MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS EARLY BIRD NEWS

HOTEL HORROR: Woman shot in chest after trying to fight off 2 men who robbed daughter at Hampton Inn near JFK Airport

A fearless 53-year-old woman was shot in the chest after trying to fight off two men who robbed her daughter at gunpoint Thursday night at a hotel near John F. Kennedy Airport, sources and police said.

North Korea claims it arrested American university students for anti-state acts

KCNA identified the person as Warmbier Otto Frederick, a student at Virginia University. North Korea has sometimes listed English-language surnames first.

Slain father of boy on trial for murder was training him for zombie apocalypse

Eldon Samuel Jr. was planning to take alleged killer Eldon Samuel III into the mountains with trailer full of guns, food and water in case of the doomsday event, his estranged wife Tina said.

Georgia lottery winner murdered in home invasion just 2 months after win pleads with robbers

Craigory Burch Jr., 20, recently won almost half a million dollars from the Georgia lottery’s Fantasy 5 in November. Two months later, robbers broke into his home and gunned him down.

Charlie threatened to kill me and my kid, says Denise Richards

SNOW NO! Weekend blizzard watch issued for NYC, Long Island, parts of New Jersey

The National Weather Service has issued a weekend blizzard watch for New York City, Long Island and portions of New Jersey — the would-be first major snow storm of the season.

Hollywood women spiked drinks, stole $70G in Rolex watches from men in their 50s

The victims, both men in their early 50s, invited the perps to their house Jan. 7 after meeting at the Porterhouse Bar in Sunny Isles, NBC Miami reported.

Woman critically injured after fumbling drunk man drops gun in Seattle movie theater, setting it off

Panic spread at a showing of 13 Hours in Renton’s Regal Cinemas on Thursday night around 8 p.m. when the weapon discharged and shot an unsuspecting woman sitting in front of him in the torso.

Eminem’s sister-in-law found dead of drug overdose

Noah Chamberlin, 2, found dead near Tenn. home seven days after disappearance

Officials found evidence of Noah Chamberlin in the wooded area outside of Pinson, Tenn., where the 2-year-old was last seen on a walk with his grandmother and 4-year-old sister, officials said.

WERNICK Long trips abroad can hurt effort to gain U.S. citizenship

Will my five-month trips abroad keep me from getting U.S. citizenship?

MANSION MURDER: Financial guru Jules Reich charged with stabbing pediatrician wife to death in sprawling Scarsdale home, the posh town's first slaying since 1977

Financial guru Jules Reich was charged early Thursday with stabbing his wife to death in their Scarsdale mansion.

Ga. police officer who fatally shot unarmed naked man indicted on six charges, including murder

An Atlanta-area police officer who fatally shot an unarmed naked man was indicted on murder charges Thursday, officials said.

Teen driver whose car was hit by Spokane cop's car charged

A 16-year-old driver whose car got hit by a Spokane police cruiser that ran a red light now faces DUI charges, a report revealed Wednesday.

Mariah engaged to billionaire James Packer

Families of suspected terrorists in Paris attacks sue for their alleged murders by cops

Hasna Aitboulahcen is believed to have played in a role in the Paris attacks that killed 130 people in November, and died during a raid five days later in the suburb of Saint-Denis.

Alaska Airlines pilot accused of flying while drunk

David Hans Arnston was arraigned in federal court after posting blood-alcohol content levels of .134 and .142 following a flight in 2014.

Somalia security forces end deadly siege of beachfront restaurant that left at least 20 dead

The security forces took control of the restaurant just before dawn, said Capt. Mohamed Hussein, speaking from the scene of the attack in Mogadishu.

Former UConn star and NBA player Tate George gets 9 years for Ponzi scheme

Former NBA player and University of Connecticut star Tate George was sentenced Thursday to nine years in prison.

Alabama executes inmate for 1992 rape and murder of woman

Christopher Eugene Brooks, 43, was pronounced dead at 6:38 p.m. at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, authorities said.

SHE'S ALL S-MILEY! Cyrus engaged to Liam again

COW SWEET IT IS: Runaway bovine caught in Queens after it's spotted ambling down the street

A small white cow caused quite a stir during an apparent milk run in Queens Thursday, officials said.

see it Oregon militiamen sift through Native American relics, blasted for 'disgusting, ghoulish' behavior

The armed militiamen in Oregon want to save the world from the evil clutches of the U.S. government, one Native American artifact at a time.

White House hits back at Palin for blaming son Track's domestic violence problems on President

The White House shot back at Sarah Palin’s claim that President Obama was somehow to blame for her son’s recent domestic assault charges.

RUNNING AWAY WITH OUR MONEY! Organizer of NYC Marathon accused of illegal lottery

New York Road Runners flouts state law with its qualification lottery, according to the suit.

CHECK IT, MATE! Saudi Arabia’s top cleric says chess is ‘forbidden’

Some users mocked Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdelaziz Al Sheikh, saying chess is an intelligent game and that is why conservative clerics decry it.

McDREAMY AGAIN! Dempsey and wife call off divorce

Pakistani teen doesn't reget cutting off own hand for blasphemy

"Why should I feel any pain or trouble in cutting off the hand that was raised against the Holy Prophet?" the 15-year-old boy explained.

Mayor unveils $82B budget for 2017, plans investment in Staten Island Ferry, jails, schools

Mayor de Blasio Thursday unveiled his preliminary budget for 2017 that includes investments in safety, homelessness and schools.

WHITEOUT: Board of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is overwhelmingly white

The Oscar nominees aren’t the only white out in Hollywood.

MONSTER COP: Officer gets 263 years in jail for raping, sexually abusing black women while on the beat in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma City cop who preyed on and sexually assaulted black women was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday.

New visa restrictions impact visitors to terrorist hotspots

The Obama administration tightened restrictions on Europeans who visited Iran, Iraq, Syria or Sudan in the last five years.

Autos

Koreatown, Hell's Kitchen and NYC's other parking dead zones

Parking is hard to come by just about anywhere in New York City, but these neighborhoods are the kings of no parking.

Volvo planning on ‘deathproof’ cars

By 2020 you will never have to worry about dying again in a Volvo vehicle.

Rezvani Beast delivered to owner

Being delivered a Rezvani Beast that you specially customized is kind of cool, we guess.

Tesla sues over sagging doors

Tesla Motors is dropping a lawsuit on a German supplier over drooping "falcon wing" doors for the upcoming Model X sport-utility.

2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk - REVIEW and TEST DRIVE

Unlike most other SUVs in its class, the Cherokee is both solid everyday transportation and a great off-roader.

Comedians in Cars: That's Porsche gold, Jerry! Gold!

Actually it's cashmere beige, but close enough. Garry Shandling joins for episode 4.

New York

New York’s Sandy victims get $200G, $2M disaster loan options

Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) said Thursday that the Small Business Administration’s disaster loans are once again available for businesses, renters and homeowners harmed by the 2012 superstorm.

Cops give goat new life after Queens slaughterhouse escape

The kind-hearted cops who corralled a goat that escaped from a Queens slaughterhouse saved their new four-legged friend — who is now roaming free at a Long Island petting zoo, officials said.

Man who tried to cross FDR Drive on foot critically injured by car

A 32-year-old man who tried to cross the FDR Drive on foot Thursday night was critically injured after a vehicle struck him, police said.

Jury in Akai Gurley shooting case has been chosen — and there’s only one black juror on the panel

Of the seven men and five women selected as jurors for the manslaughter trial of NYPD Officer Peter Liang, eight appeared to be Caucasian, three appeared to be Hispanic and one was black.

11 indicted in $700G identity theft ring that spanned at least 10 states

Alleged leader Chester Taylor, 30 and participant Marie Ferris, 50, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Supreme Court to grand larceny, scheme to defraud and identity theft.