MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: EARLY BIRD NEWS

EXCLUSIVE Vincent Asaro, acquitted in Lufthansa heist, wants monthly Social Security checks reinstated

Asaro strutted out of Brooklyn Federal Court last Thursday after a jury cleared him of all charges — including murder and the infamous 1978 robbery of cash and jewelry.

Bronx bus driver blinded when red laser is flashed in his eyes

The bus operator, Kenneth Johnson, 52, was driving the Bx15 on Third Ave. near 181 St. when the flash of red bouncing around his windshield at about 5 p.m. with about 25 people on board in rush hour traffic.

Texas man executed for setting fire that killed 18-month-old daughter, her 2 half-sisters

Raphael Holiday (pictured), 36, became the 13th convicted killer put to death this year in Texas, which carries out capital punishment more than any other state.

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A Guide to Building a Productive Mobile Work Environment

Everything you need to know about building an ideal mobile office.

Charlie's HIV status discussed by Sony execs in 2014 email

Belgium authorities launch 6 raids in Brussels linked to Paris suicide bomber Bilal Hadfi

An official in the Belgian federal prosecutor's office said that the raids were taking place in Molenbeek and other areas of Brussels.

Rookie NYPD cop who allegedly killed Akai Gurley in dimly lit stairwell has new 'blue' line of defense

Officer Peter Liang (pictured) has hired private attorneys Robert Brown and Rae Koshetz to handle his manslaughter case.

Bronx park knife fight leaves 1 man dead, 2 teens injured: cop sources

The bloodshed began in St. James Park near Morris Ave. and E. 191st St. in Fordham Manor at 7 p.m., the sources said.

Pope Francis makes right call on cellphones

Magnitude 4.7 earthquake rattles northern Oklahoma

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake rattled northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas early Thursday.

Anonymous hacktivists claim to have taken down thousands of pro-Islamic State Twitter accounts

The easiest thing for volunteers to do is complain to Twitter, Google, YouTube and Facebook about accounts supporting terrorism.

Roanoke mayor uses WWII Japanese internment to justify refusing Syrian refugees in U.S.

Roanoke Mayor David Bowers (pictured) wants to keep all Syrian refugees out of his Virginia city and thinks a disastrous World War II-era policy decision is a good reason why.

AMERICAN JIHADIS: Feds have roughly 900 investigations into homegrown terrorists, many with ties to ISIS

Roughly 900 investigations into homegrown terrorists, the vast majority with ties to ISIS, are underway, according to a recent report.

Porn star sues Josh Duggar over injuries from rough sex

Ex-Subway spokesman Jared Fogle set to be sentenced for sex-crimes

Former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle (pictured) is due in federal court Thursday to learn how much time he'll spend in prison on child porn and sex-crime charges.

SHAUN KING Orange County hiding massive government dishonesty

Journalists have been sounding the alarm about the Orange County Sheriff's Department and the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Here's the word ISIS gets enraged over when you say it — and why politicians are using it more than ever

Western leaders — most recently French President Francois Hollande — are bandwagoning behind a silly-sounding word for Islamic militants.

SPECIAL TO THE NEWS Crackdown on terrorism is political rhetoric from French government

The impression abroad may be that the French government is cracking down hard on terrorism, but that's far from the truth.

Jeter gets panties in bunch over Fiddy in underwear deal

Teacher from French Jewish school stabbed by three ISIS supporters

A teacher from a French Jewish school was stabbed by three Islamic State supporters Wednesday night, officials said.

Canadian man in Joker mask who threatened to kill an Arab person a week is arrested

The video surfaced on Tuesday and followed an attack on a Muslim woman in Toronto that police said appeared to be “motivated by hate.”

TEARS FOR HERO DOG: Police pooch Diesel slain in hail of gunfire in raid that killed mastermind of Paris attacks

Diesel (left), a 7-year-old shepherd, was “killed by terrorists” in the sweep on an apartment in suburban Saint-Denis, according to France’s National Police.

DYING FOR A BEER! Georgia death row inmate denied six pack of brew for last meal

The Georgia Department of Corrections said in a news release that Marcus Ray Johnson’s (pictured) request was denied because alcohol is a contraband item.

Khloe fights staph infection she kaught visiting Lamar

'THEY ARE NORMAL SYRIANS': 5 trying to reach U.S. with stolen passports detained in Honduras but no links to Paris attacks

There are no signs of any links to last week's attacks in Paris, police said of the Syrian suspects apprehended in Honduras.

Carjackers drop kid off at Virginia school after finding him in backseat

Two thieves tried getting some good car-ma after dropping off a boy at school in the stolen vehicle.

'Vicious predator' guilty for month-long torture of ex-girlfriend in Brooklyn apartment

A Brooklyn monster who held his ex-girlfriend hostage inside a "torture chamber" for a month was convicted Wednesday.

House Republicans in key committee show support for permanent renewal of Zadroga Act

House Republicans on a key committee met about the Zadroga Act, with many privately voicing support for a permanent renewal.

LA AUTO SHOW

The 2015 L.A. Auto Show is saturated with luxury cars

More automakers than ever are jumping into the ultra-luxury game, making it harder than ever to choose among the exotics.

LA Auto Show: 2016 Nissan Sentra

The 2016 Nissan Sentra adopts the look of its bigger brothers, Altima and Maxima.

Luxurious 2017 Lincoln MKZ shines in Tinseltown

An update for mid-life brings the MKZ sedan a new grille and some much-needed power behind it.

LA Auto Show: Porsche Targa 4S

Is it really already time to update the still-new Targa? If you're Porsche, you bet it is!

LA Auto Show: US-Spec 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia

It may be delayed for the time being, but we now know a lot more about Alfa’s slinky sports sedan that’s bound for the U.S.

Bentley reveals luxurious Bentayga First Edition SUV in L.A.

As if a Bentley wasn't fancy enough, the British automaker reveals a limited-edition of the Bentayga SUV.

New York

‘Jumble’ and ‘Meet Mr. Luckey’ cartoonist Henri Arnold dies aged 97

Henri Arnold, a veteran Daily News cartoonist known for his pun-filled “Jumble” and the popular one-panel comic “Meet Mr. Luckey,” died Tuesday in Sarasota, Fla. He was 97.

Bronx purse-snatcher sprays 72-year-old victim with unknown substance

A purse-snatcher sprayed a mysterious substance into the face of a 72-year-old woman after stalking her in her Bronx building and following her onto an elevator, cops said.

De Blasio moving away from his defense of ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver

While stressing Silver deserves a presumption of innocence, de Blasio declined to repeat his endorsement of the disgraced pol’s character and said he’s troubled by recent revelations about his conduct in office.

Federal judge dismisses indictment against auxiliary cop charged with hacking into NYPD database

Yehuda Katz is off the hook on computer fraud charges after prosecutors acknowledged the government recently became aware of information “suggesting that Katz did not commit the charged crime.”

NYC officials back off controversial rezoning plan for Upper West Side school

City officials said Wednesday they are backing away from a controversial rezoning plan for Public School 199 on the Upper West Side.

LATEST FROM AROUND NEW YORK

Two men charged in identity theft probe leading to false arrest of James Blake plead not guilty

Jarmaine Grey, 26, who moderately resembles Blake, and James Short, 27, were arraigned on grand larceny, identity theft and related counts in Manhattan Supreme Court.