newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Goldman Sachs reaches $3.9B settlement with Malaysia over 1MDB scandal

Goldman Sachs has reached a $ 3.9 billion settlement deal with Malaysia over its role in the massive 1MDB financial scandal , officials said Friday .
The American investment bank agreed to pay $ 2.5 billion in cash and guaranteed the recovery of at least $ 1.4 billion in assets stemming from three bond sales tied to the embezzlement scam , Malaysia ’ s Ministry of Finance announced .
The settlement will “ resolve outstanding charges and claims ” related to the bond transactions that Goldman arranged for 1MDB , the ministry said .
Officials noted that the deal was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Goldman offered to pay last year .
“ This settlement represents assets that rightfully belong to the Malaysian people , ” Malaysian finance minister Tengku Dato ’ Sri Zafrul Aziz said in a statement .
“ We are confident that we are securing more money from Goldman Sachs compared to previous attempts , which were far below expectations.
” Goldman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday morning .
Malaysian prosecutors had accused three Goldman units of misleading investors about the bond sales that raised $ 6.5 billion for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad — and netted the bank about $ 600 million in fees .
The US Justice Department has said some $ 4.5 billion — including some of the money Goldman helped raise — was looted from 1MDB by people including playboy financier Jho Low , who is still on the lam .
Goldman has also reportedly held settlement talks with federal prosecutors that could see it pay $ 2 billion over its role in the scandal and have one of its units plead guilty under American bribery laws .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees face punishment over the alleged scam .
Senior banker Tim Leissner has pleaded guilty and been barred by the feds from working in the industry , and Roger Ng is reportedly working on a plea deal in the US while awaiting trial in Malaysia .
The Federal Reserve also banned ex-Goldman partner Andrea Vella , who played a big role in the bank ’ s Asian operations , from the banking industry in February over the 1MDB deals .
Goldman shares were up about 1.4 percent in premarket trading following the settlement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m .

Goldman Sachs has reached a $3.9 billion settlement deal with Malaysia over its role in the massive 1MDB financial scandal, officials said Friday.
The banking giant agreed to pay $2.5 billion in cash and guaranteed the recovery of at least $1.4 billion in assets stemming from three bond sales tied to the embezzlement scam, in which party-boy financier Jho Low absconded with millions of dollars, throwing lavish parties with celebrities like Paris Hilton and Leonardo DiCaprio and even bankrolling Martin Scorsese’s flick “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
The Malaysian government will also drop all pending criminal charges against Goldman and won’t try to prosecute any more of its subsidiaries or employees, the bank said in a statement.
“This settlement represents assets that rightfully belong to the Malaysian people,” Malaysian finance minister Tengku Dato’ Sri Zafrul Aziz said in a statement. “We are confident that we are securing more money from Goldman Sachs compared to previous attempts, which were far below expectations.”
Despite the enormous price tag, Wall Street analysts were relieved that Goldman is moving decisively to put the 1MDB scandal behind it. The ordeal has hung over Goldman for almost four years, and it’s weighed on their financial results as two consecutive CEOs have been forced to sock away an estimated $2.2 billion to $3 billion in provisions to pay for legal fees and potential fines.
That pile of cash will help the firm pay Malaysian authorities, but it will likely wipe out much of Goldman’s profits from a surprisingly strong quarter announced just last week.
“Conceptually, [Goldman] may be paying an extra “time premium” to get this matter resolved,” Wells Fargo analyst Mike Mayo wrote in a note Friday morning. “Which, to us, is still worth it and would be below the worst investor estimates of $10bn.”
Still, settling with Malaysia now pushes up the timeline for the US Department of Justice to fine Goldman for its 1MDB activities. With political winds blowing in the direction of Democrats taking back the White House and perhaps even the Senate in November, taking its lumps from a more Wall Street-friendly administration in 2020 is worth paying out now to save potentially billions more if the settlement had dragged on into 2021.
“Today’s settlement is an important step towards putting the 1MDB matter behind us and will help enable the Malaysian government to move forward with additional recovery efforts and to execute on its economic priorities,” Goldman said. “There are important lessons to be learned from this situation, and we must be self-critical to ensure that we only improve from the experience.”
Malaysian prosecutors had accused three Goldman units of misleading investors about the bond sales that raised $6.5 billion for 1MDB — a state development fund formally known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad — and netted the bank about $600 million in fees.
The US Justice Department has said some $4.5 billion — including some of the money Goldman helped raise — was looted from 1MDB by people including playboy financier Jho Low, who is still on the lam.
Goldman has also reportedly held settlement talks with federal prosecutors that could see it pay $2 billion over its role in the scandal and have one of its units plead guilty under American bribery laws.
The bank has already seen some former employees face punishment over the alleged scam. Senior banker Tim Leissner has pleaded guilty and been barred by the feds from working in the industry. News reports have indicated that another ex-banker, Roger Ng, is working on a plea deal in the US, but his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, denied that such discussions have taken place. A trial in Ng’s case is set for January 2021, Agnifilo said.
The Federal Reserve also banned ex-Goldman partner Andrea Vella, who played a big role in the bank’s Asian operations, from the banking industry in February over the 1MDB deals.
Goldman shares fell 0.8 percent on Friday to close at $201.47.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Coachella, Governors Ball and the summer music festival that never was

For anyone with big music-festival plans this summer , the countdown to 2021 has already begun in hopes that the coronavirus — the grinch that stole this concert season — will be gone .
Here are some of the major fests — and artists — we missed out on in 2020 : The big daddy of festivals , this musical pilgrimage to the California desert was first postponed from April until October .
And then it was canceled altogether for this year , depriving thousands of the chance to see headliners Travis Scott , Frank Ocean and Rage Against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to celebrate its 10th anniversary in stellar style during the first weekend of June .
Missy Elliott , Vampire Weekend , Miley Cyrus , Solange and Stevie Nicks were among the music stars scheduled to descend upon Randalls Island .
In addition to fellow headliners Tool and Tame Impala , Lizzo was supposed to be having everybody feeling good as hell in Manchester , Tennessee .
But the truth really did hurt when COVID killed the June festivities .
The fest will return June 17 to 20 , 2021 .
Goth-pop princess Billie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grammy-sweeping year with a headlining spot at Firefly .
But Dover , Delaware , will have to wait — just like the rest of those fans who were supposed to see Eilish on her 2020 arena tour .
While another Chicago festival — Lollapalooza — hadn ’ t announced its lineup before it was canceled , Riot Fest was planning to welcome such bands as Smashing Pumpkins , the Pixies and a reunited My Chemical Romance .
But they ’ re all down for make-up dates next September .

For anyone with big music-festival plans this summer, the countdown to 2021 has already begun in hopes that the coronavirus — the grinch that stole this concert season — will be gone.
Here are some of the major fests — and artists — we missed out on in 2020:
Coachella
The big daddy of festivals, this musical pilgrimage to the California desert was first postponed from April until October. And then it was canceled altogether for this year, depriving thousands of the chance to see headliners Travis Scott, Frank Ocean and Rage Against the Machine.
Governors Ball Music Festival
Gov Ball was all set to celebrate its 10th anniversary in stellar style during the first weekend of June. Missy Elliott, Vampire Weekend, Miley Cyrus, Solange and Stevie Nicks were among the music stars scheduled to descend upon Randalls Island.
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
In addition to fellow headliners Tool and Tame Impala, Lizzo was supposed to be having everybody feeling good as hell in Manchester, Tennessee. But the truth really did hurt when COVID killed the June festivities. The fest will return June 17 to 20, 2021.
Firefly Music Festival
Goth-pop princess Billie Eilish was due to be celebrating her Grammy-sweeping year with a headlining spot at Firefly. But Dover, Delaware, will have to wait — just like the rest of those fans who were supposed to see Eilish on her 2020 arena tour.
Riot Fest
While another Chicago festival — Lollapalooza — hadn’t announced its lineup before it was canceled, Riot Fest was planning to welcome such bands as Smashing Pumpkins, the Pixies and a reunited My Chemical Romance. But they’re all down for make-up dates next September.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Johnny Depp’s lawyers say Amber Heard may have attacked her sister

Kristina Sexton testified via video link from Australia that the ...

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Amber Heard may have once attacked her sister — and there’s video to prove it, Johnny Depp’s lawyers claimed Friday in a bombshell twist at his London libel trial.
Depp’s lawyer David Sherborne notified the court that his team had received footage Thursday night showing Heard’s sister Whitney Henriquez with bruises on her face and body shortly after the alleged assault.
“We were contacted to explain Amber Heard has a history of violence and attacking people,” Sherborne told the judge after asking that Henriquez, who is due back on the stand today, wait outside the courtroom during the disclosure.
“The material, we say, demonstrates Whitney Heard lied yesterday,” said Sherborne, who wants the surprise video admitted, according to the Evening Standard. “It goes to the issue of whether or not Ms. Heard was violent.”
Sherborne also asked the judge to bar the “Justice League” actress, who was in the gallery, from “using her phone” to communicate with her sister.
But the judge said he had no reason to believe Heard had not complied with the instruction not to talk to her sister about her testimony.
Henriquez testified Thursday that Heard had never attacked her and denied being “frightened or “wary” of her sister, according to the newspaper.
She said she once witnessed Depp grab Heard by the hair and repeatedly punch her in the head.
Previous 1 of 3 Next Advertisement Amber Heard John Phillips/Getty Images Amber Heard's sister Whitney Henriquez Neil Mockford/GC Images Advertisement
It’s unclear if the judge will let in the purported video.
Depp is suing The Sun newspaper for calling him a “wife-beater” in a 2018 article based on Heard’s allegations.
He has denied ever abusing his then-wife during their wildly tumultuous relationship, calling her “sociopathic.”
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Susie Zhao death: Michigan police suspect link to gambling in other states

Police said the death of professional poker player Susie Zhao , whose charred body has been found in a remote Michigan park , may be connected to her gambling in other states , according to a report .
Zhao , 33 , was last seen alive by her mother July 12 at 5:30 p.m. , according to the White Lake Township Police Department .
Her body was found about 8:30 a.m. the next day in a parking lot near the Pontiac Lake Recreation Area , on the outskirts of Detroit .
“ You have to determine whether or not this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be some sort of retaliatory incident because of her profession , ” said Detective Chris Hild , WIFR reported .
Investigators are asking witnesses to come forward .
“ We still are looking for anybody that may have seen or talked to Susie between Sunday at about 5:30 p.m. and early hours of Monday morning , ” an unnamed official said , according to the outlet .
Pal Michelle Lagrou said “ everybody loved ” the high-stakes player , who recently moved back to Michigan from Los Angeles .
“ Nobody ever remembers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conflict , no drama , ” Lagrou added .
Other friends said Zhao — who was known on the professional poker circuit as Susie Q — began playing as a team when they grew up in Troy .
“ ( She ) was a free spirit in the truest sense , ” friend Meredith Rogowski said , according to the outlet .
“ She played by her own rules .
She followed her dreams — absolutely brilliant .
”

Police said the death of professional poker player Susie Zhao, whose charred body has been found in a remote Michigan park, may be connected to her gambling in other states, according to a report.
Zhao, 33, was last seen alive by her mother at 5:30 p.m. July 12, according to the White Lake Township Police Department.
Her body was found about 8:30 a.m. the next day in a parking lot near the Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, on the outskirts of Detroit.
“You have to determine whether or not this is a cover-up, or this may be some sort of retaliatory incident because of her profession,” said Detective Chris Hild, WIFR reported.
Investigators are asking witnesses to come forward.
“We still are looking for anybody that may have seen or talked to Susie between Sunday at about 5:30 p.m. and early hours of Monday morning,” an unnamed official said, according to the outlet.
Previous 1 of 3 Next Advertisement Susie Zhao Facebook Susie Zhao Facebook Advertisement
Pal Michelle Lagrou said “everybody loved” the high-stakes player, who recently moved back to Michigan from Los Angeles.
“Nobody ever remembers her fighting with anybody ever, no conflict, no drama,” Lagrou added.
Other friends said Zhao — who was known on the professional poker circuit as Susie Q — began playing as a teen when they grew up in Troy.
“(She) was a free spirit in the truest sense,” friend Meredith Rogowski said, according to the outlet. “She played by her own rules. She followed her dreams — absolutely brilliant.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Charlamagne tha God slams Biden for calling Trump ‘first’ racist president

Joe Biden told the host of a New York City-based ...

Big Apple radio host Charlamagne Tha God slammed Joe Biden for calling President Trump the country’s first racist to be elected to the White House, according to a report.
The presumptive Democratic nominee made the comment during a virtual town hall Wednesday in response to concerns voiced by a health care worker about the president referring to the coronavirus pandemic as the “China virus.”
“The way he deals with people based on the color of their skin, their national origin, where they’re from, is absolutely sickening,” the former veep said.
“No sitting president has ever done this. Never, never, never. No Republican president has done this. No Democratic president. We’ve had racists, and they’ve existed, they’ve tried to get elected president. He’s the first one that has,” Biden added.
Charlamagne, co-host of “The Breakfast Club,” reacted to Biden’s characterization by declaring him Thursday’s “Donkey of the Day,” Fox News reported.
“I really wish Joe Biden would shut the f–k up forever and continue to act like he’s starring in the movie ‘A Quiet Place’ because as soon as he opens his mouth and makes noise, he gets us all killed, OK?” he said.
Charlamagne also accused Biden of “revisionist history,” describing his claim about the commander-in-chief as “a lie” that “relinquishes America of all responsibility of its bigotry.”
“How are we ever going to atone for America’s original sins if we don’t acknowledge them?” he said. “How the hell can Donald Trump be the first racist president in a country where 12 presidents before him owned slaves?”
“Joe, you got to hurry up and announce your black woman VP so I can be enthused about voting for her because I will never be enthused about voting for you, and you know America is a terrible place when Kanye West seems like a viable option,” Charlamagne added.
Charlamagne made headlines during his recent interview with Biden, who suggested that African American voters “ain’t black” if they were still considering voting for Trump in November. Biden walked back his remarks later.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Cuomo says it’s safe to collect voter signatures despite COVID-19

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They are gon na need a really long pen … Gov .
Andrew Cuomo wants bar-goers to keep their distance and even eat a meal to curb the coronavirus pandemic — but he ’ s fine with candidates for elected office approaching voters to sign their nominating petitions to get on the ballot .
Two candidates seeking independent ballot status sued Cuomo and the state Board of Elections in Manhattan federal court , claiming it ’ s dangerous and life-threatening to require candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their nomination petitions during the pandemic .
Josh Eisen is seeking to run on an independent ballot line in the 17th congressional district covering Westchester and Rockland counties , and child victims advocate Gary Greenberg wants to run on a third- party line for state Senate in the 46th district covering the Hudson Valley and Capital District .
The plaintiffs claim the petition requirements imposed by Cuomo ’ s emergency executive order violate their free speech and equal protection rights .
They are calling on the court to force the state to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to collect voter signatures online or reduce the signature requirements by 70 percent — as was done for Democratic and Republican Party candidates earlier this spring .
But in court papers , state Assistant Attorney General Seth Farber , who is defending Cuomo , challenged the assertion that in-person petitioning puts lives at risk .
“ Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic , the period for the collection and submission of such signatures was delayed while New York State was at the peak of its infections and death , ” said Farber , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request for a preliminary injunction of the governor ’ s order .
“ Now thankfully , New York has been able to carefully re-open and the entirety of the 17th Congressional District has been in Phase Four for over two weeks .
Petition signatures can now be obtained safely , subject to complying with public health and social distance guidelines , ” he said .
Cuomo ’ s lawyer noted the governor ’ s recent order also slashes the number of voter signatures required for independent nominating petitions by 30 percent to earn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 3,500 to 2,450 for Congress and 3,000 to 2,100 signatures for state Senate during a shortened petitioning period .
While the pandemic raged in the spring , Cuomo issued an executive order that slashed the number of voter signatures major party candidates were required to collect by 70 percent .
But Eisen told The Post that Cuomo ’ s legal defense is at odds with other strict public health measures he has imposed — from travel restrictions and quarantines for out-of-state visitors to barring bars and restaurants from serving alcoholic drinks without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down entertainment venues to rein in COVID-19 .
“ It ’ s hypocrisy .
He ’ s taken this cautious approach .
He ’ s steered a conservative approach toward saving human lives , ” Eisen said .
“ He was all in — now he ’ s sending people out to spread the virus.
” Eisen ’ s suit says , “ Gathering signatures during the COVID-19 outbreak endanger not only the health but also the lives of petition-circulators , potential signers , and the public at large .
“ Even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the current public health emergency , it is unlikely that petition-circulators would be able to gather signatures in a safe and efficient way because there are fewer people congregating in public places and fewer people are likely to open their doors to strangers who come knocking.
” The governor ’ s lawyer said the petitioning process was in line with other activities allowed in Phase 4 of the COVID-19 recovery , such as the reopening of “ most businesses and houses of worship … subject to appropriate social distancing guidelines , mask-wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State of New York is entitled to impose reasonable measures to determine whether a candidate has real support among members of the voting public …The EO [ executive order ] has reasonably balanced the interest of maintaining public safety and ensuring an orderly election , where independent candidates have shown sufficient public support to appear on the ballot , ” Farber said .
Farber said the candidates ’ claim of harm “ ring hollow ” and provide “ no basis ” for the court to exempt them from the petitioning requirements .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
They are gonna need a really long pen …
Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants bar-goers to keep their distance and even eat a meal to curb the coronavirus pandemic — but he’s fine with candidates for elected office approaching voters to sign their nominating petitions to get on the ballot.
Two candidates seeking independent ballot status sued Cuomo and the state Board of Elections in Manhattan federal court, claiming it’s dangerous and life-threatening to require candidates and their volunteers to collect in-person signatures for their nomination petitions during the pandemic.
Josh Eisen is seeking to run on an independent ballot line in the 17th Congressional District covering Westchester and Rockland counties, and child victims advocate Gary Greenberg wants to run on a third- party line for state Senate in the 46th District covering the Hudson Valley and Capital District.
The plaintiffs claim the petition requirements imposed by Cuomo’s emergency executive order violate their free speech and equal protection rights. They are calling on the court to force the state to eliminate the petition requirements, allow them to collect voter signatures online or reduce the signature requirements by 70 percent — as was done for Democratic and Republican Party candidates earlier this spring.
But in court papers, state Assistant Attorney General Seth Farber, who is defending Cuomo, challenged the assertion that in-person petitioning puts lives at risk.
“Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the period for the collection and submission of such signatures was delayed while New York State was at the peak of its infections and death,” said Farber, who urged the court to dismiss plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction of the governor’s order.
“Now thankfully, New York has been able to carefully re-open and the entirety of the 17th Congressional District has been in Phase Four for over two weeks. Petition signatures can now be obtained safely, subject to complying with public health and social distance guidelines,” he said.
Cuomo’s lawyer noted the governor’s recent order also slashes the number of voter signatures required for independent nominating petitions by 30 percent to earn ballot status in the general election — from 3,500 to 2,450 for Congress and 3,000 to 2,100 signatures for state Senate during a shortened petitioning period.
While the pandemic raged in the spring, Cuomo issued an executive order that slashed the number of voter signatures major party candidates were required to collect by 70 percent.
But Eisen told The Post that Cuomo’s legal defense is at odds with other strict public health measures he has imposed — from travel restrictions and quarantines for out-of-state visitors to barring bars and restaurants from serving alcoholic drinks without food, banning large gatherings and shutting down entertainment venues to rein in COVID-19.
“It’s hypocrisy. He’s taken this cautious approach. He’s steered a conservative approach toward saving human lives,” Eisen said. “He was all in — now he’s sending people out to spread the virus.”
Eisen’s suit says, “Gathering signatures during the COVID-19 outbreak endanger not only the health but also the lives of petition-circulators, potential signers, and the public at large.
“Even if it were feasible to safely gather signatures during the current public health emergency, it is unlikely that petition-circulators would be able to gather signatures in a safe and efficient way because there are fewer people congregating in public places and fewer people are likely to open their doors to strangers who come knocking.”
The governor’s lawyer said the petitioning process was in line with other activities allowed in Phase 4 of the COVID-19 recovery, such as the reopening of “most businesses and houses of worship … subject to appropriate social distancing guidelines, mask-wearing, and the like.”
“The State of New York is entitled to impose reasonable measures to determine whether a candidate has real support among members of the voting public … The EO [executive order] has reasonably balanced the interest of maintaining public safety and ensuring an orderly election, where independent candidates have shown sufficient public support to appear on the ballot,” Farber said.
Farber said the candidates’ claim of harm “ring hollow” and provide “no basis” for the court to exempt them from the petitioning requirements.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Amber Heard told acting coach Johnny Depp wouldn’t let her leave him, court hears

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Actress Amber Heard once told her acting coach that Johnny Depp would rather “ destroy ” her than let her leave their tumultuous marriage , London ’ s High Court heard Friday .
Kristina Sexton testified via video link from Australia that the “ Aquaman ” star , 34 , told her , “ Johnny will never let me go , ” The Sun reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 14th day of Depp ’ s , He has denied the allegations and blamed all the violence in his marriage on Heard .
Sexton told the court that Heard had said she was “ embarrassed ” at the idea of bad publicity over her marriage to the “ Pirates of the Caribbean ” star ending after just over a year , but she “ had to leave him , ” the newspaper reported .
She said Depp arrived at Heard ’ s now infamous 30th birthday party slurring his speech , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oscar nominee was controlling about her movie roles , and didn ’ t want Heard modeling , saying it made her look like a “ cheap whore , ” according to Sexton ’ s written witness statement .
“ She ( Heard ) became very nervous about her acting – whether it was for a part he wanted her to do or for one he didn ’ t want her to do , her work was dictated by Johnny , ” the statement said .
“ I could usually tell if it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in because she became a nervous wreck about getting it right.
” Depp was particularly concerned about Heard taking roles involving sex and violence , according to Sexton .
“ She started telling me that she couldn ’ t do certain roles because he didn ’ t want her doing ‘ whore parts , ’ ” Sexton said in the statement .
At one point Heard was on billboards as the face of a Guess campaign , but Depp told her she “ shouldn ’ t be doing stuff like that anymore because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheap whore , ’ ” according to Sexton .
The acting coach said Heard stopped modeling after this and turned down another Guess campaign .
Depp was particularly “ angry ” about Heard taking a role in “ London Fields ” which Sexton had encouraged due to the “ nudity , ” she said .
On questioning by Depp ’ s lawyer Eleanor Laws , Sexton admitted that “ London Fields ” was a critical disaster .
“ You know full well that your advice was wrong and Mr. Depp ’ s advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sexton said she didn ’ t become aware of the alleged physical abuse in the relationship until Heard filed for a restraining order against Depp in 2016 .
But as early as 2013 , Sexton said she was aware of the volatility in their “ very passionate ” romance .
On a drug and booze-fueled stay in Hicksville , Calif. , Depp allegedly ransacked a trailer the couple was staying in .
Sexton said she saw “ torn fabric ” and “ broken things just everywhere ” and Heard told her Depp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trial resumed Friday morning , Depp ’ s lawyers complained that Heard had texted her sister , Whitney Henriquez , 31 , while she gave evidence on Thursday .
Depp ’ s attorney David Sherborne asked that Heard be barred from using her cellphone while in court .
The lawyer further requested that Henriquez be kept out of the courtroom while Depp ’ s team produced a video clip that shows Heard being violent toward her sister , the paper said .
Henriquez testified Thursday that Heard had never been physical with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court heard that Henriquez had begged her sister not to marry Depp due to his violent rages .
She told the court that during a vicious 2015 fight , Depp had allegedly shoved her out of the way to lunge at Heard , prompting the actress to punch him .
Henriquez said she watched as the “ Edward Scissorhands ” star then clutched a clump of Heard ’ s hair as he repeatedly socked her in the face .
The sister had been living rent-free in one of Depp ’ s penthouses next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stand earlier this week and called Depp a “ monster ” who had threatened to kill her “ many times ” and once described “ carving my face up so no one else would want me.
” During Depp ’ s turn on the stand , he called his ex-wife a “ sociopathic ” wine-guzzling batterer , who once severed the tip of his finger with a vodka bottle .
Later today , Heard ’ s friend iO Tillett Wright is expected to testify by video link from the U.S. After Depp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple ’ s bed in April 2016 , the morning of Heard ’ s 30th birthday , he accused his then-wife and Wright of having orchestrated the vile prank .
Heard has denied the allegations and insisted the sizable pile came from Boo , her Yorkshire terrier .
After the poop incident , Depp said he had decided to divorce Heard , describing it as a “ fitting end to the relationship .
”

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Actress Amber Heard once told her acting coach that Johnny Depp would rather “destroy” her than let her leave their tumultuous marriage, London’s High Court heard Friday.
Kristina Sexton testified via video link from Australia that the “Aquaman” star, 34, told her, “Johnny will never let me go,” The Sun reported.
Sexton’s testimony came on the 14th day of Depp’s ,
He has denied the allegations and blamed all the violence in his marriage on Heard.
Sexton told the court that Heard had said she was “embarrassed” at the idea of bad publicity over her marriage to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star ending after just over a year, but she “had to leave him,” the newspaper reported.
He was jealous, Heard told her, and was “very concerned about her being around James Franco.” Depp has accused Heard of having an affair with her “The Adderal Diaries” co-star during their marriage, which ended in 2017. Heard and Franco have denied it.
Depp’s lawyer Eleanor Laws questioned Sexton about what Heard told her happened during a vicious fight in Australia in 2015 when Depp’s finger was famously injured.
Laws read an excerpt from a deposition that Sexton had given for a separate U.S. libel proceeding. “She told me that he had broken the bottle and cut himself with the bottle that he had broken,” Sexton wrote in the statement.
Heard testified earlier this week that Depp sliced the tip of his finger while smashing a phone into shards. Meanwhile, the Golden Globe winner had told the court that Heard had hurled a vodka bottle at him, severing the digit.
The next year, in April 2016, Sexton said Depp arrived at Heard’s now infamous 30th birthday party slurring his speech, and had to be propped up.
She said Depp arrived at Heard’s now infamous 30th birthday party slurring his speech, and had to be propped up.
The Oscar nominee was controlling about her movie roles, and didn’t want Heard modeling, saying it made her look like a “cheap whore,” according to Sexton’s written witness statement.
“She (Heard) became very nervous about her acting – whether it was for a part he wanted her to do or for one he didn’t want her to do, her work was dictated by Johnny,” the statement said.
“I could usually tell if it was something he wanted her to be involved in because she became a nervous wreck about getting it right.”
Depp was particularly concerned about Heard taking roles involving sex and violence, according to Sexton.
“She started telling me that she couldn’t do certain roles because he didn’t want her doing ‘whore parts,’” Sexton said in the statement.
At one point Heard was on billboards as the face of a Guess campaign, but Depp told her she “shouldn’t be doing stuff like that anymore because it made her look like a ‘cheap whore,’” according to Sexton.
The acting coach said Heard stopped modeling after this and turned down another Guess campaign.
Depp was particularly “angry” about Heard taking a role in “London Fields” which Sexton had encouraged due to the “nudity,” she said.
On questioning by Laws, Sexton admitted that “London Fields” was a critical disaster.
“You know full well that your advice was wrong and Mr. Depp’s advice was right,” the attorney said.
Sexton said she didn’t become aware of the alleged physical abuse in the relationship until shortly before Heard filed for a restraining order against Depp in 2016.
But as early as 2013, Sexton said she was aware of the volatility in their “very passionate” romance.
On a drug and booze-fueled stay in Hicksville, Calif., Depp allegedly ransacked a trailer the couple was staying in. Sexton said she saw “torn fabric” and “broken things just everywhere” and Heard told her Depp had ripped the trailer apart.
Before the trial resumed Friday morning, Depp’s lawyers complained that Heard had texted her sister, Whitney Henriquez, 31, while she gave evidence on Thursday.
Depp’s attorney David Sherborne asked that Heard be barred from using her cellphone while in court. The lawyer further requested that Henriquez be kept out of the courtroom while Depp’s team produced a video clip that shows Heard being violent toward her sister, the paper said.
Henriquez testified Thursday that Heard had never been physical with her.
On Thursday, the UK court heard that Henriquez had begged her sister not to marry Depp due to his violent rages.
She told the court that during a vicious 2015 fight, Depp had allegedly shoved her out of the way to lunge at Heard, prompting the actress to punch him.
Henriquez said she watched as the “Edward Scissorhands” star then clutched a clump of Heard’s hair as he repeatedly socked her in the face.
The sister had been living rent-free in one of Depp’s penthouses next door to the couple.
Heard took the stand earlier this week and called Depp a “monster” who had threatened to kill her “many times” and once described “carving my face up so no one else would want me.”
During Depp’s turn on the stand, he called his ex-wife a “sociopathic” wine-guzzling batterer, who once severed the tip of his finger with a vodka bottle.
Later today, Heard’s friend iO Tillett Wright is expected to testify by video link from the U.S.
After Depp said he discovered human feces in the couple’s bed in April 2016, the morning of Heard’s 30th birthday, he accused his then-wife and Wright of having orchestrated the vile prank.
Heard has denied the allegations and insisted the sizable pile came from Boo, her Yorkshire terrier.
After the poop incident, Depp said he had decided to divorce Heard, describing it as a “fitting end to the relationship.”
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--73-year-old cliff jumper shows the kiddos how it’s done

Fifty-foot drop ?
No problem for this septuagenarian .
A group of thrill-seekers in upstate New York couldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ 73-year-old did the deadly cliff jump at Fawn ’ s Leap in the Catskill Mountains @ @ @ @ @ filmed by Matt Hicks , 17 .
“ I was so surprised watching him do @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ He teaches kids who have never done the gaps how to do @ @ @ @ @ t die , and he goes there all the time and cleans up trash so @ @ @ @ @ get shut down .
”

Fifty-foot drop? No problem for this septuagenarian. A group of thrill-seekers in upstate New York couldn’t believe their eyes when a 73-year-old did the deadly cliff jump at Fawn’s Leap in the Catskill Mountains. Watch the thrilling moment filmed by Matt Hicks, 17.
“I was so surprised watching him do it,” the teen said. “He teaches kids who have never done the gaps how to do them so they don’t die, and he goes there all the time and cleans up trash so the place doesn’t get shut down.”
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newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Fauci says he and his family have received ‘serious threats’

Dr. Anthony Fauci said he and his family have faced “ serious threats ” since he joined the White House coronavirus task force as the nation ’ s top infectious diseases expert , according to a report .
Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told CNN ’ s David Axelrod on his “ The Axe Files ” podcast Thursday that the level of anger was on a different level than when he took on the HIV/AIDS crisis decades ago , The Hill reported .
“ I ’ ve seen a side of society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a little bit disturbing , ” he said .
“ Back in the days of HIV when I was being criticized with some hate mail , it was , you know , people calling me a gay-lover and ‘ what the hell are you wasting a lot of time on that ’ … things that you would just push aside as stupid people saying stupid things , ” Fauci said .
But “ it ’ s really a magnitude different ” now , he said , because “ as much as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me somewhat of a hero … there are people who get really angry at thinking I ’ m interfering with their life because I ’ m pushing a public-health agenda.
” This has led to both hate mail and “ serious threats against me , against my family … my daughters , my wife — I mean , really ?
Is this the United States of America ?
” He said he also has been assigned a security detail as a result of the threats , the outlet reported .
President Trump recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chris Wallace that Fauci is a “ little bit of an alarmist.
” The doctor later said he prefers to think of himself as “ a realist .
”

Dr. Anthony Fauci said he and his family have faced “serious threats” since he joined the White House coronavirus task force as the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, according to a report.
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN’s David Axelrod on his “The Axe Files” podcast Thursday that the level of anger was on a different level than when he took on the HIV/AIDS crisis decades ago, The Hill reported.
“I’ve seen a side of society that I guess is understandable but it’s a little bit disturbing,” he said.
“Back in the days of HIV when I was being criticized with some hate mail, it was, you know, people calling me a gay-lover and ‘what the hell are you wasting a lot of time on that’ … things that you would just push aside as stupid people saying stupid things,” Fauci said.
But “it’s really a magnitude different” now, he said, because “as much as people inappropriately, I think, make me somewhat of a hero … there are people who get really angry at thinking I’m interfering with their life because I’m pushing a public-health agenda.”
This has led to both hate mail and “serious threats against me, against my family … my daughters, my wife — I mean, really? Is this the United States of America?”
He said he also has been assigned a security detail as a result of the threats, the outlet reported.
President Trump recently said in a Fox News interview with Chris Wallace that Fauci is a “little bit of an alarmist.” The doctor later said he prefers to think of himself as “a realist.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Tropical Storm Hanna could reach Texas coast by Saturday

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Hanna was expected to make landfall over the weekend , threatening to bring heavy rain , rough waters and strong winds to the Gulf Coast , all while another tropical storm continued to approach the Caribbean .
Hanna was located about 360 miles east , southeast of Corpus Christi , Texas , the National Hurricane Center said in its 1 a.m. CDT advisory .
It had maximum sustained winds around 40 mph and was moving west , northwest at 7 mph .
It was expected to make landfall along the southern coast of Texas on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warning was in effect from the mouth of the Rio Grande to San Luis Pass , Texas , and a tropical storm watch was in effect from San Luis Pass to High Island , Texas .
Hanna was expected to bring 3 to 5 inches of rain and coastal swells that “ are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions , ” the advisory stated .
Isolated rain totals of 10 inches were possible from Louisiana to south Texas , and inland into the Mexican states of Coahuila , Nuevo Leon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the record as the earliest eighth Atlantic named storm , according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
The previous record was Harvey on Aug. 3 , 2005 , Klotzbach tweeted .
Tropical Storm Gonzalo was also the earliest Atlantic named storm for its place in the alphabet .
The previous record was held by Tropical Storm Gert , which formed on July 24 , 2005 .
So far this year , Cristobal , Danielle , Edouard and Fay also set records for being the earliest named Atlantic storm for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mph with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph , according to the National Hurricane Center ’ s advisory early Friday .
It was located about 685 miles east of the southern Windward Islands .
The Hurricane Center said that those in the Windward Islands should monitor the storm as it is expected to approach the islands late Friday and Saturday .
As some strengthening is forecast , there is still a chance that Gonzalo could become a hurricane , but the storm is expected to weaken as it moves into the Caribbean Sea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines .
A tropical storm watch is in effect for Tobago and Grenada .
Forecasters said Gonzalo could bring 2 to 5 inches of rain .

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Hanna was expected to make landfall over the weekend, threatening to bring heavy rain, rough waters and strong winds to the Gulf Coast, all while another tropical storm continued to approach the Caribbean.
Hanna was located about 360 miles east, southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, the National Hurricane Center said in its 1 a.m. CDT advisory. It had maximum sustained winds around 40 mph and was moving west, northwest at 7 mph.
It was expected to make landfall along the southern coast of Texas on Saturday, forecasters said. A tropical storm warning was in effect from the mouth of the Rio Grande to San Luis Pass, Texas, and a tropical storm watch was in effect from San Luis Pass to High Island, Texas.
Hanna was expected to bring 3 to 5 inches of rain and coastal swells that “are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” the advisory stated. Isolated rain totals of 10 inches were possible from Louisiana to south Texas, and inland into the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and northern Tamaulipas.
Hanna broke the record as the earliest eighth Atlantic named storm, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. The previous record was Harvey on Aug. 3, 2005, Klotzbach tweeted.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo was also the earliest Atlantic named storm for its place in the alphabet. The previous record was held by Tropical Storm Gert, which formed on July 24, 2005. So far this year, Cristobal, Danielle, Edouard and Fay also set records for being the earliest named Atlantic storm for their alphabetic order.
Gonzalo was moving 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center’s advisory early Friday. It was located about 685 miles east of the southern Windward Islands.
The Hurricane Center said that those in the Windward Islands should monitor the storm as it is expected to approach the islands late Friday and Saturday. As some strengthening is forecast, there is still a chance that Gonzalo could become a hurricane, but the storm is expected to weaken as it moves into the Caribbean Sea.
A hurricane watch has been issued for Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A tropical storm watch is in effect for Tobago and Grenada. Forecasters said Gonzalo could bring 2 to 5 inches of rain.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Aaron Judge gets off to strong start in Yankees’ win

In any other season , Gerrit Cole is the main story ...

Aaron Judge said he’d be ready for Opening Day.
He was right.
Judge started the much-delayed season with a pair of hits in the Yankees’ 4-1 rain-shortened win Thursday over the Nationals.
They were enough to impress one of his new teammates.
“Those were two pure swings on the ball,” Gerrit Cole said of Judge’s work at the plate.
The right fielder was sidelined in March after being diagnosed with a fractured rib and a collapsed lung that Judge likely suffered on a diving play last September.
General manager Brian Cashman said the rib injury would have kept Judge out until the “summer.” When baseball returned following the COVID-19 shutdown that was prolonged by a labor dispute, Judge then dealt with a stiff neck.
But he returned to hit three homers in two exhibition games and stayed hot Thursday against Washington’s Max Scherzer.
He ripped a 108-mph single to left with one out in the top of the first and scored on Giancarlo Stanton’s mammoth homer later in the inning that gave the Yankees and Cole a 2-0 lead.
“In the big picture, this was a chance to see our offense when everybody’s healthy,’’ Judge said. “I’m just trying to get on base for the big hitters behind me. We showed that tonight. We let [Stanton] do his thing.”
Judge came up again in the third with one out after Tyler Wade’s leadoff walk and an Aaron Hicks strikeout.
This time, Judge roped a double to left and the speedy Wade — who started at second base in place of DJ LeMahieu — came around to score to put the Yankees back up by two runs.
Judge had a chance to extend the Yankees’ lead again in the fifth with runners on the corners against Scherzer and one out, but he struck out looking. Stanton picked him up with an RBI single after Gleyber Torres walked to load the bases.
Judge insisted during spring training 2.0 that his neck was not an issue and on Tuesday declared himself “ready to go.”
Judge was limited to 102 games a year ago in part due to a left oblique strain and played just 112 games in 2018 because of a right wrist fracture.
In this abbreviated season, a similar extended absence would be especially damaging to Judge and the Yankees — and he proved why he’s so important to their lineup again on Thursday.
Aaron Boone said he was pleased with what he saw from both Judge and Stanton in the middle of the lineup.
“One of the things I felt really good about was this team was ready to go and those guys are leading the way, in a sense,’’ Boone said of the two sluggers. “They had really quality at-bats to confirm the work we’ve been seeing. Judge had a couple really good at-bats.”
But Judge also admitted there was something strange about the setting.
“It was good to have some real baseball back, but it was definitely odd,’’ Judge said of the empty stadium. “It was strange with a team celebrating a World Series championship and none of their fans were there to celebrate with them.”
In the end, though, it was OK.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Mets’ Marcus Stroman brushes off calf injury as ‘minor setback’

At a time when the Cy Young race would normally ...

Marcus Stroman is counting on a quick recovery.
A day after he was placed on the injured list with a left calf tear, the Mets right-hander tweeted he’s dealing with a “minor setback” and isn’t concerned.
“Not even slightly worried,” Stroman tweeted. “More time consuming than anything. Threw a 55 pitch bullpen on Monday and felt great. Only feel it when jogging and sprinting. However, must be able to run at full speed when competing.”
The injury occurred, according to general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, when Stroman took a line drive off his leg during an intrasquad game last Friday and ran to cover first base. But the morning before the scrimmage, Stroman posted a picture of himself playing catch wearing a covering on the left calf.
“My understanding is the line drive was the start of it and then as he went through the days after, that is when he started getting treatment and had the sleeve on his leg,” Van Wagenen said. “As far as I know, I don’t know it was before the line drive.”
Van Wagenen said he didn’t know the grade of Stroman’s tear.
“I would leave it to the doctors to try to sort through that,” Van Wagenen said.
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Jed Lowrie’s status remains a mystery, even after he was examined this week by team orthopedist David Altchek. The infielder, who was recently placed on the injured list with left knee discomfort, is expected to receive a second opinion.
Van Wagenen said Lowrie has received “fresh images” of his knee, calf and Achilles tendon in an attempt to get a clear diagnosis of his ailment and what limitations he might have.
“The short version is we’re still searching for those answers,” Van Wagenen said. “We don’t have a very clear-cut picture, that’s the purpose of getting the second opinion and with that information we’ll be able to develop an action plan and have a better idea of what his availability might be going forward.”
Yoenis Cespedes, who is expected to start at DH on Friday, is clear to play the outfield during the season, according to Van Wagenen. The 34-year-old Cespedes, who is set to play his first major league game in more than two years, last played a full game in the outfield in May 2018.
“He has got the ability and the green light to play the outfield,” Van Wagenen said. “We’ll just have to be smart in terms of how and when we utilize him.”
Corey Oswalt hasn’t yet been slotted into manager Luis Rojas’ rotation, according to Van Wagenen, and will be available to pitch from the bullpen this weekend if needed. Rojas hasn’t named starters beyond Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz and Rick Porcello in the first three games of the season.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu could return for Game 2

WASHINGTON — Tyler Wade was at second base Thursday night against the Nationals , but it might be a while before he starts at that position again .
“ He is on the roster , ’ ’ Aaron Boone said of All-Star second baseman DJ LeMahieu , who returned this past weekend after being sidelined by COVID-19 .
“ Just felt like with the off-day [ Friday ] he has done a lot of work , he has gotten a lot of reps .
I feel like he is close to being an option for us but I just felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He didn ’ t start last Opening Day and that worked out well for him and us.
’ ’ Boone said “ we will see ’ ’ when asked if LeMahieu would be in the lineup Saturday .
While most of the Yankees will rest Friday , LeMahieu is scheduled to be at Nationals Park to take hacks against Jordan Montgomery .
“ He will get a lot of at-bats off of him so it will be another work day for DJ .
We will really ramp him up the best we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around it , ’ ’ Boone said before the Yankees ’ 4-1 win over the Nationals .
“ He would be more of an option for Saturday.
’ ’ As for Wade , he contributed to the win with his legs , eye and bunting ability .
He drew a walk and scored from first in the third on Aaron Judge ’ s double and beat out a bunt in the fifth that sent Gio Urshela to second and eventually scored .
The message has been pounded into players ’ heads before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay safe not only for yourself but others in the organization as the battle against COVID-19 continues .
“ We have our meetings , our Zoom calls and our messages up on our phones and constantly communicating and hopefully everybody [ is ] working along the same guidelines , ’ ’ Brett Gardner said Thursday afternoon .
“ We all have a responsibility to stay as safe as possible in these times and what one or two of us do can affect the whole team or the whole league .
We are excited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We obviously have a lot of work ahead of us as we travel throughout the season but we will do our best to embrace it and make the most of it and try to enjoy it together as a team.
’ ’ When the Yankees didn ’ t put Adam Warren in the 60-player pool , the veteran right-hander who was in the first leg of a two-year minor league contract following Tommy John surgery last year had to be released .
That happened , and now he will be a free agent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Technically I am a free agent , ’ ’ Warren told The Post on Thursday via phone from his Tampa-area home .
“ It ’ s a weird situation.
’ ’ According to Warren , because of his service time and pitching on a major league contract last ( with San Diego ) , the Yankees had to put him on the roster , pay him a $ 100,000 retention bonus or release him .
“ One of those CBA-type rules .
In my situation there wasn ’ t any way around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ said Warren , who pitched for the Yankees from 2012-16 and again from 2017-18 .
“ Most of the time when this happens they re-sign me at a minor league contract and it isn ’ t an issue .
That was what we understood before the pandemic hit.
’ ’ According to Warren , the Yankees have handled the situation very well .
“ We knew it was coming and the Yankees were very honest about it , ’ ’ said Warren , who continues to rehab the elbow by throwing bullpen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward to completing the rehab process inside of two months .
“ It ’ s kind of a crazy rule in these crazy times.
’ ’ Warren , who turns 33 late next month , wants to pitch next year and his top choice would be with the organization that selected him in the fourth round of the 2009 draft .
“ That would be ideal .
They put the time into helping me get back to where I was , ’ ’ Warren said of rejoining the Yankees next year .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will see what happens.
’ ’ In addition to recalling LeMahieu from the COVID-19 list on Thursday , the Yankees added infielder Thairo Estrada and right-handed pitchers Michael King and Ben Heller to the 30-man roster .
According to Boone , left-handed-hitting Mike Ford was a consideration to start at first base against Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer , but Boone stuck with the right-handed-hitting Luke Voit .
Ford was one of eight Yankees to make their first Opening Day roster .
Clint Frazier , Kyle Higashioka , Gio Urshela , Heller , King @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others .

WASHINGTON — Tyler Wade was at second base Thursday night against the Nationals, but it might be a while before he starts at that position again.
“He is on the roster,’’ Aaron Boone said of All-Star second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who returned this past weekend after being sidelined by COVID-19. “Just felt like with the off-day [Friday] he has done a lot of work, he has gotten a lot of reps. I feel like he is close to being an option for us but I just felt it was best to hold off tonight. He didn’t start last Opening Day and that worked out well for him and us.’’
Boone said “we will see’’ when asked if LeMahieu would be in the lineup Saturday.
While most of the Yankees will rest Friday, LeMahieu is scheduled to be at Nationals Park to take hacks against Jordan Montgomery.
“He will get a lot of at-bats off of him so it will be another work day for DJ. We will really ramp him up the best we can and we will have more conversation around it,’’ Boone said before the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the Nationals. “He would be more of an option for Saturday.’’
As for Wade, he contributed to the win with his legs, eye and bunting ability. He drew a walk and scored from first in the third on Aaron Judge’s double and beat out a bunt in the fifth that sent Gio Urshela to second and eventually scored.
The message has been pounded into players’ heads before the first day spring training 2.0 opened: stay safe not only for yourself but others in the organization as the battle against COVID-19 continues.
“We have our meetings, our Zoom calls and our messages up on our phones and constantly communicating and hopefully everybody [is] working along the same guidelines,’’ Brett Gardner said Thursday afternoon. “We all have a responsibility to stay as safe as possible in these times and what one or two of us do can affect the whole team or the whole league. We are excited to make it to Opening Day. We obviously have a lot of work ahead of us as we travel throughout the season but we will do our best to embrace it and make the most of it and try to enjoy it together as a team.’’
When the Yankees didn’t put Adam Warren in the 60-player pool, the veteran right-hander who was in the first leg of a two-year minor league contract following Tommy John surgery last year had to be released. That happened, and now he will be a free agent when the rehab process is complete.
“Technically I am a free agent,’’ Warren told The Post on Thursday via phone from his Tampa-area home. “It’s a weird situation.’’
According to Warren, because of his service time and pitching on a major league contract last (with San Diego), the Yankees had to put him on the roster, pay him a $100,000 retention bonus or release him.
“One of those CBA-type rules. In my situation there wasn’t any way around it except to release me,’’ said Warren, who pitched for the Yankees from 2012-16 and again from 2017-18. “Most of the time when this happens they re-sign me at a minor league contract and it isn’t an issue. That was what we understood before the pandemic hit.’’
According to Warren, the Yankees have handled the situation very well.
“We knew it was coming and the Yankees were very honest about it,’’ said Warren, who continues to rehab the elbow by throwing bullpen sessions at a local field and looking forward to completing the rehab process inside of two months. “It’s kind of a crazy rule in these crazy times.’’
Warren, who turns 33 late next month, wants to pitch next year and his top choice would be with the organization that selected him in the fourth round of the 2009 draft.
“That would be ideal. They put the time into helping me get back to where I was,’’ Warren said of rejoining the Yankees next year. “Hopefully the opportunity is there and we will see what happens.’’
In addition to recalling LeMahieu from the COVID-19 list on Thursday, the Yankees added infielder Thairo Estrada and right-handed pitchers Michael King and Ben Heller to the 30-man roster.
According to Boone, left-handed-hitting Mike Ford was a consideration to start at first base against Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer, but Boone stuck with the right-handed-hitting Luke Voit. Ford was one of eight Yankees to make their first Opening Day roster.
Clint Frazier, Kyle Higashioka, Gio Urshela, Heller, King, Jonathan Loaisiga and Estrada were the others.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Mookie Betts gets debut souvenirs as Dodgers roll

For a while , it appeared Mookie Betts might never play ...

LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts singled in the seventh inning for his first hit as a Los Angeles Dodger, then signaled for the ball.
That, along with the lineup card, is headed for a display in his house.
“This is something I’ll always remember,” he said Thursday night after scoring the go-ahead run in an 8-1 opening victory over the San Francisco Giants in a fan-less stadium. “It’s just a new chapter in life.”
Betts went 1 for 5 with two strikeouts, a day after signing a $365 million contract covering 2021-32.
Betts spoke without his bat when he kneeled during the national anthem. Teammates Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy stood resting a hand on each of his shoulders. Giants manager Gabe Kapler, in his first game as Bruce Bochy’s successor, kneeled, too.
“It was just unity,” Betts said. “We’re all on the same team, we’re all here for change, even the Giants.”
Betts’ perspective on kneeling has changed since 2016, when he said he wouldn’t take such action. His father, Willie, served in Vietnam with the U.S. Air Force.
“I wasn’t educated, and that’s my fault,” Betts said. “I know my dad served and I’ll never disrespect the flag, but there also has to be change. Kneeling is for the injustice.”
Kiké Hernández homered and drove in five runs while tying his career high with four hits for Los Angeles.
“It’s a great feeling,” he said.
Justin Turner grounded into a fielder’s choice and Betts beat second baseman Donovan Solano’s throw to the plate to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the seventh. The Giants lost their video challenge of the call after Betts slid head-first.
“If that out is recorded at the plate, I think we’re talking about a much different game,” Kapler said.
Betts struck out with the bases loaded, ending a five-run inning that made it 6-1.
Adam Kolarek (1-0) got the victory with 1 2/3 innings of relief.
Dustin May became the first Dodgers rookie to start on opening day since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 after Clayton Kershaw went on the injured list because of a back issue. It was similar to when Valenzuela was a late replacement for the injured Jerry Reuss back then.
“He kept his composure,” Hernández said. “He wasn’t nervous or intimidated by the amount of cardboards we had in the stands.”
May allowed one run and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. The 6-foot-6 right-hander struck out four and walked none.
“It’s the kind of thing you dream about, throwing on opening day,” May said. “Once the first pitch was thrown I was all good and ready to get going.”
May originally was not on the 30-man active roster, and the 22-year-old found himself pressed into duty after Kershaw’s back stiffened during a weight room workout on Tuesday.
Pablo Sandoval’s sacrifice fly scored San Francisco’s lone run. Tyler Rogers (0-1) took the loss.
The sounds of the game were amplified with only cardboard cutouts of fans in areas of the stands.: The crack of the bat on a sharply hit ball. The DJ’s music echoing. Foul balls clunking loudly upon landing in the seats. The home plate umpire’s third-strike calls easily heard. Teammates yelled reminders to Dodgers left fielder Joc Pederson about which base to throw to after he snagged a fly ball in the second.
Giants starter Johnny Cueto allowed one run and five hits over four innings.
The Giants and Dodgers held a black ribbon that wound along the baselines in a show of unity after pregame introductions. Anthem singer Keith Williams Jr. stood in the new center field seating to perform instead of the usual spot near home plate. Some of the Giants kneeled during the performance. Reliever Sam Coonrod chose not to join his teammates, saying that he found out about his teammates’ plan just beforehand. “I meant no ill will by it. I don’t think I’m better than anyone,” Coonrod said. “I’m a Christian, so I just believe that I can’t kneel before anything besides God.” In a video, 98-year-old Rachel Robinson, whose husband, Jackie, broke the major league color barrier in 1947, gave the traditional call of “It’s time for Dodger baseball!”
A Mylar balloon floated down near second base in the later innings, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. A ball boy came on the field and snatched it during a brief pause in the action.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--John Smoltz on everything MLB, nearly joining Yankees, World Series gut punch

Sometimes , these things can be an illusion on television .
A ...

Baseball season has, at long last, arrived. As it kicks into high gear on Friday, former Braves great and current Fox Sports broadcaster John Smoltz takes some pitches from The Post’s Steve Serby:
Q: Your evaluation of Gerrit Cole?
A: I go all the way back to the evolution of where Gerrit was when all these people talked about what he couldn’t do. Analytics is a big part of the game, I get it, but it can be a little misleading based on the system you’re in, right? So he was in the Pirate system, and he was taught an unusual way of pitching. And he could thrive in that. He’s talented beyond belief and he was throwing power sinkers. They were complaining he didn’t strike out enough batters. Well, when you’re taught to try to get the ball on the ground and use your defense, you’re not gonna strike out as many batters. I remember being on a show saying, ‘Just wait, watch and see, he’ll end up being a strikeout machine, he’s got what it takes.” And so he switches gears and goes over to a four-seam, different philosophy with the Astros. And he’s a wipeout starter. He’s learned how to pitch to quadrants and spin the baseball. That’s the No. 1 thing to do with the style of hitting that exists today and the reward system for the style of hitting.
Q: Aaron Judge?
A: He’s probably my favorite player to watch. I just like everything about what he goes about and does. I’m intrigued to see what he can do if he stays healthy. He’s already in a short period of his career been exposed and hurt, and had tremendous success, and that’s a good combination for a long career. You don’t see him waver in his personality. Down inside he might go home and have a punching bag, who knows? But on the field, you don’t see anything that deviates from him being a great teammate and a superstar player for a long time.
Q: Gleyber Torres?
A: I think he’s a clutch, winning player that thrives in the bigger moments in a lineup filled with stars. Aggressive to the ball early and finds a way to get hits with two strikes, that’s a rare commodity with power, and when runners are in scoring position.
Q: What makes Jacob deGrom Jacob deGrom?
A: He’s become the full evolution of himself. I remember doing his first game, nobody knew anything about him. He commanded the inside part of the plate to a right-hander better than I’ve ever seen, like it was just exploding on the hitter. I was foaming, wishing I had that ability to throw that pitch, my ball cut. So right away I went, “This guy’s got a special arm.” Not very big, skinny, athletic. And he went from trying to power the ball almost always on one side of the plate, now he can command both sides and he’s not addicted to velocity. And he’s learned how to have that touch, and he’s learned how to pitch on both sides of the plate, which I argue we don’t give enough young pitchers time to do. He’s a complete pitcher. I’ve never seen a season in my entire life maybe even going back to Nolan Ryan where you can be that dominant and not win any games. Just unbelievable how he handled that year. I’m totally amazed in this era what he’s been able to do when there’s so much focus on velocity and spin. He’s a great athlete, so he learned how to adapt his big body mechanics, so when he gets off kilter, he knows how to get back. You have to learn how to become your pitching coach, if you don’t, you don’t last.
Q: Can we see a .400 hitter?
A: I think it’s possible, but there’s so many things that have to go on. There’s a general mindset that the pitchers would be ahead of the hitters, but I don’t know if that’s gonna work this time, meaning the gaps between spring trainings. The pressure now is gonna be early on to not have those slow starts, and it’s gonna be kinda magnified if they do. The biggest adjustment mentally is gonna be if players that necessarily would never have to deal with kind of like, “Ohmigosh, the first 10 days, you’re hitting .120, what’s wrong?” Well 162, no one cares any, you know it’s gonna work out, based on the baseball card. Now you’re gonna be pressed to want to get off to a good start in some cases. Will somebody hit .400? I’d probably say the chances are greater, but I would say no, just because there’s very few hitters in the game that hit for high average anymore. The guy that comes to mind right now, but he’s had some interruptions, a guy like (DJ) LeMahieu, whose got such command of the barrel of his bat. If you ask me, if Tony Gwynn played in a 60-game season, I’d say he’s gonna hit .400.
Q: Pete Alonso?
A: I saw the home run hitting competition, and I’ve never seen anybody do what he did on pitches that were so nasty. He grinds. I’ve been so impressed with how strong he is, and the ability for him to hit balls that as a pitcher I would be going, “Oh shoot, you’re not supposed to hit that ball.” I don’t think we’re gonna see much of a slide, I think he’s one of those grinders, rare-breed young player that wants to get better in everything that he does, and if he’s not too hard on himself, then I think the ebbs and flows of the season will be fine.
Q: Jeff McNeil?
A: He’s got power, but he’s a bat-to-ball guy, and he knows how to command the strike zone. I think he’s a hit machine. I see a guy that knows how to play the game — a little more advanced maybe than when Joe Panik came out with the Giants.
Q: The NL and AL East?
A: The National League East unfortunately has the toughest schedule, not only because they have the toughest competitive division, they gotta go against the American League East too. I think the Yankees obviously and the Rays are the two teams over there that are gonna be battling it out. Who knows what the Red Sox are gonna do based on what they lost? But man, it’s gonna be fun to watch. If you asked me if somebody can hit .400, it ain’t coming out of the East (laugh). Not when you gotta face all those pitchers.
I thought the Braves did a great job in the offseason basically fixing a lot of holes. The Nationals, of course, have the top three starters. You can make an argument for every team, and you wouldn’t be too wrong making your case based on 60 games. The big unknown is what’s gonna hit each team, not the injury standpoint, but maybe this COVID thing. The Mets have always been, the one question mark is can they stay healthy with their pitchers? If they do, they’re as good as anybody. The Phillies have made enough adjustments to where you feel like their offense is gonna be better. The pitching still has some areas. But again, 60 games, you can hide those areas. I think the team that has the balance to not be carried away with a 3-7 start will be fine.
Q: Your World Series pick?
A: I think that you’re gonna see a surprise. The favorites obviously are the Dodgers and the Yankees. But I just can’t help but think that there’s going to be a team that causes a problem for other teams. The pressure on the good teams is gonna be greater but their roster is gonna allow them to be great. The teams that I think that are going to be thorns in people’s sides for 60 games are the teams that maybe over 162 didn’t have enough.
My contention is that the team with the best starting pitching is going to win. Look at the strategies that teams use in the end of the season when their starters are already tapped out. They use their starters in unconventional ways. We’re in this era of bullpening, but it’s been the starters that have been able to win the World Series all the way back to the Astros, to the Red Sox, and now to the Nationals. Think about starters only having to make 12 starts. Teams are gonna be fresher to have opportunities to utilize their starters in ways that you would never do in the regular season. If you’re Max Scherzer, and you’re healthy, and you’re Gerrit Cole, and you’re healthy, you don’t have to pitch every five days. There might be opportunities to pitch on a three days’ rest situation because you’re not asking the starters to go deep into the year. … If I’m the Kansas City Royals, and I didn’t really have a chance over 162, I’m gonna make it miserable on anybody that plays us. Maybe four or five teams you can eliminate in theory because they just don’t have enough depth in their roster. But I’ll use another team for example — the San Diego Padres. Young, talented, but they didn’t have enough pitching for 162. I think they have enough for 60.
Q: Did you come close to being a Yankee (2002)?
A: Oh, I was definitely a Yankee. I was a phone call, two minutes, five minutes away from accepting the deal. Stick (former GM and executive Gene Michael) used to have me come and see him, he’s like, “I think we had you,” I said, “You did.” I had a negotiation that wasn’t going well with the Braves, I came back from Tommy John and then ended up closing for a month just to help the team down the stretch. And the Yankees wanted me as a starter for like four, five years. And the Braves were talking about a two-year deal as a closer. We were far apart. I remember telling my agent if anything went awry — I made some kind of demands with the Braves, they changed some stuff around — I said, “Call the Yankees, I’m going.” He promised them (the Braves) one more phone call and we ended up working it out. At that point where I was in my career, as bad as I wanted to play for Bobby Cox, this scenario and negotiations didn’t go the right way. It wasn’t like using the Yankees, I was going. … I asked everybody that I could ask about New York, what it was like, where to live.
Q: You stayed in Atlanta with a four-year deal as closer.
A: We got to a point where it made more sense. I wanted to start, but I also wanted to play for Bobby, and to do that, I was gonna be a closer.
Q: Your mound mentality when you switched from starter to closer?
A: I never grunted, and never overthrew a pitch when I was a starter. And the adrenaline rush is a controlled adrenaline ’cause you’re trying to make 120 decisions a night as a starter, and you’re trying to make the right ones. And as a closer, you’re basically going by the seat of your pants and adrenaline rush, and there’s no tomorrow, you don’t prepare for tomorrow, although I tried to pitch as many games in a week as I could. I could never have pitched 15 games as a starter like I did as a closer. It’s night and day.
Q: You were a legendary competitor as a starter.
A: I was never gonna give in to anybody. When you’re coming out of the pen, people are only gonna fear you if you’re gonna get the job done, and if you’re not, then you become a little more normal and people think there’s cracks. My competitiveness never changed in either role, it’s just the pressure and the intensity of a closing role every day brought about a different mental approach than when I was kicking back four days and grinding for one day to start, and saved all my energy for nine innings. As a closer, you’re preparing to pitch three times a week, 60, 70, 75 games a year. I think there are times in the game today where people are trying to strike out the side every time, they don’t get a chance as much because they want to look dominant. I just wanted to get outs, and I could be pitching again.
Q: Greg Maddux?
A: Master. I’ve never seen mechanics like his.
Q: Tom Glavine?
A: He’s a grinder. He never gave in. He just was stubborn, and that stubbornness got him in the Hall of Fame.
Q: Chipper Jones?
A: So talented. His ability to do what he did, it was like he was born to do that.
Q: Bobby Cox?
A: The best. Best manager, leader. … He had an ability to lead men like I’ve never seen.
Q: David Cone in Game 3 of the 1996 World Series?
A: Coney was gutsy, imaginative. … He was the ultimate competitor. I didn’t want to see him.
Q: Did you think after winning the first two games in New York you would win that series?
A: Oh yeah. For me, it almost was the perfect year. I won 24 games, I had given up basically no runs in the postseason, I’m 4-0 going into Game 5. The biggest gut punch of my career to this point from a team accomplishment. It still to this day haunts me that had we been back-to-back world champs, no doubt in my mind we’d gone four out of five like the Yankees did ’cause we wouldn’t have changed our roster like we did. The umpire didn’t get out of the way for the foul ball that wasn’t caught, and they scored that unearned run and we had Andy Pettitte on the ropes, first and second nobody out (in the sixth inning), and he made that play (getting a force at third) on a (Mark Lemke) bunt. I still can’t believe we didn’t win that World Series. That is a tough one for me to let go.
Q: Mariano Rivera receiving 100 percent of the Hall of Fame vote?
A: The Yankees and all their success, without him would it have happened? One will never know but he’s the best I’ve ever seen at the highest level. … He was virtually unhittable at the most important time of the year.
Q: Derek Jeter was one HOF vote short of unanimous.
A: There’s very few guys, when you try to define clutch genes, I think people have ’em, and I think he had the intangibles that it took to do and be in the right time at the right place all the time. I don’t think that’s luck. Everybody kinda loved him, he played the game the right way, he carried himself the right way.
Q: Your memorable pitching duel with Jack Morris?
A: I imagined those games as a kid. I imagined pitching in World Series Game 7s. I grew up watching Jack Morris. But once you get to that level and you get to that Game 7, I didn’t really think about Jack Morris as much as I knew how tough he was gonna be. … I just never felt like I was gonna give up a run. I felt like it was gonna be a trifecta, he (catcher Greg Olson) was gonna jump in my arms for the third time, and we were gonna win the World Series.
Q: Before your reconstructive elbow surgery, did you think it was over?
A: I go back to Yankee Stadium when I ripped the jersey off my back in 2001, I had come back as a starter, and I felt like every start was getting worse and my elbow was killing me, and I said, “That’s it, I’m done. I can’t do this anymore.” That was an emotional decision, I ripped the jersey, buttons went flying. I put the jersey away. … I went to Birmingham, I had some bad tendinitis. I never gave in to an emotional feeling. They were real, and I did think about not pushing through anymore, but over my career, I pitched through so much different pain and discomfort that it became kind of a running joke for me that people didn’t think I was as hurt as I was ’cause I was having success in the middle of it. I tried everything known humanly possible to get on the field, and I did it all the right way. The only hiccup I had is when I went to the closer’s role, I was used at such a high rate that I developed another bout of tendinitis. My first year I end up saving 55 games. That very next year at the All-Star break, I had 34 saves. That is mind-boggling, the amount of games that I pitched in a short period of time. That second half I went on the DL for quite some time. I was convinced something was wrong. It wasn’t the ligament, my nerve was pinched. It took two hours to fix that and clean it up and I never had an elbow problem the rest of my career after that.
Q: What might have been the biggest adjustment you would have had to make in a season like this?
A: Probably as an older player, I think I would have been able to handle everything a little bit more because of experience. I think the biggest adjustment I would have to make is. … I thrived off intensity and crowd and all that kinda stuff and the big games. … Now you’ve gotta create all of that for yourself and based on certain personalities, that may be a little bit more difficult than people realize. Throw in the fact that the games are much more important, you can’t have too many throwaways. As a pitcher, we had to survive 35, 36 starts and then you were hoping to get to postseason and do your thing. Now you’ve got a mini-version of that where it’s now revving up the engines.
Q: How does your mentality on the golf course compare to your mentality on the mound?
A: On the mound, you get the ball and you go. In golf, that doesn’t work. You gotta wait. So I need a different personality on the golf course than my pitching personality ’cause the two don’t work together. If I had to wait three minutes between every pitch, and the bases are loaded, I would have been a horrible pitcher. You might be able to throw a little pitch a little harder if you get frustrated, but you can’t do those kinda things on the golf course, you have to release what just happened and slow everything down, and that’s been a little bit of a challenge.
Q: Broadcasters you admire?
A: Ernie Harwell was my man on radio. I really like Troy Aikman and Joe Buck. I’ve always liked the way that Troy Aikman spoke to the fans in a way that he didn’t have to tell everybody everything he knew, but he could speak in verbiage that only football people knew, and he doesn’t really do that.
Q: What do you hope the FOX viewers say about John Smoltz the broadcaster?
A: I hope they say that “I learned something.” And I think that’s been the biggest compliment that I’ve gotten over the years is that, “Hey, I really enjoy your broadcast ’cause you taught me something, you didn’t speak to me like I was 5.” This is a huge challenge for me coming up because I’m not gonna be on site, and this is all brand new to me too to how I’m gonna be able to do a game based on the environment we’re in today.
Q: Without fans, do you think the Astros dodged a bullet?
A: Yeah no doubt. That is a huge difference from where it was going to be and to where it was headed with all the attention that was given. Now, people are glad baseball’s just being played.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Jackie Robinson; Martin Luther King; Babe Ruth.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: Dumb and Dumber.
Q: Favorite actors?
A: Harrison Ford; Tom Hanks; Tommy Lee Jones; Denzel Washington.
Q: Favorite singer/entertainer?
A: Michael Jackson.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Anything Italian.
Q: Your legacy?
A: That I competed. I competed to the day I couldn’t throw a baseball no more. I gave every ounce of what this body had. And I probably squeezed out five more years than you should have. But I had the time of my life, and did it the right way.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Young-adult films make me terrified for humanity’s future

Somebody , please save the children !
Not from the great white sharks slumming it in the Hamptons this summer , or from videos of idiots dancing on TikTok .
Rescue America ’ s youth from the dangerous young-adult film .
Kids , Whitney Houston told us , are supposed to be our future , but with their godawful taste in entertainment , I ’ m praying that science might come up with a viable alternative .
Misogyny , stereotypes and a creepy preoccupation with death saturate these movies — and the occasional TV show — and yet they lurk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designations , such as “ Rated 12.
” “ The Kissing Booth 2 , ” out Friday on Netflix , has been deemed suitable for anyone 12 and older .
That means it includes the educational term “ c - - kblock ” and a plot in which the main characters rope in hot people — “ A-listers ” — to be a part of their blindfolded , high-school kissing booth for charity .
It didn ’ t take the # MeToo movement to teach us that lining hormonal teens up at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has its drawbacks .
And , of course , every parent ’ s dream for their child is that they grasp the concept of “ c - - kblocking ” before they reach eighth grade .
The characters also drink , have sex and discover the earrings of other young women under their boyfriend ’ s bed .
In the first film , Elle accidentally wanders into the men ’ s locker room , and a pack of shirtless boys surround her , call her names and take cellphone videos of it all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ one of the most-watched movies in the country ” in 2018 .
Wonderful .
The genre is otherwise dominated by super-serious love stories that , in the past 10 years , have favored two fraught templates : a relationship torn apart by terminal illness or suicide .
The cute couple in 2019 ’ s “ Five Feet Apart ” both have cystic fibrosis ; in 2014 ’ s “ The Fault in Our Stars , ” Hazel has thyroid cancer ; and in 2012 ’ s “ Now Is Good , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Netflix drama series “ 13 Reasons Why , ” which has squeezed four seasons out of practically nothing , provoked outrage in 2017 when viewers realized it ’ s a glam mystery show about a teen girl ’ s suicide .
A character also kills himself in that streaming service ’ s recent film “ All the Bright Places ” — and at a picturesque lake , no less .
Who the hell is running Hollywood these days ?
Wednesday Addams ?
I recognize that people will read my mean finger-wagging and excitedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse material on the internet .
That ’ s true .
Your kid ’ s probably selling a monkey brain on the dark web even now .
But it ’ s not just the objectionable subject matter , but the way it ’ s so often packaged with lazy witlessness and stupidity .
In the original “ Kissing Booth , ” when Elle learns that a friend has been threatening boys not to ask her out , a suitor tells her : “ No boobs are worth a broken nose.
” She retorts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just so you know , my boobs are fantastic !
Yes , some would even say breathtaking !
” This vacuous nonsense occurs at an arcade between high-school juniors who are obsessed over by tweens around the world .
Of course , the smart tweens will quietly observe their peers ’ lemming-like love of self-destructive entertainment and blatant sexism and decide then and there to become a therapist or a human resources director .
In 20 years , they ’ ll be rich !

Somebody, please save the children!
Not from the great white sharks slumming it in the Hamptons this summer, or from videos of idiots dancing on TikTok. Rescue America’s youth from the dangerous young-adult film.
Kids, Whitney Houston told us, are supposed to be our future, but with their godawful taste in entertainment, I’m praying that science might come up with a viable alternative.
Misogyny, stereotypes and a creepy preoccupation with death saturate these movies — and the occasional TV show — and yet they lurk on Netflix with the most innocent of designations, such as “Rated 12.”
“The Kissing Booth 2,” out Friday on Netflix, has been deemed suitable for anyone 12 and older. That means it includes the educational term “c - - kblock” and a plot in which the main characters rope in hot people — “A-listers” — to be a part of their blindfolded, high school kissing booth for charity.
It didn’t take the #MeToo movement to teach us that lining hormonal teens up at an official function to make out with randos has its drawbacks. And, of course, every parent’s dream for their child is that they grasp the concept of “c - - kblocking” before they reach eighth grade.
The characters also drink, have sex and discover the earrings of other young women under their boyfriend’s bed. In the first film, Elle accidentally wanders into the men’s locker room, and a pack of shirtless boys surround her, call her names and take cellphone videos of it all.
Netflix bigwig Ted Sarandos said that was “one of the most-watched movies in the country” in 2018. Wonderful.
The genre is otherwise dominated by super-serious love stories that, in the past 10 years, have favored two fraught templates: a relationship torn apart by terminal illness or suicide.
The cute couple in 2019’s “Five Feet Apart” both have cystic fibrosis; in 2014’s “The Fault in Our Stars,” Hazel has thyroid cancer; and in 2012’s “Now Is Good,” Tessa has leukemia.
The hot-button Netflix drama series “13 Reasons Why,” which has squeezed four seasons out of practically nothing, provoked outrage in 2017 when viewers realized it’s a glam mystery show about a teen girl’s suicide. A character also kills himself in that streaming service’s recent film “All the Bright Places” — and at a picturesque lake, no less.
Who the hell is running Hollywood these days? Wednesday Addams?
I recognize that people will read my mean finger-wagging and excitedly point out that young people encounter much worse material on the internet. That’s true. Your kid’s probably selling a monkey brain on the dark web even now.
But it’s not just the objectionable subject matter, but the way it’s so often packaged with lazy witlessness and stupidity.
In the original “Kissing Booth,” when Elle learns that a friend has been threatening boys not to ask her out, a suitor tells her: “No boobs are worth a broken nose.”
She retorts: “Whatever! Leave! But just so you know, my boobs are fantastic! Yes, some would even say breathtaking!” This vacuous nonsense occurs at an arcade between high school juniors who are obsessed over by tweens around the world.
Of course, the smart tweens will quietly observe their peers’ lemming-like love of self-destructive entertainment and blatant sexism and decide then and there to become a therapist or a human resources director. In 20 years, they’ll be rich!


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--‘Kissing Booth 2’ review: More of the same YA drivel

You probably don ’ t know what “ The Kissing Booth 2 ” is , but trust me — it ’ s bigger than Jesus .
It is a Netflix teen phenomenon : the rare sequel of a film that holds a dismal 17 % score on Rotten Tomatoes and then sets up yet another sequel .
It ’ s long , dumb and there ’ s nothing below these high-school students ’ conspicuously perfect complexions .
But , hey , teens love this crap !
After a romantic summer on the beach , Elle ( Joey King ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dating , only he has gone off to Harvard and she is considering UC Berkeley .
Nobody demonstrates the sort of intellectual prowess that would convince me that this pair could realistically get into those schools .
Elle ’ s male bestie , Lee ( Joel Courtney , the most charming part of this ) , wants her to join him at Berkeley , but she is determined to stand by her man and go East .
That plot is kind of like Elle Woods heading to Harvard Law in “ Legally Blonde @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that iconic 19-year-old comedy .
In Noah ’ s absence — as often happens — Elle meets an ever hotter new student named Marco ( Taylor Zakhar Perez ) , who plays sports , rocks the guitar and is a smooth dancer .
They enter a “ Dance Dance Revolution ” -like competition together .
It gets messy .
At Harvard , Noah does not invent Facebook , but he does become close friends with a savvy and beautiful British woman named Chloe ( Maisie Richardson-Sellers ) .
A jealous Elle decides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both of the “ Kissing Booth ” films , which are based on Beth Reekles ’ young-adult book series , are about how impossibly difficult it is for guys and girls to just be friends .
Duh .
That one theme is then propped up by tedious filler , such as the returning plot from the original of setting up a charity kissing booth .
It ’ s terrible , but teens will eat it up anyway .
Quoth “ Bye Bye Birdie ” : “ Kids !
You can talk and talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
But they still do just what they want to do .
”

Movie review The Kissing Booth 2 Running time: 130 minutes. Not rated.
You probably don’t know what “The Kissing Booth 2” is, but trust me — it’s bigger than Jesus. It is a Netflix teen phenomenon: the rare sequel of a film that holds a dismal 17% score on Rotten Tomatoes and then sets up yet another sequel.
It’s long, dumb and there’s nothing below these high-school students’ conspicuously perfect complexions. But, hey, teens love this crap!
After a romantic summer on the beach, Elle (Joey King) and Noah (Jacob Elordi) are still dating, only he has gone off to Harvard and she is considering UC Berkeley. Nobody demonstrates the sort of intellectual prowess that would convince me that this pair could realistically get into those schools.
Elle’s male bestie, Lee (Joel Courtney, the most charming part of this), wants her to join him at Berkeley, but she is determined to stand by her man and go East. That plot is kind of like Elle Woods heading to Harvard Law in “Legally Blonde,” but absent the basic feminism of that iconic 19-year-old comedy.
In Noah’s absence — as often happens — Elle meets an ever hotter new student named Marco (Taylor Zakhar Perez), who plays sports, rocks the guitar and is a smooth dancer. They enter a “Dance Dance Revolution”-like competition together. It gets messy.
At Harvard, Noah does not invent Facebook, but he does become close friends with a savvy and beautiful British woman named Chloe (Maisie Richardson-Sellers). A jealous Elle decides he’s cheating on her.
Both of the “Kissing Booth” films, which are based on Beth Reekles’ young-adult book series, are about how impossibly difficult it is for guys and girls to just be friends. Duh. That one theme is then propped up by tedious filler, such as the returning plot from the original of setting up a charity kissing booth.
It’s terrible, but teens will eat it up anyway.
Quoth “Bye Bye Birdie”: “Kids! You can talk and talk till your face is blue. Kids! But they still do just what they want to do.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. slams Yankees for inviting Trump to throw first pitch

President Trump on Thursday announced he will throw the opening ...

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. slammed the Yankees organization Friday for inviting President Trump to throw the ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 15.
Diaz accused the Yankees of hypocrisy for claiming to care about the Black Lives Matter movement and then giving a platform to Trump, whom he called a “white supremacist.”
“On June 8, the Yankees released a statement that in part read: “Black lives matter. The New York Yankees condemn racism, prejudice and injustice in all forms,” Diaz said in a statement released Friday evening.
“By inviting President Trump to throw out the first pitch, they are blatantly demonstrating that their pronouncements are cynical and devoid of genuine meaning.
“Perhaps, in fact, the words ‘Black Lives Matter’ should now also be painted on the street outside of Yankee Stadium, the same as Trump Tower.”
Diaz, who said he was “shocked and outraged,” continued, “We all deserve better than a careless Major League Baseball organization that consistently ignores the surrounding community while pandering to an unapologetic white supremacist like Donald Trump.”
Diaz — who is term-limited, and who passed on running for mayor in 2021 — also complained that Trump fumbled the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis while nearly 4,000 Bronxites and 150,000 Americans died from the killer virus and thousands of others lost their jobs.
“The Yankees would be better served by honoring them and their families rather than a president whose bluster and incompetence utterly failed to restrain the pandemic,” Diaz said.
Trump told reporters at a White House coronavirus task force briefing on Thursday that he was asked to throw the ceremonial pitch by his friend Randy Levine, president of the New York Yankees.
The Yankees and Trump campaign had no immediate comment.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--‘PAW Patrol’ refutes White House press secretary’s cancelation claim

“ PAW Patrol ” would like you to know it ’ s not in the doghouse .
The hit children ’ s cartoon about rescue pooches who protect their neighborhood clarified Friday that it had not in fact been cancelled after White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany claimed it was another victim of liberal “ cancel culture.
” “ No need to worry .
PAW Patrol is not canceled , ” the Nickelodeon Jr. show tweeted from its official account .
McEnany earlier in the day brought up the show as an example of Democrats ’ overreach in their criticism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of George Floyd .
“ [ President Trump ] is also appalled by cancel culture and cancel culture specifically as it pertains to cops , ” McEnany told reporters at a Friday briefing .
“ We saw a few weeks ago ‘ PAW Patrol , ’ a cartoon show about cops was canceled ; the show ‘ Cops ’ was canceled ; ‘ Live PD ’ was canceled ; LEGO halted the sales of their LEGO police station.
” PAW Patrol came under the spotlight in early June when it tweeted on “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refraining from posting content to amplify black voices .
Many social media users appeared to jokingly attack Chase , the show ’ s cartoon german shepherd police officer .
“ DEFUND CHASE , ” one user wrote in response to the message .
But episodes of PAW Patrol are still rolling on TV — the show will occupy a two-hour morning block on Nickelodeon this Sunday .
Deadline reported earlier this year that the show had been renewed in February for another season .
The pups are also slated to make their big-screen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : The Movie .
”

“PAW Patrol” would like you to know it’s not in the doghouse.
The hit children’s cartoon about rescue pooches who protect their neighborhood clarified Friday that it had not in fact been cancelled after White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany claimed it was another victim of liberal “cancel culture.”
“No need to worry. PAW Patrol is not canceled,” the Nickelodeon Jr. show tweeted from its official account.
McEnany earlier in the day brought up the show as an example of Democrats’ overreach in their criticism of police in light of the killing of George Floyd.
“[President Trump] is also appalled by cancel culture and cancel culture specifically as it pertains to cops,” McEnany told reporters at a Friday briefing.
“We saw a few weeks ago ‘PAW Patrol,’ a cartoon show about cops was canceled; the show ‘Cops’ was canceled; ‘Live PD’ was canceled; LEGO halted the sales of their LEGO police station.”
“It’s really unfortunate,” she added.
PAW Patrol came under the spotlight in early June when it tweeted on “Blackout Tuesday” that it would be refraining from posting content to amplify black voices.
Many social media users appeared to jokingly attack Chase, the show’s cartoon german shepherd police officer.
“DEFUND CHASE,” one user wrote in response to the message.
But episodes of PAW Patrol are still rolling on TV — the show will occupy a two-hour morning block on Nickelodeon this Sunday.
Deadline reported earlier this year that the show had been renewed in February for another season. The pups are also slated to make their big-screen debut next year with “PAW Patrol: The Movie.”