News round-up: International day of disabled people and Paralympics - next week
It's Friday so we're bringing you a list of some of the disability stories that we've been reading over the last week, as per usual. Scroll down to find the headlines. First of all though, let's look forward to a few of the things that could make next week a bigger than average week in disability circles ...
Next Monday, December 3, is the annual focus day known as - a UN event which occurs every year. There will be lots of smaller events over the country plus a world focus.
Look out for them and we'll mention some of them if you .
On Monday and Tuesday (3 and 4 December) is the Festival of Paralympic Sport in Surrey. Look out for interesting headlines around this as it's a day where would-be Paralympians can come along and have a shot at sports they may not have tried before. Gold medalling Paralympic runner Jonnie Peacock was spotted at a similar event in 2008 after the Beijing Games. Maybe you could be wearing a GB track suit in Rio? You? Maybe?? Yes, you?
On Wednesday the chancellor delivers his , the interim heads-up on his thoughts before the usual budget speech we have every spring. We're aware that 10 billion pounds is still to come out of the welfare budget so it's worth keeping an eye on ... perhaps with one eye or ear on Twitter as you do so. ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News will bring its usual analysis across all its radio, TV and internet services.
Next Thursday and Friday we may see some interesting Paralympic headlines which hark back to one of the biggest sporting controversies of the year. Do you recall amputee runner Oscar Pistorius making accusations against fellow bladerunner Alan Oliveira during the games? In a race final where Oliveira beat him, Pistorius suggested that the Brazilian must have been wearing longer blades to increase his stride length to give him an advantage.
Well, in Frankfurt at the end of next week, the IPC's Athletics Sports Forum will sit and discuss this and many other issues. South Africa, Pistorius' home country, has tabled blade length for debate and wants changes to the rules. Over 100 countries will be present at the forum which takes place every two years and if there is a consensus that the rules need to be changed, it will go forward to the International Paralympic Committee's governing body for further analysis.
Also next week and the week after, expect lots of media discussion about Paralympic legacy. It's roughly three months since the games ended, there was lots of hyperbole about how it would change the world's attitude to disability forever, and plenty of people will have a view, positive or negative, on what has happened since. There are seemingly a few tangible signs of sporting legacy but how about general attitudinal change from your average Joe and Joanna Public, or from those in key roles who have responsibilities?
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Elsewhere in the news this week ...
Stem cells being made from blood (³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News, Friday 30 November)
Highest-ever HIV diagnoses in gay men (³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News, Thursday 29 November)
London 2012 Paralympics: Legacy lessons must not be forgotten (³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sport, Thursday 29 November)
Gas leak blamed for German workshop fire (³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News, Wednesday 28 November)
(The Guardian, Wednesday 28 November)
Autism: Traffic pollution linked, study suggests (³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News, Tuesday 27 November)
Liam Byrne on benefit cap and disability payments (³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Politics, Monday 26 November)
(The Independent, Tuesday 27 November)
(The Guardian, Tuesday 27 November)
(The Independent, Tuesday 27 November)
Sports Personality of the Year: Olympians and Paralympians dominate the award shortlist this year (³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sport, Monday 26 November)
(The Independent, Monday 26 November)
(The Guardian, Monday 26 November)
(The Metro, Monday 26 November)
(the Metro, Monday 26 November)
(The Metro, Monday 26 November)
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