The incident happened last year when Andrew Phillips and Vijay Kumar, both from Wolverhampton, were driving separate vehicles and ran red lights at high speed.
By EasternEyeAug 09, 2024
Two drivers have been jailed after a fatal crash in Wolverhampton that resulted in the death of an 89-year-old woman.
The incident occurred on 14 January last year on Snow Hill when Andrew Phillips, 30, and Vijay Kumar, 23, both from Wolverhampton, were driving separate vehicles and ran red lights at high speed.
Phillips, driving an Audi RS Q3, struck the woman as she crossed the road. She was taken to the hospital but died five days later.
Kumar, driving a Mercedes, managed to swerve and avoid hitting the pedestrian but did not stop after the incident, reported BBC. Phillips remained at the scene.
Wolverhampton Crown Court sentenced Phillips to six years and eight months in prison for causing death by dangerous driving. Kumar received a 12-month sentence for dangerous driving.
According to West Midlands Police, Snow Hill has a speed limit of 20mph, but Phillips was calculated to be driving at over 60mph, while Kumar was traveling at a speed of at least 43mph.
Kumar's vehicle was uninsured, and officers were able to trace and identify him after he fled the scene.
The court also imposed driving bans on both men—Phillips for over eight years and Kumar for two years and six months. The police added that there was no prior connection between the two men before the crash.
TEN people were killed on Tuesday after a suspected shooter opened fire in a school in Graz, southeastern Austria, according to the city’s mayor.
Mayor Elke Kahr told Austrian press agency APA that the victims included several students, at least one adult, and the suspected shooter.
"Currently, a police operation is underway... The reason for the deployment was that gunshots were heard in the building," police said on X, confirming the incident.
Police and interior ministry officials were not immediately available for comment, AFP reported.
Police sources told APA that “the situation is very unclear at the moment.”
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she was “deeply shocked” by the reports.
“Every child should feel safe at school and be able to learn free from fear and violence,” Kallas posted on X. “My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the Austrian people in this dark moment.”
Austria, with a population of nearly 9.2 million, rarely sees public attacks. It is listed among the ten safest countries globally, according to the Global Peace Index.
Though school shootings are less common in Europe compared to the United States, several such incidents have occurred in recent years.
In January 2025, an 18-year-old fatally stabbed a student and a teacher at a school in northeastern Slovakia.
In December 2024, a 19-year-old stabbed a seven-year-old student to death and injured others at a primary school in Zagreb, Croatia.
In December 2023, a student carried out an attack at a university in Prague, killing 14 and injuring 25.
Earlier that year, a 13-year-old shot and killed eight classmates and a security guard at an elementary school in Belgrade. Six children and a teacher were also injured. The shooter later contacted the police and was arrested.
In 2009, a former pupil killed nine students, three teachers and three passers-by in a school shooting in Winnenden, southern Germany, before taking his own life.
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Keir Starmer had indicated last month that he would reverse the cuts. (Photo: Getty Images)
THE GOVERNMENT will reinstate winter fuel payments to millions of pensioners this year, reversing an earlier decision that had removed the benefit for most recipients in England and Wales. The move comes after months of criticism and political pressure on prime minister Keir Starmer.
After taking office in July, Starmer's Labour government had removed the winter fuel payments for all but the poorest pensioners as part of broader spending cuts.
The government said at the time that the cuts were necessary to address a gap in the public finances created by the previous Conservative administration.
Means-testing remains for wealthier pensioners
On Monday, the government announced it would restore the payments to 9 million pensioners. Only about 2 million people earning above £35,000 will remain excluded from the £200–£300 heating subsidy during the winter months.
The initial decision had faced opposition from dozens of Labour MPs and was seen as a factor in the party’s recent electoral setbacks, including gains made by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party in local elections. Reform UK also leads in national opinion polls.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the decision to exclude wealthier pensioners still stands and defended the initial cuts.
“Because of those decisions, our public finances are now in a better position, which means that this year we're able to pay the winter fuel payment to more pensioners,” she said.
Treasury costings and political fallout
The Treasury said the reversal would cost £1.25 billion, while means-testing the benefit would still result in savings of about £450 million. It added that the move would not lead to permanent additional borrowing and that funding plans would be set out in a budget later this year.
Speaking at a press conference in Wales, Farage claimed credit for the U-turn.
“The Labour government are in absolute state of blind panic, they are not quite sure what to do,” he said. “Reform are leading now much of their agenda.”
Starmer had indicated last month that he would reverse the cuts.
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the earlier policy change had resulted in around 85 per cent of pensioner households losing access to the benefit.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The Conservative leader said she asks people to remove face coverings—whether burqas or balaclavas—when they attend her surgeries. (Photo: Getty Images)
KEMI BADENOCH has said she will not speak to women wearing burqas or other face coverings at her constituency surgery.
In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, the Conservative leader said she asks people to remove face coverings—whether burqas or balaclavas—when they attend her surgeries.
Badenoch also said employers should have the right to ban staff from wearing burqas, stating, “Organisations should be able to decide what their staff wear.”
She said, “If you come into my constituency surgery, you have to remove your face covering. I’m not talking to people who are not going to show me their face.” She added, “There’s a whole heap of stuff that is far more insidious... things like first-cousin marriage… My view is that people should be allowed to wear whatever they want, not what their husband is asking them to wear or what their community says that they should wear.”
Afzal Khan, Labour MP and vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims, criticised the remarks. He said: “Trying to outflank Reform UK on immigration or culture wars... erodes trust in politics itself.”
The issue was raised after Reform MP Sarah Pochin questioned Keir Starmer about banning the burqa. Nigel Farage has also called for a debate.
Zia Yusuf, chair of Reform, resigned over the issue but has since returned. He told The Sunday Times he might vote for a ban but said other issues were more urgent.
Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, said he had spoken to women in burqas in the past.
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Mayor Richard Chatterjee joins locals in celebrating compassion and culture at Croydon's vegan picnic
A sunny Sunday afternoon turned into a celebration of kindness, flavour, and connection as Croydon's Lloyd Park played host to a vibrant vegan picnic on 8 June. Marking The Big Lunch, a UK-wide community initiative, local vegetarians and vegans gathered with loved ones for a day of delicious food, music, and togetherness.
Plant-based plates with a powerful message
Tables brimmed with a colourful spread of plant-based dishes, proof that vegan food lacks neither taste nor variety. But this picnic wasn’t just about food. It served as a gentle reminder that compassion can be a lifestyle choice. Veganism, rooted in the idea of reducing harm to animals, is growing steadily in the UK, not only for ethical reasons but also for its potential health benefits.
Families and friends share plant-based meals and music under the summer sun
The event was graced by the Worshipful Mayor of Croydon, Richard Chatterjee, and his wife Angelena. Councillor Manjul Hammeed also joined the gathering, lending civic support to the growing movement. Local faith institutions, including Coulsdon Hindu Mandir and Thornton Heath Durga Mandir, extended their support, underlining the event’s inclusive, multicultural spirit.
Mayor Richard Chatterjee joins Croydon's growing plant-based community at the weekend event
The Big Lunch, a UK tradition of togetherness
This celebration was part of The Big Lunch, a grassroots movement launched by the Eden Project in 2009. Backed by The National Lottery Community Fund, the idea is simple: get neighbours to connect over food and laughter. Over the years, The Big Lunch has become a calendar highlight in many communities across the UK, creating friendships and reminding people that building bonds can start with a shared meal.
Mayor Richard Chatterjee and many local faith groups support the inclusive vegan gathering
As the plates emptied, music and dance filled the park. Laughter, conversation, and rhythm took over, capturing the very spirit the Eden Project set out to nurture, community.
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Officials said work is also ongoing to redesign existing non-AC local trains to improve ventilation so that automatic door closing systems can be installed. (Photo: Getty Images)
THE RAILWAY Ministry has decided to install automatic door closing systems in existing and new local trains on the Mumbai Suburban network, following the deaths of four commuters and injuries to nine others who fell from overcrowded trains in Thane district on Monday, officials said.
A senior official said that after the incident, the Railway Minister and Railway Board officials held a detailed meeting and tasked the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai with manufacturing non-air-conditioned local trains with automatic doors for Mumbai Suburban services.
“The first train of the new design will be ready by November 2025 and after necessary tests and certification, it will be put into service by January 2026,” said Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, while speaking to PTI.
“This is in addition to the 238 AC trains already under manufacturing for Mumbai suburban services,” Kumar added.
Officials said work is also ongoing to redesign existing non-AC local trains to improve ventilation so that automatic door closing systems can be installed.
The Railway Minister and Railway Board officials held a detailed meeting with the ICF, Chennai team on Monday to address the issue, officials said.
“The purpose was to find a practical solution to the issue of automatic door closing in local non-AC trains in Mumbai. The major issue with automatic door closing in non-AC trains is suffocation because of reduced ventilation,” a railway official said.
Kumar said the new non-AC trains will undergo three major design changes to address ventilation concerns.
“First, the doors will have louvres. Second, coaches will have roof-mounted ventilation units to pump in fresh air. And third, the coaches will have vestibules so that passengers can move from one coach to another and balance out the crowd in a natural way,” he said.
Four commuters died and nine were injured after falling off two overcrowded local trains in Thane district during the Monday morning rush hour, officials said.
The incident occurred near Mumbra railway station when the trains were passing each other on a steep turn.
Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway, said the victims were travelling on the footboard of two trains—one headed to Kasara and the other to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai.
According to the police, the commuters were hanging from the doors of the crowded trains and their backpacks brushed against each other as the trains passed in opposite directions.
The guard of the Kasara-bound train alerted the railway authorities. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, where four were declared dead on arrival, officials said.