bbc--2020-03-16--Iraq military bases: US pulling out of three key sites

The US army is pulling out of al-Qaim and two other key military bases in Iraq in the coming weeks .
The decision to leave three of its eight bases in Iraq is a sign the US is looking to dramatically reduce its footprint in the country .
It comes amid heightened tensions with the Iraqi government and Iran .
A ceremony will take place this week at al-Qaim , where the US will formally hand over equipment to the Iraqi army to help it ensure security in the area .
It will end any US presence along the Iraqi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • What is the future for US troops in Iraq ?
The base is built on the ruins of one the Iraq 's oldest train stations , near a tiny town of the same name along the Euphrates river .
The area was the first place in Iraq to fall into the hands of the Islamic State group ( IS ) in 2014 and one of the last taken back by Iraqi forces in November 2017 .
After the victory against IS in the area , Iranian-backed militia groups took control of both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security forces have also had a presence around al-Qaim , it is now mainly under the control of one of those militia groups , the Popular Mobilisation Forces ( PMF ) , I have travelled to al-Qaim with US forces twice in the past two years and have witnessed how the atmosphere around the base has gradually changed .
In December 2017 , both Iraqi and US flags could be seen flying as US-led coalition and Iraqi forces worked together to fight IS .
At that time , PMF-affiliated groups , especially Kataib @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close ties to Iran 's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps ( IRGC ) , were also fighting IS on both sides of the border .
It was an uncomfortable situation for both sides but they had a common enemy to defeat .
The Iraqi army acted as a go-between , often co-ordinating parallel operations against IS .
'We will make them leave' But during my last trip in December 2018 , the mood in the area had changed dramatically .
Iranian-backed groups had become part of Iraq 's official security forces and were gaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was flying at al-Qaim , the Americans had taken control of the base .
But outside the base , roads were littered with PMF flags and billboards picturing Iran 's supreme leader , a man some PMF groups think of as their religious leader and commander .
US convoys had to pass through PMF-controlled checkpoints to travel to their artillery base on the Syrian border .
But the PMF started to make their opposition to the presence of US troops in Iraq clear , saying they were able to handle any threat from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US of attacking its bases near the Syrian border , something the US-led coalition repeatedly denied .
`` We will make them leave if they do n't want to leave , '' a Kataib Hezbollah commander who called himself Abu Ameneh told us in an interview at the PMF 's headquarters in Baghdad .
The US killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq earlier this year further destabilised the fragile dynamic .
Gen Soleimani , the head of the elite force in the IRGC , was killed on 3 January in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis , the deputy commander of Iraq 's PMF .
It led to a vote in Iraq 's parliament to expel all foreign forces , especially the Americans , from the country .
US officials say they have been planning to leave areas like al-Qaim since last year because of the reduced threat from IS but concern for the safety of US and coalition forces has accelerated the move .
A senior US defence official told the BBC that the proximity of Kataib Hezbollah to the base was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision to move forces elsewhere '' .
The US also plans to withdraw from Qayara Airfield West , known as Q-West , and Kirkuk .
Qayara was the base used in the US-backed operation to take back Mosul from IS .
Both bases have been hit by rocket attacks in recent months .
A US contractor was killed in a rocket attack at Kirkuk on 28 December .
The attack was blamed on Kataib Hezbollah and was followed by US air strikes against the group 's headquarters in both Syria and Iraq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 25 rocket attacks , unleashing more than 160 individual rockets , have hit US bases in Iraq since October 2019 .
Last week , two attacks on the Taji base killed three coalition members , and severely wounded two members of the Iraqi security forces .
However , the retaliatory attack by the US on locations that the Americans say were Kataib Hezbollah ammunition storage facilities killed three Iraqi army personnel , two local police officers and one civilian .
The attacks soured relations between the Americans in Iraq and the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners in the fight against IS .
In an unusual move , the Iraqi Joint Operation Command , the control centre for all military activity in Iraq , issued a statement blaming both sides but backing up parliament 's vote to ask the Americans to leave .
The official number of US troops in Iraq has been estimated at up to 5,200 .
It is not clear how many troops will be redeployed following the three base closures , as some will be moved to other operational bases within the country .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain .
The US hopes its relationship with Iraq 's security forces is far from over , but many in Iraq think America has outstayed its welcome .

But the PMF started to make their opposition to the presence of US troops in Iraq clear, saying they were able to handle any threat from IS alone. Kataib Hezbollah accused the US of attacking its bases near the Syrian border, something the US-led coalition repeatedly denied.


bbc--2020-03-16--US museum Dead Sea Scroll collection found to be fakes

A collection of supposedly valuable Dead Sea Scroll fragments on display at the Museum of the Bible in Washington DC has been found to be fake .
After six months of analysis , experts released a 200-page report detailing how the fragments were forged - likely made from old shoe leather .
`` Each exhibits characteristics that suggest they are deliberate forgeries , '' the analysts said in a statement .
The scrolls are a set of ancient manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible .
The first of the scrolls were found in caves in Qumran on the western shore of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were reportedly first discovered by a young Bedouin shepherd searching for lost sheep .
Their discovery is considered to be among the most significant archaeological finds in history .
• The man who returned his grandfather ’ s looted art The majority are held in a collection by the Israeli government .
The fakes were among the most valuable artefacts in the Museum of the Bible 's collection .
Costing $ 500m ( £386m ) , the museum was opened by Evangelical Christian and billionaire Steve Green in 2017 .
Mr Green has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 16 fragments but similar , authentic artefacts may be sold for millions .
`` After an exhaustive review of all the imaging and scientific analysis results , it is evident that none of the textual fragments in Museum of the Bible 's Dead Sea Scroll collection are authentic , '' said the head of the investigation , Colette Loll of Art Fraud Insights , in a statement .
Since 2002 , previously unknown textual fragments - believed to be biblical artefacts belonging to the Dead Sea Scroll - surfaced on the antiquities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchased 16 of these fragments from four individual private collectors .
Thirteen of these were published by a team of scholars in 2016 `` to provide a comprehensive physical and textual description of the fragments , '' the analysts wrote .
`` At the time of publication , no scientific examination of the Museum 's scroll fragments had been carried out . ''
`` Since publication , scholars have expressed growing concern about the authenticity of these fragments . ''
To make convincing fakes , researchers estimate the forgers coated the scraps with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely animal skin glue '' .
The exhaustive report was the product of a six-month effort , including 3D microscopes , infrared spectroscopy and `` energy dispersive X-ray analysis '' .
Part of the same collection had already been removed from display after tests in October 2018 found them to be inauthentic too .
These earlier tests were ordered after biblical scholars who examined 13 of the museum 's previously unstudied fragments said there was a `` high probability '' that a number of them were modern forgeries .
And this was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have faced controversy .
In 2017 , Mr Green 's company the Hobby Lobby paid a $ 3m fine ( £2.3m ) and returned thousands of items after the US Department of Justice accused it of smuggling artifacts from Iraq .

The Museum of the Bible purchased 16 of these fragments from four individual private collectors. Thirteen of these were published by a team of scholars in 2016 "to provide a comprehensive physical and textual description of the fragments," the analysts wrote. "At the time of publication, no scientific examination of the Museum's scroll fragments had been carried out."


bbc--2020-03-16--US volunteers to test first coronavirus vaccine

The first human trial of a vaccine to protect against pandemic coronavirus is starting in the US later on Monday , according to reports .
A group of 45 healthy volunteers will have the jab , at the Kaiser Permanente research facility , in Seattle .
The vaccine can not cause Covid-19 but contains a harmless genetic code copied from the virus that causes the disease .
Experts say it will still take many months to know if this vaccine , or others also in research , will work .
Scientists around the world are fast-tracking research .
And this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Institutes of Health , sidesteps a check that would normally be conducted - making sure the vaccine can trigger an immune response in animals .
But the biotechnology company behind the work , Moderna Therapeutics , says the vaccine has been made using a tried and tested process .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• GETTING READY : What is the UK 's 'delay ' phase ?
• TRAVEL PLANS : What are your rights ?
Dr John Tregoning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Imperial College London , UK , said : `` This vaccine uses pre-existing technology .
`` It 's been made to a very high standard , using things that we know are safe to use in people and those taking part in the trial will be very closely monitored .
`` Yes , this is very fast - but it is a race against the virus , not against each other as scientists , and it 's being done for the benefit of humanity . ''
• Why US testing failed - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines for viruses , such as measles , are made from a weakened or killed virus .
But the mRNA-1273 vaccine is not made from the virus that causes Covid-19 .
Instead , it includes a short segment of genetic code copied from the virus that scientists have been able to make in a laboratory .
This will hopefully prime the body 's own immune system to fight off the real infection .
The volunteers will be given different doses of the experimental vaccine .
They will each be given two jabs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the upper arm muscle .
But even if these initial safety tests go well , it could still take up to 18 months for any potential vaccine to become available for the public .

"Yes, this is very fast - but it is a race against the virus, not against each other as scientists, and it's being done for the benefit of humanity."


bbc--2020-03-16--Coronavirus: Germany and France announce strict measures

Germany and France have imposed stringent new measures to limit social contact as countries across Europe try to stem the spread of the coronavirus .
French President Emmanuel Macron announced an enforced lockdown , a step similar to curbs imposed by Italy and Spain , saying : `` We 're in a health war '' .
Mr Macron also said the European Union 's external borders would be closed to travellers from Tuesday .
In Germany , most non-grocery shops and venues have been ordered to shut .
Chancellor Angela Merkel also banned religious services and told people to cancel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schools across the country have already been shut .
In the UK , Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not announce compulsory restrictions but urged people to avoid pubs and clubs and refrain from non-essential travel or having contact with others .
Earlier , the head of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , said governments were not doing enough to combat the pandemic , and urged them to step up their testing programmes .
`` You ca n't fight a fire blindfolded and we ca n't stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is infected , '' he said at a news conference in Geneva .
`` We have a simple message for all countries : test , test , test . ''
There have been more than 174,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus globally and over 6,700 deaths , according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University .
What is France doing ?
In a televised evening address , President Macron ordered people to stay at home and only go out for essential duties .
He said the previous measures , including the closing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had proved insufficient .
`` Even while medics were warning about the gravity of the situation , we saw people get together in the parks , busy markets and restaurants and bars that did not respect the order to close , '' he said in the 20-minute address .
The restrictions will be in place for at least 15 days , Mr Macron added , vowing to punish any infringement .
The government later said more than 100,000 officers would be deployed nationwide to enforce the lockdown .
President Macron also said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sick to hospital and that the second round of local elections due this weekend was being postponed .
He also offered reassurance to businesses , saying : `` No French company , whatever its size , will be exposed to the risk of collapse '' .
On Monday , the head of the country 's health service , Jerome Salomon , said the outbreak was `` very worrying '' and `` deteriorating very fast '' .
France has so far registered more than 6,000 infections and 148 deaths .
The country will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11:00 GMT ) on Tuesday , when the EU 's external borders and the Shenghen borderless zone will also be shut , Mr Macron said .
Under a proposal announced by the European Commission earlier , non-essential foreign travel would be banned for 30 days .
Long-term residents , family members of EU nationals and diplomats would be exempt as well as cross-border and healthcare workers and people transporting goods .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• GETTING READY : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TRAVEL PLANS : What are your rights ?
What is Germany doing ?
Chancellor Merkel announced that venues including clubs , bars , leisure facilities , zoos and playgrounds would be closed .
Restaurants will have to enforce a minimum distance between tables and work under restricted hours .
`` The better everyone sticks to these rules , the faster we 'll get through this phase , '' she said at a news conference in Berlin , vowing that the government would try to minimise the economic impact of the outbreak .
Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus , and 14 deaths .
Large gatherings nationwide had already been banned .
Traffic crossing Germany 's borders with France , Austria , Switzerland and Luxembourg is now restricted to goods and people commuting for work .
Only the borders with the Netherlands and Belgium are as yet unaffected .
Meanwhile , Foreign Minister Heiko Maas responded to reports that US President Donald Trump wanted to buy exclusive access to a potential vaccine developed by a German biotech firm , saying : `` We can not allow others to seek exclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries responding ?
Spain will start controls at land borders at midnight on Monday and only Spanish citizens , residents and special cases will be allowed in the country .
The Spanish government imposed a partial lockdown on its 47 million inhabitants on Saturday , as part of a 15-day state of emergency .
People are barred from leaving home except buy essential supplies and medicines , or for work .
Italy , the worst-affected nation outside China , where the virus originated , has more than 20,000 cases and has suffered more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conte told the Corriere della Sera newspaper that damage from the virus would be `` serious and widespread '' , adding : `` After the coronavirus , nothing will be as before , we will have to sit down and rewrite the rules of trade and the free market '' .
Last week the WHO said Europe was now the `` epicentre '' of the virus and urged governments to act aggressively to control the spread of Covid-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Dr Tedros also told other countries to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and South Korea , saying they showed the pandemic was controllable .
• Greece is shutting all shops , bars , chemists and petrol stations and putting all arrivals from abroad into quarantine for 14 days • The Czech authorities sealed off an area in the east of the country - Unicov , Cervenka and Litovel • Poland suspended all domestic flights , following similar moves on international air and rail travel • Georgia banned all foreigners from entering the country • Ukraine 's capital Kyiv to shut restaurants , cafes and bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towns • Poland , the Czech Republic and Denmark have already closed borders or introduced severe restrictions What is happening outside Europe ?
In the US , President Trump said Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 people and avoid restaurants over the next 15 days , saying the country was facing `` an invisible enemy '' that is `` so contagious '' .
Iran , which has the third-highest number of confirmed cases globally , on Monday reported 129 more deaths , its highest tally in a single day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people not to travel outside their province .
The fourth-most-affected nation , South Korea , again reported a slowdown in new infections , with President Moon Jae-in saying he was increasingly confident of overcoming the virus .
There has been a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in Africa .
Strict measures are being introduced in many of the 26 countries affected , with schools and borders closing in several parts of Africa .
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths outside China has now surpassed the number inside .
More than 87,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while just over 80,000 cases have been reported inside .
Have you been affected by the coronavirus ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

"Even while medics were warning about the gravity of the situation, we saw people get together in the parks, busy markets and restaurants and bars that did not respect the order to close," he said in the 20-minute televised address.


bbc--2020-03-16--Back to school for some in China

Back to school for some in China

All schools and colleges in China have been closed for more than two weeks in the fight against coronavirus .

Students in Guizhou province, south-west China, are returning to school after more than a month off, according to the country's state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV).


bbc--2020-03-16--Paris attacks: French judges order trial for 20 suspects

French prosecutors have ordered 20 people to stand trial over the November 2015 Paris attacks claimed by the Islamic State ( IS ) group .
The suspects have been charged with terror offences over the coordinated shootings and bombings .
They are accused of helping to organise or fund the attacks , or assisting gunman to flee , prosecutors said .
Salah Abdeslam , the only suspected attacker to survive , is among those to face trial .
The move to a trial was announced by prosecutors on Monday , ending a long-running investigation into the attacks .
The attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 in locations across the French capital .
• Paris attacks : What happened on the night • Paris attacks : Who were the attackers ?
Gunmen and suicide bombers targeted a concert hall , a major stadium , restaurants and bars , killing 130 people and wounding hundreds more .
Abdeslam , a convicted petty criminal from Brussels , went on the run after the attack , but was wounded and arrested during a police raid in the Molenbeek area of Brussels on 18 March 2016 .
In 2018 , Abdeslam was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gunfight that led to his arrest in Belgium .
In relation to the Paris attacks , he has refused to cooperate with investigators and remains in solitary confinement , AFP news agency reported .
Of the 20 accused , 14 people are currently in prison or under judicial supervision , with six others sought by international arrest warrants .
A trial date is yet to be set .
The trial will include 1,765 civil plaintiffs , many of them relatives of victims , AFP report .
At least three of those wanted are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for IS in Syria or Iraq .
Among them is Oussama Atar , a Belgian-Moroccan jihadist who is believed to have orchestrated the Paris attacks from Syria .
Atar is presumed dead after reports suggested he was killed by an air strike in Syria .
Reports of his death , however , have not been officially confirmed .
He is linked to bombers who targeted Brussels on 22 March 2016 .
Bomb attacks at Brussels airport and on the city 's metro claimed 32 lives .

In 2018, Abdeslam was given a 20-year jail term over the gunfight that led to his arrest in Belgium. In relation to the Paris attacks, he has refused to cooperate with investigators and remains in solitary confinement, AFP news agency reported.


bbc--2020-03-16--Apple hit with record €1.1bn fine in France

France 's competition authority has imposed a record €1.1bn ( £1bn ; $ 1.2bn ) fine on US tech giant @ @ @ @ @ as anti-competitive practices .
It is the biggest fine ever imposed by the French regulator @ @ @ @ @ of its wholesalers in France were found to have an unfair agreement to control prices @ @ @ @ @ 2012 , following a complaint by eBizcuss , which sells Apple products as an Apple @ @ @ @ @ 's chief Isabelle de Silva said `` Apple abusively exploited the economic dependence of these @ @ @ @ @ imposed unfair economic conditions on them that were worse than those for its integrated network @ @ @ @ @ says it profoundly disagrees with the ruling and is appealing against it .

The authority's chief Isabelle de Silva said "Apple abusively exploited the economic dependence of these premium resellers on it and imposed unfair economic conditions on them that were worse than those for its integrated network of retailers".


bbc--2020-03-16--Israel election: Gantz vows to form 'broad' unity government within days

Benny Gantz - the main rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - has been given the chance to form a new coalition government in Israel .
Mr Netanyahu 's Likud party won more seats than Mr Gantz 's Blue and White in the general election .
But Mr Gantz was backed by a thin majority of lawmakers .
The former military chief vowed to form `` a national unity government , as broad as possible , within days '' .
It comes as Israel confronts the coronavirus outbreak .
Much of the country has been brought to a standstill in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than 50,000 people have been placed in isolation ; schools and universities have been closed ; and gatherings of more than 10 people have been banned .
The opening of Mr Netanyahu 's trial on corruption charges has also been delayed .
The Palestinians have reported 39 cases of Covid-19 - the disease caused by the new virus - in the occupied West Bank .
What is the background ?
The election on 2 March was Israel 's third in less than a year .
Neither of the main party leaders was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last two rounds .
This time , Likud won 36 seats , and allied right-wing and religious parties another 22 .
But that left Mr Netanyahu three short of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset .
Blue and White meanwhile won 33 seats ; the Joint List representing Israel 's Arab minority came third with 15 seats ; the centre-left Labour-Gesher-Meretz list won seven ; and the nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party also got seven .
Over the weekend , President Reuven Rivlin asked all parties about who they recommended he task with forming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Gantz , including those from the Joint List and Yisrael Beitenu , compared to 58 for Mr Netanyahu .
One lawmaker chose not to give a recommendation .
Mr Netanyahu had proposed that he lead a `` national emergency '' government for six months to confront the Covid-19 crisis .
Mr Rivlin officially gave the Blue and White leader the mandate .
Noting `` the greatness of the challenges facing us '' , the president urged Mr Gantz and `` all elected officials '' to move swiftly to form a government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time of crisis , '' he warned .
Mr Gantz will have 28 days to try to form a coalition , after which he may ask for a 14-day extension .
After receiving the mandate , he said : `` I will serve the voters of all of the parties and all the citizens of Israel .
I will lead the effort to heal the Israeli society of the coronavirus , as well as from the virus of hatred and division .
`` These are not normal days , '' he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considerations . ''
It is not yet clear who could form an eventual unity government as the parties that endorsed Mr Gantz have little in common .
Mr Gantz called on Mr Netanyahu to agree to a unity deal but the Likud party has rejected the idea .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• HEALTH MYTHS : The fake advice you should ignore • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Meanwhile , Mr Gantz also criticised what he said were `` the illegitimate efforts by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
Mr Netanyahu had been due in court on Tuesday to face charges of bribery , fraud and breach of trust in connection with three separate cases .
But the hearing has now been postponed until at least 24 May because of the Covid-19 outbreak .
The prime minister is alleged to have accepted gifts from wealthy businessmen and dispensed favours to try to get more positive press coverage .
He has denied any wrongdoing , saying he is the victim of a politically motivated `` witch hunt '' .
The BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backing for Mr Gantz is a blow to Mr Netanyahu , but that it does little to break the deadlock that has paralysed Israeli politics .
Most MPs supported giving Mr Gantz the first go at putting together a coalition , but their appetite to dislodge Mr Netanyahu is all some of them really agree on , our correspondent adds .

After receiving the mandate, he said: "I will serve the voters of all of the parties and all the citizens of Israel. I will lead the effort to heal the Israeli society of the coronavirus, as well as from the virus of hatred and division.


bbc--2020-03-16--Coronavirus: Empty streets throughout the world

The outbreak of the coronavirus has led to the emptying of public spaces around the world , whether by government @ @ @ @ @ responses .
In the town of Alcala de Henares , near Madrid , soldiers patrol @ @ @ @ @ Spain , people are banned from leaving home except for buying essential supplies and medicines @ @ @ @ @ work .
A few people walk along the corniche in Sidon , after Lebanon declared @ @ @ @ @ as part of the measures against the spread of the coronavirus .
Outside the National @ @ @ @ @ Square was deserted on Sunday .
Normally full of tourists , there has been a @ @ @ @ @ the city .
All photographs copyright of the photographers as marked

Image caption,
A man looks at the Mediterranean on the Promenade des Anglais in the French Riviera city of Nice. A strict lockdown requiring most people in France to remain at home came into effect on Tuesday


bbc--2020-03-16--Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour piano sketches found in skip

Sketches including designs for Sir Paul McCartney 's `` magic piano '' that were found in a skip could fetch £10,000 at auction .
Builder Andy Clynes , 54 , found them in 1999 as he converted a mill into a wine bar near Manchester .
He put the sketches in his loft but recently decided to get them valued .
They will be auctioned on 24 March .
Sir Paul played the psychedelic piano in The Beatles ' 1967 Magical Mystery Tour film .
The sketches were among other papers found by Mr Clynes including a handwritten list of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Clynes , from Oldham , said : `` I picked them out of the skip .
`` The case burst open as it was thrown in .
It was raining and I just picked up what I could .
`` I imagine there was a lot more there but it was damaged . ''
The sketches and designs for Sir Paul 's piano will go under the hammer at Omega Auctions in Newton-le-Willows , Merseyside .
Auctioneer Paul Fairweather described the papers as a `` rare find '' .
Mr Clynes added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20-odd years .
You put things away and forget about them and then something triggers your mind .
`` I have n't planned what I 'll do with the money yet but I was surprised about the value . ''

He put the sketches in his loft but recently decided to get them valued. They will be auctioned on 24 March.


bbc--2020-03-16--Why Texas is saying 'no' to all new refugees

Texas wants to halt admission of all new refugees , saying the needs of Texans must be prioritised over others .
But aid workers in Texas say there is sufficient help for Texas ' growing homeless population as well as newly arriving refugees , writes journalist James Jeffrey .
A photograph of a young Marsh Arab girl in a papyrus boat hangs on a wall of the Pita Shack diner in the northern suburbs of Austin , Texas .
The one-year-old business belongs to husband and wife Ayman Attar Bashi and Raya Thanoon who came from Iraq in 2010 as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I would love it if there was an open door for refugees , but I understand politicians have to think about the country 's safety , '' Thanoon says .
`` You see the homeless here and then see refugees getting benefits , so I understand why some people think that 's not fair . ''
Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott announced in January that the state would not accept any refugees in 2020 .
His decision came in the wake of an executive order issued from President Trump last year granting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the placement of refugees .
`` Texas has carried more than its share in assisting the refugee resettlement process , '' Abbott said in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , noting that Texas has received more refugees than any state since 2010 , totalling about 10 % of all refugees resettled in the US .
He also noted that Texas has faced the brunt of migration issues at the southern border due to a `` broken federal immigration system '' .
More than 40 other governors - both Democrat and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue accepting refugees , leaving Texas as the only nay-saying state .
Widespread criticism of the governor 's decision only intensified after he argued that Texans in need - especially the homeless -should be prioritised over refugees .
`` I am putting my citizens first , '' Abbott said earlier this month .
`` We have challenges in the state of Texas that must be addressed by these very same non-profit organisations , '' he said , specifically referring to the state 's growing homeless population .
`` I would agree with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the homeless problem here to grow to the same scale - but not on the tactics , '' says Greg McCormack , programme director at Front Steps , which runs various homeless programmes in Austin , the Texas state capitol .
`` Homelessness is the biggest challenge for Austin , but it 's not a question of either or , '' McCormack says .
`` Supporting refugee resettlement programmes was in no way detracting from tackling homelessness . ''
McCormack says that often when politics gets involved in issues like homelessness , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That can lead , he says , to an overly heavy-handed response , especially when there is a city like Austin that is perceived as liberal-leaning .
`` We want to both solve homelessness , and not have refugees contribute to the issue , '' McCormack says .
`` I believe both can happen . ''
For the time being , Abbott 's decision remains moot after an injunction from a federal judge halted Trump 's executive order from coming into effect .
But an appeal is expected , added to which for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already done due to growing political hostility at state and national levels toward the country 's long-time commitment to take in people fleeing persecution in their home countries .
The US president has said the country is `` full '' and threatened to send buses of immigrants to Democratic cities and towns that have decried his immigration policies .
`` When the president first discussed cutting back refugees , I thought he would dial it back , I had no idea of how serious he was .
Then I woke up , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO of Caritas of Austin , a charity that in 2018 had to end its 40-year-long refugee resettlement programme .
Quinn explains how the charity 's refugee programme began experiencing difficulties at the end of 2016 , after Abbott declared the state would stop administering federal funding for refugee resettlement .
This meant organisations like Caritas had to scramble to find alternative assistance to continue its work .
But it has been the substantial decline in refugee numbers admitted to the US during Donald Trump 's presidency that proved the death knell for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was linked to the number of refugees it assists .
Faced with a shortfall of $ 3m ( £2.3m ) , Caritas could n't afford to continue the programme , and had to let 27 workers go .
Every fall , the president sets a refugee ceiling - the maximum number of refugees who may enter the country in a fiscal year .
In the last year of his presidency , Democratic former president Barack Obama set the cap at 110,000 .
In fiscal year 2017 - 1 Oct 2016 , to 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US , a drop from 85,000 the previous year , which reflects a temporary freeze on refugee admissions that Trump ordered shortly after taking office .
The following year , the president set the nation 's refugee ceiling at 45,000 , a new low at the time .
The US ultimately admitted about 22,500 refugees .
Trump then set the refugee ceiling at 30,000 for the fiscal year that ended 30 Sept 2019 , a cap that was reached .
`` The politicians have their reasons for the limits , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to wait and see , '' Pita Shack co-owner Attar Bashi tells BBC News , adding that he includes the president in that assessment .
`` I like the guy , he 's a businessman who 's helping the economy make money . ''
This year 's cap of 18,000 refugees would be the lowest number of refugees resettled by the US in a single year since 1980 , when Congress created the nation 's refugee resettlement programme .
`` Capacity around the country has been lost , either through agencies shutting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' says Russell Smith , director of Refugee Services of Texas , the state 's largest refugee agency .
`` Even without the executive order , national policies and road-blocks across the country have reduced resettlement drastically . ''
He explains his agency has stayed afloat by diversifying to assist other displaced populations , focusing in particular on survivors of forced labour and sex trafficking .
• Why are more people fleeing home than ever before ?
`` To the governor 's credit , he 's made it a priority to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Smith says .
`` The governor 's got it right when he said there are a lot of needs out there . ''
Caritas ' Jo Kathryn Quinn believes that `` the notion of having to pick and choose is ludicrous '' .
`` There 's plenty of resources , especially in one of the wealthiest states in the richest country in the world , '' she adds .
The governor 's office noted that no one seeking refugee status in the US would be denied because of the Texas decision , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Texas after initially settling in another state .
To which some counter - `` Then why refuse refugees resettling in the first place , unless it is political posturing ? ''
Hence there are those who view the governor 's declaration as indicative of long-term policy , and hence they view the current federal injunction as an uncertain defence .
`` If he gets his way on this , I think it will become Texas policy for as long as he is governor , '' Quinn says .
For Quinn , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the homeless over refugees is the fact that refugees are similarly homeless .
That 's one of the reasons , she says , why both issues often struggle to generate as much interest and support - especially donor funding - from local populations compared to issues such as child support and animal shelters .
`` People do n't want to engage with homelessness , it makes them think it could happen to them , so they do n't want to go there , '' Quinn says .
`` When you feel empathy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't want that either , so they stop themselves feeling it . ''
Many also see Abbott 's decision as part of a larger nation-wide pushback which lumps together all the different categories of displaced people - refugees , migrants and asylum seekers - as potential threats and economic drains , while ignoring the many complexities involved .
Smith notes how among the different displaced person categories , refugees endure the most thorough vetting process .
It often takes years while waiting in a distant and squalid refugee camp .
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refugees as a drain on the social safety net is misplaced , as illustrated by the little-known fact of how all refugees have to eventually payback the costs of flights to the US .
`` It helps them build up a credit rating for once they are living here , '' Smith says .
`` Refugees quickly become self-sufficient and civically engaged citizens , as well as tax-paying citizens - they are some of the most entrepreneurial-minded people . ''
`` I came to Texas because Iraqi friends here told me the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 38-year-old Iraqi man who arrived in 2012 after five years interpreting for the US military in northern Iraq ( he wants to remain anonymous as his family in Iraq who could be targeted for reprisals ) .
Since arriving in Texas , he has worked in manufacturing , security and interpretation services .
`` I was used to working , so I did n't want assistance , I wanted to be self-reliant . ''
A 2015 study by the New American Economy , a New York-based immigration research and advocacy organisation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spending powers of $ 4.6bn ( £3.5bn ) and paid a total of $ 1.6bn in taxes .
`` This is a nation of immigrants , but refugees are part of that experience too , '' says Smith , who notes that his great-great grandmother had to flee Russia after helping victims of the anti-Jewish violent pogroms .
`` My hope is that the governor heeds the calls that have come from across the spectrum to reverse his position before it gets to a place where it becomes a final decision . ''

But an appeal is expected, added to which for some Texas refugee organisations the damage is already done due to growing political hostility at state and national levels toward the country's long-time commitment to take in people fleeing persecution in their home countries. The US president has said the country is "full" and threatened to send buses of immigrants to Democratic cities and towns that have decried his immigration policies.


bbc--2020-03-16--How to argue with a racist: Five myths debunked

Stereotypes and myths about race abound , but this does not make them true .
Often , these are not even expressed by overt racists .
For many well-intentioned people , experience and cultural history has steered them towards views that are n't supported by human genetics .
For example : the assumption that East Asian students are inherently better at maths , black people have natural rhythm , or Jews are good with money .
Many of us know someone who thinks along these lines .
Dr Adam Rutherford , a geneticist and BBC presenter , says `` Racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today than at any time I can recall , and it 's our duty to contest it with facts . ''
Here 's how to debunk five racist myths with science and facts .
MYTH 1 : The DNA of white and black people is completely different The primary pigment in human skin is melanin .
It 's used to protect us from the sun .
It absorbs the sun 's ultra violet rays before they can destroy folate , one of the body 's key vitamins .
Many genes are involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ production .
Natural variation within these genes is the root cause of the spectrum of skin tones that humans have .
So , the biggest genetic difference within the human race is between white people and black people , right ?
Wrong .
Firstly , all humans share almost all the same DNA - a fact that betrays all of our recent origins from Africa .
Secondly , there is more genetic diversity on the continent of Africa than in the rest of the world put together .
Two people from different tribes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different from each other than a Sri Lankan , a Māori and a Russian .
We might categorise people as white , black or brown , but these visual variations do n't accurately reflect the genetic differences - or rather similarities - between us .
MYTH 2 : There is such a thing as 'racial purity' We think of certain areas , lands or peoples as being isolated - either physically or culturally - and these boundaries as being insurmountable .
But this is neither what history , nor genetics , tell us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ static .
`` People have moved around the world throughout history , and had sex whenever and wherever they could , '' says Dr Rutherford .
Sometimes these are big moves in short times .
More often , people are largely static over a few generations - and that can feel like a geographical and cultural anchor .
`` Nevertheless , every Nazi has Jewish ancestors '' says Dr Rutherford , `` Every white supremacist has Middle Eastern ancestors .
Every racist has African , Indian , East Asian ancestors , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purity is pure fantasy .
For humans , there are no pure bloods .
Only mongrels enriched by the blood of multitudes , '' he says .
MYTH 3 : 'Germany for the Germans ' , 'Turkey for the Turks ' ( and other variations ) Some people experience a lot of angst about migrants and refugees coming to their country , a phenomenon that has been experienced in many places around the world of late .
Among recent examples , the shooting rampage last month that started in a shisha bar in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a far-right doctrine to expel or murder immigrants .
Those on the far right have long expressed anger in the form of epithets : `` Germany for the Germans '' , `` France for the French '' , `` Turkey for the Turks '' and `` Italy for Italians '' have all been used as anti-immigration phrases by far-right groups .
`` Go back to where you came from '' is an offensive phrase that resonates all over the world .
In truth , countries like Germany , France , Turkey and Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , just about everywhere has .
The British Isles , for instance , have become home to migrants since they separated from the continent around 7,500 years ago .
Before the French took over in 1066 , that part of the world had been invaded by Vikings , Angles , Saxons , Huns , and dozens of other smaller tribes and clans .
And even before that , the Romans ruled , which in their turn came from all over the intercontinental empire , which reached as far as sub-Saharan Africa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , around 4,500 years ago Britain was populated primarily by farmers , who had migrated from Europe across what was continuous terrain between the Netherlands and East Anglia .
On the basis of DNA evidence , we think they may have been olive skinned , with dark hair and brown eyes .
And before them there were hunter-gatherers , who had even darker skin .
So , when political parties or even racists say : `` France for the French '' , or `` Italy for the Italians '' and talk about `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually mean ?
MYTH 4 : A genealogy test can prove someone is 100 % white Genealogy and ancestry fascinate us - and racists in particular .
Websites like Stormfront are frequented by white nationalist , white supremacist , and anti-Semitic members who forward theories for Holocaust-denial and are obsessed with population genetics .
They use mainstream genealogy tests , like those offered by Ancestry DNA , to `` prove '' they are 100 % white or non-Jewish .
However , the logic is flawed .
DNA can tell you some interesting things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very useful for identifying close family like lost siblings or biological parents - but its powers are profoundly limited by fundamental biology .
Over time , descendants start to shed the DNA of their actual ancestors , and the amount that vanishes builds up over the generations to be huge.. You carry DNA from only half of your ancestors dating eleven generations back .
So it is possible that you are genetically unrelated to people you are actually descended from as recently as the 18th Century .
`` You are descended from multitudes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from people you think you know and from more you know nothing about , '' says Dr Rutherford , `` You will have no meaningful genetic link to many of them . ''
5 .
Black people are better at running than white people The last white man to compete in a 100m final at the Olympics was in 1980 .
Since then , black athletes have dominated the modern era of sprinting .
This has fuelled a commonly held belief that people of African descent have an advantage at the sport because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are probabilistic predictions one could make about ethnicity and sporting success based on genetics , '' says Dr Rutherford , `` but they would be weak at best . ''
In actual fact , the genetics of sporting success are wickedly complex .
There are a myriad of factors in physiology of physicality , including the size of your heart , the efficiency with which you absorb oxygen , and muscular recovery , says Rutherford .
And these are relatively well understood phenomena which do have a genetic basis .
But there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flexibility and co-ordination ) which are less well understood .
On top of that , there 's the psychological dimension : determination , concentration , and risk-taking , for example .
We do know that people who are good at explosive-energy sports tend to have a higher proportion of `` fast-twitch '' muscle cells , that process energy more quickly .
The genetics that underlie this involve a gene called ACTN3 .
Studies have shown that elite athletes in power and strength sports are more likely to have copies of the R-type of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurs in a higher proportion of African Americans ( 96 % ) compared to white Americans ( 80 % ) .
That does give a slight , population-wide advantage to African Americans to take place in explosive-energy sports - but it does n't come anywhere close to explaining the difference between the number of African American sprinters and white competitors .
If it just came down to that gene , you might expect to see six black elite sprinters for every five white runners .
Adam says this is a simplistic analysis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genetics do n't align with racial stereotypes in sports .
This piece has been adapted from the BBC radio programme How to argue with a racist , and presented by Dr Adam Rutherford .

How to argue with a racist: Five myths debunked Published 16 March 2020
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Racism can be debunked with facts and science
Stereotypes and myths about race abound, but this does not make them true. Often, these are not even expressed by overt racists.
For many well-intentioned people, experience and cultural history has steered them towards views that aren't supported by human genetics. For example: the assumption that East Asian students are inherently better at maths, black people have natural rhythm, or Jews are good with money. Many of us know someone who thinks along these lines.
Dr Adam Rutherford, a geneticist and BBC presenter, says "Racism is being expressed in public more openly today than at any time I can recall, and it's our duty to contest it with facts."
Here's how to debunk five racist myths with science and facts.
MYTH 1: The DNA of white and black people is completely different
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, FACT: All humans share almost all of their DNA
The primary pigment in human skin is melanin. It's used to protect us from the sun.
It absorbs the sun's ultra violet rays before they can destroy folate, one of the body's key vitamins.
Many genes are involved in the biochemical pathways that result in melanin production. Natural variation within these genes is the root cause of the spectrum of skin tones that humans have.
So, the biggest genetic difference within the human race is between white people and black people, right? Wrong.
Firstly, all humans share almost all the same DNA - a fact that betrays all of our recent origins from Africa.
Secondly, there is more genetic diversity on the continent of Africa than in the rest of the world put together.
Two people from different tribes in Southern Africa will be more genetically different from each other than a Sri Lankan, a Māori and a Russian.
We might categorise people as white, black or brown, but these visual variations don't accurately reflect the genetic differences - or rather similarities - between us.
MYTH 2: There is such a thing as 'racial purity'
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, FACT: "Racial purity is pure fantasy"
We think of certain areas, lands or peoples as being isolated - either physically or culturally - and these boundaries as being insurmountable.
But this is neither what history, nor genetics, tell us. In fact, no nation is static.
"People have moved around the world throughout history, and had sex whenever and wherever they could," says Dr Rutherford.
Sometimes these are big moves in short times.
More often, people are largely static over a few generations - and that can feel like a geographical and cultural anchor.
"Nevertheless, every Nazi has Jewish ancestors" says Dr Rutherford, "Every white supremacist has Middle Eastern ancestors. Every racist has African, Indian, East Asian ancestors, as well as everyone else."
"Racial purity is pure fantasy. For humans, there are no pure bloods. Only mongrels enriched by the blood of multitudes," he says.
MYTH 3: 'Germany for the Germans', 'Turkey for the Turks' (and other variations)
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, A 1972 protest in the UK calling for an end to immigration
Some people experience a lot of angst about migrants and refugees coming to their country, a phenomenon that has been experienced in many places around the world of late.
Among recent examples, the shooting rampage last month that started in a shisha bar in Hanau, Germany, was motivated by a far-right doctrine to expel or murder immigrants.
Those on the far right have long expressed anger in the form of epithets: "Germany for the Germans", "France for the French", "Turkey for the Turks" and "Italy for Italians" have all been used as anti-immigration phrases by far-right groups.
"Go back to where you came from" is an offensive phrase that resonates all over the world.
In truth, countries like Germany, France, Turkey and Italy have had immigration throughout their history. In fact, just about everywhere has.
The British Isles, for instance, have become home to migrants since they separated from the continent around 7,500 years ago.
Before the French took over in 1066, that part of the world had been invaded by Vikings, Angles, Saxons, Huns, and dozens of other smaller tribes and clans.
And even before that, the Romans ruled, which in their turn came from all over the intercontinental empire, which reached as far as sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.
Earlier still, around 4,500 years ago Britain was populated primarily by farmers, who had migrated from Europe across what was continuous terrain between the Netherlands and East Anglia.
On the basis of DNA evidence, we think they may have been olive skinned, with dark hair and brown eyes.
And before them there were hunter-gatherers, who had even darker skin.
So, when political parties or even racists say: "France for the French", or "Italy for the Italians" and talk about "indigenous" people... who do they actually mean?
MYTH 4: A genealogy test can prove someone is 100% white
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, You carry DNA from only half of your ancestors dating eleven generations back
Genealogy and ancestry fascinate us - and racists in particular.
Websites like Stormfront are frequented by white nationalist, white supremacist, and anti-Semitic members who forward theories for Holocaust-denial and are obsessed with population genetics.
They use mainstream genealogy tests, like those offered by Ancestry DNA, to "prove" they are 100% white or non-Jewish.
However, the logic is flawed.
DNA can tell you some interesting things about family history - and it's very useful for identifying close family like lost siblings or biological parents - but its powers are profoundly limited by fundamental biology.
Over time, descendants start to shed the DNA of their actual ancestors, and the amount that vanishes builds up over the generations to be huge..
You carry DNA from only half of your ancestors dating eleven generations back. So it is possible that you are genetically unrelated to people you are actually descended from as recently as the 18th Century.
"You are descended from multitudes, from all around the world, from people you think you know and from more you know nothing about," says Dr Rutherford, "You will have no meaningful genetic link to many of them."
5. Black people are better at running than white people
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Usain Bolt's apparent easy wins seemed to fuel this erroneous idea
The last white man to compete in a 100m final at the Olympics was in 1980.
Since then, black athletes have dominated the modern era of sprinting. This has fuelled a commonly held belief that people of African descent have an advantage at the sport because of their genetic ancestry.
"Maybe there are probabilistic predictions one could make about ethnicity and sporting success based on genetics," says Dr Rutherford, "but they would be weak at best."
In actual fact, the genetics of sporting success are wickedly complex.
There are a myriad of factors in physiology of physicality, including the size of your heart, the efficiency with which you absorb oxygen, and muscular recovery, says Rutherford.
And these are relatively well understood phenomena which do have a genetic basis. But there are other physical traits (such as flexibility and co-ordination) which are less well understood.
On top of that, there's the psychological dimension: determination, concentration, and risk-taking, for example.
We do know that people who are good at explosive-energy sports tend to have a higher proportion of "fast-twitch" muscle cells, that process energy more quickly.
The genetics that underlie this involve a gene called ACTN3.
Studies have shown that elite athletes in power and strength sports are more likely to have copies of the R-type of ACTN3. The research indicates the gene occurs in a higher proportion of African Americans (96%) compared to white Americans (80%).
That does give a slight, population-wide advantage to African Americans to take place in explosive-energy sports - but it doesn't come anywhere close to explaining the difference between the number of African American sprinters and white competitors.
If it just came down to that gene, you might expect to see six black elite sprinters for every five white runners.
Adam says this is a simplistic analysis, but still a good example of how genetics don't align with racial stereotypes in sports.


bbc--2020-03-16--The Boss: Male investors didn't get my billion-dollar idea

The BBC 's weekly The Boss series profiles different business leaders from around the world .
This week we speak to Katrina Lake , founder of online fashion business Stitch Fix .
For the first six years running Stitch Fix , Katrina Lake was n't comfortable with being labelled a female business leader .
`` I did n't join the women in business clubs , and I just never thought of myself as a quote-unquote feminist , '' she says .
But taking her company public back in November 2017 led to a change of heart .
The tech entrepreneur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arms when she appeared at the Nasdaq stock exchange in New York for the firm 's first day of trading .
The images went viral .
Katrina , 34 at the time , become the youngest ever female founder to lead an initial public offering ( IPO ) .
She was widely hailed a role model for women , and mothers , in business .
`` It felt like a really meaningful moment for me , and hopefully for others as well , '' she says .
`` Showing examples of successful female @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I came around to being at a place where I really embraced it . ''
Stitch Fix is an online personal shopping service that uses a combination of artificial intelligence ( AI ) algorithms and human stylists to send customers fashion items that should be to their taste .
Users are sent clothes and accessories from a variety of brands selected especially for them based on their size , preferences and budget .
They then keep and pay for what they want , and return what they do n't .
Katrina founded the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while studying for a Master of Business Administration degree at Harvard Business School , in Boston .
Today her business is worth $ 1.4bn ( £1.1bn ) , has 3.4 million customers , 6,600 employees , and annual sales of $ 1.6bn .
But the path to this remarkable success was n't smooth .
Katrina 's business was turned down by numerous potential investors , and she struggled to raise funds in the early days .
She also says that she was n't taken seriously , simple because she was a woman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2017 said that she had faced sexual harassment .
`` There was so much adversity that I faced just because I was a woman , '' she says .
`` What I realised through starting the company was that I 'd thought of feminism as being a political thing , and this was n't a political thing .
This was about human rights and equality . ''
Retaining a 16.6 % share in Stitch Fix , Katrina 's net worth stands at more than $ 200m .
However , she did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After growing up in Minnesota and San Francisco , she had wanted to follow in the footsteps of her father and become a doctor .
Instead , after getting a degree in economics from Stanford University she started her working life as a management consultant , and later worked for an investment firm .
Her passion was clothing retail though , and she hoped that being at an investment company would enable her to meet e-commerce founders , so that she could become part of the next big thing in the consumer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work at whatever was going to be the future of apparel retail , '' she says .
But she soon gained the confidence to go it alone .
`` I realised there 's nothing special about being an entrepreneur , '' she says .
Katrina had the idea that people wanted a more personalized approach when it came to shopping for clothes , and that AI could help .
At 5ft 2in ( 1.6m ) tall , she says that she had always struggled to find clothes to suit her petite stature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was also an inspiration .
`` She was like a personal stylist to me sometimes ... she knew all the up and coming brands , '' says Katrina .
To pursue her idea for Stitch Fix she enrolled at Harvard .
While there she started to build the business from her student digs , along with her co-founder Erin Flynn .
Flynn , a former buyer for US retailer J Crew , subsequently left the business in 2014 .
`` We cobbled together things you could do online for free , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surveys to find out what potential customers wanted to buy .
Initially targeting women , she would get prospective customers to enter information such as their size and the brands they liked .
Then she 'd buy clothes at boutiques with her credit card , and , with the help of friends and family , send them out .
`` I would buy it at retail [ prices ] and sell it at [ the same ] retail [ prices ] , so I was n't making any money , '' says Katrina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experiment to see if the concept worked . ''
The business quickly took off .
`` It was 30 [ employees ] , then 50 and then 120 , and then it just grew organically from there . ''
They managed to raise some capital , made some key tech hires to beef up the AI , and opened their headquarters in San Francisco .
In the early days , the business struggled to keep up with the pace of growth .
`` We had a waiting list for a while , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raising funds from the male-dominated investment community .
`` I did n't have the trust of a lot of investors , and for me the biggest reason was around the lack of diversity in the venture capital world , '' she says .
`` [ Male ] investors would say things like ' I ca n't see myself wanting something like this ' , and I 'd be , 'Okay , well you 're a Caucasian male who is very wealthy , and maybe this is n't the service that you would use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backers and Stitch Fix raised $ 42.5m , followed by a further $ 120m in the IPO .
And it expanded to also sell men 's and children 's clothing .
Tamara Sender , senior fashion analyst at market research group Mintel , says Stitch Fix 's success has been spurred by time-pressed consumers looking for a more bespoke approach .
`` Stitch Fix 's proposition responds to rising demand for a more personalised clothes shopping service , with growing interest among consumers in receiving lifestyle-based fashion recommendations , '' she says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for convenience . ''
Katrina , whose mother was a Japanese immigrant , says she is focused on promoting diversity within her company , both women and people from ethnic minorities .
`` I was brought up in a bilingual , bicultural household , '' says the 37-year-old , who lives in San Francisco with her husband , and two children .
`` To be able to have broader representation in your team really just adds to the perspectives , ideas and global thinking you can have . ''

"I just wanted to work at whatever was going to be the future of apparel retail," she says. But she soon gained the confidence to go it alone. "I realised there's nothing special about being an entrepreneur," she says.


bbc--2020-03-16--UK sport effectively cancelled as PM advises against mass gatherings

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has advised against mass gatherings in the UK amid the coronavirus outbreak - effectively cancelling all remaining sporting events .
Johnson said that from Tuesday mass gatherings requiring emergency workers are something `` we are now moving emphatically away from '' .
He added that social venues , including pubs , should be avoided .
But he reiterated that transmission risks at mass gatherings remain low .
• 'In this current dark reality , sport does n't matter but it does' • How coronavirus has impacted sporting events around the world '' It remains true - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks - that this sort of transmissions of the disease at mass gatherings such as sporting events are relatively low , but obviously , logically , as we advise against unnecessary social contact of all kinds , it 's right that we should extend that advice to mass gatherings as well , '' said Johnson .
`` And so we 've also got to ensure that we have the critical workers we need that might otherwise be deployed for those gatherings , to deal with those emergencies .
`` So from tomorrow we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with emergency workers in the way that we normally do . ''
• The Grand National , due to take place on 4 April , was cancelled • Rugby union 's Premiership was suspended for five weeks • The Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarter-final matches will not be played • The RFU suspended all rugby activity at both professional and community level until 14 April • The 2020 Boat Race , due to take place on 29 March , was cancelled • The Isle of Man TT races , due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June , was cancelled • The Olympic European boxing qualifying event in London , which started on Saturday and went behind closed doors on Sunday , will be suspended after Monday night 's session • British Gymnastics cancelled all its events , including the FIG World Cup and the British Artistic Championships , until the end of June 2020 • Premier League Darts , due to take place in Newcastle on Thursday , was postponed • Snookers ' Tour Championship , due to start on Tuesday in Llandudno , Wales , will take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement on grassroots football said : `` Following the government 's announcement today , for people to avoid social contact and gatherings where possible , we are now advising that all grassroots football in England is postponed .
`` Throughout this period , we have taken government advice with the priority being the health and wellbeing of all .
We will continue to work closely with the grassroots game during this time . ''
Last Friday , the coronavirus pandemic wiped out most of the world 's major sporting events in an unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body , Uefa , is hosting a video conference with major stakeholders on Tuesday .
Euro 2020 is set to be postponed to allow league seasons to be completed .
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics , to be held from 24 July and 9 August , remain on .
Organisers will meet via teleconference on Tuesday to discuss the latest coronavirus developments and the impact on the Games .

Last updated on .From the section Sport
Boris Johnson: "It look as though we are now approaching the fast growth part of the upward curve"
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has advised against mass gatherings in the UK amid the coronavirus outbreak - effectively cancelling all remaining sporting events.
Johnson said that from Tuesday mass gatherings requiring emergency workers are something "we are now moving emphatically away from".
He added that social venues, including pubs, should be avoided.
But he reiterated that transmission risks at mass gatherings remain low.
"It remains true - as we said in the last few weeks - that this sort of transmissions of the disease at mass gatherings such as sporting events are relatively low, but obviously, logically, as we advise against unnecessary social contact of all kinds, it's right that we should extend that advice to mass gatherings as well," said Johnson.
"And so we've also got to ensure that we have the critical workers we need that might otherwise be deployed for those gatherings, to deal with those emergencies.
"So from tomorrow we will no longer be supporting mass gatherings with emergency workers in the way that we normally do."
On Monday:
A Football Association statement on grassroots football said: "Following the government's announcement today, for people to avoid social contact and gatherings where possible, we are now advising that all grassroots football in England is postponed.
"Throughout this period, we have taken government advice with the priority being the health and wellbeing of all. We will continue to work closely with the grassroots game during this time."
Last Friday, the coronavirus pandemic wiped out most of the world's major sporting events in an unprecedented 24 hours.
European football's governing body, Uefa, is hosting a video conference with major stakeholders on Tuesday.
Euro 2020 is set to be postponed to allow league seasons to be completed.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, to be held from 24 July and 9 August, remain on. Organisers will meet via teleconference on Tuesday to discuss the latest coronavirus developments and the impact on the Games.


bbc--2020-03-16--Coronavirus: Q&A as Uefa meet to discuss Euro 2020 & Champions League

European football 's powerbrokers will meet by video conference on Tuesday to discuss how to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus crisis that has caused the game to grind to a halt .
BBC Sport has been told `` nothing is off the table '' as attempts are found to deal with the biggest issue facing football in modern times .
• 'In this current dark reality sport does n't matter , but it does' • Timeline : Which events are off because of the virus ?
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has called a meeting of representatives of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Association , the European Leagues and world players ' union Fifpro to discuss football 's response to the coronavirus outbreak .
What is going to be discussed ?
Uefa 's competitions .
Euro 2020 and this season 's Champions League and Europa League .
Football across the continent has virtually ground to a halt .
The only countries in Europe which featured top-flight league action on Saturday were Russia , Turkey , Hungary , Serbia and Ukraine .
Turkey 's matches were played behind closed doors .
On Monday , the Hungarian FA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Champions League and Europa League fixtures scheduled for this week have been called off .
There is no indication that an immediate resumption is likely , throwing the complicated football calendar into chaos .
The meeting is aimed at finding a way forward .
What is likely to happen with Euro 2020 ?
It is almost certain to be postponed .
December has been mentioned , as has cancelling it altogether .
But far more likely is a shift back to 2021 .
This would open a window for the domestic leagues to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions created by coronavirus have hopefully eased .
Why does finishing the season matter ?
To a greater or lesser degree all European leagues have television contracts that need to be met .
If they are not , the potential for having to reimburse the TV channels their money is enormous .
The Premier League has the biggest contracts - more than £3bn a year in total - and therefore the most to lose , so it needs to finish the season .
Without pushing the current end date of 17 May back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Euros is essential if seasons are to stand any chance of being completed .
Not entirely .
Uefa has its own TV contracts and sponsors to satisfy , so moving the Euros is not without consequences .
In addition , it has other competitions due to be played in the spring and summer of 2021 that will be impacted : the Women 's European Championships , the Nations League and the European Under-21 Championships .
Uefa wants to make sure these tournaments are played and will want co-operation from the leagues and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What about the Champions League ?
Four last-16 second-leg ties have been postponed this week .
Eight Europa League second-leg ties have been postponed , in addition to the two first-leg matches at Sevilla and Inter Milan that were called off last week .
One idea being floated is that from the quarter-finals onwards , games could be played on a one-off basis , as a mini tournament in Istanbul and Gdansk , which is due to host the finals of the respective competitions in May .
This is likely to be discussed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision is reached is open to question .
What about the domestic leagues ?
This meeting is nothing to do with them .
But it is only when the outcome is known that the leagues can come up with a plan for their own competitions .
The 20 Premier League clubs are due to meet on Thursday .
Is this going to sort the mess out ?
Unfortunately not .
Firstly , no-one can be entirely sure when the coronavirus crisis will be over .
Secondly , decisions taken by governments override any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain and the Netherlands are in lockdown .
Citizens are only allowed out for essential reasons .
Under these circumstances , playing football is impossible and no-one knows for certain when the situation will change .
The desire of the leagues is to finish the season .
The desire of Uefa is to complete its competitions .
If they could restart at the beginning of June , that scenario may well be possible .
But what happens if there is no immediate prospect of restrictions being lifted in June ?
Then serious decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season and starting again in August .

Euro 2020 is scheduled to begin on 12 June
European football's powerbrokers will meet by video conference on Tuesday to discuss how to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus crisis that has caused the game to grind to a halt.
BBC Sport has been told "nothing is off the table" as attempts are found to deal with the biggest issue facing football in modern times.
What is happening?
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has called a meeting of representatives of its 55 associations, the European Clubs' Association, the European Leagues and world players' union Fifpro to discuss football's response to the coronavirus outbreak.
What is going to be discussed?
Uefa's competitions. Euro 2020 and this season's Champions League and Europa League.
Why?
Football across the continent has virtually ground to a halt. The only countries in Europe which featured top-flight league action on Saturday were Russia, Turkey, Hungary, Serbia and Ukraine. Turkey's matches were played behind closed doors. On Monday, the Hungarian FA announced its league was suspended. All Champions League and Europa League fixtures scheduled for this week have been called off. There is no indication that an immediate resumption is likely, throwing the complicated football calendar into chaos. The meeting is aimed at finding a way forward.
What is likely to happen with Euro 2020?
It is almost certain to be postponed.
Until when?
December has been mentioned, as has cancelling it altogether. But far more likely is a shift back to 2021. This would open a window for the domestic leagues to complete their seasons this summer, when restrictions created by coronavirus have hopefully eased.
Why does finishing the season matter?
To a greater or lesser degree all European leagues have television contracts that need to be met. If they are not, the potential for having to reimburse the TV channels their money is enormous. The Premier League has the biggest contracts - more than £3bn a year in total - and therefore the most to lose, so it needs to finish the season. Without pushing the current end date of 17 May back, that will not happen. Moving the Euros is essential if seasons are to stand any chance of being completed.
An easy solution then?
Not entirely. Uefa has its own TV contracts and sponsors to satisfy, so moving the Euros is not without consequences. In addition, it has other competitions due to be played in the spring and summer of 2021 that will be impacted: the Women's European Championships, the Nations League and the European Under-21 Championships. Uefa wants to make sure these tournaments are played and will want co-operation from the leagues and their clubs to make that happen.
What about the Champions League?
Four last-16 second-leg ties have been postponed this week. Eight Europa League second-leg ties have been postponed, in addition to the two first-leg matches at Sevilla and Inter Milan that were called off last week. One idea being floated is that from the quarter-finals onwards, games could be played on a one-off basis, as a mini tournament in Istanbul and Gdansk, which is due to host the finals of the respective competitions in May. This is likely to be discussed on Tuesday, although whether a final decision is reached is open to question.
What about the domestic leagues?
This meeting is nothing to do with them. But it is only when the outcome is known that the leagues can come up with a plan for their own competitions. The 20 Premier League clubs are due to meet on Thursday.
Is this going to sort the mess out?
Unfortunately not. Firstly, no-one can be entirely sure when the coronavirus crisis will be over. Secondly, decisions taken by governments override any football body. Italy, France, Spain and the Netherlands are in lockdown. Citizens are only allowed out for essential reasons. Under these circumstances, playing football is impossible and no-one knows for certain when the situation will change. The desire of the leagues is to finish the season. The desire of Uefa is to complete its competitions. If they could restart at the beginning of June, that scenario may well be possible. But what happens if there is no immediate prospect of restrictions being lifted in June? Then serious decisions might need to be made about scrapping the season and starting again in August.


bbc--2020-03-16--IOC to hold further coronavirus talks via teleconference

Olympic Games organisers will meet via teleconference on Tuesday to discuss the latest coronavirus developments and the impact on the 2020 Tokyo Games .
The International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) will talk with international sports federations - a second executive board meeting in the last two weeks .
On Saturday , Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the Olympics will go ahead from 24 July to 9 August .
The Japan section of the Olympic Torch relay is due to start on 26 March .
The main focus of the meeting is to discuss disruption to qualifying events for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of world 's major sports events The coronavirus pandemic has wiped out most of the world 's major sporting events as authorities seek to limit the spread of the virus .
The recent torch-lighting ceremony in ancient Olympia was held without spectators , before the rest of the relay in Greece was suspended to avoid attracting large crowds .
Several Olympic trials events in the United States have been postponed , including wrestling , rowing and diving .
The boxing events in London are going as scheduled , but behind closed doors @

Last updated on .From the section Olympics
The Tokyo Olympic Games are due to take place from 24 July to 9 August
Olympic Games organisers will meet via teleconference on Tuesday to discuss the latest coronavirus developments and the impact on the 2020 Tokyo Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will talk with international sports federations - a second executive board meeting in the last two weeks.
On Saturday, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the Olympics will go ahead from 24 July to 9 August.
The Japan section of the Olympic Torch relay is due to start on 26 March.
The main focus of the meeting is to discuss disruption to qualifying events for the Games.
The coronavirus pandemic has wiped out most of the world's major sporting events as authorities seek to limit the spread of the virus.
The recent torch-lighting ceremony in ancient Olympia was held without spectators, before the rest of the relay in Greece was suspended to avoid attracting large crowds.
Several Olympic trials events in the United States have been postponed, including wrestling, rowing and diving.


bbc--2020-03-16--Tom Brady: What next for Patriots quarterback? And other possible NFL moves

Twenty years , nine Super Bowl appearances , six Super Bowl wins - Tom Brady has led the New England Patriots to an unprecedented period of success .
But are we about to witness the end of an era ?
For the first time in his NFL career , arguably the greatest quarterback of all time has just become a free agent .
From Monday ( 16:00 GMT ) , the 42-year-old was free to talk to other teams .
They can enter contract negotiations with unrestricted free agents , like Brady , before the free agency signing period begins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brady might still stay with the Patriots , but if he does go , it could spark a chain reaction with more quarterbacks swapping clubs in the off-season than ever before .
It is a chance for Brady to see what other clubs will offer - and for the Patriots to see who they could sign to replace him .
Fans and media have been analysing Brady 's every move for a hint as to whether he will stay or go .
And if he does go , where is he most likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'still has more to prove ' after play-off defeat Will Brady stay with the Patriots ?
Since the Patriots ' early play-off exit last season , Brady has been cage-side for Conor McGregor 's latest fight in Las Vegas , announced plans to move into Hollywood and attended a college basketball game with team-mate Julian Edelman .
And the latter really got the rumour mill turning .
While on camera , Edelman said `` he 's coming back '' .
Brady shot him an awkward glance and shook his head before forcing out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim Brady said `` he 's not '' , others say it was `` he 's got it '' .
Or was it just `` this guy '' ?
Only he knows .
The pair were also seen Facetiming former Patriot Mike Vrabel , who just so happens to be the current Tennessee Titans coach .
Edelman is certainly doing all he can to keep his good friend in New England .
Not only has he started a # StayTom campaign on social media , he 's even selling 'Stay Tom ' merchandise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Boston Celtics ' locker room .
It is thought that if the Patriots can ensure Brady has better players around him in 2020 , it will be enough to convince him to commit to a 21st season .
However , a recent phone conversation between Brady and coach Bill Belichick reportedly `` was n't particularly productive '' .
Where could Brady go ?
One place Brady will not be going is New Orleans .
Drew Brees , the only man with more all-time passing yards and touchdown passes than Brady , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whose back-up quarterback Teddy Bridgwater is now a free agent .
But the Los Angeles Chargers need a new QB with veteran Philip Rivers leaving , while Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians has named Brady as a potential target after Jameis Winston became the first man to go 30 for 30 - throwing 30 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions in the same season .
The Raiders are relocating from Oakland to Vegas and may consider trading Derek Carr in favour of a big name to help fill their new 65,000-seater stadium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tennessee was touted as a possible destination until Ryan Tannehill , who took the Titans to within one game of the Super Bowl after becoming the starter mid-season , signed an extension on Sunday .
Rivers and Winston are both free agents , and Andy Dalton could be made available too .
The Cincinnati Bengals have this year 's first draft pick and are expected to choose highly-rated QB Joe Burrow , allowing Dalton to move on .
Surprisingly , the San Francisco 49ers , who were less than three minutes from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a potential suitor for Brady .
It 's been rumoured that Brady 's boyhood club are interested in bringing him home to California and trading his former back-up Jimmy Garoppolo back to the Patriots .
And the likes of Cam Newton , Joe Flacco and Nick Foles , who have all led teams to the Super Bowl in the last seven years , may also be given the chance to start afresh after poor form and injuries .
The speculation is just getting started .

Twenty years, nine Super Bowl appearances, six Super Bowl wins - Tom Brady has led the New England Patriots to an unprecedented period of success.
But are we about to witness the end of an era? For the first time in his NFL career, arguably the greatest quarterback of all time has just become a free agent.
From Monday (16:00 GMT), the 42-year-old was free to talk to other teams. They can enter contract negotiations with unrestricted free agents, like Brady, before the free agency signing period begins on Wednesday (20:00 GMT).
Brady might still stay with the Patriots, but if he does go, it could spark a chain reaction with more quarterbacks swapping clubs in the off-season than ever before.
It is a chance for Brady to see what other clubs will offer - and for the Patriots to see who they could sign to replace him.
Fans and media have been analysing Brady's every move for a hint as to whether he will stay or go. And if he does go, where is he most likely to end up?
Will Brady stay with the Patriots?
Since the Patriots' early play-off exit last season, Brady has been cage-side for Conor McGregor's latest fight in Las Vegas, announced plans to move into Hollywood external-link and attended a college basketball game with team-mate Julian Edelman.
And the latter really got the rumour mill turning. While on camera, Edelman said "he's coming back" external-link . Brady shot him an awkward glance and shook his head before forcing out a reply which was unclear. Some claim Brady said "he's not", others say it was "he's got it". Or was it just "this guy"? Only he knows.
The pair were also seen Facetiming former Patriot Mike Vrabel, external-link who just so happens to be the current Tennessee Titans coach.
Edelman is certainly doing all he can to keep his good friend in New England. Not only has he started a #StayTom campaign on social media, he's even selling 'Stay Tom' merchandise external-link and left some of those T-shirts in the Boston Celtics' locker room.
It is thought that if the Patriots can ensure Brady has better players around him in 2020, it will be enough to convince him to commit to a 21st season. However, a recent phone conversation between Brady and coach Bill Belichick reportedly "wasn't particularly productive". external-link
Where could Brady go?
One place Brady will not be going is New Orleans. Drew Brees, the only man with more all-time passing yards and touchdown passes than Brady, has confirmed he will stay with the Saints, whose back-up quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is now a free agent.
But the Los Angeles Chargers need a new QB with veteran Philip Rivers leaving, while Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians has named Brady as a potential target after Jameis Winston became the first man to go 30 for 30 - throwing 30 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions in the same season.
The Raiders are relocating from Oakland to Vegas and may consider trading Derek Carr in favour of a big name to help fill their new 65,000-seater stadium and create a buzz around Sin City.
Tennessee was touted as a possible destination until Ryan Tannehill, who took the Titans to within one game of the Super Bowl after becoming the starter mid-season, signed an extension on Sunday.
Who would replace Brady?
Rivers and Winston are both free agents, and Andy Dalton could be made available too. The Cincinnati Bengals have this year's first draft pick and are expected to choose highly-rated QB Joe Burrow, allowing Dalton to move on.
Surprisingly, the San Francisco 49ers, who were less than three minutes from winning Super Bowl 54, have emerged as a potential suitor for Brady. It's been rumoured that Brady's boyhood club are interested in bringing him home to California and trading his former back-up Jimmy Garoppolo back to the Patriots.
And the likes of Cam Newton, Joe Flacco and Nick Foles, who have all led teams to the Super Bowl in the last seven years, may also be given the chance to start afresh after poor form and injuries. The speculation is just getting started.


bbc--2020-03-16--How to protect your mental health

How to protect your mental health

Coronavirus has plunged the world into uncertainty and the constant news about the pandemic can feel relentless .
All of this is taking its toll on people 's mental health , particularly those already living with conditions like anxiety and OCD .
So how can we protect our mental health ?
Being concerned about the news is understandable , but for many people it can make existing mental health problems worse .
When the World Health Organization released advice on protecting your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak , it was welcomed on social media .
As Anxiety UK 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being out of control and unable to tolerate uncertainty are common characteristics of many anxiety disorders .
So it 's understandable that many individuals with pre-existing anxiety are facing challenges at the moment .
`` A lot of anxiety is rooted in worrying about the unknown and waiting for something to happen - coronavirus is that on a macro scale , '' agrees Rosie Weatherley , spokesperson for mental health charity Mind .
So how can we protect our mental health ?
Limit the news and be careful what you read Reading lots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panic attacks for Nick , a father-of-two from Kent , who lives with anxiety .
`` When I 'm feeling anxious my thoughts can spiral out of control and I start thinking about catastrophic outcomes , '' he says .
Nick is worried about his parents and other older people he knows .
`` Usually when I suffer I can walk away from a situation .
This is out of my control , '' he says .
Having long periods away from news websites and social media has helped him to manage his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helplines , run by mental health charities such as AnxietyUK , useful .
• Limit the amount of time you spend reading or watching things which are n't making you feel better .
Perhaps decide on a specific time to check in with the news • There is a lot of misinformation swirling around - stay informed by sticking to trusted sources of information such as government and NHS websites Have breaks from social media and mute things which are triggering Alison , 24 , from Manchester , has health anxiety and feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subject .
But at the same time she knows social media can be a trigger .
`` A month ago I was clicking on hashtags and seeing all this unverified conspiracy rubbish and it would make me really anxious and I would feel really hopeless and cry , '' she says .
Now she is careful about which accounts she tunes into and is avoiding clicking on coronavirus hashtags .
She is also trying hard to have time away from social media , watching TV or reading books instead .
• Mute key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and unfollow or mute accounts • Mute WhatsApp groups and hide Facebook posts and feeds if you find them too overwhelming • EASY STEPS : What can I do ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Wash your hands - but not excessively OCD Action has seen an increase in support requests from people whose fears have become focused on the coronavirus pandemic .
For people with OCD and some types of anxiety , being constantly told to wash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear .
For Lily Bailey , author of Because We Are Bad , a book about living with OCD , fear of contamination was one aspect of her obsessive compulsive disorder .
She says the advice about hand washing can be a huge trigger for people who have recovered .
`` It 's really difficult because I now have to do some of the behaviours that I 've been avoiding , '' says Bailey .
`` I 'm sticking to the advice really rigidly but it 's hard , considering that for me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something comparable to an addiction . ''
Charity OCD Action says the issue to look out for is the function - for example , is the washing being carried out for the recommended amount of time to reduce the risk of spreading of the virus - or is it being done ritualistically in a specific order to feel `` just right '' ?
Bailey points out that for a lot of people with OCD , getting better means being able to leave the house - so self-isolating can present another challenge .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , we have lots of time on our hands , and boredom can make OCD worse , '' she says .
Increasing numbers will join those already in self-isolation so now might be a good time to make sure you have the right phone numbers and email addresses of the people you care about .
`` Agree regular check-in times and feel connected to the people around you , '' says Weatherley .
If you 're self-isolating , strike a balance between having a routine and making sure each day has some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling like quite a productive two weeks .
You could work through your to-do list or read a book you 'd been meaning to get to .
With weeks and months of the coronavirus pandemic ahead , it is important to have down time .
Mind recommends continuing to access nature and sunlight wherever possible .
Do exercise , eat well and stay hydrated .
AnxietyUK suggests practising the `` Apple '' technique to deal with anxiety and worries .
• Acknowledge : Notice and acknowledge the uncertainty as it comes to mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as you normally do .
Do n't react at all .
Pause and breathe .
• Pull back : Tell yourself this is just the worry talking , and this apparent need for certainty is not helpful and not necessary .
It is only a thought or feeling .
Do n't believe everything you think .
Thoughts are not statements or facts .
• Let go : Let go of the thought or feeling .
It will pass .
You do n't have to respond to them .
You might imagine them floating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Explore : Explore the present moment , because right now , in this moment , all is well .
Notice your breathing and the sensations of your breathing .
Notice the ground beneath you .
Look around and notice what you see , what you hear , what you can touch , what you can smell .
Right now .
Then shift your focus of attention to something else - on what you need to do , on what you were doing before you noticed the worry , or do something else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How have you been affected by coronavirus ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

Charity OCD Action says the issue to look out for is the function - for example, is the washing being carried out for the recommended amount of time to reduce the risk of spreading of the virus - or is it being done ritualistically in a specific order to feel "just right"?