Money, Money: The economy grew by 3.2% in the fourth quarter of 2013, an indication the economic recovery has legs. Stocks are up this morning. But yesterday the Federal Reserve announced another $10 billion cut in its monthly stimulus bond buying, sending the stock market into a three-digit spin. The Fed believes the economy will grow faster and needs less help. The Fed is keeping short-term interest rates near zero, but the stock market still wasn’t happy.

Down South: Recriminations have begun in Atlanta even as thousands of stalled, stuck, and abandoned vehicles are being cleared from the roads in the aftermath of an unusual winter storm. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Gov. Nathan Deal are answering tough questions about whether they properly prepared as the storm approached. The roads were coated with ice and cars just spun their wheels. The local news called it “Gridlockalypse.”

World: The NY Times writes that Russia has been secretly testing a ground-based cruise missile in violation of a 1987 treaty banning medium-range missiles. The treaty helped to end the Cold War.

>Egypt’s chief prosecutor has decided to try 20 Al Jazeera journalists, including four foreigners, on charges of aiding a terrorist network. The government accuses the reporters of creating “unreal scenes to give the impression to the outside world that there is a civil war that threatens to bring down the state,” according to the Associated Press.

  The four foreigners include an Australian, two Brits and a Dutch woman. The three men were arrested December 29 as they were interviewing a leader of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Al Jazeera has protested, to no avail.

>Protests continue in Ukraine as the country’s embattled president has gone on sick leave. The government is threatening a forceful clearing of encamped protesters. Ukraine’s former president Leonid Kravchuk said, “Let’s be honest, the situation is dramatic. Both Ukraine and the world recognize the country is on the brink of civil war.”  

Your Rep: Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm, considered a rising star in the Republican Party, apologized to a reporter he threatened after a television interview following the State of the Union address. Michael Scotto of NY1 News tried to ask Grimm a question about an investigation into Grimm’s campaign fund. Grimm said, “I’ll break you in half. Like a boy.” He has a reputation for being a hothead, but it’s the first time its been caught on tape. Grimm at first said his anger was justified, but after becoming the butt of cable television, he apologized and asked Scotto to lunch.

Bieber Beat: Pop singer Justin Bieber was arrested for the second time in a week. This time he’s accused of assaulting a Toronto limo driver on December 30^th. The driver said that while he had Bieber and his entourage in the car, he and Bieber argued and the Beebs smacked him in the head several times. Last week Bieber was arrested in Florida for speeding, drunk driving, and driving without a license.

And the Winner is Not: The Motion Picture Academy made the unheard of decision to rescind an Oscar nomination. Citing improper campaigning by the songwriter, the Academy pulled the Best Song nomination for “Alone Yet Not Alone,” a song barely anyone has heard, for the movie of the same name hardly anyone has seen. The Christian-themed flick has made only $100,000 at the box. But the Academy said the songwriter sinned.

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