new book

Trucks in Russian aid convoy wait at Ukrainian border due to lack of security: Red Cross

The main holdup was a lack of security guarantees from all sides, said the International Committee of the Red Cross, which would have responsibility for distributing the aid.

Rep. Eliot Engel, Sen. Ron Johnson call for Obama to put ‘boots on the ground’ in Iraq

Bipartisan calls for a more forceful response to the situation in Iraq grew Sunday, with a pair of lawmakers calling for President Obama to send U.S. soldiers back to the war-torn country.

Twitter stepping up suspensions of ISIS-affiliated accounts: experts

The vicious jihadist group known as ISIS has overrun vast stretches of Syria and Iraq — but it’s beginning to lose ground on Twitter.

PHOTO: Chris Pratt lived in this van while homeless

NYPD Bomb Squad responds to prank bomb found at Brooklyn Housing project

There was only one thing ignited by this bomb: people’s nerves. The NYPD’s Bomb Squad was called to a Brooklyn housing project Saturday after someone spotted what appeared to be an explosive in the trash.

SWEET! Cambridge University seeks doctoral student to study chocolate

Cambridge University in England is seeking a doctoral student to pursue what sounds like the sweetest job in the world: studying the fundamentals of chocolate.

Germany tapped phone calls by John Kerry, Hillary Clinton: report

Germany’s foreign intelligence agency reportedly eavesdropped on calls made by Secretary of State Kerry, as well as his predecessor, Hillary Clinton.

PHOTOS: Britney and RiRi had busy weekends

Wash. state man crawls out of exploding house screaming

Teenager started 'Louisville Purge' hoax: police

'Sin City' features host of powerful (and sexy) women

Fla. couple forced girl, 12, to take prescription drugs: police

Naked Illinois robber caught getting dressed: police

Piers on Larry rift: 'Get over it you daft old goat'

Jon teaches 'Young' Daniel some old tricks in 'Notebook'

Sports

Madden: Yankees respond to Hal Steinbrenner's 'step it up' talk

It took them a couple of days, a couple more days of woeful hitting, until the Yankees, upon running into a team just as offensively challenged as they are in the Tampa Bay Rays, began to show signs of heeding Hal Steinbrenner’s call to “step it up” this weekend