6 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Ex-Brexit secretaries rally behind The Sun’s campaign to prevent Starmer from betraying the Leave vote
FORMER Brexit secretaries have rallied behind The Sun’s campaign to prevent Sir Keir Starmer from betraying the Leave vote.
Sir David Davis and Steve Barclay warn Labour risks selling out key gains as it prepares to reopen talks with Brussels.
GettyEx-Brexit secretaries have rallied behind The Sun’s campaign to prevent Starmer from betraying the Leave vote[/caption]
PASir David told The Sun: ‘We should start by saying simply no to the attempt by the European Union to present the negotiating position’[/caption]
EU demands recently uncovered in documents include fresh raids on British fishing waters, free movement for under-30s and a return to European Court of Justice (ECJ) oversight in exchange for softer goods checks and a security pact.
Sir David told The Sun: “We should start by saying simply no to the attempt by the European Union to present the negotiating position.
“They always do this, particularly with countries they think are weaker.”
He also blasted the EU’s fishing demands and for ECJ oversight. He said: “We left to take control of our own affairs, and anything that does not allow Parliament the last word is unacceptable.”
Mr Barclay said: “We have delivered Brexitbenefits by increasing the tonnage British fishermen can catch and by having better marine protections.
“It would be a great betrayal if Keir Starmer does not continue to increase the tonnage.”
Sir David added: “Parliament must check every line of any deal and throw out what we don’t want.”
EPASteve Barclay said: ‘It would be a great betrayal if Keir Starmer does not continue to increase the tonnage’[/caption]
6 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Horrifying moment motorcyclist is sent hurtling through the air after crashing into the back of car at a junction
THIS is the horrifying moment a motorcyclist is hurled through the air after a top-speed crash with a car.
The smash happened on a residential street in Almondbury, Huddersfield.
The biker is seen riding up behind the carThey strike the back of the vehicleHe is flung high into the airThe rider lands hard on the ground as smoke billows
The incident, on Southfield Road, happened on Monday afternoon (December 16), with the shocking footage showing the rider hitting a silver car.
The clip sees the rider flung through the air before he lands hard on the ground.
The bike itself appears to be wrecked after stopping in the middle of the road.
The video cuts out as smoke seeps from the car and the biker
around 3pm and shows the rider riding down the road then going over the top of the bike as it hits a silver car.
The rider flies through the air then lands on the ground as the bike appears destroyed as it comes to a stop in the middle of the road.
The person filming suddenly cuts off the video as smoke billows from the car and the biker lies in the street.
The biker is thought to have fled the scene.
Further footage shows people surrounding the damaged bike, with emergency service vehicles at the scene.
Commenting on social media, people said the biker was lucky to be alive.
One said: “How the hell did he run away?”
Another said: “How did he walk away from that?”
West Yorkshire police in a statement said: “Police received reports of a collision involving a motorcycle and a car at Southfield Road, Almondbury, Huddersfield, at 3:40pm today (16/12).”
“The motorcyclist is reported to have fled the scene.”
“The car’s occupant is not believed to have suffered serious injuries.”
Do you know more? Email ryan.merrifield@thesun.co.uk
6 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Fury over revamped European Super League as it’s revealed four new divisions would be based on EU flag
FOUR divisions for a new 96-club European Super League would be inspired by the EU flag — Star, Gold, Blue and Union.
Promoter A22 Sports yesterday unveiled its format for a “Unify League” and said it had written to Fifa and Uefa to ask for official endorsement.
Footie fans slammed a plot to revive the hated European Super League, above protesters outside Stamford Bridge in 2021GettyAlamyFour divisions would be inspired by the EU flag — Star, Gold, Blue and Union[/caption]
GettyMadrid-based A22 is backed by Real Madrid, its chief Florentio Perez and Barcelona, above Jude Bellingham during a UEFA Champions League match[/caption]
The firm’s previous plan for a closed 20-team league folded in April 2021 amid a fan backlash — as reported by The Sun.
But A22 bosses believe Uefa must endorse its proposal following a December 2023 European Court of Justice ruling that previous tactics used to block a Super League were contrary to EU law.
An A22 spokesperson confirmed last night: “The names of the leagues are named after the EU Flag/Flag of the Council of Europe.
“It is open to all clubs from across the 55 countries.”
Teams would earn a place on merit and not be guaranteed entry.
Games would be streamed free on a direct-to-fan Unify platform, with viewers likely to pay a subscription to go ad-free.
But one fan blasted: “They’ve used an EU ruling as the justification, and now the flag seems to have inspired the leagues. It stinks.”
A senior Uefa figure called the plan “bulls***t” and “a Christmas pantomime”.
Tim Payton, from the Arsenal Supporters Trust, added: “We utterly condemn these proposals and are against any breakaway or super leagues.”
He urged the football regulator currently being set up by the UK government to block the proposal.
Top Unify League division Star would involve 16 clubs in two pools of eight.
Second league Gold would be the same.
The remaining 64 teams would be in Blue and Union divisions.
Each of those would be split into four pools of eight.
A women’s competition would run alongside.
Madrid-based A22 is backed by Real Madrid, its chief Florentino Perez, and Barcelona.
A22 CEO Bernd Reichart said the Unify League aimed to address challenges such as increased TV subscription costs, an overloaded calendar, insufficient investment in women’s football, and dissatisfaction with the format and governance of current competitions.
We utterly condemn these proposals and are against any breakaway or super leagues
Tim Payton, from the Arsenal Supporters Trust
He cited the ECJ 2023 ruling that states “any competition where qualification is inclusive and meritocratic, and which complies with the overall match calendar can be officially established”.
Mr Reichart said A22 had consulted with clubs, leagues and other groups.
But Arsenal fan Mr Payton said: “I don’t believe they’ve had any meaningful discussions with supporter groups.
“We have pushed Arsenal in our meetings with them since the Super League — and they always tell us they are committed to the existing structures and competitive balance.
“We would urge the club to condemn and ignore moves like this.
“It is a breakaway and being proposed by people outside the FA, Premier League and Uefa structure.
JUST when you thought the greedy clubs had learnt their lesson from the last Super League chaos, here comes another crazy idea.
And this time, the EU has laid out the red carpet for fat cat clubs to sponge even more money off fans.
My team, Villa, have been battling since the very start of the Champions League to hear the famous anthem played at Villa Park.
Previous memories of 1982 when we won the European Cup are all faded now.
But now we have been able to experience first hand what a great competition it is rather than jealously watch our Premier League rivals from afar.
Incredibly, Villa have had a great run in the tournament so far — even beating giants Bayern Munich, which led to some of the wildest celebrations in the Midlands I’ve seen for years.
Football is about the fans.
It isn’t about the rich owners and it certainly isn’t about the politicians in Brussels, who need to get their hands off our great game.
“They are badging it up as being a bit more competitive but it’s still a breakaway and propagated by Real Madrid and Barcelona.”
Manchester United fan and football writer Andy Mitten added: “I don’t think this is a goer and it seems to be being pushed by Real Madrid.
“I am not in favour.”
GettyThe first European Super League plan guaranteed entry to 12 rebel clubs including the Prem Big Six, above Liverpool star Mohamed Salah[/caption]
GettyManchester City ace Phil Foden copetes in the UEFA Champions League[/caption]
Spurs fan Doug Sanders wrote online: “Just no!
“It is clear that player injuries are increasing due to the fixture lists, leaving hardly any free time during the year.
All positions in the Unify League would be earned by domestic performances in the previous season.
A22 envisages 14 league phase games being played between September and April.
The top four in each group would then reach a two-legged quarter- final, with the winners progressing to a “final four” week of one-off matches to decide the competition.
It means footballers, already complaining of burnout, would face playing even more games.
No formal start date has been set but it is understood A22 hopes to launch in September 2026.
The prize fund is yet to be confirmed but A22 promises £330million in “solidarity” payments to smaller clubs and countries.
The total pot is expected to exceed the current fund of £2billion for the Champions League, and £700million for the Europa and Conference Leagues combined.
Measures to block clubs from joining any breakaway competition are included in the Government’s Independent Football Regulator, currently going through Parliament and backed by all major parties.
But the new competition seeks to supplant Uefa and be club-run — as happened when the Premier League was set up more than 30 years ago.
The Premier League, Uefa and UK teams have not commented.
But clubs are likely to be mindful of angry fan reaction.
In 2021 thousands flocked to demonstrations at Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd.
They let off smoke bombs, called for club owners who had backed plans to go and branded the proposed format the “Super Greed”.
THE biggest issue with the first version of Super League was that it was utterly unfair.
Football has always been about what you earn on the field — and offering the Prem’s Big Six a place in a breakaway elite for life would have destroyed the fabric of the game.
So while many fans reacted in anger at the latest proposals unveiled by Madrid-based A22, its new plans do tick more boxes.
Qualification by merit, rather than on the basis of what a club did ten, 15 or 20 years ago is a step in the right direction.
As are extra “big” games, playing all teams in a mini-league, home and away — it’s hard to keep tabs on a Champions League table of 36 clubs.
Then an end-of-season knock-out with real tension, especially with a final four-style week of one-off semis and the final.
But it seems unlikely that a new streaming platform, offering both ad-supported “free” games and a bells-and-whistles subscription service, can really earn the billions required to run four competitions every season.
The potential autumn 2026 launch means huge obstacles will have to be cleared quickly — and that includes winning over the fans whose determination torpedoed Super League version one in 48 hours in 2021.
In the end, it will come down to the clubs.
If they feel their bread is being buttered the way they like it, then it could be on — and if that means jettisoning the Carabao Cup, so be it.
6 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on From Botox jabs to laser treatments – Kim Kardashian admits there’s nothing she won’t do to look younger
IS it Beyonce? Or could it be Shakira? Or might it even be a rediscovered picture of Jodie Marsh, circa 2003?
No. This blonde bombshell, looking markedly more tanned than usual, is Kim Kardashian.
SKIMSFrom Botox jabs to laser treatments – Kim Kardashian admits there’s nothing she won’t do to look younger[/caption]
GettyA fresh-faced Kim K pictured in 2006 at a fashion party[/caption]
GettyKim backstage at Jessica Simpson’s fashion show in 2007[/caption]
GettyKim, pictured in 2008, has gone from Paris Hilton’s stylist to a billionaire businesswoman[/caption]
The Kardashian pictured in 2009 at a Christmas charity bashRex Features
You know, the American-Armenian reality star whose signature look is long, raven hair.
In the latest promotional for her Skims underwear brand, the 44-year-old wears a teeny-weeny fur bikini from the Winter Heat collection, which goes on sale today.
But it seems the sexy picture is getting less attention for the clothes — or lack of — and more for Kim looking unrecognisable.
Fans posted on social media that they “thought it was Beyonce”, “It’s giving Shakira” and “Award for the Best Supporting Actor goes to the wig.”
One fan wrote: “Why are you dressed up like Beyonce, lol.”
The mum-of-four posted several pictures of herself wearing the knitwear-heavy range including a cream cami with cable-knit trousers and a blue bralette.
Whether Kim intentionally dressed up as her old pal and pop star Beyonce, 43, for the photoshoot is uncertain.
But the age-defying snaps prove Kim is the ultimate chameleon.
Over the past two decades, she has gone from Paris Hilton’s stylist to a billionaire businesswoman, and Kim has reinvented her look more times than we can count.
She has experimented with pink and platinum blonde hair and has been accused of cultural appropriation for wearing braids.
But her risk-taking paid off as she has been given one of the most coveted spots in the industry — the cover of American Vogue — three times.
In 2022, Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia said: “I think for many, many years, there hasn’t been anyone who has redefined the standards of beauty as much as Kim has.
“She did something that is very similar to what Marilyn Monroe did back in the day.
“She redefined our understanding of what beauty is.”
Kim has previously discussed the unnerving lengths to which she would go to remain looking youthful.
She said: “I was kind of joking, but now that I think about it, I would probably eat s*** if someone told me, ‘If you eat this bowl of poop every single day, you’ll look younger’.”
GettyKim K stuns in a figure-hugging mini dress in 2010[/caption]
GettyKim attends the Charlotte Ronson Fall 2011 fashion show[/caption]
GettyKim Kardashian arrives at 2012 amfAR’s Cinema Against AIDS during the 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival[/caption]
GettyKim K appears on The Jay Leno Show with lighter hair in 2013[/caption]
GettyKim stuns in a sexy pink latex dress while promoting her fragrance in 2014[/caption]
Getty Images - GettyKim at 2016’s Met Gala, where the theme was ‘Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology’[/caption]
On the topic of cosmetic surgery, for which her honesty has always been admirable, she said: “I always want to look appropriate. There does come a point when you’ve taken it too far — overfilled, too tight, too much cosmetic work.”
She added, without irony: “There’s nothing worse.”
In another interview that year, she revealed: “I really genuinely care about looking good.
“I probably care more than 90 per cent of the people on this planet. It’s not easy when you’re a mum and you’re exhausted at the end of the day or you’re in school, and I’m all of the above. I do my beauty treatments usually late at night.
“After everyone’s in bed, I’m doing laser treatments.”
Kim, who has almost had as many careers as she has changing faces, more recently took up acting with a role as a ruthless publicist in the 12th series of American Horror Story.
On The Kardashians, she said: “I can do a movie a year. I’ve got about ten years where I still look good. That’s all I’ve got in me then I’ll take some time off.”
Maybe then we will get to see the real au naturel Kim . . .
Kim, pictured in 2017, has always been admirably honest about cosmetic proceduresGetty - ContributorGetty - ContributorThe Kardashian beauty experimented with pink hair in 2018[/caption]
Refer to CaptionKim stuns in a swimsuit for a SKIMS campaign in 2019[/caption]
GettyKim K was accused of cultural appropriation for wearing braids in 2020[/caption]
Getty Images - GettyKim channels Cher in a pink bodysuit and ruffled jacket in 2021[/caption]
GettyKim debuts platinum hair in 2022[/caption]
GettyKim Kardashian put on a risqué display at the 2023 Met Gala, with pearls covering her bare chest[/caption]
SKIMSFans think Kim looks unrecognisable in her latest Skims campaign[/caption]
6 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Drivers told to return more than 541,000 tires with special symbol over huge crash risk in winter weather
DRIVERS preparing for snowfall have been urged to check their tires due to a massive recall.
The tires pose a massive crash risk and should be checked immediately.
Snowy conditions are challenging for driversGetty Images - GettyWinter tires have different traction for snow and iceGetty Images - GettyThe recalled tires have an increased crash riskGetty Images - Getty
Prinx Chengshan Tire North America is recalling more than 541,000 winter tires sold in the US.
Winter tires are designed to give drivers more control on the road in snowy and icy conditions.
But the tires do not provide sufficient traction, according to a notice posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
PCTNA sent a letter to the NHTSA Monday notifying the public of the safety recall.
Around 541,632 Fortune Tormenta and Prinx Hicountry winter replacement tires, sold in more than 100 sizes, are involved in the recall.
The recalled tires feature three-peak mountain snowflake symbols.
PCTNA said the tires passed European tests but likely fail to comply with US safety standards.
That’s because they “do not have sufficient traction to perform in all snow weather conditions.”
Snow tires without sufficient traction can increase the risk of a crash.
PCTNA said a remedy is under development.
The company said owner notification letters are expected to be starting February 1, 2025.
Owners with questions may contact PCTNA customer service at 1-310-205-8355 extension 109, or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).
In the US, tire traction standards are graded from highest to lowest.
The ratings represent a tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement, according to the NHTSA.
An AA is the highest rating, while the lowest is a C.
More winter car advice from AAA
The American Automobile Association shared advice on preparing your car for the winter months.
AAA gave the following tips for drivers getting ready for cold weather:
Get your brakes checked
Check tire pressure
Test your car’s battery
Apply water repellent to your windshield
Check antifreeze levels
Clean your headlights
Have emergency tools available like jumper cables, salt, and an ice scraper
Meanwhile, drivers have also been warned to check their tires ahead of the dead of winter.
“If you want to maximize gas mileage, it’s more important than ever to check and maintain your tire pressure,” Jenkins told The U.S. Sun.
“Every -10° change in ambient temperature could mean a loss of 1 PSI,” the oXYGen Financial business consultant said.
“This could reduce your overall miles per gallon if tire pressure falls lower and if you are in an area where you expect snow, it’s time to get out the winter tires if you own them.”
6 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Plot to assassinate Pope Francis with suicide bomb in Iraq foiled by British spies
BRITISH spies foiled an attempted suicide bomb assassination of Pope Francis on his Iraq visit.
UK intelligence services tipped off the Iraqi government about plans to kill the Pontiff during the trip.
ReutersA woman wearing a suicide vest and a truck loaded with explosives were intercepted en route to Mosul, both aiming to target the papal visit, above[/caption]
The Pope revealed the incident in an extract from his upcoming memoir, Hope, out next year.
He said when he arrived in Baghdad they had been told that a woman had been wearing a suicide vest and heading towards Mosul with a plan to kill herself during the papal visit.
A truck packed with explosives was discovered heading in the same direction with the same goal.
His trip to Iraq was the first by a pontiff to the country and was high risk due to security and the ongoing Covid pandemic.
He said the Iraqi police had “detonated” the two bombs before they could reach him.
In an article published by Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, the Pope wrote: “When I asked the (Vatican) Gendarmerie the following day what was known about the two bombers, the commander replied, ‘They are no longer there’.
“The Iraqi police had intercepted and detonated them.
“That, too, was very striking to me.
“This, too, was the poisoned fruit of war.”
Pope Francis, 88, has gone on more than 40 foreign trips since he became leader of the Catholic church in 2013.
SplashBritish spies foiled a suicide bomb plot to assassinate Pope Francis during his Iraq visit[/caption]
6 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Gilgo suspect Rex Heuermann ‘used eerie work skills to plot Valerie Mack murder’ as trophies unearthed, expert claims
GILGO Beach suspect Rex Heuermann allegedly murdered his seventh-named victim using now-disturbing skills learned at his architect job, a forensic expert outside the case has claimed.
APRex Heuermann appeared in court on Tuesday after he was accused of murdering a seventh woman in a bombshell indictment[/caption]
APHeuermann allegedly killed sex worker Valerie Mack, 24, in 2000 and spread her body parts across Long Island, New York[/caption]
Suffolk County District CourtHeuermann could have used his skills as an architect when he wrote out an alleged plan to kill his victims, a forensic psychiatrist has claimed to The U.S. Sun[/caption]
Detectives found a November 2016 edition of People magazine, which featured a cover story on the killings, in Heuermann’s office, according to the indictmentSupreme Court of Suffolk County
“[The killer] has such a hatred for women, such a rage that he enjoyed it,” forensic psychiatrist Caroline Lieberman exclusively told The U.S. Sun.
“He enjoyed tearing these women apart.”
By day, Heuermann, 61, was a husband and dad of two with a successful career as an architect in Manhattan.
On Tuesday, Heuermann was accused of murdering a seventh woman, now making him one of America’s most notorious alleged serial killers.
Heuermann is fighting the charges and boldly rebutting the judge in court, saying that he was innocent. He has also pleaded not guilty to all previous charges.
His plea came hours after prosecutors released a damning indictment that claimed the architect murdered Mack, chopped up her remains, and scattered them across Long Island, New York.
Mack disappeared in late 2000, and some of her remains were found shoved in a black plastic bag and left in the Long Island Pine Barrens that November.
On April 4, 2011, the rest of Mack’s body was uncovered near Gilgo Beach, where 11 people’s remains have been found since 1996.
In 2000, detectives uncovered hair at the scene that allegedly matched Heuermann’s wife, Asa Ellerup, and the couple’s daughter.
Officials have also since discovered documents that showed his sick plan for the kill, the latest indictment claims.
The docs are a methodical “blueprint” of the killings and show a list of all the “supplies” allegedly used in the killing, including rope, a saw, cutting tools, and foam drain killer, prosecutors said.
The paper also mentions “Mill Road,” where Mack’s first remains were found. That was under the heading “DS,” which prosecutors believe means dump site.
When asked how he could dodge scrutiny for decades, Leiberman, a psychiatrist who has been sharing her expertise for decades, pointed to his career.
She believes architecture’s demanding, detail-oriented nature could create the perfect storm for a serial killer.
“Architects have to be meticulous with their planning and so, when they found his planning documents that was so fitting for an architect,” she said.
Leiberman claims “the same skills to build a house” could have been used to “kill these women.”
Supreme Court of Suffolk CountyA New York magazine with a story on bodies pulled from Gilgo Beach was allegedly found in Heuermann’s home[/caption]
The U.S. SunDr. Carole Lieberman claimed Heuermann’s career could have given him the skills to be an alleged serial killer[/caption]
Supreme Court of Suffolk CountySix of the victims linked to Heuermann were found on Long Island’s Gilgo Beach[/caption]
SICK TROPHIES
In Tuesday’s indictment, prosecutors also revealed sick trophies that Heuermann allegedly kept in admiration of the heartless murders.
They claimed detectives found a June 2011 issue of New York magazine that featured a story of the Long Island killings inside his home after they raided it.
A now-disturbing November 2016 edition of People magazine, which featured a cover story on the killings, was also found at Heuermann’s office, according to prosecutors.
After a second search of Heuermann’s home in May, officials found a New York Post newspaper from July 2003, which featured an article titled Serial Killer Eyed in L.I. Slay.
That article featured details about the disappearances and murders of Valerie Mack and Jessica Taylor, whose murder Heuermann was charged with in June.
In that same search, a Newsday newspaper from November 1993 was recovered, which included an article titled Body Discovered in the Woods.
Investigators believe the homicide discussed in the article relates to Sandra Costilla’s murder.
Supreme Court of Suffolk CountySuffolk County prosecutors released a graph with all the evidence allegedly linking the victims to Heuermann[/caption]
Murder victims linked to the Long Island Serial Killer
The sleepy seaside community of Gilgo Beach in Long Island, NY, was horrified after the arrest of Rex Heuermann last year for a series of gruesome murders. Here is what we know about his alleged victims:
Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25 – Brainard-Barnes was believed to be a sex worker based in Norwich, Connecticut. She went by the names “Juliana” or “Marie” and advertised her services on various platforms, including Craigslist and Backpage. She mostly worked out of hotels in Manhattan. On the day of her death on July 6, 2007, she took an Amtrak train from New London to Grand Central Terminal. She was reported missing eight days later, but it wasn’t until 2010 that her remains were found on the north side of Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach.
Melissa Barthelemy, 24 – Barthelemy was an aspiring hairstylist who was last seen alive on July 12, 2009. She worked as an online escort and lived in the Bronx, NYC, but primarily worked out of hotels in Manhattan. She used sites such as Adult Friend Finder and went by either “Chloe” or “VerySexyChloe” online. After she disappeared, her sister revealed she had received calls from a stranger who admitted to killing her. Her body was found on Gilgo Beach on Dec 11, 2010.
Megan Waterman, 22 – Waterman was a single mother living in Scarborough, Maine, when she went missing. A sex worker who advertised her services on Craigslist and Backpage used the aliases “Lexxy” and “Sexy Lexi.” She vanished on June 6, 2010, after leaving a Holiday Inn hotel located in Hauppauge, Long Island. Two days later she was reported missing, and her body was found on December 13 of that same year.
Amber Lynn Costello, 27 – Costello lived in West Babylon, Long Island, at the time of her disappearance. She advertised on Craigslist and Backpage, reportedly to support her heroin addiction. She had entered a detox program shortly before his disappearance before relapsing. She was last seen alive on September 2, 2010, and her body was discovered on Ocean Parkway on December 13, 2010.
Jessica Taylor, 20 – Taylor was an escort working in Midtown, New York when she was reported missing on July 19, 2003. She was reportedly spotted at the Port Authority bus terminal in Manhattan between July 18 and 21. On July 26, 2003, parts of her body were found in Manorville. More of her remains were discovered on March 29, 2011, during the search for Shannan Gilbert.
Sandra Costilla, 28 – Costilla was a native of Trinidad and Tobago living in New York at the time of her disappearance. Investigators called Costilla a “drifter” and her last known address was in Queens. Costilla’s remains were uncovered in the woods in Southampton on November 20, 1993. Costilla had numerous sharp force injuries to her face, torso, breasts, left thigh, and vaginal area.
Valerie Mack, 24 – At the time of her disappearance, Mack was working as an escort under the alias “Melissa Taylor.” She was last seen alive in the spring of 2000 in New Jersey, but her family didn’t report her missing. Parts of her body were discovered by hikers in September 2000 in the Long Island Pine Barrens, but she was not identified and was instead given the nickname “Jane Doe No. 6.” The rest of her remains were recovered on April 4, 2011, near Gilgo Beach.
There have been several other murder victims tied to a Long Island Serial Killer, but no connection has been found to Rex Heuermann, and he is not a suspect in their deaths.
Karen Vergata, 34 – Vergata was a sex worker living on West 45th St. in Manhattan at the time of her disappearance on Valentine’s Day, 1996. She had called her father that day to wish him a happy birthday. Parts of her body were found at Davis Park on Fire Island’s Blue Point Beach on April 20 that year, but at the time, she wasn’t identified and was known as “Jane Doe No. 7.” Her skull was found on Ocean Parkway on April 11, 2011.
Additional victims – Four other remains of possible victims were also recovered but have not been officially named.
HORROR CRIME SCENE
Mack disappeared in 2000, and some of her remains were discovered on November 19 in the Long Island neighborhood of Manorville by hunters.
Her body had been tied up and decapitated. She was missing part of her right leg, and her hands were chopped off.
At the time, she was just known as Manorville Jane Doe., but in 2020, genetic testing revealed Mack’s identity.
Mack was from Atlantic City, New Jersey, and grew up in the foster care system. She was moved around several families before the Mack family adopted her.
In 1994, when she was 17, she had a child and moved in with her baby’s father in Wildwood, New Jersey.
Not long after she moved in, she started traveling frequently to Philadelphia, where she worked as an escort and advertised her services online.
Leiberman believes that Mack’s background made her a massive target, as fewer people could’ve been looking for her.
“It’s easiest to find sex workers. You call them up, and they come to you,” she said.
“They are often people who are less likely to have families who are worrying about them.”
Who was Valerie Mack?
VALERIE Mack was a foster child, mother, and sex worker, who was allegedly murdered by the Long Island serial killer around 2000, cops said in a bombshell indictment.
On December 17, 2024, prosecutors officially linked her death to suspect Rex Heuermann.
Mack was working as a sex worker in Philadelphia when she disappeared in 2000. Her family last saw her in New Jersey that same year.
She was born in Atlantic City and was placed in foster care at an early age. She moved around from several families before she was adopted by the Mack family.
In 1994, when she was 17, she gave birth to a son and moved in with her baby’s father in Wildwood, New Jersey. Soon after, she started traveling frequently to Philadelphia.
Police believe that Mack was a sex worker in Philadelphia and Atlantic City between 1996 and 2000.
She had a few run-ins with the law for prostitution charges at that time and was last arrested around June 2000.
Mack went by the alias Melissa Taylor and advertised her escort services online. She also walked the streets to pick up work.
On November 19, 2000, Mack’s partial remains were discovered in Manorville, New York, on Long Island, by hunters. At that time, she was just known as Manorville Jane Doe.
Her remains were decapitated, and she was missing both of her hands and part of her right leg, prosecutors said in an indictment. Her torso, legs, and arms were all bound with rope.
On April 4, 2011, the rest of Mack’s body was uncovered near Gilgo Beach, where 11 people’s remains have been found since 1996.
In 2020, genetic testing revealed Mack’s identity.
In December 2024, Mack was named as the seventh alleged victim of Heuermann – a disgraced architect who was first hit with murder charges on July 13, 2023.
In July 2023, Heuermann was arrested from his architecture firm, cracking the case wide open.
He is the only person to face charges related to the crimes; his wife, Asa Ellerup, has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors said they’re still investigating Heuermann and could bring more charges in the future.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Heuermann’s lawyer for comment on the new charge.
A timeline of the Gilgo Beach murders
A community on Long Island, New York, was left looking for answers after the remains of numerous people were found in Gilgo Beach. This is a timeline of events that led to the arrest of suspect Rex Heuermann.
April 1996: The first remains are found in connection to the Gilgo Beach murders. Authorities referred to the victim as “Fire Island Jane Doe.”
May 2010:Shannan Gilbert vanishes. She called the police before she went missing.
June 2010: Megan Waterman goes missing. Security footage showed her leaving a Holiday Inn Express hotel in Hauppauge, Long Island.
September 2010: Amber Lynn Costello disappears. She left her home in West Babylon, New York, without her cell phone. But, she was never reported missing.
September 2010: Hikers in the Long Island Pine Barrens discover more remains of the Manorville woman.
December 2010: The remains of Barthelemy are found by investigators in Gilgo Beach. The investigators were searching for Gilbert at the time. Later, investigators found three other bodies which were wrapped in burlap at Gilgo Beach. Authorities announced a serial killer may have murdered the females.
January 2011: The remains of Waterman, Barthelemy, Costello, and Brainard-Barnes are formally identified. They are known as the Gilgo Four.
March 2011: Human remains are found near Gilgo Beach.
April 2011: The bodies of three other victims are found near Gilgo Beach. Two other victims were found near Jones Beach, about five miles from where the other bodies were found near Gilgo Beach.
May 2011: Cops announce six more sets of human remains were found.
November 2011: The Suffolk County Police Department announces the victims found near Gilgo Beach were most likely sex workers. They believe one person may be responsible for the murders.
December 2011: The remains of Shannan Gilbert are found in Gilgo Beach. Cops at the time didn’t believe she had been murdered. Gilbert’s remains were discovered around a year and a half after vanishing.
December 2015: The FBI joins the probe into the murders.
May 2020: The remains of Manorville Jane Doe are identified as Valerie Mack. Mack was working as an escort in Philadelphia when she disappeared. She was last seen by her family in New Jersey in 2000.
January 2022: A new task force is created to investigate the murders.
May 2022: Cops release a 22-minute phone call from the night Gilbert disappeared.
July 13, 2023: Authorities announce the arrest of Rex Heuermann. The suspect was arrested in Manhattan. He was charged with the deaths of Costello, Barthelemy, and Waterman. He was named the prime suspect in the murder of Brainard-Barnes, but cops did not charge him.
August 4, 2023: The woman, known as Fire Island Jane Doe, formally identified as Karen Vergata, 34.
October 18, 2023: Attorney John Ray says new evidence has connected Heuermann to victims Gilbert and Vergata.
January 16, 2024: Heuermann is charged with murdering Brainard-Barnes. He pleaded not guilty.
December 17, 2024: Heuermann is charged with murdering Valerie Mack.
6 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Tech giants must be stopped from ripping off musicians, writers & news publishers to train AI systems, ministers warned
TECH giants must be stopped from ripping off musicians, writers and news publishers when using their material to train artificial intelligence systems, ministers have been warned.
The Government today launched a consultation on how AI can use copyrighted work of the UK’s top talent to train the models.
GettyMinisters have been warned about AI destroying the creative industries[/caption]
GettyThe government has launched a consultation on AI[/caption]
Owen Meredith said news publishers should control how their content is used
Fury is growing that Ministers want to allow tech chiefs to freely use the copyright material unless the creators opt out.
The plan has been blasted as a hammer blow for the UK’s £126bn creative industry.
Baroness Beeban Kidron, an expert in AI ethics, said: “If you continue to let AI companies scrape copyrighted work without payment then it destroys the ability to making a living.
“The creative community want to work with AI, want to engage with tech – but they want to be paid for what they do.
“The government consultation is too little, too late and too in the pocket of the tech sector.”
Leading filmmakers, singers and authors have warned that there are already strict copyright laws that protect content and all the government should do is figure out how to strictly enforce them.
They want to ensure tech tycoons who benefit from Britain’s top talents pay up for it.
Tory Shadow Technology Secretary Alan Mak accused his counterpart Peter Kyle of “dither and delay” on the pressing issue.
He said: “Labour are subjecting the industry to dither and delay, and potentially two years of uncertainty as they launch yet another consultation, placing us behind our competitors.”
Chair of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Caroline Dineage, said she’s heard “widespread concerns” about how copyrighted works are being used to train AI without consent or compensation.
She insisted that “any final proposals ensure creators’ rights are respected”.
Owen Meredith, chief executive of the News Media Association, said: “News publishers deserve control over when and how their content is used and, crucially, fair remuneration for its use.
“Instead of proposing unworkable systems such as the ‘rights reservations’ (or ‘opt-out’) regime, the government should focus on implementing transparency requirements within the existing copyright framework.
“Only this will ensure that creatives and the AI firms that rely on them for high-quality data can thrive together.”
AlamyBaroness Beeban Kidron said AI models could destroy the creative industries[/caption]
GettyTech companies use content online to train their AI models[/caption]
6 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Detroit Lions handed Aidan Hutchinson boost in return from horror injury so bad TV cameras refused to show replay
AIDAN Hutchinson could be on track to return to NFL action this postseason.
The Detroit Lions superstar defender suffered a gruesome injury earlier in the season.
GettyAidan Hutchinson thinks he can return to the Detroit Lions this season[/caption]
GettyHutchinson had surgery in October to repair his tibia and fibula[/caption]
Anyone who saw Hutchinson get injured probably thought he wouldn’t play football again at least until the start of next season.
However, after undergoing surgery in October, Hutchinson is aiming to return in February.
He thinks he can make the Super Bowl if the Lions get there.
“I’m at that mark and I’m on track for my goal of returning for the Super Bowl,” Hutchinson told The Squeeze podcast.
“I keep telling all the boys when I see them in the facility, I’m like, ‘You guys just got to get there and I promise you I’m going to be back.'”
Hutchinson also admitted that even his own family is doubting that he can make a return.
His mother told him “there’s no way.”
Hutchinson suffered the injury during the Lions’ Week 6 contest against the Dallas Cowboys.
He was sacking quarterback Dak Prescott when his leg appeared to snap when it collided with his teammate Alim McNeill.
Both his tibia and fibula were fractured in the injury.
Since Hutchinson got injured, the Lions seem to be cursed with more and more players going down.
David Montgomery, Carlton Davis, McNeill, and Khalil Dorsey ate all out for the rest of the season with injuries.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell isn’t using the injuries as an excuse though, and still wants to win the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
“What happens is, you get used to eating filet and I’m talking all of us. And everything’s good, life’s good but you forgot what it was like when you had nothing and you ate your molded bread,” Campbell told the Costa & Jansen with Heather show.
“And it was just fine, and it gave you everything you needed and sometimes you’ve got to get punched in the mouth and remember what it used to be like to really appreciate where you are, and we’ll do that.
NFL on Netflix
Netflix will be the global home of the NFL on Christmas Day this year.
The streaming service will show two special holiday games live around the world.
6 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Kroger promises investigation after shopper claims chain ‘stole money’ and refuses to return – and they have ‘proof’
A KROGER customer has accused the chain of stealing nearly $200 from them and refusing to return it.
The furious shopper took to the social media site X on Sunday to bash Kroger, who has promised an investigation into the damning claims.
GettyKroger has faced allegations of taking a customer’s money[/caption]
X/@MotherTuckoffElizabeth took to X to once again accuse Kroger of theft[/caption]
On Sunday Elizabeth Still reiterated her complaints, which were covered by The US Sun on November 7.
Elizabeth complained that she was out $186 after never receiving her Kroger delivery order.
The shopper disputed the charge with her credit card company, which was countered by Kroger with the receipt for the groceries.
Her post read: “@kroger stole money from me a week ago & still has not refunded me in the 2-5 day window they gave.
“Why is Kroger allowed to hold my money? They owe interest to me & these people.”
When she was questioned by another X user, Elizabeth responded: “I have to he duplicate receipts, & proof of 10 calls & 4 emails.”
At the time when she made her first complaint, Elizabeth wrote: “Don’t use Kroger delivery.
“They have no proof they delivered my groceries and didn’t refund me.
“I will tweet daily until I have my refund.”
The US Sun reported in November that Kroger had replied to the initial post asking Elizabeth to message them privately so the matter could be dealt with.
But the post from Sunday suggests that the issue has still not been fixed over a month later.
Kroger is yet to respond to Elizabeth’s new post laying out her accusations for a second time.
KROGER CHAOS
Elizabeth’s complaint is not the only one Kroger has faced recently.
Another shopper, Shyam Sundar, has slammed their return service, writing on X: “@kroger Quite painful to do returns at Kroger, Have been trying to return clothes at Frisco Custer/edlorado TX.
“They say system doesnt work / need to return at store we purchased.
“If i ask, can manager help – agent says – no use – need to fix your systems.”
Kroger's refund policy
Kroger shoppers can return items with or without a receipt.
All Kroger Co. Family of Stores can accept returns of items purchased at any location within 30 days of purchase.
Returns with receipts:
Customers can use digital or paper receipts to get a refund
The refund will be returned in the same payment method the purchase was made. Either going back on a card or handed back in cash
Returns without receipts:
Customers wanting to return more than $10 will receive a store merchandise gift card for the value
Customers who spent less than $10 will receive cash
Kroger responded: “Hi, Shyam Sundar! We are very sorry for any frustrations with store upon returning the item, and we would be happy to share your concerns with our Store Leadership Teams.
“Please sent us DM with store address, as well as any further feedback you wish to provide. Thank you!”
In another complaint on 5 December X user John posted: “@kroger literally I ordered groceries last night, paid for them, had them delivered today, and before delivery the price went up?
“I got charged again today because the price went up before delivery happened?
“That’s called fraud. I agreed to pay the price on my receipt.”
GettyKroger has faced several complaints recently from customers[/caption]
