MP Margaret Ferrier's Covid Parliament trip 'indefensible' - BBC News

Scotland's first minister says the actions of an SNP MP who travelled to Westminster despite experiencing Covid symptoms are "utterly indefensible".

Margaret Ferrier said she made the journey because she was feeling "much better" - but also returned home after getting a positive test result.

The MP, who has been suspended by her party, said there was "no excuse for my actions".

Nicola Sturgeon tweeted her support for the decision to suspend the MP.

She said: "This is utterly indefensible. It's hard to express just how angry I feel on behalf of people across the country making hard sacrifices every day to help beat Covid.

"The rules apply to everyone and they're in place to keep people safe. @Ianblackford_MP is right to suspend the whip."

One of Ms Ferrier's former SNP colleagues, Glasgow East MP David Linden, has also said she "should resign" as an MP.

He was speaking during the recording of Thursday night's BBC Question Time programme.

• What is self-isolation and who has to do it?

Ms Ferrier said she took a test on Saturday after experiencing "mild symptoms", but travelled to London on Monday as she felt better.

The MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West spoke in the coronavirus debate in the House of Commons on Monday, and said she received her positive test result that evening.

She then took a train back to Scotland on Tuesday.

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Ms Ferrier said she had informed the police and that she deeply regretted her actions.

"I travelled home by train on Tuesday morning without seeking advice. This was also wrong and I am sorry," she said.

"I have been self-isolating at home ever since."

Police Scotland confirmed they had been contacted by Ms Ferrier, saying officers were "looking into the circumstances" and liaising with the Metropolitan Police Service.

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford said he had spoken to Ms Ferrier, who accepted that what she had done was wrong.

He said: "Margaret will be referring herself to the parliamentary standards commissioner as well as the police. I am tonight suspending the whip from Margaret."

When someone tests positive for coronavirus they normally attract sympathy and concern.

But that's in extremely short supply for Margaret Ferrier after she admitted breaking Covid self-isolation rules.

She may have apologised for attending parliament and making lengthy journeys by public transport with coronavirus but she has not offered an explanation.

Her behaviour is far more serious than the lockdown travel breach that cost Catherine Calderwood her job as Scotland's chief medical officer.

It is also more serious than the lockdown travels of the prime minister's advisor, Dominic Cummings, who Mrs Ferrier called on to resign.

It is no surprise then that the Conservatives are demanding the MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West stands down from Parliament.

She has already been suspended by the SNP and the party leader, Nicola Sturgeon, has described her behaviour as "utterly indefensible".

House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle wrote to MPs on Thursday evening to say he was informed after Ms Ferrier told the SNP whip on Wednesday afternoon that she had tested positive for Covid-19.

"The House authorities immediately took all necessary steps in line with their legal obligations and PHE [Public Health England] Guidance," he wrote.

"On the basis of the information supplied to the contact tracing system, only one individual has been identified as a close contact in relation to this case and is now self-isolating."

A House of Commons spokesperson said the House's priority was to ensure the safety of those working on the estate.

The statement added: "We have closely followed public health guidance on the action to take following a confirmed case of Covid on site.

"Parliament has a dedicated team to support the test and trace teams across the UK, acting as a central point of contact in the event of any suspected or confirmed cases, where an individual has been working on the estate."

'Reckless endangerment'

Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservatives' Holyrood leader, told BBC Newsnight that Ms Ferrier should resign.

"She shouldn't be an MP at all. That's on her and if she had a shred of decency she would [resign]," she said.

Taking public transport after testing positive amounted to an "absolutely reckless endangerment of person and of life", she added.

Labour MP Ian Murray said Ms Ferrier had shown "astonishing recklessness".

"She has put passengers, rail staff, fellow MPs, Commons staff and many others at unacceptable risk," he said.

"To breach the rules twice is simply unforgivable, and has undermined all the sacrifices made by her constituents."

Train drivers union Aslef described her actions as "both dangerous and disgraceful".

Ms Ferrier was one of the MPs who called on the prime minister's adviser Dominic Cummings to resign in the wake of the controversy over his visit to the north east of England during lockdown.

At the time, she said his actions had "undermined the sacrifices that we have all been making" and described his position as "untenable".

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New York worries over 20 coronavirus hot spots, Wisconsin sees troubling trends - Reuters

By Jonathan Allen, Lisa Shumaker

4 Min Read

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wisconsin, where U.S. President Donald Trump will hold rallies over the weekend, registered a record increase in new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, while New York state reported a worrisome uptick of positive coronavirus tests in 20 ‘hot spots.’

Naomi Hassebroek accompanies her daughter Lydia and classmate Emmanuelle Michalski-Ratcliffe on the subway ride to their first day of in person school at I.S. 318, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Brooklyn, New York, U.S. October 1, 2020. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs

The 3,000 new infections reported in Wisconsin fanned fears that the sheer number of new patients could overwhelm hospitals. Florida, which has four times as many people as Wisconsin, reported 2,628 new cases on Thursday.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers issued an emergency order easing licensing rules in a bid to bolster the number of healthcare workers able to deal with the mounting crisis.

“Our emergency department has had several instances in the past week where it was past capacity and needed to place patients in beds in the hallways,” Bellin Health, which runs a hospital in Green Bay, Wisconsin, said in a statement. Its intensive care unit has been full, or nearly full, for a week, it said.

Dr. Ryan Westergaard, chief medical officer at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, said the state’s outbreak started in younger people and has now spread through the community.

“Public gatherings of any kind are dangerous right now, more so than they have been at any time during this epidemic,” he told CNN on Thursday.

Signs that the pandemic is getting worse in the Upper Midwest abound. Wisconsin and North Dakota both reported a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients on Thursday, while South Dakota also reported a record number of new cases.

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New cases of COVID-19 rose in 27 out of 50 U.S. states in September compared with August, with an increase of 111% in Wisconsin, according to a Reuters analysis.

In New York, which grappled with the world’s most rampant outbreak earlier this the year, officials said they were worried about clusters of cases in 20 areas across the state, where the average rate of positive tests rose to 6.5% from 5.5% the day before.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy encouraged residents to download onto their smartphones a new voluntary contact-tracing app launched on Thursday. The app, COVID Alert, uses Bluetooth technology to tell users if they have recently been near someone who later tested positive for the coronavirus.

Many of New York’s 20 hot spots - half of which are in New York City - include Orthodox Jewish communities. Cuomo said he talked to community leaders about enforcing social distancing measures.

“A cluster today can become community spread tomorrow,” Cuomo said on a briefing call with reporters. “These zip codes are not hermetically sealed.”

He implored local authorities to increase enforcement measures. “If they’re not wearing masks, they should be fined,” Cuomo said.

Wisconsin health officials are urging residents to stay home and avoid large gatherings ahead of Trump’s weekend rallies in Janesville and Green Bay in the run up to the Nov. 3 election.

An indoor Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June likely contributed to a subsequent rise in cases there, city health officials have said.

Beyond the Midwest, western states are also facing spikes in coronavirus cases. Montana on Thursday reported a record increase in cases for the second day in a row and had a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Reporting by Jonathan Allen and Maria Caspani in New York and Lisa Shumaker in Chicago; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Rosalba O’Brien

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Lakers Cruise to Win As Heat Decimated With Injuries In Game 1 Of The 2020 NBA Finals - BBALLBREAKDOWN

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1. Lakers Cruise to Win As Heat Decimated With Injuries In Game 1 Of The 2020 NBA Finals  BBALLBREAKDOWN
2. Focused LeBron James tells Lakers teammates to tone down sideline antics  Yahoo Sports
3. Miami Heat's Goran Dragic, Bam Adebayo exit with injuries in loss to Los Angeles Lakers  ESPN
4. Riley wants to beat LeBron so much, but Heat’s Game 1 loss in NBA Finals a reality check | Opinion  Miami Herald
5. Commentary: NBA Finals in the bubble just feel flat  Yahoo News
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Who is Brett Rypien? Here's everything you need to know about the Broncos new starting QB for 'TNF' - CBS Sports

USATSI

The Denver Broncos have cycled through so many quarterbacks since Peyton Manning retired I'm surprised that on gameday John Elway hasn't gone from suit and tie in the owner's suite to shoulder pads and helmet on the sidelines to take over the huddle. Since the beginning of 2016, eight different quarterbacks have started for the Broncos. And it's now time for you to be properly introduced to No. 9 by someone who watched hundreds of his throws in college while evaluating him as a prospect just one year ago. 

Former Boise State passer Brett Rypien will make his first NFL start for Denver on Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets. Theoretically, as Denver's third-string quarterback, expectations for Rypien should be set rather low, but as you'll read here, I have more faith in Rypien than the typical backup to the backup.

During the 2019 pre-draft process, I stylistically compared Rypien to former Rams passer Marc Bulger. Here's what I wrote about that comparison:

Bulger was an intelligent quarterback who had a brief stint as one of the most efficient passers in the league who got it done with his mental processing, accuracy, and quick release from inside the pocket without having standard NFL size, athleticism, or arm strength. While watching Rypien's illustrious career unfold at Boise State, I got that same vibe. Rypien actually takes hits and sacks at times because he doesn't notice pressure. He almost always keeps his eyes up to scan the field. Love that attribute; many passers have a tendency to drop their eyes when they initially don't like what they see or feel pressure. Rypien has a decent, not great arm, consistently throws with anticipation, and you don't have to worry about him misfiring to any portion of the field. 

Unfortunately for Rypien, he can't bring mid-2000s Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, and Steven Jackson with him into tonight's game. In terms of strengths and weaknesses, Rypien is strikingly similar to Bulger. It was one of the comparisons I felt most confident about before the draft after discovering a few scouting reports on Bulger as a prospect. He went in the sixth round out of West Virginia in 2000. 

Also before the 2019 draft, I ranked top quarterback prospects in each of the specific skills needed to play the position in the NFL. The below chart shows where Rypien ranked in each category out. Beyond Rypien, the six other quarterback prospects included were Kyler Murray, Drew Lock, Dwayne Haskins, Daniel Jones, Will Grier, and Ryan Finley.  

	Rank (of 7)
Short/Intermediate Accuracy	3rd
Processing	1st
Pocket Movement	2nd
Decision-Making	6th
Under Pressure	3rd
Deep Passing	3rd
Arm Strength	4th
Mobility	7th

Yeah, you can say I was rather high on Rypien, someone who fell to the undrafted ranks. He was my QB5 and No. 77 overall prospect. That high?! Well, positional value is built into my grading system. In short, quarterbacks get the biggest boost to their grade, running backs get the least (no boost). But why wasn't Rypien picked? Probably because his arm strength only reaches "average" by NFL standards, and he doesn't fit the mold of today's most successful quarterbacks who can be counted on to create outside the structure of the play with his legs (hence the last-place ranking in mobility). 

And while the league is starting to be dominated by supremely athletic quarterbacks with monster arms, I do believe there still is room for the pocket technician to thrive. And the latter is precisely the type of passer Rypien is, although he did love to stretch it vertically at Boise State, where he started 50 (!) games. 

During his relief appearance last week against the Buccaneers, Rypien methodically guided Denver's offense down the field (8 of 9 passing) with mostly underneath throws and one big play to an open Jerry Jeudy over the middle. The drive ended when he tried to hold or move safety Mike Edwards with his eyes before ripping a pass into the end zone, but Edwards made a spectacular one-handed interception. That play demonstrated Rypien's refinement -- attempting to hold the safety with his eyes -- but the throw just didn't have quite enough velocity to squeeze through the tight-window to Jeudy for a score. Worth noting too -- Rypien came off the initial read a little too quickly to really sell it, and the pass was going to be on the money. 

Rypien will catch shotgun snaps behind an offensive line that's allowed Lock and Jeff Driskel to be pressured on 43.2% of their drop backs through Week 3, the highest rate in the NFL. That's frightening for an essentially non-mobile quarterback making his first NFL start. Fortunately for him, the Jets have only created pressure on 29.3% of the drop backs they've faced heading into this contest, one of the lowest rates in the league. 

How Rypien handles pressure will likely swing his NFL debut one way or the other. But I will not be surprised if he reads the defense well, throws accurately to all levels, and doesn't shy away from taking a few deep shots to Jeudy, K.J. Hamler and Co. on Thursday Night Football. 

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Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis shines in NBA Finals debut but says 'job is not done' - ESPN

2:30 AM ET

The Miami Heat started the game sending a double-team at Anthony Davis, but it didn't take long to discover that there wasn't much they could do to slow down the Los Angeles Lakers' superstar big man.

In his NBA Finals debut, an animated Davis dominated, scoring 34 points, grabbing 9 rebounds and blocking 3 shots to help the Lakers crush the Heat 116-98 on Wednesday and take Game 1 of the NBA Finals with ease in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

"It's easy for AD," Lakers power forward Markieff Morris said when asked about Davis' first Finals game. "Like I've been saying since I got on this team, honestly, if you ask me ... we got LeBron [James], but I think he's the best player in the world.

"He [does] it on both ends, he's doing it consistently every night, he gives you what you ask for every night."

Davis' Finals debut performance is surpassed only by some all-time greats. Since the NBA-ABA merger (1976-77), only Allen Iverson (48 points), Kevin Durant (36 points) and Michael Jordan (36 points) have scored more points than Davis in their first Finals game.

And when it comes to the Lakers' storied franchise history, Davis' 34-point Game 1 performance is behind only Shaquille O'Neal's 43 points and George Mikan's 42 points for most points by a player in his Lakers Finals debut.

"It's a great honor to be in that category with those guys," said Davis, who made 10 free throws, one fewer than the entire Heat team made in Game 1. "I mean, they have done so much for the game, Hall of Famers, and for me to come out and perform that way and be mentioned with those guys ... obviously that's a great honor, but I also want to be mentioned in categories with champions, so that's the next step."

2 Related

Davis, 27, has waited eight seasons to get here, and he didn't waste any time making his presence felt. The Heat opened by doubling Davis. When the ball swung to James, the Heat doubled James and he passed it over to Davis, who hit a 3-pointer to start the game.

The Heat took an early 13-point lead. But Miami had no answer for Davis, especially when the 6-foot-10 forward played the center position. The Lakers subbed out starting center Dwight Howard and shifted Davis to center. From the point when they were down 25-12 with 4:21 left in the first quarter, the Lakers proceeded to outscore the Heat 75-30 into the third quarter.

"I don't think in the beginning that we were physical enough," said James, who had 25 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists in Game 1. "You have to get a feel for how hard Miami plays. I think they smacked us in the mouth, and we got a sense of that. And so we knew how hard we had to play if we wanted to try to make it a game. You know, from that moment when it was 23-10, we started to play to our capabilities."

While the Heat -- who watched Goran Dragic (plantar fascia), Jimmy Butler (ankle) and Bam Adebayo (shoulder) all sustain injuries -- scored only 30 points during that Lakers' blitz, Davis scored 23 of his points in that span.

"We have 48 hours to figure out what the next plan of attack will be," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said about Davis. "He was extremely good tonight, and we have to be better."

Davis helped the Lakers finish that massive run with a flurry as he scored on a putback, a fastbreak dunk, a 15-foot jumper and then another dunk to give the Lakers an 87-55 lead with 6:04 left in the third. An animated Davis screamed on one of the dunks and shouted and scowled after another score as the Lakers overpowered Miami.

"I expect it out of him," James said when asked about Davis' stellar Finals debut. "Didn't need to give him no advice. We've been preparing for this moment all season. He's been preparing for this moment all season. I'm happy to be on the same floor with him and in the same uniform. He was, once again, a force in every facet of the game, offensively and defensively."

James was all business during Game 1 and afterward during his postgame interview session with the media. His demeanor was dead serious, as James said he knows from experience not to underestimate a team that is down and not to celebrate too early.

The Lakers' Anthony Davis dominated in Wednesday's Game 1 win against the Heat, scoring 34 points, grabbing 9 rebounds and blocking 3 shots. Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images

"The best teacher in life is experience," James said. "I've experienced moments in my career where you have all the momentum in the world and you felt like you had the game under control, and one play here or one play there could change the course of a series or change the course of a game."

Davis doesn't have James' wealth of Finals experience. But Davis said he isn't taking anything for granted and that he felt the nerves of playing at this level for the first time.

"First time I'm experiencing this," Davis said. "Obviously want to come out and play well and you want to come out and win. I've always put pressure on myself. I had the same thing [during] Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, as well. When the ball gets tipped up, all that goes away and it's just basketball, but everything leading up to it, you're very excited.

"Your adrenaline is going early because you're so excited just to be here and get ready to go out there and play. It went away early, but it was a great experience for me, great Game 1. Job is not done. We have three more."

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Amid Hathras Outrage, UP 22-Year-Old Drugged, Allegedly Gang Raped, Dies - NDTV

Two people have been arrested in the case, the police said.

Highlights

• A 22-year-old woman died after gang-rape and severe beating on Tuesday
• Postmortem report has confirmed gang-rape, multiple injuries: Sources
• 2 people, including a minor have been arrested, the women's brother said

Lucknow:

Amid outrage in the country over the gang rape and death of a young woman in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, another similar case has been reported from the state. A little more than 500 km from Hathras, a 22-year-old Dalit woman died after being allegedly raped and assaulted on Tuesday evening, when the attention of the country was focused on the events in Delhi as the police tried to take away the Hathras woman's body from Safdarjung hospital.

The young woman in Balrampur had died while being taken to a hospital in Lucknow. The police, meanwhile, have said that two accused in the case have been arrested, but also claimed that the post-mortem has not revealed injuries to the woman. The police has not spoken officially on whether rape has been confirmed by a medical examination.

The woman's mother said she was abducted in the morning while on way to secure a college admission. When she failed to return in time, the family launched a search for the woman. 

The family says she returned around 7 pm, and that the assailants had allegedly put her on an e-rickshaw and sent her home, sources said.

"The men had injected her with some substance due to which she lost consciousness. Then they raped her... They broke her legs, they broke her back. A rickshaw-wallah brought her home. They was thrown in front of our house. My child could barely stand or speak," the woman's mother said, weeping.

"Somehow, crying, my daughter said, 'Save me, I do not want to die'," the mother said.

She added that soon after her return, her daughter complained of a burning pain in her stomach.

"The doctor at the local hospital said her condition is serious and advised that she be taken to Lucknow. But she died when we were near Balrampur town," she added.

The police handed over her body to her relatives who cremated her on Wednesday.

The police, however, said the autopsy does not reveal that her hands and legs were broken. "In the said case, prompt action has been taken by the police with both the accused arrested.  Details that hands and legs were broke is not true The post-mortem report does not mention this," Balrampur Police tweeted late last night.

A senior police officer in Balrampur, citing the woman's family, said there were marks on her hand for injecting glucose. "Her hands had a glucose syringe sticking out. She appeared to be in a very bad condition," officer Dev Ranjan Verma said.

"The family has named two persons. They said they took her to a doctor to get her treated and raped her. When her condition got worse, they sent her home instead of sending her to hospital. The police has taken swift action and arrested the two named. We will ensure swift action," the officer said.

In a video tweeted by the Balrampur Police this morning, the District Magistrate, the top police officer of the district and local leaders are seen meeting with the  family of the woman. They handed over Rs. 6.18 lakh to the family as "compensation".

Former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav made a jibe at the Yogi Adityanath government, asking it to not "attempt a cover-up" as in the Hathras case.

"After Hathras, another gang rape incident has surfaced in Balrampur in which the woman died after torture. The BJP government should not attempt a cover up here like Hathras and should quickly take action against the accused," his tweet in Hindi read.

The Hathras woman, who was also a member of the Scheduled Castes, was attacked on September 19 when she had gone to cut grass for fodder. Her assailants had left her in the in the fields half strangled, bearing multiple fractures, tongue gashed, naked, bleeding and paralysed.

Her body was cremated by the Uttar Pradesh police in the middle of the night. Her family was kept locked up and not given a chance to bring her home for the last time and give her last rites.

The state has been under huge criticism and public anger is growing over issue.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Yogi Adityanath government this evening, saying the Hathras woman was "killed by a ruthless government" that was trying to "hush up the matter".

Strong comments have also come from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Bahujan Samaj Party's Mayawati and Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut.

The National Commission of Women has demanded a report from the state government and a plea has been filed in the Supreme Court, seeking an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation or a Special Investigation Team.

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