Help Mental Health Issues in UK

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/181260/sponsors/4TCZq4pBDAM28qEGOkl

can you all please sign? It's about time something gets done about mental health!

Brexit Supreme Court appeal will hear Welsh views

The Welsh and Scottish governments will be involved in the court case over how Brexit should be triggered.

The Supreme Court will hear an appeal by the UK government against a High Court ruling that Theresa May must consult Parliament over the process.

Counsel General Mick Antoniw welcomed news of the permission to intervene.

He said it was not about whether the UK leaves the EU, but to "reinforce the importance of Parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law".

The UK government claims that the prime minister can invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to launch the formal two-year process of leaving the European Union using crown prerogative.

But Welsh and Scottish ministers have objected, claiming the same method could be used to undermine devolution unless the appeal fails.

"This case raises issues of profound importance not only in relation to the concept of Parliamentary Sovereignty but also in relation to the wider constitutional arrangements of the United Kingdom and the legal framework for devolution," said Mr Antoniw, AM for Pontypridd and the Welsh Government's senior legal adviser.

"This case is not about whether the UK leaves the EU or not," he added.

"The people have voted for the UK to leave the EU, and the UK will leave.

"The sole legal question at issue is whether the UK government can, as a matter of constitutional law, use the prerogative powers to give notice of withdrawal from the European Union.

"In the Supreme Court, the Welsh Government will seek to reinforce the importance of Parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law: core, established principles of British constitutional law."

Plaid Cymru's external affairs spokesman Steffan Lewis also welcomed the development, saying: "Wales' voice must be heard as crucial decisions are taken over our country's future."

The Supreme Court is expected to start its deliberations on 5 December. The case will take about four days with a ruling in the new year.

Mr Antoniw will not take part himself but will be represented by leading counsel Richard Gordon QC and junior counsel Tom Pascoe.

A spokesperson for the UK government said: "It is a matter for the Supreme Court which applications to intervene are accepted.

"The UK government's position remains the same, and we will be taking strong legal arguments to court next month."

Sir Terry Wogan Pudsey tribute cartoon raises £1,300 for Children in Need

A cartoonist's tribute to Sir Terry Wogan showing Pudsey Bear in mourning attracted worldwide interest as it was auctioned off for Children in Need.

The original of Darren 'Birdie' Bird's painting showing the mascot "paying his respects" to Sir Terry went under the hammer on BBC Radio Suffolk.

Bidders included a regular listener from New York. A last-minute offer of £1,300 saw it sold to an Ipswich man, who wanted to remain anonymous.

Mr Bird said he was "very proud".

He said: "The fact that it's done what it's done, I can't put it into words.

"Every single one of those £1,300 is going to Children in Need and if that makes Sir Terry happy somewhere then I'm a very proud man today."

Mr Bird, from Ipswich, created the A3 watercolour on the morning news broke that Sir Terry had died

It features Pudsey with a tear running down his face and his usually colourful eye patch is black.

Mr Bird's design was adopted by the official Children in Need charity and went viral on social media.

Friday's Children in Need show will be the first since Sir Terry died in January.

It will feature a special tribute to the presenter.

Jo Cox tried to shield face during shooting, jury hears

MP Jo Cox tried to shield her face with her hands as her killer shot her in the head, the Old Bailey has heard.

The 41-year-old Batley and Spen MP received 15 stab wounds and was shot three times in Birstall, West Yorkshire, on 16 June.

In statements read to the jury, ambulance staff told of how they gave the "unresponsive" MP emergency treatment at the scene, but she was pronounced dead at 13:48 BST.

Thomas Mair, 53, denies her murder.

Mr Mair, from Birstall, also denies grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon - a dagger.

'Multiple stab wounds'

Pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd said that Mrs Cox had died "as a result of multiple stab and gunshot wounds".

Jurors were shown computer-generated images of the body as he gave evidence in court.

Dr Shepherd catalogued the stab wounds, including to the victim's chest cavity, stomach and hand, some of which he said had been inflicted with between "moderate and severe force".

The court also heard there had been a wound to her left hand that was a "through and through" entry and exit bullet hole.

Prosecutor Richard Whittam QC asked: "It could be consistent with the hand being raised to the face and the bullet going through?"

Dr Shepherd replied: "Indeed. It could be with any of the injuries but I think it makes more sense that the hands were up covering the face and the bullet has gone through the right hand and... into the head."

He continued: "I concluded that she received multiple stab wounds to the back, front and left side of the chest and abdomen.

"The stab wounds had penetrated her heart, left lung, stomach and liver."

One person shot in Portland at anti-Trump protest

Thousands take to the streets for a third night in cities across the United States

Protesters demonstrating against the election of Donald Trump gathered in several US cities for a third night on Friday, hours after the president-elect praised their “passion”.

Thousands took to the streets in Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, voicing anger at Trump’s inflammatory and often deeply controversial campaign rhetoric about immigrants, Muslims and women.

Early on Saturday, one person was shot while crossing Morrison Bridge in Portland after an hours-long demonstration, police said. It was not immediately clear what condition the person was in.

“Everyone needs to leave the area immediately,” police said on Twitter, and they asked witnesses to come forward.

Earlier in the night, protesters blocked traffic and threw objects at police dressed in riot gear who responded with pepper spray and flash-bang devices. At one point, police pushed protesters back and appeared to take at least one person into custody, according to footage on a local NBC affiliate.

Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Los Angeles, blocking traffic as they waved signs in opposition of Trump and chanted “We reject the president elect” and “Whose streets? Our Streets”.

Several thousand activists marched through downtown Miami, with a few hundred making their way onto a highway, halting traffic in both directions.

Anti-Trump demonstrators have voiced concerns that his presidency, due to start on January 20th, would infringe on Americans’ civil and human rights.

They cited his campaign promises to restrict immigration and register Muslims, as well as allegations the former reality-TV star sexually abused women.

Protesters in various cities have chanted slogans, including “No hate! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here!” and carried signs reading “Impeach Trump”.

White supremacist groups including the Kulx Klan (KKK) have praised Trump’s election, and some civil rights advocacy groups have reported a spike of attacks on minorities following Trump’s victory on Tuesday.

Trump has rejected the KKK’s support.

Most of the protests across the country, which have also taken place in Washington, DC, have been largely comprised of young adults and college students.

With the country evenly divided, many voters were shocked by the result given that opinion polls failed to predict Trump’s triumph. The Republican Party also managed to maintain its majorities in both houses of Congress in Tuesday’s vote.

Nicola Sturgeon has said she doesn't accept England's victory of 3-0 against Scotland

After England's victory of 3-0 against Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has said that she doesn't accept the results. As she is the first Scottish minister, this attitude reflects badly on Scotland and could lead to more of an increase of both teams clashing more than they did at Wembley tonight.

This could just be another way of her having the spotlight of the media as article 50 ended up going her way. It seems like she is that type of person that everything has to be perfect for them. This shows a high level of self interest and not the interest of the Scottish people.

With this self interest it shows that we don't live in a democracy, here at the UK, but instead we live in a dictatorship and I wouldn't be surprised if Sturgeon attempted to claim that the game was rigged.

Robert Vaughn, Man from UNCLE actor, dies aged 83

Vaughn was also famous for his role as Lee in the Magnificent Seven, and television roles in Hustle and Coronation Street.

The iconic actor died after a battle with acute leukaemia, his manager, Matthew Sullivan, told the BBC.

Vaughn died in New York on Friday morning surrounded by his family, he said.

The actor, who was "a few months shy of 84" had been seeking treatment for his leukaemia, Mr Sullivan said.

"He was a great human being. I enjoyed every day of working with him," he said.

Vaughn had only recently finished two projects - an appearance on Law and Order: SVU, and a starring role in the upcoming film Gold Star, about a young woman caring for her dying father.

Famous films Vaughn worked on included Bullitt and Towering Inferno, both with Steve McQueen, and he took the role of the villain in Superman III.

He was also well-known in Britain for his 1970s appearance as Harry Rule in the ITV series, The Protectors.

The plot featured three wealthy individuals getting together each week, usually in exotic locations, to solve crimes and protect the innocent.

Though extremely popular, it was later described by Vaughn in his autobiography as "tasteless junk".

Decades later, he would have anther hit UK series with Hustle, a BBC series in which he played elderly con man Albert Stroller, responsible for setting up potential targets for a younger generation of grifters.

He is survived by his wife Linda and two children, Cassidy and Caitlin Vaughn.

On social media, fans paid tribute to his work.

"Robert Vaughn, such a fine actor, one of the best Columbo villains (no higher praise than that) and an utterly charming man," tweeted Stephen Fry.

Actor Jon Donahue said: "As an 80s kid, I grew up with Superman III... Robert Vaughn was a badass!" referencing Vaughn's role as Superman's nemesis.

Gavin Free, creator of the YouTube series The Slow Mo Guys paid tribute to Vaughn's work ethic. "I got to work with him on Hustle five years ago. He did his own slow mo stunts that day while in his late 70s," he wrote.