Madejski Stadium: Woman Found Dead After Party

A young woman found dead after a Christmas party at a Premier League football ground died from head injuries consistent with a fall from height, police have said.

The 22-year-old was found at the bottom of a fire escape stairwell in the early hours of Saturday morning at Reading's Madejski Stadium.

She was discovered at 12.50am in the Millennium Madejski Hotel, which forms part of the football ground.

She was pronounced dead at the scene. Next of kin have been informed, but she has not been formally identified.

Detective Inspector Phil O'Neil of Thames Valley Police said: "The woman had been attending a Christmas party at the time of the incident.

"We are treating her death as unexplained and there are a number of inquiries taking place to establish the full circumstances of what happened."

"Inquiries such as this can take some time but we are keeping the woman's family fully informed of our progress."

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said a post-mortem examination by a Home Office pathologist was carried out last night.

Anyone with information is asked to call the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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Protests: Indian PM Urges Calm Over Gang-Rape

The Indian Prime Minister has appealed for calm and vowed to protect women as police struggle to quell outrage over sex crimes following the gang-rape of a student.

As authorities shut down roads in the heart of India's capital, Manmohan Singh said he understood the public anger at the "monstrous crime" but added that "violence will serve no purpose".

"There is genuine and justified anger and anguish at this ghastly incident," he said in a televised address.

"I feel deeply sad at the turn of events leading to clashes between protesters and police forces. I assure you that we will make all possible efforts to ensure security and safety to all women in this country.

"As a father of three daughters myself, I feel as strongly as you. We will ensure justice is delivered," he added.

His pleas for calm were echoed by the victim's father.

"Please pray for my daughter and do not resort to any violent activity. She needs your support and your prayers," the father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the Hindi-language News 24 network.

"My daughter is fighting for her life, but she is very strong and has a strong will to live."

Protests have been taking place across India over the last week to denounce the police and government over the gang-rape of the 23-year-old student in the capital and the surge of violence against women.

Official figures show that 228,650 of the total 256,329 violent crimes recorded last year were against women, with the number of rapes in the capital rising 17 per cent to 661 this year.

The biggest protests were in New Delhi on Saturday, prompting police to cordon off areas around government buildings.

However, fresh clashes erupted on Sunday and police said more than 100 people were injured including 60 policemen.

The clampdown was further tightened on Monday, with commuters having to make lengthy detours to get to work.

Thousands of armed police and paramilitary troops blocked roads in central New Delhi to prevent protesters from marching to the presidential palace. 

A small group of demonstrators gathered at a venue less than a mile away from India's parliament to press the government to ensure the security of women in the city.

The city ground to a halt as commuters found themselves caught in massive traffic jams after most roads in central Delhi were barricaded by police.

A television journalist was shot dead in the Indian town of Imphal on Sunday by police trying to control a protest over the attempted rape of an actress whose attacker remains at large.

Five police have been suspended over the shooting, the Press Trust of India reported.

Police have said some of the Delhi protesters have been intent on causing trouble and the demonstrations have been "hijacked by hooligans".

While many of the protesters have been women carrying placards, the crowds have drawn increasing numbers of young men who have been hurling stones at security forces.

The government has been on the defensive not only over the levels of crimes against women but also over the notoriously slow criminal legal system.

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Paul Daniels Reveals He 'Kissed Schoolgirl'

Veteran TV magician Paul Daniels has revealed his shock after discovering a girl he picked up as a hitch-hiker more than 40 years ago and began kissing was a schoolgirl.

The 74-year-old entertainer, writing in his blog The Life and Times of Paul Daniels, said he gave the girl a lift after spotting her as he drove home from a late-night show on a country lane, The Sun newspaper reported.

He wrote: "I kissed her goodnight and it got a bit more passionate.

"Thank God it didn't get too passionate because something she said sent a shiver down my spine - she said she was still at school.

"I had her out of the car as fast as I could and I drove off with the lights off so she couldn't see my number plate! I felt sick."

In his blog, Daniels said the encounter occurred when he was 30. The blog has since been taken down.

The Sun reported that the magician described showbusiness in the 1970s as plagued by teenage "groupies" and added it was difficult to know their age.

He added: "The super-short mini-skirts, the teetering high heels, the full slap made it, as I say, impossible.

"Did I have such a life? Yes. I would be lying if I said I didn't. Were they all over 16? OMG I hope so. Can I remember them? No."

The father-of-three, married to former assistant Debbie McGee, 54, added that performers and pop stars were surrounded by female fans in the 1970s.

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Piers Morgan: Thousands Want Him Deported

Thousands of Americans have signed a petition calling for British CNN host Piers Morgan to be deported over his criticism of the country's gun laws.

By noon on Christmas Eve, the petition - which is posted on the White House website - had garnered more than 31,000 signatures, surpassing the 25,000 required to get a response from the US government.

Mr Morgan tweeted about the petition: "If I do get deported from America for wanting fewer gun murders, are there any other countries that will have me?"

The outspoken former Daily Mirror editor has called for tighter gun control measures in the wake of the December 14 massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

Morgan hit out following the Sandy Hook school shooting

On Tuesday, he interviewed Gun Owners of America executive director Larry Pratt, and appeared incredulous when Mr Pratt suggested more weapons were a credible solution.

"You're an unbelievably stupid man, aren't you?" Morgan asked during the heated debate.

"You have absolutely no coherent argument. You don't actually give a damn about the gun murder rate in America."

Following the interview, a Texas journalist posted a petition on the White House website alleging Morgan "is engaged in a hostile attack against the US Constitution by targeting the Second Amendment".

"We demand that Mr Morgan be deported immediately for his effort to undermine the Bill of Rights and for exploiting his position as a national network television host to stage attacks against the rights of American citizens," the petition says.

Many Americans follow a literal interpretation of the Second Amendment, which enshrines the "right to bear arms" in the US Constitution.

Mr Morgan insists America can outlaw military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines without infringing on people's constitutional rights, and says he has no quarrel with the Second Amendment.

A defiant Mr Morgan refused to back down from his position.

"Ironic US gun rights campaign to deport me for 'attacking Second Amendment rights' - is my opinion not protected under 1st Amendment rights?" he posted earlier on his Twitter feed, referring to freedom of speech provisions.

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China: 11 Children Killed In Minivan Crash

A van carrying 15 children has crashed into a roadside pond in a rural area of eastern China, killing 11.

Three children died at the scene of the accident in Guixi city, in Jiangxi province, and another eight died later in hospital, said an official from the propaganda office of the city's Communist Party committee.

Four children survived, the official added.

The accident is the latest in a string of deadly crashes in China involving school children.

Police detained the driver for questioning and were investigating the cause of the accident, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Photos on the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post's website showed a silver minivan partially submerged in a grassy pond, with one of its three windows on the right side broken.

The minivan belonged to Chunlei kindergarten, which does not have a government license to operate, according to an article on the website of state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV).

The van taking the children to school was travelling too fast and swerved to avoid a vehicle parked on the side of the road, ending up in the pond, CCTV said.

Photos on its website showed pairs of tiny shoes and brightly coloured school bags lined up on the ground near the scene and an injured child being treated.

Overcrowding on school buses is common in rural China, where the education system is short of funds and children are forced to travel far to get an education because of school closures.

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Edinburgh Car Crash Leaves Three Men Dead

Three men have died and three other people were injured in a car crash near Edinburgh.

Witnesses to the crash are being asked to contact police

The accident happened about 1.5 miles south of Pathhead, Midlothian, at around 7.30am.

A gold-coloured Nissan Note carrying five people was in collision with a silver Skoda Octavia and ended up on its roof, Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue said.

The accident happened on the A68

The female driver of the Nissan managed to get out before emergency services arrived and fire crews cut one man free. Three male passengers sitting in the back of the Nissan died at the scene.

The man cut free from the overturned car was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary along with the female driver and the male driver of the Skoda.

Three people with injuries were taken to hospital after the accident

Their injuries are not life-threatening. The A68 is closed while officers investigate the crash.

Inspector Simon Bradshaw said: "This is a tragic incident and we are currently in the process of carrying out inquiries in order to establish the full circumstances of the collision.

Rescue workers cut one man free from the vehicle

"At this time I am appealing to anyone who noticed the gold-coloured Nissan Note or the silver Skoda Octavia on the A68 this morning to get in touch."

Anyone with information about the accident was asked to contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0800 555111.

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Navy Seal Commander Dies In Afghan 'Suicide'

US military officials have launched an investigation after the apparent suicide of a Navy Seal commander in Afghanistan.

Commander Job W Price, 42, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, died on Saturday from a non combat-related injury while supporting stability operations in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan.

An official said the death "appears to be the result of suicide".

Captain Robert Smith, Commander of Naval Special Warfare Group Two, said: "The Naval Special Warfare family is deeply saddened by the loss of our teammate.

"We extend our condolences, thoughts and prayers to the family, friends, and NSW community during this time of grieving.

"As we mourn the loss and honour the memory of our fallen teammate, those he served with will continue to carry out the mission."

Commander Price was a member of Seal Team Four, based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The team is part of the mission to train Afghan local police to hold off the Taliban in remote parts of Afghanistan.

He is survived by a wife and daughter.

Seal Team Four centres its operations on Latin America.

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Weather: Rain Hits Roads And Rail Amid Floods

Flood victims are facing a festive washout as people hoping to get home to friends and family for Christmas are warned rain could prompt travel misery.

Persistent downpours across large parts of the UK caused widespread flooding over the weekend, with a number of routes still affected.

Southwest England, Wales and northeast Scotland have been worst affected, although the Midlands is also on high alert.

Almost 400 flood warnings have been issued by the Environment Agency - which said up to 30mm of rain was expected to fall between midnight and noon - contributing further to the possibility of flooding.

Sky News Weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "We're really looking at unsettled weather for the rest of the year.

"Rain this morning will move north-eastwards across southern and central England, Wales, the Midlands and up to Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

"It should clear off into the North Sea just after midday but this rain will add further to the flooding problems in the west as it falls on already saturated ground."

CrossCountry, East Midlands Trains, First Great Western and First TransPennine Express are all experiencing major delays, according to National Rail.

Flooding in Stonehaven

In the South West there were no trains running between Bristol Parkway and Swindon because of flooding, while services between London Paddington and Swansea were diverted.

Trains will not run between Exeter St Davids and Tiverton Parkway until Friday at the earliest, with replacement buses and diverted routes offering passengers some alternatives.

But First Great Western warned that poor road conditions mean that buses will not be able to travel on many routes.

London Midland is also facing disruption on most of its routes today - this time because of a shortage of train crew - while flooding means services between Derby and Nottingham are suspended.

Network Rail (NR) on Sunday said it was working closely with the Environment Agency and its weather service to try and keep things moving where possible.

Environment Minister Richard Benyon praised the response to the floods but said there was always room for improvement.

"I'm really impressed with the way the emergency services, the Environment Agency, the local authorities are working together, and humbled by the incredible community spirit in places like Broughton," he told BBC Radio 4's The World At One.

"But we all have to realise that whatever we spend and whatever we do, there are 5.2 million homes in this country that are at some sort of flood risk.

"There are going to be houses flooded in the future, we have just got to be better at warning people, we have got to be smarter at how we build defences (and) what defences we build.

"Government is doing a lot better, we have always got to learn from every single flood and realise it's the most miserable experience for people to have their homes flooded, and it's very damaging to the economy as well."

Meanwhile, numerous roads were flooded, many of them in areas which were under water only a few weeks ago.

Worcestershire was one of the worst-hit counties, with roads also closed due to floods in Worcester, Bromsgrove and Evesham.

It comes as a clean-up continues in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, after flooding forced dozens of people out of their homes and a rest centre set up at Mackie Academy to keep the victims safe and warm.

Devon and Cornwall were also among the worst-hit regions, with RNLI flood rescue teams across the area.

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Nelson Mandela To Spend Christmas In Hospital

Nelson Mandela continues to respond to treatment more than two weeks after being taken to hospital and will remain there for Christmas Day, the South African government said.

The 94-year-old anti-apartheid hero and Nobel Peace laureate has been treated for a lung infection and gallstones after being admitted to a Pretoria hospital on December 8.

South African President Jacob Zuma said in a statement that Mr Mandela "will recover from this episode with all our support".

"Knowledge of the love and support of his people keeps him strong," he said.

It will be the first Christmas that Mr Mandela has spent away from home since 1989, when he was still in prison. 

He was jailed for almost three decades for his role in the struggle against white minority rule.

In January 2011, Mr Mandela was admitted to a Johannesburg hospital for what officials initially described as tests but turned out to be an acute respiratory infection.

Only limited details of his condition have been made public by the South African government, which has repeatedly called on the public to respect the former president's privacy.

Mr Mandela, often known by his clan name Madiba in South Africa, was released from prison in 1990.

He went on to use his unparalleled prestige to push for reconciliation between black and white people as the bedrock of the post-apartheid "Rainbow Nation".

Mr Mandela was elected South Africa's first black president in 1994.

He stepped down five years later after one term in office and has been largely removed from public life for the last decade.

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Firefighters Killed While Battling NY Blaze

At least four volunteer firefighters have been shot, two of them killed, while responding to a house fire in the state of New York, authorities said.

Officials in the town of Webster, around 340 miles (550 km) northwest of New York City, said "one or more shooters" opened fire as the firefighters arrived at blaze around 6am on Monday, sparking a shootout with police.

Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn said the first police officer who arrived on the scene exchanged gunfire with the shooter, but there were no active shooters at the scene at 10am,

He had no further information about the shootout.

Webster fire marshal Rob Boutillier said it was not clear whether any additional firefighters were shot.

The fire gave off thick smoke

The fire spread to a total of three homes near the Lake Ontario shore, and all were still burning.

A man answering the phone at the fire station said firefighters are unable to battle the blazes until police secure the area.

The neighbourhood's residents were being evacuated and searched by police, and a SWAT team was on the scene.

Firefighters at the scene

Webster, a middle-class, lakeside suburb, has now become the scene of violence linked to house fires for two Decembers in a row.

Last December 7, authorities say a 15-year-old boy doused his home with gasoline and set it ablaze, killing his father and two brothers, ages 16 and 12.

His mother and 13-year-old sister escaped with injuries. He is being prosecuted as an adult.

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