Disability news roundup: First disabled woman in US Congress

On Thursday, the UK woke to President Obama's election victory speech, where he specifically mentions people with disabilities - something which isn't always a given on this side of the Atlantic when tipping a wink to the minorities.

He said: "It doesn't matter whether you're black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you're willing to try."

Joining Obama in Congress will be double amputee Tammy Duckworth, the first disabled woman to address the house.

Duckworth, who lost her legs in action as a helicopter pilot with the US army, also blazes a trail as the first Congresswoman of Asian origin. Minority checklist time: she's a disabled, Asian American woman.

Back in the UK

A list of disability related news and comment pieces from newspapers and the web this week. If you have any interesting stories to add, please post them in the comments below.

Majority 'back assisted suicide', says Bangor uni study (BBC News, Thursday 8 November)

MP Willie McCrea calls for internet searches on suicide to be blocked (BBC News Northern Ireland, Thursday 8 November)

Would the integration of health and social care promote independent living? (The Guardian, Thursday 8 November)

Diabetes care depressingly poor, say MPs (BBC News, Tuesday 6 November)

Kaiya Blake suffocated by mother Chantelle (BBC News, Tuesday 6 November)

Premature deaths of people with learning disabilities blamed on poor hospital care (BBC News, Tuesday 6 November)

Eye-gouge man Shane Jenkin loses appeal over Tina Nash attack (BBC News, Tuesday 6 November)

Alzheimer's detected decades before symptoms (BBC News, Tuesday 6 November)

Child, 4, suffering from cerebral palsy is given £500 by a stranger after stricken chain Comet refuses to take his gift card for an iPad (Mail Online, Monday 5 November)
- For more on how disabled people use tablet computers, check out Ouch! podcast 91 for November, due on the site soon.

Why the government needs to listen to people with learning disabilities (The Guardian, Monday 5 November)

Opinion: Why do Bond villains need facial scars? (The Independent, Monday 5 November)

Opinion: How can it be that a disabled man needs to go on hunger strike just to get heard by Atos? (The Independent, Monday 5 November)

M&S TV ad to feature disabled boy Seb White (The Independent, Monday 5 November)

with cerebral palsy sues hospital over son's DNR order (The Guardian, Sunday 4 November)

Asperger's: 'This is our normal' (The Guardian, Saturday 3 November)

• The disability news round-up appears every Friday on this blog.