July 3, 2016
Cubs scouts missing, but 2 contenders tailing Yankees' Big 3
SAN DIEGO — The trio of clubs watching the Holy Trinity of Smoke was reduced by one when the Cubs didn’t have a scout at Sunday’s Yankees-Padres game at Petco...
Mets' No. 1 pick making Cyclones impression -- before debut
Justin Dunn, the Mets’ 2016 first-round draft pick out of Boston College, suits up for what could be his professional debut Monday night. The Freeport, Long Island, native will be...
Could Yankees' emerging rookie throw wrench in rotation?
SAN DIEGO — Shortly after Chad Green helped the Yankees avoid being swept by the lowly Padres Sunday at Petco Park, manager Joe Girardi wasn’t ready to talk about where...
It took one Porzingis workout for Hornacek to be floored
ORLANDO, Fla. — Now that he’s met him and seen him shoot up close, new Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek is even more psyched about Kristaps Porzingis. The 7-foot-3 Latvian phenom...
Hondo finally loses one
Hondo had his winning streak halted at eight on Sunday when the overrated Lovable Losers from Chicago were thoroughly thrashed by the Mets, which reduced the earnings to 2,556 boudreaus....
How customers scam online jewelers out of their luxury gems
Leon Rbibo has been selling high-grade pearls online for 11 years, often inspecting the priciest ocean gems personally before they leave his Los Angeles business, The Pearl Source. So when...
Amazon set to rival NYC's bookstores with Hudson Yards spot
Amazon is planning to open a brick-and-mortar bookstore and cafe in Manhattan as it pushes deeper into a market it has come to dominate, The Post has learned. Amazon Books...
Why Mets' 1st hit (of 22) was 'the biggest' in rout of Cubs
Four days off did little to cool off Curtis Granderson’s hot bat. After missing the previous four games with a mild calf strain, the Mets outfielder was back in the...
Toddler fatally falls 13 stories from housing project window
A toddler plunged to his death from a 13th-story window at a Harlem housing project on Sunday night after he somehow managed to push out the window guard, law enforcement...
Lance Thomas 'wants to stay' with possible Knicks discount
ORLANDO, Fla. — While defensive forward Lance Thomas has been courted by five clubs, even turning down an offer from the Clippers, his chances of remaining a Knick still are...
Next up for cap-strapped Knicks: Sifting through backup PGs
ORLANDO, Fla. — Now that the “Jackson Five” has been set, Knicks brass will attempt to build a bench, starting with signing a backup point guard behind Derrick Rose. Phil...
Noah Syndergaard calming down lets Mets exhale big-time
Cool, calm and collected. It’s the demeanor Noah Syndergaard took to the mound Sunday afternoon amid all the doubts, questions and concerns about a bone spur located in his right...
Knicks', Nets' longtime Rajon Rondo intrigue ends with whimper
Rajon Rondo once proclaimed his desire to play in New York, and that had Knicks fans drooling while Nets fans pointed to maps stressing how Brooklyn was part of the...
Mark Teixeira flips switch -- and bat -- in history-making win
SAN DIEGO — As you watched Mark Teixeira get dominated by Andrew Cashner in his first three at-bats Sunday, it was easy to wonder if the knee injury that landed...
Brexit, the American Revolution and the infinite battle for self-government
Two hundred and 40 years before Brexit, there was Amexit, also known as the American Revolution. In terms of historical consequence, the Brexit vote and the American Revolution don’t occupy...
Five easy steps to US energy independence
Every president since Richard Nixon has promised to make America energy independent, but we still import 9 million barrels of oil a day, much of it coming from the Middle...
The story of 'America the Beautiful'
Katharine Lee Bates, a 33-year-old English literature teacher at Wellesley College, was on “a merry expedition up Pike’s Peak” in Colorado in 1893 when she looked out “over the sea-like...
Mets' eruption is a statement: We're not going away
When in the course of human events it became necessary for the Mets to dissolve the bands of mediocrity, they went out and swept the National League’s best team. Sunday’s...
Mets' offense might be heartbroken to see Cubs go
Talk about Fourth of July fireworks. The Mets supplied an early display of firepower Sunday afternoon against the Cubs, leaving Chicago’s North Siders battered and bruised during a four-game sweep,...
Free agency Day 3: 'Jaw-dropping' cash with Durant teetering
The NBA free-agency race is about to go full throttle. The primo free agent everyone is waiting upon, the Thunder’s Kevin Durant, has informed interested teams his decision will come...
US student killed in Bangladesh attack after refusing to leave female friends
An Emory University student was killed in Bangladesh’s weekend hostage siege because he refused to leave behind his two terrified female friends — even after his captors told him he...
Documents show shoddy reporting in Rolling Stone rape story
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Hundreds of pages of notes, emails and other documents shed light on the reporting and fallout of a now-discredited Rolling Stone magazine article about a rape at...
Dad: 2 gators involved in Disney attack that killed my son
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The father of a toddler killed by an alligator at Disney last month told rescue officials two alligators were involved in the attack, according to...
Lewandowski: Trump's 'anti-Semitic' tweet is no big deal
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s former campaign manager said Sunday the hubbub over his ex-boss tweeting an anti-Hillary Clinton image — a Star of David over a pile of money —...
Reyes-wary Wilmer Flores explodes as Mets sweep Cubs
Jose Reyes is already so important to the Mets, he’s inspiring them before he even gets called up. As Reyes works to get his swing back in the minor leagues...
Man says he’s wrongly pursued for selling NYPD patches on eBay
A former cop-show extra who sells NYPD and FDNY patches online says the city is wrongly playing legal hardball with his eBay business. Eliot Sash, 59, who has appeared on...
What if? The lucrative alternate universe JPP won't ponder
There may be no more fruitless, disturbing two words assigned to the beginning of a thought or sentence than “What if.’’ What comes next, far too often, is a descent...
Loretta Lynch and Bill Clinton reportedly regret tarmac run-in
WASHINGTON — A frequent defender of Hillary Clinton acknowledged Sunday the Loretta Lynch-Bill Clinton tarmac confab could set off alarm bells. “I think both of them wished their airplanes had...
Bratton beefs up security for Fourth of July
The city’s top cop was predicting a safe July Fourth holiday in the city but said police were still beefing up security in the wake of attacks in other areas...
Judge who 'made disparaging comments' to kids may face censure
The judge who sent three kids to juvenile detention in 2015 is finally getting a punishment of her own. Oakland County Judge Lisa Gorcyca made international headlines last year while...
8 men rescued from sinking ship near Staten Island
A holiday weekend fishing trip nearly turned deadly for eight men when their boat was swamped by a wave and sank off the coast of Staten Island Saturday. Two crew...
Warriors could complete heel turn to villains with one signing
The fun-loving group who bombed 3s like no other team in NBA history, whose selfless play helped set a regular-season win record, whose biggest superstar exudes an aw-shucks way about...
Mourners say farewell to Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel
Holocaust survivor and Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel was remembered at a funeral service on the Upper East Side Sunday as an eloquent witness to inhumanity who kept alive the...
Teenager helps NYCFC finally exorcise Red Bulls demons
New York City FC avenged one of the worst beatings in MLS history, and won their first game against the rival Red Bulls, 2-0, in front of 33,613 on Sunday...
Republicans attack Hillary after her horrible weekend
WASHINGTON -- Republicans pounced on Hillary Clinton's credibility Sunday, in the wake of her holiday weekend grilling by the FBI and her hubby’s controversial meeting last week with Attorney General...
8 men on Cuban volleyball team detained in rape case
HELSINKI — Finnish police say that eight members of Cuba's national men's volleyball team are in custody on suspicion of aggravated rape. Central Finland regional police say three players were...
Woman guilty of threatening to kill Stephen Hawking
An American woman was handed a suspended four-month jail sentence in Spain Friday for threatening to kill cosmologist Stephen Hawking. The woman, identified by Spanish media reports as Jenny Theresa...
Man dies after jumping off UWS building
A 45-year-old man told his wife he was going to the fourth-floor roof of their Upper West Side pad because they were locked out Sunday-- but then jumped to his...
Nets hunt Allen Crabbe after $50M offer sheet to Tyler Johnson
Needing to rebuild without the benefit of their own future draft picks, the Nets’ plan has been to strategically target young restricted free agents they can pry away. They reached...
TV host gets impaled by nail in magic trick gone horribly wrong
A host got more than she bargained for when she agreed to participate in a magic trick on live TV. In a clip from Polish show "Question for Breakfast," host...
Mike Trout's marriage proposal is out of this world
Four-time All-Star and 2014 AL MVP Mike Trout is known for going big on the baseball field. So it's no surprise that the Angels star would propose to his longtime...
Nick Swisher's newborn halts Yankees hope -- and career?
Former major league outfielder Nick Swisher says he is stepping away from the game to spend time with his wife and two daughters. In a series of posts to his...
College kid's foot 'mutilated' after freak explosion in Central Park
A college kid had his foot blown off in Central Park on Sunday after stepping on a homemade firecracker, officials said. Connor Golden, 18, was climbing on rocks near East...
Rapper Rob Base's cousin shot dead in the Bronx
A relative of hip-hop artist Rob Base was shot dead in a Bronx playground, cops said Saturday. Ryan Ginyard, 24, a second cousin of Base, best known for his 1988...
Israel closes down parts of West Bank after two terror attacks
Israeli forces closed parts of the West Bank on Saturday following the slayings of two Israelis and also struck militant sites in Gaza in response to a rocket attack that...
Family offers $50K reward to help catch pizzeria owner's killer
A $50,000 reward has been offered by the heartbroken family of Louis Barbati, co-owner of Brooklyn’s L&B Spumoni Gardens, in hopes of flushing out the thug who fatally shot Barbati...
Man killed after plowing BMW through home
A speeding BMW barreled through a metal fence and struck a home in The Bronx on Sunday morning, killing the driver and nearly hitting a woman and children nearby, cops...
Ivanka Trump defends her 'feminist' father
Ivanka Trump says she’s a living, breathing example that puts the lie to accusations that her father is a misogynist. In fact, she said, Donald Trump is a “feminist.” “People...
Woman fights off would-be rapist by flinging purse at him
A brave woman fought off a pervert who attempted to rape her in Brooklyn early Saturday, cops said. The 23-year-old victim was walking on Seventh Avenue near Garfield Place in...
Colorado massacre victims hit with theater legal fees
The nightmare isn’t over yet for the victims of the July 2012 mass shooting in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater. Thirty survivors and family members of those killed in the...
3 men ambush doctor outside Houston mosque
Three masked assailants ambushed, stabbed and shot a Muslim as he was about to enter a Houston mosque, a day after a Muslim man was beaten outside a Florida mosque....
It's not our leaders who make America great
Forty years ago tomorrow — on July 4, 1976 — the largest armada in human history sailed into New York Harbor to celebrate the bicentennial of the United States of...
Man sustains life-threatening injuries in Brooklyn shooting
A man in his 30s was clinging to life Saturday night after he was shot in Brooklyn, cops said. The victim was blasted in the torso and arm during a...
How Disney movies helped unlock my son's autism
All kids love cartoons, but in Owen Suskind’s case, they changed his life. Suskind, 25, has autism. Growing up in Washington, DC, he had difficulty talking and relating to others....
Westerners who don hijabs in Iran are a disgrace
In Iran, do as the mullahs say, not as Iranians do. This seems to be the motto adopted by a string of foreign dignitaries rushing to Tehran in the wake...
At least 121 people killed in 2 bombings in Baghdad
BAGHDAD — At least 121 people were killed Sunday in two bombings in the Iraqi capital, including a large-scale attack claimed by the Islamic State group that killed 86 people...
It takes more than just appetite to be a hot dog eating champion
The annual Fourth of July hot dog eating contest on Coney Island has become a battle of champions. We followed defending champion Miki Sudo around in 2015 and caught the...
Trump campaign probes Lewandowski’s 'friendly' spending
Donald Trump’s campaign is auditing axed campaign manager Corey Lewandowski’s decision to buy T-shirts and other political swag from a pal’s Colorado-based company, campaign sources told The Post. Federal records...
Rain expected to hold off in NYC — until the fireworks start
The Fourth of July weekend will bring plenty of fun in the sun — but watching fireworks might be a different story. There’s a slight chance of light showers in...
Columbia student who jumped in Hudson 'grateful' cops saved him
Cops fished a naked Columbia student from the Hudson River hours after he posted two ominous photos to his Facebook page — one of the waterway and the other a...
Report showing possible Saudi connection to 9/11 still hidden
With the Obama presidency drawing to a close and the 15-year anniversary of 9/11 approaching, the administration still hasn’t released the infamous “28 pages,” a much-clamored-for, redacted section of a...
James Patterson unlocks secrets behind CBS drama 'Zoo'
Zoo Tuesday, 9 p.m., CBS James Patterson’s books have sold more than 350 million copies worldwide, but “Zoo,” based on his 2012 novel, is only his second TV series. The...
Embattled lab at Coney Island Hospital loses accreditation
Coney Island Hospital’s troubled laboratory has lost an important accreditation. The College of American Pathologists revoked the credential, saying the lab “did not meet the standards of the CAP Accreditation...
The Naked Cowgirl has a message for de Blasio
The “Naked Cowgirl” says Mayor Bill de Blasio should crack down on Times Square’s costumed craziness by targeting troublemakers instead of containing performers in “zones.” Sandy Kane says she has...
Gwyneth Paltrow's favorite Brazilian waxers are broke
The waxing dynasty that Gwyneth Paltrow says “changed [her] life” finds itself in a hairy situation. Faced with eviction over nonpayment of rent, the famed J. Sisters salon — acclaimed...
Vito Lopez’s charity aided his political career: FBI probe
Boosting serial sex groper Vito Lopez’s political career was a key job requirement at the government-funded nonprofit he founded and controlled, an FBI investigation found. Political work by employees of...
Kars4Kids charity embroiled in $1M legal battle with synagogue
A Jewish group associated with the Kars4Kids charity is trying to wrest a Staten Island synagogue away from its congregation, the synagogue’s members charge. Oorah Inc., which is funded by...
Cassa Hotel, office building face fines in chimney feud
The city slapped Midtown’s Cassa Hotel with five violations for operating an unregistered boiler and generator — and its neighbor may be punished, too. The Cassa was required to build...
Man writes fake product reviews to boost his own business: suit
A Brooklyn man who peddles weight-loss tools on Amazon burned his competition with fake product reviews, according to a Manhattan federal court lawsuit. Hassane Kaba allegedly built market share for...
West Point cadet dies after trying to rescue swimmer
A West Point cadet who heroically attempted to assist a struggling swimmer on a Long Island beach died Friday, after spending four days on life support. Thomas Surdyke, 18, was...
Former manager claims boxer retired to avoid paying hefty bill
Retiring was just a feint for a Brooklyn boxer whose former business manager alleges he quit boxing to avoid paying a $128,000 management bill. Yuri Foreman, an ordained rabbi, became...
How this heartbroken dad ended up in cuffs at the Holland Tunnel
"I’m not a vigilante or terrorist — I’m a father.” That’s the mantra of John Cramsey, who spoke exclusively to The Post about the daughter he lost to a drug...
Cops write fewer tickets for loud disturbances as complaints rise
New Yorkers want their neighbors to pipe down — and the cops to listen up. City dwellers made 80,752 noise complaints in the first three months of this year, up...
The crappy seagulls at this beach could get you really sick
Party-pooping seagulls are killing the swimming season at Kingsborough Community College beach. Tests show the water along the beach contains high amounts of enterococci bacteria, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea,...
Teacher resigns after student reports they had oral sex
A Brooklyn high-school teacher resigned after a student told investigators she showered him with gifts, favors and oral sex. Katherine Pauletti, 41, who taught math at Sunset Park HS, brought...
What does Carlos Beltran's nearing return mean for A-Rod?
SAN DIEGO — Carlos Beltran wasn’t in the Yankees’ starting lineup Saturday night at Petco Park and didn’t get into the 2-1 loss to the Padres. It was the fourth...
School leaders allow cheating 'to boost the numbers': staffers
Cheating is in the lesson plan at a Brooklyn high school, where grade-fixing is so blatant, even intellectually disabled students pass rigorous state tests, faculty members charge. At Urban Action...
Rikers worker traded Popeyes chicken for sex with inmates: suit
A Rikers Island health-clinic worker plied female inmates with Popeyes chicken, candy, gum and cigarettes in exchange for sex, the women claim in a lawsuit. By law, inmates are considered...
NYU operating room fire leaves young patient with burns: report
An operating-room fire at NYU Langone Medical Center left a young patient with facial burns that required more than two weeks of hospital treatment, newly released documents show. The patient...
Scouts take notes as Andrew Miller serves up Yankees dagger
SAN DIEGO — A Fourth of July firecracker lit in California was heard in The Bronx on Saturday night and signified the latest dagger to the Yankees’ season. Not only...
Hondo gets his bearings
Hondo, aka Senor Sizzle, cashed again Saturday night, scoring with the Padres for an eighth straight triumph that boosted the earnings to 2,676 broglios. Sunday: Mr. Aitch will try to...
Slumping Red Bulls and NYCFC have scores to settle
The Red Bulls come into Sunday’s game at New York City FC (noon, ESPN) on a three-game winless skid, blowing late leads in every one. The hosts come into Yankee...
A statistical deep dive on the underrated Joe DiMaggio
Is it possible to regard Joe DiMaggio — who lost three seasons, prime achievement years, ages 28-30, to World War II states-side service — as vastly underrated? You tell me....
Knicks' troubled history of risks shows why fans are worried
There was a time, from around 1964-72 or so, when everything the Knicks did was tinged in gold. Every move they made worked out. Every gamble they took paid off....
Brandon Nimmo's joy for the game started with his family
The longer you talk to Ron Nimmo, the easier it is to understand why it will be virtually impossible for New York to knock the smile off Brandon Nimmo’s Boy...
Why structure of these 3 contracts points to another NHL lockout
Signing bonuses will become a hot-button issue around which the NHL coalesces leading into the 2020-21 Owners’ Lockout IV, because some contracts — such as the ones Steven Stamkos signed...
Juan Lagares' Mets return went sour in a flash
Juan Lagares was activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to Saturday’s 4-3 win over the Cubs and quickly found himself in the middle of the action — not in...
Daily Blotter
The Bronx A man was captured on surveillance video grabbing a teenage girl’s buttocks in Soundview, police said Saturday. The 18-year-old victim was at Fteley Avenue and 172nd Street at...