A$AP Rocky to launch new denim collaboration

A$AP Rocky is rumored to be collaborating with an "iconic denim brand" for his own collection. Meanwhile, Net-a-Porter has finally been sold to its Italian rival, Yoox SpA.

-In his latest interview with Complex magazine, rapper A$AP Rocky hints that a fashion collaboration may be on the horizon — with a denim focus. Rocky's previously done a streetwear collaboration with Black Scale and a sneaker collab with Jeremy Scott. [MTV Style]

-Net-a-Porter has finally found a new home with its Italian rival Yoox SpA, and will be traded on the Italian stock exchange — putting to bed rumors that the online retailer would be bought by Amazon. [Business of Fashion]

-Tennis players always get the best athletic gear: Adidas has announced a collaboration with Y-3, for a line that will debut at Roland Garros (a k a the French Open) in May. [WWD]

-British designers Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley have been employing their genius at Marc Jacobs for the past year and a half — but now the fashionistas and real life BFFs are leaving the company to start their own. Hillier Bartley, a luxury brand, will hit stores in August. [Telegraph]

-Menswear continues to take on a life of its own, with the latest figures estimating that menswear alone will bring in $40 billion in sales by 2019. [Complex]

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Jay Z’s streaming service is already doomed — unless he follows Taylor Swift’s footsteps

When Jay Z unveiled his partners at the launch of his new streaming service Tidal on Monday afternoon, it looked as though he'd assembled the X Men (and women) of pop — and he was acting as the Professor Xavier.

The mission? To save the music business. Streaming sites such as Beats Music, Pandora, Rdio and especially Spotify have been identified as the future of music and are on the rise. Jay Z and his first tier of partners in Tidal (Alicia Keys, Arcade Fire, DeadMau5, Usher, Madonna, Kanye West, Beyoncé, Jack White, Jason Aldean, Chris Martin, Calvin Harris, Daft Punk and Nicki Minaj) are offering their rival platform, which offers higher sound quality, more content and prides itself on the idea that it will generate more royalty revenue for artists and writers.

This is in contrast to Spotify, which famously passes on a pitiful percentage of profits to writers and artists, causing financial difficulties not just for emerging acts but for more established ones, too. As Beck explained in a 2013 interview with the Argentine publication "Página/12," "If I were to have to try to make records and make them from the money that you get from Spotify, I wouldn't actually be able to make the records I'm making." It's worth remembering that his "Morning Phase" album won the Grammy for Album of the Year in February.

But Tidal feels doomed already, and the reason is the same as it ever was: price. Tidal is offering unlimited listening for $9.95 or $19.99 for higher quality audio. But when it comes to the idea of convincing fans to pay for music, the facts speak for themselves: Out of 60 million worldwide Spotify subscribers, only 15 million have splashed out for the monthly fee ($10 in the US). The rest use it for free and put up with the advertisements.

Trying to convince a 16-year-old to part with money has always been a tough sell, so the idea that fans might make the jump to subscribing out of good will is foolhardy. Even with the promise of "extra content," hearing this group of wealthy musicians promote a paid service for the overall health of a glamorous industry is unlikely to make teenagers with Saturday jobs fork out in droves.

The founders of Tidal are also under the misunderstanding that audiophiles like themselves (and their industry associates) are everywhere. It's true that most streaming and download sites offer a compressed sound, but the vast majority of consumers don't even notice the difference. Last year, Neil Young's PonoMusic service was set up with the idea of offering high quality audio, but that venture is already on rocky ground, with listeners preferring inferior iTunes MP3s in blind tests.

One selling point of Tidal is that users will be able to hear music offline and, as cheerily pointed out at the launch, New Yorkers will be able to listen on the subway. This fails to take into account that the MTA is steadily rolling out Wi-Fi across the system, and hundreds of millions of people in the US don't take the subway. That's right, Tidal — there are music lovers who live outside of New York, too!

The only option for this squad of music A-listers is to make like Taylor Swift and pull their music from the land of the free. Removing their catalog from Spotify et al is an aggressive act and earned Swift some criticism from her own fans when she did it in 2014, but it's already helped her last album, "1989," sell close to 5 million copies in the US in six months. But it already sounds like Jay Z is backing away from that option, stating in a Billboard interview that it's "not me against Spotify." But perhaps it should be.

For this new, artist-led Utopia to succeed, Spotify and the rest of the free streaming empire has to be humbled. The only way for Jay Z's X Men to prevail is to make a power play and force their fans to migrate to the supposedly more sustainable, artist-friendly world of Tidal. If Spotify didn't have the biggest artists in their music library, there would be less reason to use it. Taylor took a stand on her own (it's worth noting most of her work will be available on Tidal), so if these big-hitters are serious about standing up for their fellow musicians and raising the standard of what their fans hear, they need to do the same.

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Time to re-evaluate MLB’s offseason winners and losers

TAMPA — First, let's catch up on Pop Quiz questions:

1. From Bob Franzem of Queens: Name the catcher who appeared as himself in a 1959 episode of "Lassie."

2. From Andy Romanic of Freeport: In the 1994 film "Little Big League," Twins owner Thomas Heywood (Jason Robards) quizzes his grandson Billy (Luke Edwards) on who was on deck when Bobby Thomson hit his famous home run for the 1951 Giants. Who was on deck?

3. From Romanic: Name the first baseman who was said to be the inspiration for the Roy Hobbs character in Bernard Malamud's 1952 novel "The Natural."

4. From Romanic: Name the Oscar-winning actor who played the title role in the 1981 TV film "Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige."

5. From Anthony Angello of Babylon: Name the baseball team mentioned in the Billy Joel song "Miami 2017."

---

I like doing an "Offseason Winners and Losers" column each year, but there's an inherent problem with doing one in late January or early February: A team can make great moves, but what good are they if the club proceeds to have an injury-filled spring training?

Spring training, after all, is part of the offseason in the most literal sense. Teams are still getting ready and making moves in preparation for the games that count.

So with camps on the verge of breaking, let's assess how all 30 teams have fared from the end of their 2014 seasons until now. We'll divide them up into leagues and do it near-zero-sum game style. After all, if your club got better, but its rivals improved by far more, then your team would be a loser.

AL winners

1. Red Sox: Whether you think they can win the AL East with this pitching staff remains up for debate. But there's no disputing that, since the Red Sox had torn themselves down by Game 162 last year, they're much more primed to contend.

2. White Sox: Melky Cabrera, Zach Duke, Adam LaRoche, David Robertson and Jeff Samardzija. Not too shabby, as Adam Sandler once sang.

3. Astros: Improved their bullpen by importing veterans Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek and bought low on center fielder Colby Rasmus.

4. Angels: In all, it was an underwhelming winter (and early spring, and late fall, for that matter) for the entire AL. The Angels get on the winners' list most of all because they didn't get markedly worse as other clubs did. And while everyone wishes good health for Josh Hamilton, the fact is the team would gain some payroll flexibility if Hamilton winds up serving a long suspension for his drug relapse.

5. A's: Traded away two prime commodities in Samardzija (to the White Sox) and Josh Donaldson (to Toronto), but they picked up very interesting pieces such as Ben Zobrist and Tyler Clippard, as well as a less interesting piece in Billy Butler.

Nelson CruzPhoto: AP

6. Mariners: While Nelson Cruz is 34 and will be playing his home games in pitcher-friendly Safeco Field, he has been high-impact for a long time now.

7. Blue Jays: The loss of Marcus Stroman (torn left ACL) for the season dampens the Jays' hopes. Yet the East looks like a wide-open division, and the additions of Donaldson, Russell Martin and Michael Saunders makes the team better overall.

AL losers

1. Orioles: Bade farewell to Cruz, Nick Markakis (Braves) and Andrew Miller (Yankees) via free agency. They didn't say so long to executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette, as they blocked him from becoming the Blue Jays' team president. So that's something.

2. Indians: If they had been any quieter these last few months, you'd accuse them of using ninja focus to slow their heart rate down, like Will Ferrell in "Step Brothers."

3. Tigers: Max Scherzer departed for Washington, Justin Verlander is dealing with a right triceps problem and the bullpen still looks like a potential sinkhole.

4. Royals: The defending AL champions replaced James Shields with Edinson Volquez and Butler with Kendrys Morales. Underwhelming.

5. Twins: An Ervin Santana overpay was the Twins' only big move.

Brandon McCarthyPhoto: AP

6. Yankees: You could argue for placement in the "Winners" side thanks just to Derek Jeter's retirement (in case you missed it, Jeter was awful last year). Yet the Yankees let Hiroki Kuroda (Hiroshima) and Brandon McCarthy (Dodgers) walk, and tried to balance that by trading Shane Greene to Detroit and trading for Nathan Eovaldi and re-signing Chris Capuano. Their starting rotation is a potential disaster.

7. Rays: By the time last year's World Series ended, the Rays had lost iconic front-office chief Andrew Friedman to the Dodgers and iconic manager Joe Maddon to the Cubs. By the time spring training wraps up, this team will have lost starting pitchers Alex Cobb (right forearm) and Drew Smyly (left shoulder) to the disabled list.

8. Rangers: Prince Fielder is back from neck surgery, joined by his former Brewers teammate Yovani Gallardo. Yet Yu Darvish's succumbing to Tommy John surgery negates all of the good stuff.

NL winners

1. Braves: The rebuilding approach makes great sense in the bigger picture. Better to go all in than try to walk the contending/not-contending tightrope that too many teams attempt (and fall off).

2. Cubs: Maddon comes aboard as manager with a shiny new ace in Jon Lester. And once Kris Bryant sufficiently improves his defense (sarcasm alert) to earn a call-up to the bigs, this team will really be something.

3. Dodgers: With Friedman taking over the baseball operations, went high-risk, high-reward in signing the injury-prone McCarthy and Brett Anderson and the getting-up-there Jimmy Rollins. Add Howie Kendrick and subtract Matt Kemp, and you have a formidable entity, albeit one with bullpen concerns.

4. Marlins: I'm not as high on Dee Gordon as others are (including the Marlins), but I like Martin Prado, and I think fourth outfielder is an ideal role for Ichiro Suzuki. Speaking of outfielders, signing Giancarlo Stanton to the largest deal ever bodes well for the franchise. Dan Haren and Mat Latos provide veteran rotation depth.

Jung Ho KangPhoto: AP

5. Pirates: Yes, they lost Martin to Torronto, but they re-signed Francisco Liriano and brought back old pal A.J. Burnett and I like the high-upside moves of trading for the Yankees' Francisco Cervelli and signing Korean free agent Jung Ho Kang.

6. Padres: The loudest offseason of the season just might pay off, with Kemp, Wil Myers and Justin Upton constituting a brand new outfield. Oh, and the Padres signed Shields, too.

7. Cardinals: I liked the trade for Jason Heyward, a two-way player.

8. Nationals: Have suffered through a rough spring, with injuries sidelining or slowing down Denard Span (core surgery), Anthony Rendon (left knee) and Jayson Werth (right shoulder). None look debilitating, though, and the signing of Scherzer gives Washington a ridonkulous starting rotation.

NL losers

Yasmany TomasPhoto: Getty Images

1. Diamondbacks: Signed Yasmany Tomas, only to try him at third base, which by all accounts hasn't gone well. Also, the notion that former Yankee Peter O'Brien is the catcher of the future took a hit as O'Brien experienced troubles throwing the ball back to the mound and wound up getting outfield shifts.

2. Reds: Going back to thoughts on the Braves, the Reds traded Latos and Alfredo Simon (to Detroit), then turned around and got Marlon Byrd from the Phillies. Which way are the Reds going?

3. Rockies: See Cleveland.

4. Brewers: Traded Gallardo to Texas and received Adam Lind from Toronto, and that about did it. Getting over .500 figures to be a struggle.

5. Mets: Michael Cuddyer brings power and professionalism, and John Mayberry Jr. could be a great late-inning weapon. Yet both Josh Edgin and Zack Wheeler succumbed to Tommy John surgery in spring training, and Vic Black (right shoulder) looks likely to start the season on the disabled list. The Mets' improved organizational depth might allow them to elevate this season, but their lack of financial might still sticks out like a sore elbow.

6. Phillies: Finally began blowing things up, with Rollins off to the Dodgers and Byrd to Cincinnati. However, Cole Hamels. Ryan Howard and Jonathan Papelbon remain on the roster, and Cliff Lee has zero trade value due to left-elbow issues that resurfaced. In short, the Phillies are a mess, still.

7. Giants: Besides the 1997 Marlins, has a reigning champion ever experienced a worse offseason? Pablo Sandoval bolted, Lester said thanks but no thanks and the Plan Bs (Casey McGehee at third base, Jake Peavy in the rotation) underwhelm. Hunter Pence's broken left forearm darkened the cloud over this team. Oh well. It's an odd-numbered year, anyway.

---

Your Pop Quiz answers:

1. Roy Campanella

2. Willie Mays

3. Eddie Waitkus

4. Louis Gosset Jr.

5. The Yankees

If you have a tidbit that correlates baseball with popular culture, please send it to kdavidoff@nypost.com.

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The 5 most fascinating penis facts from the maker of ‘The Dickumentary’

This movie is members-only.

An East Village filmmaker has put together a documentary called — ready for this? — "The Dickumentary." The investigation into penises is out Tuesday on DVD and VOD.

"It's not taking itself too seriously, but at the same time, there's a lot of real information in it," says director Sofian Khan, who spent two years researching and traveling the world to film the doc.

Khan admits he long ago became desensitized to male nudity, but he wasn't completely immune.

"Some of the things I saw made me flinch — like filming the penis enlargement surgery, for example — but I've been around [penises] for a while now," he says.

Here are Khan's five favorite facts he discovered while making "The Dickumentary."

The longest junk belongs to holy men in Varanasi, India, who stretch their penises.

"They cut a hole in the tip and force a stick through it, then they forcibly stretch it," Khan says. The men can no longer get erections as a result — but that's the point. "They're giving up their sexual side as a form of worship," Khan says.

"One of the guys was older, and his was 2 feet, at least. There was a younger guy, and you could see his penis was still functional, and he was in the process of breaking it down. That was tough to watch."

In the animal kingdom, the honor for one of the largest belongs to the Argentine lake duck.

"It has a corkscrew penis that's twice the length of its body — around 17 inches," Khan says. "That would be the same as the average human having a 12-foot penis. We have a slow-motion shot in the film of the duck getting an erection. That was amazing to watch."

Khan's favorite destination: Hounen Fertility Festival in Komaki, Japan

The largest penis festival is the Hounen Fertility Festival in Komaki, Japan. Here, people carry a large wooden carving of a penis through the streets.Photo: Courtesy of "The Dickumentary"

The annual celebration draws hundreds and is rife with phallic imagery.

"We hung out with a local man whose job is to every year carve a 12-foot wooden penis out of a particular tree," the director says. "This carving is then marched through town by 42-year-old, unmarried men. It's very specific, which is what I loved about it. It's beautiful and so well-organized, and there is lots of free sake."

A group of 36-year-old women carry smaller phalluses, and they're chosen for their age, because 36, like 42, is considered an inauspicious number, and it's believed that participating in the festival will protect them.

Bigger was not necessarily better in every culture.

The ancient Greeks believed smaller penises were better.Photo: Courtesy of "The Dickumentary"

"The ancient Greeks actually thought that a smaller penis was preferable, for aesthetic reasons, but also because they believed a man's seed had less distance to travel to reach a woman's ovum," Khan says. "So it meant your offspring would be superior. Finding that out was one of those moments that challenges an assumption."

The doc also touches on religion.

"My favorite story is one that we found researching Jesus," Khan says. "He was a Jew, so we assume he was circumcised. Long after his death, there were monasteries that claimed they had holy foreskins in their possession. There were others in the church who said that couldn't be the case. So a story was created that wherever Jesus' foreskin was when he ascended into heaven, it zipped up into heaven and joined him. So he was whole again. I thought that was amazing, and we ended up animating that in the film."

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New ‘Daily Show’ host Trevor Noah attracts controversy for tweets about Jews and women

Newly minted "Daily Show" host Trevor Noah is already facing his first scandal.

The South African comedian is drawing the ire of Twitter for messages he posted years ago — which are gaining attention with Monday's news that he will succeed Jon Stewart later this year — making jokes about Jews, Asians and women.

The offending tweets were first picked up by BuzzFeed business editor Tom Gara, and the Internet quickly responded, calling Noah anti-Semitic and sexist. Tuesday morning Noah (who has 2.1 million followers) tweeted a response "Twitter does not have enough characters to respond to all the characters on Twitter," which was quickly deleted, according to a screenshot.

Noah, 31, has appeared on "The Daily Show" only three times since joining the satirical news program last December. Born to a black mother and white father, much of his humor derives from growing up biracial in post-apartheid South Africa.

He is well-known in his native country and around the world (he is currently in Dubai for a stand-up comedy tour), but not in the US, where he has made a handful of appearances on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" and "Late Show With David Letterman."

A Comedy Central spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Harvey Weinstein accused of groping woman

A 22-year-old woman told cops that movie producer Harvey Weinstein molested her during a meeting in Tribeca over the weekend, sources said Monday.

The woman told cops that the famed producer grabbed her breasts and touched her thigh around 6 p.m. Friday at the Tribeca Film Center, sources said.

​Weinstein was questioned by police and Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance will determine whether to file any charges, sources said.​

Sources close to Weinstein said, "We believe this is a blackmail attempt, and he did nothing wrong."

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These 10 gadgets are the best of the best in travel tech

Logitech Performance Mouse MX

Photo: Courtesy of the Designer

Using laser optics, this wireless mouse can go where most all other mice dare not: glass surfaces. It also has hyperfast scrolling and thumb buttons. $99

Bose QC25

Photo: Courtesy of the Designer

Don't be that guy in Aisle 27 whose 2 Chainz iTunes collection can be heard in Aisle 5 because of cheap earbuds. Bose's noise-canceling cans are the humane, not-obnoxious and sleek way to go. $299

Bluesmart

Photo: Courtesy of the Designer

"The world's first smart-connected carry-on" is controlled by your phone — which can lock and unlock your suitcase, weigh it, or, most important, track it when you realize those luggage loaders must've cheated on their drug tests and your clothes wound up in Guam. Supplies extremely limited. $299

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2

Photo: Courtesy of the Designer

The ideal tablet to whip out for when your in-flight entertainment is less than entertaining. And psst: It's OK to cheat on your iPhone with this 4 million pixel, 12.2-inch device, best navigated with an included S Pen. It's earned all its adoration, weighing only 1.65 pounds. $749

Sierra Designs Backcountry Bed Elite 850

Photo: Sierra Designs

Half bed, half sleeping bag, this shell-and-fabric sarcophagus for the living is probably comfier than that medieval torture device you sleep on at home. It's zipper- and Velcro-free, so no midsleep-injury risks when you're out camping, and it has a catenary opening to keep out the wind. $489

Dolfi: Next-Gen Washing Device

Photo: Courtesy of the Designer

You know how hotels like to charge $300 to launder one pair of socks? You know how you're never going to let them get away with that anymore? Dolfi, that's how. It looks like a bar of soap, but it's actually an ultrasonic pod that can clean and scrub your clothes in the sink, without you being anywhere near it — just add detergent, turn it on and scram.

Currently it's only in prototype form, but will be on the market soon. $189

Fugu Luggage

Behaving much like ye olde magician's trick where a flat circle transforms into a top hat, Fugu is magically expanding luggage that can transform from carry-on to full-size check-in, from mobile closet to usable table.

Operating with pumped-in air a la an inflatable bed, it can accordion between 9 and 27 inches. It's a fully funded Kickstarter device; preorder now. $219

Kindle Voyage

Photo: Courtesy of the Designer

Hey, cynics: People still read, turns out. And as a result, e-reader innovations are fast and furious.

For bookworms on the go, though, this is the best yet. Voyage has next-gen Paperwhite display (300 PPI!), 4 GBs of local storage, a pressure sensor to let you turn pages without lifting a finger, a light that adapts to your environs — and it's only 7.6 millimeters thick — the skinniest Kindle ever. $199

Sony 4K Action Cam

Photo: Getty Images

What's better than landing a Double McTwist 1260? Blowing the landing, but capturing your epic fail in full ultra-HD. Sony's answer to GoPro now offers 3,840-by-2,160-pixel video recording, a stereo mike with wind noise reduction and SteadyShot image stabilization tech. Just mount it on your beanie and go. $499

Beartek Snowsports Gloves

Photo: Courtesy of the Designer

Talk about a palm pilot. Your hands turn into Bluetooth devices with these high-tech gloves that you can use to take control of your phone, music, media and camera with innovative finger-touch tech.

The grip-focused construction lets you handle equipment stress-free. $120

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Lynn Tilton slapped with SEC charges

Lynn TiltonPhoto: WireImage

Lynn Tilton, the diva of distressed lending, and her Patriarch Partners private equity firms hid from investors the poor performance of loans underlying three CLOs, regulators charged Monday.

The flamboyant financier and Patriarch raised $2.5 billion for the Zohar funds — that contain the collateralized loan obligations, or CLOs — and increased fees and other payments they received by almost $200 million in fees by defrauding the funds by hiding the true health of the loans, the Securities and Exchange Commission alleged in a 13-page order filed Monday.

Tilton, 55, who has called herself the "turnaround queen" because of Patriarch's goal of buying distressed assets and overseeing their return to good financial health, had been the subject of an SEC probe for some time and decided to fight its findings rather than reach a settlement.

"We are disappointed that the SEC has chosen to bring an enforcement action that is ill-founded and at odds with Patriarch's investment strategy, which was consistently disclosed since the inception of the funds," the PE firm, through a spokeswoman, said in a statement.

"We look forward to the opportunity to vigorously defend ourselves against the SEC's allegations," the spokeswoman added.

The SEC claims Patriarch's portfolio companies failed to perform well and did not make some or all of the interest payments back to the funds over several years — a fact Tilton did not share with investors.

Tilton "intentionally and consistently directed that nearly all valuations of these assets be reported as unchanged from their valuations at the time the assets were originated," the SEC claims.

The case against Tilton will be heard in the SEC's in-house administrative court.

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Bernanke addresses senior-citizen critique in debut blog post

The Federal Reserve didn't throw US seniors "under the bus" by keeping interest rates near zero for more than six years, former Fed boss Ben Bernanke said Monday in the first entry of his new blog.

That's right, Bernanke, the man who spent eight years as the head of the nation's central bank carefully watching his every comment, is now a blogger, writing "Ben Bernanke's Blog" for The Brookings Institution where he is a senior fellow.

As the Fed boss, Bernanke was often criticized for the Fed's low interest rate policy because it hurt seniors and other others who depended on interest income.
Lower interest rates cut into the income the savings of seniors produces.

But Bernanke wasn't buying that argument.

"When I was chairman, more than one legislator accused me and my colleagues on the Fed's policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee of "throwing seniors under the bus" (to use the words of one senator) by keeping interest rates low," Bernanke wrote in his blog posting.

"The legislators were concerned about retirees living off their savings and able to obtain only very low rates of return on those savings," he explained.

"I was concerned about those seniors as well," Bernanke continued, and "raising interest rates prematurely would have been exactly the wrong thing to do. In the weak (but recovering) economy of the past few years, all indications are that . . . a premature increase in interest rates engineered by the Fed would therefore have likely led after a short time to an economic slowdown and, consequently, lower returns on capital investments."

"The slowing economy in turn would have forced the Fed to capitulate and reduce market interest rates again," the former Central Bank boos wrote. "This is hardly a hypothetical scenario: In recent years, several major central banks have prematurely raised interest rates, only to be forced by a worsening economy to back pedal and retract the increases."

"Ultimately," Bernanke wrote, "the best way to improve the returns attainable by savers was to do what the Fed actually did: keep rates low (closer to the low equilibrium rate), so that the economy could recover and more quickly reach the point of producing healthier investment returns."

Brookings said that Bernanke will use the blog to share his observations and opinions about current economic events, while welcoming questions and comments from readers.

"Now that I'm a civilian again, I can once more comment on economic and financial issues without my words being put under the microscope by Fed watchers," Bernanke said in a statement.

Brookings said Bernanke's blog would also occasionally touch on baseball. Bernanke, who served as Fed chairman from February 2006 until January 2014, is a big baseball fan.

He has spent the past year writing a book about the causes and government responses to the 2007 to 2009 financial crisis. The book is scheduled to be published this fall by W.W. Norton.

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Former Disney TV chief joins Netflix board

Netflix added a third woman to its board on Monday, naming former Disney TV chief Anne Sweeney as a new director.

Sweeney joining the now nine-person board is significant given Disney's close ties to rival Apple — which is holding talks with programmers to try to create a new virtual cable company to stream traditional TV channels.

Sweeney has a wealth of knowledge of Disney's TV and digital operations both at home and overseas.

Netflix is the midst of global expansion and is facing increased competition in the streaming video field from services such as HBO Now — launching next month.

HBO Now is a broadband-only product.

The Sweeney board appointment comes as Silicon Valley start-ups have been embarrassed in recent reports by their lack of women in both top positions and on board directorships.

The problem was highlighted in the past few weeks as accusations of sexism at venture capital giant Kleiner Perkins by employee Ellen Pao were played out during a weeks-long trial.

Pao's claims were dismissed and she lost the case.

The new position is Sweeney's first since the executive said a year ago she wanted to exit as chief of Disney's co-chairman of Disney Media networks in order to pursue a career directing TV shows.

Sweeney stepped down in January.

She joins Ann Mather, a former CFO at Disney-owned animation studio Pixar, and Leslie Kilgore, Netflix's former chief marketing officer, on the board of the Los Gatos, Calif., company.

Netflix is also tapping Brad Smith, Microsoft's General Counsel bringing the total number of board members to nine.

"We look forward to benefitting from Brad and Anne's perspective as we continue to build our global Internet TV network," said Reed Hastings, Netflix co-founder and chief executive.

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January Jones sad to see the end of ‘Mad Men’

January Jones in the April issue of Rhapsody MagazinePhoto: Diego Uchitel/Rhapsody

Fans may be feeling blue about the end of "Mad Men," but none more so than January Jones, who plays Betty Draper.

"It was really hard for me that last week — and especially that last day," she tells the April issue of Rhapsody magazine while staring wistfully in this white dress. "I cried probably for 16 hours straight just knowing that I was speaking for her for the last time. I had to say goodbye to her in a way that was like a death."

And if playing the icy housewife is what Jones, 37, is remembered for most, that's fine with her. "That's not the worst thing. She's, like, the best character ever."

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School district forced teacher into mental hospital: lawsuit

A Long Island school district tried to oust a longtime teacher by throwing her in the loony bin, a lawsuit claims.

First-grade teacher Susan McCarthy, 63, charges the Roosevelt Union Free School District uses "psychology as a weapon to discriminate."

She became upset at a staff meeting last May when administrators tried to return a problem student to her classroom, and she began to feel ill, she claims in Brooklyn federal court papers.

When she said she wanted to go home sick for the day, administrators asked McCarthy if she would "hurt herself," the lawsuit alleges.

She "emphatically said no," McCarthy claims.

But hours later, police officers arrived and forced her to go to Nassau University Medical Center to be evaluated by psychiatrists, McCarthy claims.

Even though doctors and nurses said she was OK, a month later the district forced her to undergo another medical exam "to determine your mental capacity to perform your duties as a teacher," McCarthy claims.

The district was "intent on discriminating and creating a hostile work environment against older Caucasian teachers," she claims.

A lawyer for the district declined to comment.

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NYU adjunct claims professors harassed her with pornography

Two NYU educators behaved more like sophomoric frat boys than professors, sending sex toys and porn to a fellow prof they dislike, a lawsuit claims.

New York University professors Joseph Thometz, 52, and Eve Meltzer, 44, who are married to each other, even "outed" lesbian adjunct Suzan Russell, 53, to the entire campus, Russell claims in her Manhattan federal suit against NYU and the two professors.

NYU said that Russell's claims were "not true" and that it tried to help Russell by putting her in contact with the NYPD to report any alleged harassment.

The university claims it's the third college Russell has sued over the years.

Russell and Thometz squared off in 2012 over whether a dean's use of profanity constituted harassment, with Russell defending the administrator, according to court papers.

Shortly thereafter, someone used Russell's NYU e-mail address to deliver incontinence pads and vaginal lubricants to her at the university under the names "Suzan Litewait Russell" and "Suzan B- - -job Russell."

Russell claims law enforcement traced the computers used for these orders to Thometz and Meltzer, who declined to comment on the suit. Russell is seeking unspecified damages, accusing the school of failing to address her complaints.

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Amanda Knox may return to Italy

Amanda Knox is planning a trip to, of all places, Italy.

Knox wants to live there and write a book about the country's legal system, her lawyer said Saturday, one day after a Roman court ruled she no longer has to fear spending the next quarter-century in prison there for murder.

Knox has no hard feelings against Italy, Carlo Dalla Vedova told the Sunday Times of London, despite her eight-year ordeal of being twice convicted and cleared in the 2007 murder of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, and despite her four years stuck in an Italian prison.

Before Friday's verdict clearing her and her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, once and for all in the brutal slashing murder, Knox had vowed never to return to Italy willingly.

"She never had any [feelings of] revenge about what happened," the lawyer said. "She always liked Italy; that's why she came here."

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Surgical technician claims gender bias in delivery room: lawsuit

A Queens surgical technician claims he was rejected for a job helping deliver babies because he's a man.

Joel Consing, 49, applied for a surgical tech job in the Labor and Delivery Department of Queens Hospital Center last year and was told by the manager that his gender would be a problem, he claims in a Brooklyn federal court lawsuit. "She kind of hesitated and said, 'You know this is a women's area,' " Consing told The Post.

A spokeswoman for the city Health and Hospitals Corp., which is named in the suit, said it has "no tolerance" for discrimiqnation and will review the complaint.

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Mariano: Yanks’ pen will be OK

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March 28, 2015 | 11:49am

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Former Yankees pitchers Mariano Rivera at George M. Steinbrenner Field, in Tampa, Florida. Photo: Charles Wenzelberg

TAMPA — Mariano Rivera dropped into Yankees camp Saturday for a quick visit and proclaimed the rebuilt bullpen will be OK.

"The bullpen will be fine," Rivera told The Post. "I trust and believe."

With 2014 closer David Robertson in Chicago, the Yankees are hoping Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances can handle the ninth inning despite having just a combined two big league saves.

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Lundqvist to start for Rangers against Bruins

BOSTON — It is The King's throne once again.

Eight weeks to the day since being struck in the throat by a shot from Carolina's Brad Malone and 54 days after his last game, Henrik Lundqvist is returning to the Rangers' net, getting the start for Saturday afternoon's game here against the Bruins.

"Hank was on the ice [Friday] with six or seven shooters and said he felt good," coach Alain Vigneault said before the match. "I felt [starting him] was the smartest thing to do.
"I told him to go out, work hard and have fun."

The Rangers have climbed to the top of the NHL in Lundqvist's absence, going 18-4-3 since he defeated the Panthers on Feb. 2. Cam Talbot, scheduled to start Sunday afternoon's Garden match against the Capitals, went 16-4-3 with a 2.16 GAA and .929 save percentage as the interim No. 1, and Mackenzie Skapski won both his starts while allowing a sum of one goal as the temporary back-up.

Lundqvist was medically cleared to rejoin his teammates for practice sessions on March 17 after a panel of physicians found the torn blood vessel in his neck had completely healed. He has had only one full practice plus one full morning skate plus a few smaller sessions, such as the one on Friday.

"Hank is a competitor, he always finds a way," Vigneault said. "I'm sure he's going to find a way today."

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Brooklyn Bridge closed after gas pipe ruptures

Traffic halted on the Brooklyn Bridge early Saturday after a gas pipe ruptured near the Eastern District courthouses in Downtown Brooklyn, authorities said.

Officials say there was a gas leak at Cadman Plaza East at Tillary and Jay streets footing the bridge entrance after a piece of construction equipment ruptured a pipe at 9:20 a.m.

Authorities hauled eastbound traffic while they investigated.

It wasn't immediately clear if the pedestrian walkway was closed or evacuated at the time.

There were no reported injuries.

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Nigerians turn out en masse to vote in tight presidential election

ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigerians turned out en masse to vote in a presidential election Saturday that analysts say is too close to call between President Goodluck Jonathan and former military dictator Muhammadu Buhari.

A car bomb exploded at a polling station in south-central Enugu state but police said none of the voters lining up was hurt in the 7:30 a.m. blast.

Current president Goodluck Jonathan (left) and opposition candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, shake hands after signing a renewal of their pledge to hold peaceful "free, fair and credible" elections.Photo: AP

Police detonated two other car bombs at the scene, a primary school, said Enugu state police Commissioner Dan Bature. The explosion occurred far from the northeastern center of the Islamic uprising by Nigeria's home-grown Boko Haram.

Voters in the oil-rich south who traditionally support President Goodluck Jonathan could determine the outcome of the first election in Nigeria's history where an opposition candidate has a realistic chance of defeating a sitting president.

Polling stations opened late in many areas as official rushed across the country delivering ballot materials by trucks, speedboats, motorcycles, mules and even camels, in the case of a northern mountaintop village, according to spokesman Kayode Idowu of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Streets are deserted. Only electoral officials, observers, security officials and media with relevant stickers are allowed to use the roads. All sea and land borders are closed as a security precaution.

One motorcycle rider balanced cardboard panels to construct voting booths on his head, and another tucked a ballot box under his arm as they sped up the road north from Abuja, the capital in central Nigeria.

A woman's voting card gets validated using a fingerprint reader. Nearly 60 million people have cards to vote.Photo: Getty Images

Some good-humored voters smiled when officials arrived late at stations where registration was to start at 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) followed by voting from 1:30 p.m. (12:30 GMT). Men and women formed separate lines at many polling stations.

Police stand guard at a polling station in Port Harcourt. Streets are deserted. Only electoral officials, observers, security officials and media with relevant stickers are allowed to use the roads. All sea and land borders are closed as a security precaution.Photo: EPA

Nearly 60 million people have cards to vote.

Jonathan and Buhari are front-runners among 14 candidates who want to govern Africa's most populous nation beset by a northeastern Islamic uprising.

Buhari, resplendent in white robes, was the first voter to have his fingerprints taken at a polling station that opened a half hour late in Daura, his hometown in northern Katsina state.

The registration of Jonathan, in black with his trademark Fedora hat, was delayed in the southern oil-rich state of Bayelsa. Three newly imported card readers failed to recognize his fingerprints, and his wife's. He returned two hours later and was accredited without the machine. Biometric cards and readers are being used for the first time to discourage the kind of fraud that has marred previous votes.

Afterward, Jonathan wiped sweat from his brow and urged people to be patient as he had, telling Channels TV: "I appeal to all Nigerians to be patient no matter the pains it takes as long as if, as a nation, we can conduct free and fair elections that the whole world will accept."

Trader Angela Okele expressed concern after getting accredited in Port Harcourt, Nigeria's southern oil capital. "The process is too slow, if it continues like this many people will not be able to cast their votes today," she said.

Men sing and hold up their ID cards as they wait in line at a polling station in Kano. Biometric cards and readers are being used for the first time to discourage the kind of fraud that has marred previous votes, but many have expressed concern that the process is much too slow.Photo: Reuters

Electoral officials stressed that once voting starts it will not end until the last person in line has voted, even if it takes all night.

At Jere, a town 38 miles north of Abuja, electoral officials said they had only one card reader, which has a capacity for about 700 voters, and twice as many people lined up. An official was sent by motorcycle to collect another.

This is only the eighth election since Nigeria's independence from Britain in 1960. In a country steeped in a history of military coups and bloodshed caused by politics, ethnicity, land disputes, oil theft and, lately, the Boko Haram Islamic uprising, the election is important as Africa's richest nation consolidates its democracy.

An elderly woman holds up her voter registration card. Polling stations opened late in many areas as official rushed across the country delivering ballot materials by trucks, speedboats, motorcycles, mules and even camels.Photo: Getty Images

There's a lot of international interest, especially among nervous foreign investors as Nigeria is Africa's largest destination for direct foreign investment. Its oil-dependent economy is hurting from slashed petroleum prices.

Nigeria's military announced Friday it had destroyed the headquarters of Boko Haram's so-called Islamic caliphate and driven the insurgents from all major areas in northeast Nigeria, a claim that seems unlikely. There was no way to verify the report. Critics of Jonathan have said recent military victories after months of ceding territory to the Islamic extremists are a ploy to win votes — a charge the presidential campaign denies.

The failure of Jonathan's administration to curb the insurgency, which killed about 10,000 people last year, has angered many Nigerians especially in the north.

International outrage has grown over another failure — the rescue of 219 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram nearly a year ago. The extremists have abducted hundreds more since then, using them as sex slaves and fighters.

Jonathan and Buhari on Thursday signed a peace pledge and promised to accept the results of a free and fair election. But already dozens have been killed amid hate speech highlighting the religious, ethnic and geographic divisions among Nigerians.

Voters from an Internally Displaced People camp, who fled areas affected by Boko Haram violence, line up at a polling station in Maiduguri. Electoral officials have stressed that voting will not end until the very last person in line has voted.Photo: Getty Images

The Islamic uprising has exacerbated relations between Christians like Jonathan, who dominate the oil-rich south, and Muslims like Buhari who are the majority in the agricultural and cattle-herding lands of the north. The population of 170 million is almost evenly divided between Christians and Muslims.

Some 1,000 people were killed in rioting after Buhari lost to Jonathan in the 2011 elections. Thousands of Nigerians and foreign workers have left the country amid fears of post-election violence.

In 2011, there was no doubt that Jonathan had swept the polls by millions of votes.

Now the race is much closer. The game-changer that transformed Nigeria's political landscape came two years ago when the main opposition parties formed a coalition and for the first time united behind one candidate, Buhari.

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Yemen’s president calls rebels ‘stooges of Iran’

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt — Yemen's embattled president on Saturday called Shiite rebels who forced him to flee the country "stooges of Iran," directly blaming the Islamic Republic for the chaos there and demanding airstrikes against rebel positions continue until they surrender.

Followers of the Houthi movement hold a demonstration to show support for the rebels March 26th.Photo: Reuters

Other leaders, including the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, obliquely referenced Iran earlier at the opening session of an Arab summit held in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. They blamed Shiite, non-Arab Iran for meddling in the affairs of Arab nations, with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi saying, without mentioning Iran by name, that it was "spreading its ailment in the body."

Yemeni President Abdel Rabbo Mansour Hadi directly challenged Iran in his remarks. He also called for his supporters to rise up in peaceful protest against the Shiite rebels, known as Houthis. He said the airstrikes staged by Saudi Arabia and its allies against the Houthis must not stop before they surrender and return medium and heavy weapons they looted from army depots across much of the country.

Iran and the Houthis deny that Tehran arms the rebel movement. Officials there had no immediate comment on Hadi's remarks.

Hadi fled Yemen earlier this week, making his way to Saudi Arabia after leaving the southern coastal city of Aden in the face of a push into southern Yemen by the Houthis and their allies, including forces loyal to ousted leader Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Also addressing the summit, Saudi Arabia's monarch, King Salman, said the military campaign in Yemen would not stop before security and stability are restored in Yemen.

Houthi supportives wave daggers and dance as they celebrate the fourth anniversary of the uprising in Sana'a.Photo: AP

El-Sissi also endorsed a resolution adopted by Arab foreign ministers on Thursday for the creation of an Arab military force, saying the Arab world was currently facing unprecedented threats.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Press Agency reported Saturday that its navy had evacuated 86 diplomats and others from Aden on Wednesday. It did not identify the nationalities of all those it evacuated in the operation, though it said diplomats from the United Arab Emirates and Qatar were on hand Saturday when those evacuated arrived at a Jiddah naval base.

Pakistan also announced Saturday it had two planes standing by to evacuate its citizens.

Dozens of foreign diplomats, including United Nations staff, still were awaiting evacuation Saturday by air in Sanaa, airport officials said on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information.

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10 trendy travel accessories you shouldn’t leave home without

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March 27, 2015 | 12:00pm

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A chic functional bag is a must for fashionable travelers. This tote hits the right notes: roomy enough to fit magazines, laptop and all your onboard essentials. Valentino "Rockstud" bag, $2,495 at neimanmarcus.com.

Courtesy of the Designer

This lightweight crossbody will keep your hands free while sightseeing or passing through security. Crossbody bag, $255 at tumi.com.

Courtesy of the Designer

Left your luggage at arrivals? Not a problem. The finder can call the number on these deluxe tracking tags, and Victorinox will deliver your case to you free of charge. Tags, $24 at swissarmy.com

Courtesy of the Designer

Flying is hard on under-eye circles, but these eye masks give a 10-minute eye-lift so you can walk off the plane looking refreshed. Skyn Iceland "Hydro Cool" eye masks, $30 for a pack of six at b-glowing.com

Courtesy of the Designer

This unisex leather messenger bag is great for keeping all your business materials contained. "Parisis" bag, $745 at longchamp.com.

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"Easy on, easy off" should be your mantra when going through security — and wearing a chic slide is a good first step. Shoes, $395 at jennikayne.com.

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A train case isn't the most practical thing to haul around, but it's a treat once you get there — and it's perfect for road trips or for placing in your checked baggage. Beauty case, $595 at rimowa.com

Courtesy of the Designer

Scale down your wallet to just the essentials — two credit cards, a room key and a hotel address card — and you're off to a long walk. Wallet in white lizard, $240 at vianelnewyork.com.

Courtesy of the Designer

Backpacks are all the rage, but this white-pebbled leather is also great for running to the gate and going on long sightseeing jaunts. "Aften" backpack, $325 at skagen.com

Courtesy of the Designer

While traveling internationally, a handsome passport case is a must-have for travel. Passport case, $260 at Valextra, 833 Madison Ave.

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It's no secret that travel is a massive hassle — before you get to that white sandy beach or enjoy pasta carbonara near the Spanish steps, you have to brave long security lines, insipid counter staff and meager economy seats.

But achieving a better travel experience is as easy as focusing on comfort — think holding a luxe wallet in your hand or swathing yourself in a delicious cashmere wrap as you wait to go through security. Here, the newest accessories that'll get you in vacation mode, fast.

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Yankees rotation setup: Tanaka-Pineda-Sabathia-Eovaldi

Masahiro Tanaka. Michael Pineda. CC Sabathia. Nathan Eovaldi.

That's the order of the Yankees rotation for the opening four games of the season, as announced by Joe Girardi on Friday morning.

Tanaka's Opening Day nod, on April 6 against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, interrupts a string of six consecutive starts by new No. 3 Sabathia in that spot.

"We feel that's the way it works the best. We feel that gives everybody a chance to be pretty ready," Girardi said. "Tanaka will be on a little bit of a pitch count the first time. We just like the way it works for our guys."

Because the Yankees have a scheduled off day on April 7, Tanaka can have an extra day of rest before throwing again April 12 to close out the second series against the Red Sox. Adam Warren is presumed to be in line for the fifth start.

Girardi also said Alex Rodriguez would play five innings at first base on Sunday, the first action at that spot for the 39-year-old designated hitter/backup third baseman.

"He's done some extra work," Girardi said, but relays and bunt defense "will be a little tricky."

Additional reporting by Kevin Kernan

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Rodgers, Munn turn into March Madness front-runners

We may have finally found a flaw with celebrity couple Aaron Rodgers and Olivia Munn, aside from being too perfect.

Rodgers and Munn were in Los Angeles on Thursday proudly supporting the Wisconsin Badgers in their Sweet 16 showdown with North Carolina, which they rallied to win, 79-72.

Rodgers was a great quarterback for the Badgers in the … Wait, nope.

Munn is a proud alumna from Madison … Wait, nope.

Rodgers with Cal in 2004Photo: AP

Rodgers is California born and bred and starred for UC Berkeley. He probably had not given two thoughts to Wisconsin until the Packers – the state's beloved NFL team — drafted him in 2005.

Munn's bandwagon fandom might be even worse. She graduated from Oklahoma, which is still in the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners play Friday night against Michigan State in Syracuse. It's unlikely the super couple plan on leaving LA for central New York this morning.

This is some sad front-running from the duo and perhaps part of Rodgers' plot to surpass cheese as the most popular thing in Wisconsin.

Say what you want about exuberant Kentucky super fan Ashley Judd, but she's a Wildcat through and through. She graduated from the school and is seen shouting at seemingly every game, including Thursday night's rout of West Virginia.

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Kendall Jenner stuns in new Calvin Klein ads

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Kendall Jenner for Calvin Klein.

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Kendall Jenner for Calvin Klein.

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Kendall Jenner for Calvin Klein.

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Kendall Jenner and Simon Nessman for Calvin Klein.

© Alasdair McLellan

Kendall Jenner and Simon Nessman for Calvin Klein.

© Alasdair McLellan

Kendall Jenner gets her star turn as the face of Calvin Klein's new #mycalvins Denim Series, which will be available exclusively at Opening Ceremony beginning April 15. Meanwhile, McDonald's Sweden launches a "Big Mac" clothing and lifestyle collection that you need to check out ASAP.

-Two weeks after news dropped that Kendall Jenner would be signing with Calvin Klein, the 19-year-old Kardashian sister is officially the face of #mycalvins. "Modeling for Calvin Klein Jeans is really a dream come true," said Jenner in a press release. "I've grown up wearing the brand and seeing the iconic advertising in magazines and on billboards featuring some of the world's top supermodels. To now be a part of that legacy is truly an honor." [WWD]

-Is there a meat-lover in your life who could use a burger-covered poncho, leggings or even rain boots? Thanks to McDonald's Sweden, the Big Mac Shop is now offering all of these and more. [MTV Style]

-Three weeks after going platinum blond, it's back to brunette for Kim Kardashian. An insider says the reality star is heading to Armenia next week and wanted to revert back to her naturally dark locks for the trip. [E!]

-Manolo Blahnik is hoping to get a monopoly on all things foot-related — and is now teaming up with German knitwear manufacturer Falke to design their own line of socks. [WWD]

-Banana Republic unveiled its new flagship store on Fifth Avenue Thursday night, featuring a more casual, contemporary look thanks to the brand's new creative director Marissa Webb. [Bustle]

-Who knew Capri Sun could turn into a fashion statement? The new It bag, dubbed the Metal Crisp Packet Clutch by Anya Hindmarch, runs for $1,595 — and strongly resembles the silver drink pouch from every '90s kids' childhoods. [Marie Claire]

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Drea De Matteo’s apartment destroyed in East Village explosion

​The apartment where ​"​The ​Sopranos" star Drea De Matteo​ lived was ​among those destroyed in the massive gas explosion and fire in the East Village Thursday, the star revealed on social media.​​

"A hole where my N.Y.C. home of 22 years once stood. RIP 123 2nd Avenue," the 43-year old actress posted, along with a photo of her building surrounded by smoke, on Instagram Thursday.

Earlier in the day, De Matteo​, who played Adriana​ ​La Cerva on the HBO mob hit from 1999 to 2006, ​posted a dramatic photo of the building, near Seventh Avenue engulfed in flames.

"NYC's finest trying to put out the flames to mine n many others apartments. Speechless. "[Pray] for those that are hurt," she posted, along with the image of fire fighters rushing to put out the blaze.

De Matteo​, who has also starred on the FX cable show "Sons of Anarchy"​ was one of dozens of New Yorkers displaced on Thursday after the explosion set fire to four buildings, injuring at least ​25 people​ with two missing​.

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10 travel beauties for your spring fling vacation

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March 26, 2015 | 12:00pm

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Giorgio Armani's delicious Sì is available now in a travel-size eau de toilette spray, small enough to slip into a carry-on or a purse. The best-selling breezy floral has yummy pear and black currant notes. "Sì" eau de toilette spray, 1-ounce bottle, $61 at giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com

Courtesy of the Designer

Streamline your makeup assortment with Urban Decay's fill-it-yourself palette in a limited-edition funky purple design. Pop four eye shadows of your choice into the slots and you're ready to go. "Nirvana Build Your Own Palette," $10 (plus cost of shadows) at urbandecay.com

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Sunscreen is a must, whether you're at Snowbird, South Beach or staycationing in Stuy Town. Clarins' lightweight new day 'screen protects skin from the damaging effects of pollution and UV rays with botanicals and a high SPF. "UV Plus Anti-Pollution" broad spectrum SPF 50, $42 at clarinsusa.com

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Lancôme's Shine Lover packs the conditioning benefits of lip balm, the vibrant color of lipstick and the luster of gloss into one slim tube. Select from 15 seductive shades — plus Sephora has four additional colors exclusive to its stores and Web site. "Shine Lover" lipstick, $25 at sephora.com and nordstrom.com

Courtesy of the Designer

Prefer sightseeing to shampooing your hair? Keep your mane smelling fresh and lovely with this fragrant hair mist redolent of mandarin, jasmine and patchouli. It can be used on wet or dry hair. Miss Dior hair mist, 1-ounce bottle, $48 at dior.com

Courtesy of the Designer

Estée Lauder's new "EE creme" — that's short for "Even Effect" — is the ultimate multitasker. Available in three shades, it protects skin from sun and pollution with anti-oxidants and a high SPF, and it evens the complexion with color-correcting, radiance-enhancing pigments. Wear it alone or under foundation. "Enlighten Even Effect" cream with SPF 30, $40 at esteelauder.com

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Shiseido's handy new stick concealer is perfect for on-the-go face fixes. A few dabs of the long-lasting, no-fade formula available in six shades, and discolorations are cleverly camouflaged. "Perfecting" concealer, $25 at shiseido.com

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Recycled airplane air is notoriously drying. Restore skin's moisture with Chanel's new serum, a superhydrating, ultra-light treatment that plumps skin visibly for 24 hours. The "micro droplets" contain a concentrated form of Camellia oil extract. "Hydra Beauty Micro Sérum," $110 at chanel.com

Courtesy of the Designer

No more raccoon eyes at the pool! MAC's new waterproof mascara is tear-proof and sweat- and humidity-resistant. The innovative dual-wiper system lets you choose between a natural look or a dark, dramatic sweep. "Haute & Naughty" waterproof mascara, $22 at maccosmetics.com

Courtesy of the Designer

Kiehl's formulated this silky cream-gel hand sanitizer specifically for plane and train travelers, testing it in-flight. The formula is packed with Tibetan ginseng, cactus flower, and essential lavender, geranium and rosemary oils to clean, moisturize and protect hands. "First Class Purifying Hand Treatment," $18 at kiehls.com

Courtesy of the Designer

See spring bloom around the world 21 Photos

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A white tiger cub debuts, a solar eclipse darkens the world and more.

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Don't worry — these shots won't harm your eyes.

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A baby chimpanzee debuts, a soldier turns into an angel and more.

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The aurora borealis glows, protests take fire in Germany, Crimea marks its annexation anniversary and more.

Sony World Photography Award winners 23 Photos

See stunning snapshots from the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards.

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Solange Knowles and Jennifer Aniston are among the stars rocking getups straight out of Funkytown.

From golden sheaths to suits with kicks, check out the hottest celeb trends 17 Photos

Cara Delevingne, Jessica Alba and Taylor Swift are among the celebs rocking the hottest trends of the moment.

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The world celebrates St. Patrick's Day, preliminary elections are held in Israel, critters get caught peacock-ing and more.

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A pooch gets stylish, Hillary Clinton celebrates her heritage, Austria prepares for Easter, cosplayers strut their stuff and more.

The many faces of Robert Durst 30 Photos

A ragged Robert Durst was arrested on Sunday in New Orleans, but it wasn't the first time the real estate heir was caught on camera not looking his best. Here are 37 examples of Durst looking his worst.

The calendar might say spring, but we're still wearing coats and toting around umbrellas. It's a great time for a getaway, whether it's to the slopes, the beach or Midtown's Holiday Inn.

You'll want to pack some pampering cosmetics and fragrances regardless of your destination.

Here's a look at 10 of the latest travel beauties.

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Hope Solo’s road back: therapy and a medicine healer

Hope Solo is sharing her emotional and psychological torment with her teammates — and with the world.

The star goalie of the US women's soccer team launched a blog this week detailing her personal and image recovery after a string of unsavory run-ins with the law in the past year: an alleged domestic-violence confrontation with her nephew last summer and being involved in her husband's DUI arrest in January. Solo, 33, received a 30-day suspension after the second episode, in which she was "acting belligerent" when her husband, Jerramy Stevens, was pulled over driving the US team's van.

In the revealing blog post, she opens up about her anguish, both the cause and symptom of her unstable behavior.

Solo (left) with husband Jerramy StevensPhoto: Getty Images

"For the first time, I'd opened up to my teammates about everything I'd been going through," Solo wrote. "I talked about how hard it had been going through the court case with my family, and explained why I hadn't been that approachable at camp. I'd been trying to focus while I was on the field, but I'd been a mess emotionally and mentally, and spent most nights crying with my roommate away from the team. After I was done speaking with everyone, one of my teammates gave me the biggest hug and said, 'Hope, apology accepted.' That meant so much."

Solo also shares the contents of an email she sent to the team as the suspension ended to tell them about her time away.

"I told them that for the first time in my life, I'd been seeing a therapist and dealing with a lot of my issues, and finally addressing all the pain and anger that was inside of me," Solo wrote. "Twice a week, I also worked with an Eastern medicine healer in Seattle who had incredible experience helping some of the greatest athletes perform at the highest levels. He really helped me see things in a different light."

Solo and the US squad won the Algarve Cup in mid-March, a promising on-field indicator as they prepare for the Women's World Cup in Canada beginning in June.

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Sophie Hunter’s custom-made wedding gown revealed

Isn't she lovely?

Sophie Hunter's one-of-a-kind Valentino gown was photographed by Annie Leibovitz before her big day for the pages of Vogue.

In a snapshot from the issue posted by the fashion house, Valentino creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli are seen prepping the gown on the expecting mother.

Hunter, 37, and Benedict Cumberbatch, 38, quietly tied the knot on Feb. 14 on the Isle of Wight.

The custom-made gown, which was co-designed by Hunter, Chiuri and Piccioli, took three months to complete and is made of silver lace, according to Vogue (via The Daily Mail).

The design also features an empire waist, long sleeves, a high neckline and a lengthy train.

"It feels very much of nature, and it's so detailed and extraordinary that I'm still trying to get my head around how beautiful it is," Hunter said.

Although the couture creation is stunning, it couldn't distract from the affection Hunter has for her man.

"When two people meet and it's the right combination, it does ground you suddenly," she added.

Sophie Hunter and Benedict Cumberbatch chat it up at the BAFTAs.Photo: Getty

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Jacoby Ellsbury’s defiant stance on Opening Day readiness

PORT CHARLOTTE — Jacoby Ellsbury hasn't played in an exhibition game since March 15 due to an oblique injury on his right side. Nor has he taken batting practice.

Yet, the Yankees leadoff hitter and center fielder believes he will be ready to play Opening Day against the Blue Jays on April 6 in The Bronx.

"The way I feel right now I am very confident,'' Ellsbury said.

With the Yankees traveling Thursday to play the Rays, Ellsbury remained at George M. Steinbrenner Field to hit off a batting tee and participate in flip drills. Joe Girardi's stance on the issue is if Ellsbury is able to play in an exhibition game by Tuesday, he will have enough time to get ready for April 6.

A year ago, Ellsbury suffered a calf injury on March 14, didn't play the rest of the major league exhibition schedule but was ready for Opening Day in Houston.

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‘Downton Abbey’ to end after next season

The Crawley estate is closing up shop.

"Downton Abbey" will end after its upcoming sixth season, Carnival Films and Masterpiece on PBS announced on Thursday.

"Millions of people around the world have followed the journey of the Crawley family and those who serve them for the last five years. Inevitably there comes a time when all
shows should end and 'Downton' is no exception," executive producer Gareth Neame said in a statement.

"We wanted to close the doors of 'Downton Abbey' when it felt right and natural for the storylines to come together and when the show was still being enjoyed so much by its fans. We can promise a final season full of all the usual drama and intrigue, but with the added excitement of discovering how and where they all end up…"

The drawing-room series — which debuted on PBS in 2011 — is the top drama in the public broadcaster's history, averaging 12.9 million viewers in Season Five. It garnered 51 Emmy nominations, and won 11.

"Downton Abbey" centers on the well-to-do Crawley family in post-WWI England as they deal with the waning aristocracy. Season Five ended with Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) potentially finding a new suitor, Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) seeing her family accept her illegitimate daughter and Lady Rose (Lily James) getting married to a Jewish banker.

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Victims in NYC dance-club arson that killed 87 to be commemorated

Twenty-five years ago, what was then the biggest mass murder in U.S. history turned a New York City dance club into a smoky, flame-filled inferno that left dozens of people dead, some with drinks still clutched in their hands.

That night, a Cuban refugee named Julio Gonzalez tried to win back the woman who had spurned him.

Interpreter Griselda Hernandez, left, speaks to Julio Gonzalez in court in 1990.Photo: AP

Gonzalez entered the Happy Land social club in the Bronx, which was humming with mostly immigrants partying and dancing. His former live-in girlfriend, Lydia Feliciano, was checking coats and they had a violent argument. Gonzalez was thrown out.

In a rage, he returned just after 3 a.m., splashing gasoline on Happy Land's only exit and lighting two matches. Then he pulled down the metal front gate.

Within minutes, 87 people were dead.

That tragedy in March 1990 will be commemorated on Wednesday evening when a Roman Catholic Mass is held, followed by a procession from the church to a granite memorial near the club, where a candlelight vigil will take place.

The fire was the worst in New York City since 146 women died in a blaze at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in what is today's Greenwich Village. They were killed exactly 79 years earlier on March 25, 1911.

That spring night in 1990, people were smothered by black smoke or fatally burned. It happened so quickly that some appeared like frozen figures from Pompeii.

The Happy Land social club the morning after the fire in 1990.Photo: AP

A few still had drinks in their hands. Some had torn off their party clothes, engulfed by flames. Others died hugging or holding hands. Bodies were piled up on Happy Land's dance floor in the darkness, their faces covered with soot.

"I woke up and smelled smoke," said Jeff Warley, who lived three blocks away. He walked to the site of the blaze, "and there were still bodies there, on the street" — wrapped in white and awaiting transport.

Feliciano survived, as did only a handful of others. Among them was the DJ, Ruben Valladares, who plunged into flames, staggering out with burns over 50 percent of his body.

Those who were trapped included Pablo Blanco's uncle, Mario Martinez, who left behind a wife and baby.

"He was my favorite uncle, he used to show me how to cook, he used to take me to different family events," said Blanco, standing this week at the edge of Southern Boulevard in the West Farms neighborhood near the onetime club, now a hair salon.

A memorial to those killed in the Happy Land social club fire is displayed in a small park across the street from the former club's location in the Bronx.Photo: AP

Even 25 years is not enough to erase the memories of horror vivid in the minds of survivors and those who never again saw their loved ones. One woman lost a half dozen family members, Blanco said.

"My friend Frank can't even come here, the memories just come up to him — of friends and family he's lost," he said.

In 1990, Happy Land drew a noisy, happy crowd of mostly young people. The club had been ordered closed for fire hazards — no sprinklers or emergency exits — but continued to operate illegally.

About two-thirds of the victims were part of a Bronx community of so-called Garifunas — Hondurans descended from proud black natives of the Caribbean exiled by British colonizers more than two centuries ago. In recent years, many Garifunas have fled a repressive Honduran regime and settled in New York.

That fateful weekend, they were enjoying their go-to club, speaking their own language and dancing to their drum-driven Garifuna music.

The neighborhood has changed since that night. "It's gotten worse," Blanco said. With an average income of $10,000 per family, dozens of businesses are shuttered after the recession, and many residents are on welfare.

The names of those who were killed in the Happy Land social club fire are displayed in a small park across the street from the former club's location.Photo: AP

Gonzalez, now 60, sits behind bars for life in an upstate New York prison. He was convicted on 174 counts of murder — two for each victim on charges of depraved indifference and felony murder.

A refugee from Fidel Castro's Cuba, he arrived in New York in the Mariel boatlift of 1980. A decade later, he was working in a warehouse, but lost his job six weeks before setting the fire, police said.

Earlier this month, Gonzalez was denied parole.

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