MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS EARLY BIRD NEWS

FIEND REQUEST: Woman slashed and left for dead uses Facebook to lead police to alleged attacker

The woman told police she was able to get help after regaining consciousness inside of an abandoned, Spokane home last month.

Tail from crashed AirAsia flight QZ8501 hoisted from Java Sea during search for black boxes

AirAsia plane lifted the tail portion out of the Java Sea on Saturday, two weeks ago after it went down, killing all 162 people on board.

Police release suspect sketch in Colorado NAACP office bombing

Authorities released a sketch Friday of the man they believe detonated a bomb at an NAACP office in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Fidel Castro death rumors sweep Internet, no sign in Cuba

Social media around the world have been flooded with rumors of the former leader’s death despite any sign Friday that the reports were true.

Kanye West makes Legend-ary admission that he was wrong

Man indicted for allegedly killing hedge fund manager father

Princeton grad accused of shooting his hedge fund manager dad in head over allowance decrease was indicted.

Global travel warning issued by U.S. after terror attacks

The United States has issued a global travel warning after recent terror attacks in France, Australia and Canada.

Teen cleared of alleged NYPD threats arrested AGAIN on different charges

A grand jury cleared Brooklyn punk of posting Facebook death threats against NYPD, but he’s behind bars on felony charges.

AL QAEDA BEHIND ATTACK: Yemeni terrorists claim responsibility for brothers' Paris murder rampage

The bloodthirsty brothers wanted in the Charlie Hebdo massacre and a terrorist ally were killed Friday, ending two intense hostage situations and a massive three-day manhunt.

Charb’s girlfriend mourns murdered Charlie Hebdo editor: ‘My companion was murdered'

Not even all of the world's support can comfort the grieving girlfriend of a murdered Charlie Hebdo editor.

French websites hacked to display ISIS flag in aftermath of Charlie Hebdo slaughter

The infamous banner and other extremist imagery appeared on the websites of at least five town governments outside Paris.

How to nix the next threat of homegrown terror: intelligence expert

Where did the men who carried out these attacks come from? Was it Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Gaza or Afghanistan?

Said Kouachi and Cherif Kouachi, terrorist brothers behind Paris massacre, fell through security cracks

The Kouachi brothers were on the radar of the French, British, Yemeni and even the U.S. security services

Terrorist Amedy Coulibaly came face-to-face with former French president Nicolas Sarkozy

Cop killer Amedy Coulibaly meet with then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy as a 27-year-old worker – years before he died a terrorist.

PHOTOS France gripped by terror in two locations, two days after Charlie Hebdo massacre

The Kouachi brothers, responsible for the attack on the satirical newspaper, are holding one hostage, while Amedy Coulibaly, is holding five hostages at a market east of Paris.

Charlie Hebdo freelancer survived because she was a woman: reports

‘We don’t shoot women!’ a gunman reportedly shouted as he spared Sigolène Vinson’s life during Wednesday’s Charlie Hebdo massacre, despite the death of Elsa Cayat, a female columnist.

The best and worst Golden Globes dresses of all time

Missouri leaders try to get Ferguson police chief to resign

Missouri's top leaders tried unsuccessfully to pressure Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson to resign.

Jeffrey Epstein's attempt to hide lawsuit imploded: papers

Prince Andrew’s billionaire sex offender pal likes his privacy.

Republicans not jumping to embrace President Obama's free community college proposal

Republicans aren’t jumping to embrace Obama’s proposal to offer Americans two free years of community college.

Kate lookin' great at 33! Duchess shines on birthday

Mitt Romney tells donors he is considering 2016 Presidential bid

It looks like Mitt's hoping three times is a charm.

Gov. Chris Christie's top Port Authority appointee leaves agency for NYU Law school job

Christie's top appointee at the Port Authority is leaving to take a new job at New York University Law school.

Toddler girl found wandering in Brooklyn snow wearing just pajamas

A 2-year-old left in her aunt's care in Brooklyn apparently wandered outside alone as snow fell early Friday, police said.

New York

Daily News fund for familes of Officers Ramos, Liu close to $400G

The fund to benefit families of hero Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu edged a little closer Friday to $400,000.

Cat on fire starts Bronx apartment blaze, leaving 2 critical, possibly 5 felines dead

Two people were clinging to life Friday after a cat caught fire and ran around in a panic, helping to ignite a Bronx apartment house.

Man dead after falling off subway platform, getting hit by train: authorities

A man was hit and killed by a train when he fell off a Queens subway platform Friday, authorities said.

NY gaming officials 'willing to entertain' Gov. Cuomo's request for casino in the Southern Tier

Gaming Facility Location Board Chairman Kevin Law said his panel may re-open the siting process and award a casino to the Southern Tier.

Hook-handed hate preacher Abu Hamza al-Masri gets life

Al-Masri was convicted of being involved in the deadly kidnappings of tourists in Yemen in 1998.

LATEST FROM AROUND NEW YORK

EMS chief, aide to leave amid reshuffle: sources

The head of the city’s Emergency Medical Service command is stepping down, FDNY sources said Friday.

Gov. Christie meets with feds probing the Bridgegate scandal

The New Jersey governor met with the FBI and members of the U.S. Attorney's Office last month, ABC News reported Friday.

Homeland Security reviews airports after Sen. Chuck Schumer urges increased staff screening

The senator made his plea after the December arrests of five alleged gun smugglers.

Brooklyn man wrongfully convicted of murder exonerated after spending more than 20 years behind bars

Derrick Hamilton, 49, wept Friday as Brooklyn Judge Raymond Guzman announced his murder conviction was erased.

GET THAT LADY A CAPE! Jennifer Lopez says ‘I need to play a superhero’

Small plane crashes in L.A. street, one dead: LAFD

The aircraft’s wreckage was left smoking in a street roughly a block away from the public airport.

Staten Island DA Dan Donovan officially will seek GOP nomination to replace Rep. Michael Grimm

Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan is officially running for Congress.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid says he may be blind in right eye from exercise injury

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid says he could be left blind in his right eye because of a bizarre recent exercise injury.

They came in like a wrecking ball: Miley's home robbed AGAIN

Baltimore female bishop charged with manslaughter in DUI hit-run crash

Episcopal bishop Heather Cook has been charged with manslaughter for the hit-and run killing of Baltimore cyclist Thomas Palermo.

BULLET FOR BREAKFAST: Wife shoots N.C. soldier husband, thinking he was burglar

A groggy North Carolina woman who was awakened by her home’s alarm going off ended up shooting her husband through a closed door.

SO DOGGONE COLD: Texas FedEx driver caught on video stealing PUPPIES

The driver was not even dropping off a package for the house when he took the two French bulldog puppies. He has since been suspended.

Sports

Yankees lefthander CC Sabathia opens up on injury, offseason moves

Yankees' CC Sabathia says his surgically repaired right knee is feeling fine and hopes the upcoming season could be “World Series fine."

Vacchiano: Former Giants say Spagnuolo would be great for 'D'

The Giants had spent the 2007 season turning their defense into a work of art, building it from scratch and riding it to Super Bowl XLII.

AFC Divisional Preview: Ravens have defense, history to beat Patriots

Bill Belichick fears no team, but strap him to a polygraph and he’ll come clean: The Ravens have been a pain in the butt in the playoffs.

NFC Divisional Preview: Seahawks ready to defend title

The Seattle Seahawks are the reigning Super Bowl champions. They are 12-4, riding a league-high six-game winning streak into the playoffs.

'Bachelorette' star Emily Maynard pregnant with second child

Former Miami Dolphins fullback swims 9 MILES to safety after fall from boat off Florida coast

Robert Konrad, 38, who played for the fins from 1999-2004, reportedly swam for up to 12 hours before making it to shore at Palm Beach.

Four shot, one dead in Kansas gun store robbery

Four people including three alleged robbers were shot at She’s a Pistol, a Kansas gun store, Friday afternoon, local reports said.

Washington foster mom would rather give child away than get vaccinated for flu

Jamie Smith of Tacoma has had seven foster children pass through her home, including one baby boy born on Christmas Day.

Ex-Florida A&M bandmate sentenced six years in fatal hazing

A former Florida A&M University band member has been sentenced 77 months in prison for the death of a drum major.

Bill, this is the LAST thing you should be telling jokes about

Anti-Islamic pastor Terry Jones opens french-fry stand in Florida despite Al Qaeda threat against his life

Defiant Anti-Islamic pastor Terry Jones has opened a french-fry stand in a Florida mall despite terrorist threats against his life.

AirAsia Flight QZ801 black box signals detected: Indonesia official

Indonesia search and rescue teams detected pings in their efforts to find the black box flight recorders on Friday, an official said.

Arne Duncan announcing plans to repeal No Child Left Behind

Education Secretary Arne Duncan will announce plans to repeal the standing federal education law, No Child Left Behind.

Three dead after pleasure cruise with 109 passengers sinks off Costa Rica

A catamaran carrying dozens of foreign tourists on a pleasure cruise capsized off Costa Rica on Thursday, killing three people.

HER HEARTACHE: Jennifer Aniston opens up on death of her first love

Flu is widespread in 46 states, has killed 26 children: CDC

The flu keeps getting worse.

Saudi blogger accused of insulting Islam to be publicly flogged: report

Raif Baddawi, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes, will be flogged in the city of Jiddah, according to a source.

What will she break now? Kim flashes her asset in VERY tight jeans!

Russian law bans anyone with gender identity disorders such as transgender people from driving

A broadly written law to tackle notoriously horrible traffic safety throughout Russia bans transgender people from driving.

UK cop gets 7 years in prison after pricey Ferrari reveals his criminal ties

A crooked English police officer was caught and thrown behind bars after he drove to work in a $250,000 Ferrari.

Teresa Giudice’s husband and kids to visit her in prison

NO HACK BACKS: U.S. did not retaliate against North Korea cyberattacks, report claims

The Obama administration has been deliberately coy about whether it caused North Korea’s outage, which affected all the nation’s Internet connections starting the weekend of Dec. 20.