MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS EARLY BIRD NEWS

'WHY DIDN'T SOMEBODY JUST DO SOMETHING?': South Carolina pol says Charleston shooting victims could have put up more of a fight

Bill Chumley appeared to insist the nine victims gunned down by suspect Dylann Roof in Charleston could have put up more of a fight.

EX-MET’S BITTER SPLIT: Darryl Hamilton reached custody deal with ex two days before she killed him, herself

Before pulling the trigger to end her own life, Monica Jordan made a panicked call to her ex-husband, asking him to call the police.

ON THE RUN: Handcuffed man arrested on attempted murder charge escapes from cops in Harlem

Tareek Arnold, 23, was being transported to the courthouse from the 32nd Precinct stationhouse in Harlem when he escaped.

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How to Super Charge Your Breakfast for Maximum Health Benefits

What’s one important New Year’s resolution to keep you and your family healthy all winter long?

Blond bombshell Charlotte McKinney sizzles in bikini shoot

SEE IT Driver checked body of man, 93, killed in Brooklyn hit-and-run before driving away: cops

A 93-year-old man was killed by both an 18-wheeler and a car in a gruesome double hit-and-run in Brooklyn Tuesday morning, officials said.

Medical staff mocked unconscious patient who unknowingly recorded them during colonoscopy: report

A Virginia man won a $500,000 case against a local anesthesiologist and her practice after he unknowingly recorded them mocking and intentionally misdiagnosing him while he was unconscious.

EXCLUSIVE 'The father is a bully': Queens family charged with using pizzeria as cocaine front undone by family feuding

Stick a fork in the apparently mob-connected Queens family charged with using their Italian restaurant and pizzeria as a front for cocaine trafficking.

BRING YOUR PUSH UP BRA! McGowan ‘insulted’ by Sandler casting note

EXCLUSIVE Barneys says ‘shop-and-frisk’ customer had typical store experience before busted by cops

Barneys said the patron arrested by cops in 2013 had an experience "indistinguishable from that of any other customer."

SEE IT Fearless cat gets bear to back down, fall off Alaska porch

Hilarious video shows how a fearless feline frightened a much larger black bear off her Alaska owner's porch.

California man who said God and FBI wanted him to fatally stab two people in Bay Area car lot to get verdict

An attorney for Karl George Sanft, 39, has admitted his client rammed his car through the gate at a Bay Area auto auction lot, stabbed a security guard and truck driver, then fled the scene.

Man behind alleged $6 billion penny stock inflation scheme arrested at Phoenix International Airport

Gregg Mulholland, 45, is charged with securities fraud and money laundering conspiracies following his arrest at Phoenix International Airport during a layover of his flight to Mexico from Canada.

ONE HOT COOKIE! Taraji shows off sexy curves — and nip slip

Amtrak train headed to Penn Station stranded for hours — without snacks, AC or working bathrooms

An Amtrak train bound for Penn Station got stranded for about five hours Tuesday, leaving irate passengers without snacks, air conditioning or working bathrooms.

PICTURED Panda twins born in China using artificial insemination to boost population

China showed off the latest twin pandas born through artificial insemination as part of efforts to boost its numbers.

West Point cadet found guilty of possessing child porn

Patrick Hester, 25, was found guilty Tuesday of possessing child pornography in his dorm room at the military academy.

Man accused of beating puppy with shovel before burying it in snow gives middle finger in court

Raul Cruz gave the middle finger on his way out of court, where he faces an animal cruelty rap for beating his pit bull puppy.

50 Cent didn’t think woman would mind if sex tape leaked

Swedish model tells jury former Wall St. boss smeared her name, ruined friendships thanks to online articles he posted

Model Hanna Bouveng told a jury Tuesday that her former boss smeared her name and ruined friendships with his bizarre online articles.

Charleston bans protests near funerals after Westboro Baptist Church plans to picket victims’ memorials

Members of a harshly anti-gay church announced their intention to picket the funerals of victims of the recent massacre.

Cuba tours being offered for Fall 2015 for just over $2K by Apple Vacations

Now that U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba are easing, New Yorkers with a hankering to visit the island have a new and affordable way to get there via Apple Vacations.

Mother of madman accused of NYC stabbing spree says child support battle with ex pushed him over edge

Florida Terry, 74, said her son, Trevial Terry, 40, and his ex-girlfriend, Alicia Sylvia, 36, were in court over support payments for their 8-year-old son Tristan.

Pro wrestler ‘Nature Boy’ Buddy Landel dies in sleep at 53

Dying Kansas City woman ordered to remove giant sandlot from yard

Georgianna Reid has been told she has to remove the sand that covers her front yard or she would be fined $1,000 and face up to 180 days in jail.

Juror 'misconduct' forces mistrial in case of disgraced Vanderbilt football players convicted of rape: judge

A Nashville judge declared a mistrial Tuesday, nearly five months after two ex-Vanderbilt University football players were found guilty in the aggravated rape of a 21-year-old coed in 2013.

Escaped murderers' DNA found at Twisted Horn hunting club in Owls Head — ‘It’s not an easy area to get to’

The cabin is 30 miles west of the prison that Matt and Sweat escaped from and is owned by a group of New York corrections officers.

LG Electronics promises to change plans for new building in Palisades amidst legal complaints from conservationists, pols

The original plan for the LG Electronics building in Englewood Cliffs called for a 143-foot-high building that detractors said would mar the views from across the Hudson.

Autos

CLASSIC ROAD TRIP: Volkswagen Vanagon vs. Mercedes-Benz S-Class for a weekend

That summer seemed to last forever—especially in traffic when we were overheating.

Photos A glimpse back at the first-ever Hot Wheels cars

2015 Bentley GT3-R – Test Drive and Review

Bentley takes lessons learned from racing and applies them to the fiendishly-fun and suavely-sophisticate Continental GT3-R

New York

GREENMAN Mayor de Blasio's explanation for adding 1,300 NYPD cops is just not credible

Mayor de Blasio’s explanation of why he agreed to add 1,300 cops to the NYPD is just not credible.

EXCLUSIVE Tenants, churches want NYCHA boss to resign over lack of mold repairs

A coalition of churches and public housing tenants frustrated by perceived inaction by NYCHA plans to call for the agency’s chairwoman to step down.

HOMETOWN HEROES Queens biology teacher, inspired by brother’s kidney transplant, encourages hands-on experiences

High school teacher Aaron Bell wants to impart his students with his love of biology. So he shares a very personal story to explain his passion.

De Blasio is not adding additional school holidays after Lunar New Year — angering Hindu community

De Blasio shut the door on any more new school holidays Tuesday- angering members of the Hindu community who want Diwali.

LATEST FROM AROUND NEW YORK

EXCLUSIVE NYC education, homeless services departments to target students at risk of becoming homeless

The city Education Department is teaming up with the Department of Homeless Services to target students at risk for becoming homeless.

Syracuse Ironman hands out medals with Rochester skyline

Organizers of an Ironman triathlon in upstate New York are scratching their heads after medals given to winners featured the wrong skyline.

New proposal would drastically limit flow of new Uber cars on city streets

Thousands of Uber cars that hit the streets in recent years got the city Tuesday to call for a road block to more black and livery cars.

Zack Hample says A-Rod may get his 3,000th ball back after all

Teen photographed wearing antlers in Chicago cops’ sick photo identified as man killed in drive-by

Michael Spann has been identified as the 18-year-old who's seen reduced to an animal on the floor for two since fired officers' enjoyment.

Urine-troubled mafia boss headed back to prison after meeting with fellow gangsters while on probation

John Palazzolo, 77, was being treated for a condition that rendered him unable to stop urinating, sources said, but that didn’t keep him from gallivanting with fellow Bonannos.

California cop, bitten by police K-9, shoots dog

The dog, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois, apparently escaped from a caged police cruiser about 7 a.m. on Tuesday and attacked the cop in the station’s parking lot, authorities say.

PHOTOS Chelsea Handler goes topless yet again!

Head of federal Office of Personnel Management says she shouldn't be blamed for China hack that exposed millions of Americans' information

"If there is anyone to blame, it is the perpetrators," Katherine Archuleta told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee when asked if anyone at her agency is responsible for the problem.

Georgia man, 65, poisons coworker’s water with Roundup weed killer to 'mess with him': authorities

Anthony Dunton poured small amounts of Roundup weed killer in his colleague’s water bottle on at least four occasions, court documents revealed.

Benjamin Netanyahu tries to recruit 20 former NFL players visiting Israel to oppose nuclear deal with Iran

Netanyahu tried to recruit a group of former NFL players including Curtis Martin and Tim Brown to side with him on the Iran nuclear deal.

PHOTOS She’s how old? Demi Moore sizzles with daughters

AG Schneiderman to handle cases of civilians killed by cops

The one-year appointment comes after Cuomo failed to convince Assembly and Senate leaders to go along with his own criminal justice reforms.

Ex-White House chef found dead in New Mexico accidentally drowned

Walter Scheib, who vanished during a solo hike before found dead Sunday night, drowned in a New Mexico mountain stream, authorities said.

HOW THEY NAILED HIM: Fla. detectives use fingerprints from a PHOTO to identify man who sexually abused 1-year-old

Trailblazing agents in Sarasota County used fingerprints from a photograph of a suspect's hand to identify him as the creep seen sexually abusing a 1-year-old boy.

Hugh Hefner breaks silence on Holly Madison’s shocking claims in memoir

Sudden stops in Baltimore police van may have caused Freddie Gray's death, autopsy finds

The 25-year-old was loaded into a police van with his ankles and wrists restrained — but he was not belted in, according to an autopsy report obtained by the Baltimore Sun.