bbc--2020-03-16--Airlines slash more flights as coronavirus hits

Travel restrictions and a slump in demand as a result of the coronavirus pandemic have forced airlines to lay off staff and cut more flights .
Ryanair is to ground the majority of its fleet , and says a full grounding of its planes `` can not be ruled out '' .
British Airways owner IAG is planning to cut capacity by at least 75 % in April and May .
EasyJet also said it may also have to ground most of its planes as a result of travel bans and falling demand .
Holiday company Tui has also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its operations , affecting `` package travel , cruises and hotel '' bookings .
Passenger numbers and bookings have plummeted in recent weeks as countries closed their borders and holiday makers cancelled trips .
`` There is no cash whatsoever coming in the doors , '' said aviation analyst John Strickland , who warned that airlines could lose money very quickly .
Mass cancellations of flights in an unprecedented situation may leave passengers unsure of their rights .
For those yet to fly out , it is relatively straightforward - you should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some cases , the option to rebook for another date .
If this is part of a package holiday , then the entire cost of the holiday will be refunded .
A separate hotel booking will require a call to the hotel , asking for leeway , or perhaps a travel insurance claim if the policy covers you .
For those trying to get home , an airline has a duty of care to get you back if they have cancelled your flight .
This may mean flying with another airline or putting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If an extra overnight stay is required , the airline should pay for that as well as the food you need .
However , for those who accept a refund for a cancelled return flight , the airline 's duty of care ends at that point .
You would then have to get yourself home , which could be difficult given the current restrictions .
Consumer organisation Which ?
has called on airlines and holiday firms to give clear , fast advice to customers as the situation changes .
IAG boss Willie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down this month , will now stay in his post to manage the crisis .
`` We have seen a substantial decline in bookings across our airlines and global network over the past few weeks and we expect demand to remain weak until well into the summer , '' he said .
`` We are therefore making significant reductions to our flying schedules , '' he said , adding that the group had the flexibility to make further cuts if necessary .
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary complained that governments had imposed travel restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zero notice '' .
`` We are organising rescue flights to repatriate customers , even in those countries where travel bans have been imposed , '' he said .
EasyJet said it had cancelled a `` further significant '' number of flights .
`` These actions will continue on a rolling basis for the foreseeable future and could result in the grounding of the majority of the EasyJet fleet , '' it said .
The announcements hit the airlines ' share prices , with EasyJet , Ryanair and IAG all trading down by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of job cuts in 'survival ' letter to staff • Norwegian to suspend half its staff as virus spreads EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren called for government intervention to support the aviation industry .
`` European aviation faces a precarious future and it is clear that co-ordinated government backing will be required to ensure the industry survives and is able to continue to operate when the crisis is over , '' he said .
The boss of BA had already told staff that it planned to ground flights `` like never before '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
In a memo to staff titled `` The Survival of British Airways '' , Alex Cruz warned that the airline industry was facing a `` crisis of global proportions '' that was worse than that caused by the Sars virus or 9/11 .
IAG - which also owns Iberia and Aer Lingus - said it had suspended flights to China , reduced capacity on Asian routes , cancelled all flights to , from and within Italy as well as making other changes to its network .
Meanwhile , bosses at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prime minister to ask for emergency financial measures for airlines in the UK .
The company will be significantly affected by US travel restrictions , which will hit all transatlantic routes from Tuesday .
Should the government bail British airlines out ?
The coronavirus has hit them hard and Virgin Atlantic , the airline founded and still part-owned by Sir Richard Branson , has called for government cash - support totalling perhaps £7.5bn to tide the sector over .
But airlines are not speaking with one voice .
IAG , the owner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked for a bailout , and this morning went out of its way to point to its substantial cash reserves - more than £9bn in total .
A senior source at IAG told me that there were `` better uses '' for taxpayer 's money than bailing out airlines - a thinly-veiled jibe at Virgin Atlantic .
IAG 's chief executive , Willie Walsh , was vociferous in his opposition to a bail out for Flybe , and it 's clear he will also fight a handout for Virgin Atlantic , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of Heathrow .
What will the government do ?
A one-off intervention to save a single airline would be unusual , but airline experts say across the board help - the suspension of air passenger duty and time to pay on National Insurance and tax - are likely .
Aviation analyst Mr Strickland said cancelling flights meant airlines had no cash coming in whatsoever .
`` People are understandably not booking for flights in the weeks and months ahead , '' he told the BBC .
`` Even those booking that were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of course , have been cancelled . ''
He described the reduction in operations as `` stunning '' , warning that `` airlines can bleed very , very quickly '' .
`` Stemming the blood loss ... by cancelling flights and parking aircraft is one thing , but airlines are both capital and labour intensive so there has to be support of the costs that can not be avoided even if an airline is grounded , '' Mr Strickland said .
Over the weekend , Scandinavian airline SAS said it would temporarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for commercial aviation improved .
As a result , the airline said it would temporarily lay off up to 10,000 employees , or 90 % of its total workforce .
Last week , Norwegian airlines said it would cancel 4,000 flights and temporarily lay off about half of its staff because of the coronavirus outbreak .
Aviation analyst Chris Tarry told the BBC those kind of staff reductions could lead to a permanent change .
`` We are going to see shrinkage , '' he told the BBC 's Today programme .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ redundancies then we move into the next stage of that , which is permanent reductions . ''

Coronavirus: More flights cancelled by Virgin, Ryanair and others Published 16 March 2020
Image source, Getty Images
Travel restrictions and a slump in demand due to the coronavirus have forced airlines to cancel most flights and temporarily reduce staff.
Virgin Atlantic will cut four-fifths of its flights and has asked staff to take eight weeks of unpaid leave.
Ryanair and EasyJet are grounding most of their fleets, while BA owner IAG is to cut capacity by 75%.
Norwegian Air has cancelled thousands of flights and will temporarily lay off more than 7,500 staff.
Holiday company Tui has said it will suspend the "majority" of its operations, affecting "package travel, cruises and hotel" bookings.
Passenger numbers and bookings have plummeted in recent weeks as countries closed their borders and holiday makers cancelled trips.
What do I need to know about the coronavirus?
Forecasts by the research firm Centre for Aviation now predict that most airlines in the world will be bankrupt by the end of May unless they receive financial support.
"Coordinated government and industry action is needed - now - if catastrophe is to be avoided," the firm said in a statement. "Demand is drying up in ways that are completely unprecedented. Normality is not yet on the horizon."
In the US, airlines are in talks with the government about rescue funding, after announcing dramatic cuts to flight schedules and other measures. They are seeking up to $50bn in aid, according to the Wall Street Journal.
In the UK, Virgin Atlantic has asked the government for support for the sector, including emergency credit of up to £7.5bn.
EasyJet Chief Executive Johan Lundgren also called for government intervention to support the aviation industry. "European aviation faces a precarious future and it is clear that co-ordinated government backing will be required to ensure the industry survives and is able to continue to operate when the crisis is over," he said.
Airline cuts
Virgin said that it was going to reduce its services to focus on "core routes". Its London Heathrow-Newark route will be cut immediately.
The airline will also ask staff to take eight weeks unpaid leave over the next three months, with the cost spread over six months' salary.
Virgin said it was doing this to avoid job losses, although it is also offering a voluntary redundancy package to all employees.
Norwegian Air's temporary reduction in staff numbers will affect pilots, cabin crew and maintenance workers, roughly equalling 90% of its workforce.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The coronavirus outbreak has had a severe impact on demand for air travel
Over the weekend, Scandinavian airline SAS said it would temporarily halt most of its flights until conditions for commercial aviation improved.
As a result, the airline said it would temporarily lay off up to 10,000 employees, or 90% of its workforce.
IAG, which owns British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus, said it had suspended flights to China, reduced capacity on Asian routes, cancelled all flights to, from and within Italy as well as making other changes to its network.
"There is no cash whatsoever coming in the doors," said aviation analyst John Strickland, who warned that airlines could lose money very quickly, despite such drastic measures.
Mr Strickland described the reduction in airlines' operations as "stunning", warning that airlines can lose money "very, very quickly".
Stemming the loss by cancelling flights and parking aircraft is one thing, he said, "but airlines are both capital and labour intensive so there has to be support of the costs that cannot be avoided even if an airline is grounded".
Willie Walsh, chief executive of IAG, said he expects demand to remain weak well into the summer. BA's boss sent a memo to staff last week questioning the airline's survival if it did not make urgent changes.
EasyJet said it had cancelled a "further significant" number of flights. "These actions will continue on a rolling basis for the foreseeable future and could result in the grounding of the majority of the EasyJet fleet," it said.
What happens if your flight is cancelled?
Mass cancellations of flights in an unprecedented situation may leave passengers unsure of their rights.
For those yet to fly out, it is relatively straightforward - you should be given a refund or, in some cases, the option to rebook for another date.
If this is part of a package holiday, then the entire cost of the holiday will be refunded. A separate hotel booking will require a call to the hotel, asking for leeway, or perhaps a travel insurance claim if the policy covers you.
For those trying to get home, an airline has a duty of care to get you back if they have cancelled your flight. This may mean flying with another airline or putting you on a different mode of transport. If an extra overnight stay is required, the airline should pay for that as well as the food you need.
However, for those who accept a refund for a cancelled return flight, the airline's duty of care ends at that point. You would then have to get yourself home, which could be difficult given the current restrictions.
Consumer organisation Which? has called on airlines and holiday firms to give clear, fast advice to customers as the situation changes.
Have you been affected by travel upheaval as a result of coronavirus? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.


bbc--2020-03-16--Mumbai is India's most 'forgetful' city, says Uber

Mumbai is India 's most `` forgetful '' city , according to Uber 's Lost & Found Index 2020 , followed by Kolkata ( formerly Calcutta ) and Allahabad .
This is an annual database compiled by the cab aggregator , based on what passengers in different countries leave behind in Uber 's taxis .
Phones top the list in India , which also includes items as unusual as artificial acrylic teeth .
Uber found 3 August 2019 to be the `` most forgetful '' day in its survey .
India 's capital , Delhi , ranked fourth among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the southern city of Bangalore at number 5 .
• Are Uber and millennials behind India 's auto slump ?
The list of the top 20 most unique lost items also includes mangoes , safari suits , brooms , military shoes and copies of Becoming , Michelle Obama 's memoir .
Uber found that Thursdays and Fridays are the most `` forgetful '' days of the week , and afternoons - between 13:00 and 15:00 - are the most likely hours when people lose things .
The data suggests that people are most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturdays and Sundays , and their lunch boxes on Tuesdays , Wednesdays and Thursdays .
Ever lost something during an Uber ride ?
Here 's how you can find it .

Uber found that Thursdays and Fridays are the most "forgetful" days of the week, and afternoons - between 13:00 and 15:00 - are the most likely hours when people lose things.


bbc--2020-03-16--Islamic State: US military says RAF airstrikes may have killed civilians

There is `` credible '' evidence British airstrikes against the Islamic State group have killed civilians in Iraq and Syria , the US military has said .
The Ministry of Defence has continued to deny American reports that some RAF airstrikes against IS have harmed civilians .
The RAF has deployed 4,409 bombs and missiles in the five-year war with IS .
The MoD 's approach to identifying civilian casualties has been described as `` not fit for purpose '' .
Airwars , a group which has been monitoring the bombing campaign and its impact on civilians , has obtained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European nations in which at least 40 civilians were killed .
The UK has admitted the RAF was involved in three of the strikes but still insists no civilians were killed .
One of the incidents involving the RAF was investigated by the BBC in 2018 after a whistleblower inside the US-led anti-IS coalition reported civilian deaths .
The coalition now confirms two civilians were killed .
• Who will help rebuild the former 'capital ' of IS ?
• UK urged to take back IS 'foreign fighters' • Can civilian deaths be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The MoD claims it has killed 3,964 IS fighters and injured 298 .
But so far it has accepted responsibility for just one civilian casualty - and none in the heavily-bombed cities of Raqqa and Mosul , where thousands of civilians are believed to have died .
Airwars has documented reports of nearly 30,000 civilian deaths across Iraq and Syria since 2014 .
So far the coalition has accepted responsibility for 1,300 , the vast majority killed as a result of US airstrikes .
Chris Woods , the director of Airwars , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has determined these three RAF strikes to be credible events is very significant . ''
What are the details of the three RAF strikes ?
The MoD said an RAF Tornado hit a truck bomb .
The BBC visited the site in 2018 after being told of likely civilian casualties by a whistleblower inside the coalition .
At the time the MoD said all those killed were `` highly likely '' IS fighters .
But following the BBC investigation the US now says : `` Two civilians were unintentionally killed . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enemy fighters using a mortar system in a building .
Airwars documented numerous reports from the ground of as many as 10 civilians killed - including a father and his young daughter , Walid Awad Al Qus and Limar Awad Al Qus .
The MoD said it has seen no evidence of civilian casualties .
But the US military said : `` Regrettably 12 civilians were unintentionally killed and six were unintentionally injured as a result of the blast . ''
The MoD said an RAF Reaper fired a hellfire missile at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to be diverted in flight when another individual appeared in the target zone .
The unintended target was killed but the MoD said further analysis showed him to be carrying a weapon and he was `` very likely '' to have been an extremist .
The US report stated : `` Regrettably one civilian was unintentionally killed . ''
The US-led coalition against IS has relied heavily on aerial footage to assess whether civilians have been killed in airstrikes .
That footage is not always conclusive .
Aerial reconnaissance can not , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be hiding in a building or be buried by rubble .
Coalition members said they had made their assessments on a `` balance of probabilities '' .
But Airwars said the MoD has set the burden of proof so high that it is `` effectively impossible for the UK military to admit any civilian casualties , even when their closest military ally believes the opposite '' .
The BBC has spoken to several senior US officers within the coalition .
A number have confirmed the UK , along with other coalition partners , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incidents in which airstrikes may have led to civilian harm .
On each occasion the RAF concluded there was no such evidence .
But one senior US officer told the BBC the RAF was `` looking for certainty '' of allegations of civilian harm , often when there was none .
The MoD has not visited a single site in Iraq or Syria to investigate allegations of civilian casualties from the ground .
In a statement the MoD said it examined all evidence available , but has `` seen nothing that indicates civilian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always seek to minimise the risk of civilian casualties through our rigorous targeting process , but that risk can never be removed entirely , particularly given the ruthless and inhumane behaviour of the adversary , including the deliberate use of human shields , '' the statement said .
Justin Bronk , a research fellow specialising in combat airpower at the Royal United Services Institute , said for the MoD `` the absence of evidence has been represented as being evidence of absence of civilian casualties '' .
He believes that early on in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engagement - agreed by ministers - led to an unrealistic expectation of zero civilian casualties .
Airwars is now calling for a major overhaul in the way the MoD tracks civilian casualties to bring it in line with Pentagon policies .
Unlike the UK , the US military has a team of specialist military personnel who track and investigate allegations of civilian casualties .
The Pentagon is also required by Congress to publish details of any civilian deaths caused by US military action .
The Chilcot Report into the Iraq war , published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do more to accurately track civilian casualties .
It concluded that after the invasion in 2003 `` the government 's consideration of the issue of Iraqi civilian casualties was driven by its concern to rebut accusations that coalition forces were responsible for the deaths of large numbers of civilians , and to sustain domestic support for operations in Iraq '' .
In the fight against IS the RAF have been instrumental in defeating a brutal enemy .
But there is little evidence that it has improved the way it tracks potential civilian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said : `` We 're frustrated both by the MoD 's poor understanding of the real impact of its airstrikes on civilian populations and and apparent lack of interest to fix this serious problem . ''

"We always seek to minimise the risk of civilian casualties through our rigorous targeting process, but that risk can never be removed entirely, particularly given the ruthless and inhumane behaviour of the adversary, including the deliberate use of human shields," the statement said.


bbc--2020-03-16--The Cashmere crisis in the Himalayan ice desert

British photographer Andrew Newey has documented the lives of the Changpa nomads in Kashmir , examining the threats to their Pashmina wool production .
Andrew Newey spent two weeks with the Changpa nomads in freezing conditions in Ladakh , in India-administered Kashmir .
To accompany his photo series , Newey also learned about the history of Pashmina wool production , and the threats to the nomadic shepherds ' way of life and traditions .
He explains in his own words : `` At an altitude of more than 14,000ft , where winter temperatures can fall to -40 degrees Celsius , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything can survive in this vast ice desert that is the Changthang Plateau .
`` Situated between the Himalayan and Karakorum mountain ranges , it is the highest permanently inhabited plateau in the world , and home to an extremely hardy and rare breed of goat - the Changra , or Pashmina goat .
`` The high altitude , freezing temperatures and harsh bitter winds in this unforgiving mountainous region are essential to stimulate the growth of the goats ' super-soft undercoat .
`` The fibres measure a mere eight to 10 microns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times finer than human hair and eight times warmer than sheep wool .
`` This luxurious fibre is known the world over as Pashmina , the softest and most expensive type of Cashmere wool in the world .
`` For centuries the Changpa nomads , who themselves are as hardy as their animals , have roamed 'the roof of the world ' , moving their herds of yak , sheep and goats along traditional migratory routes in this high altitude desert every few months , in search of fresh grazing pastures .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very much under threat from climate change , fake Pashmina imports from China , the need for better education and the desire simply for an easier and more comfortable life .
`` The nomads and scientists alike are adamant that climate change is the biggest threat to Pashmina production in the region .
`` The Changthang plateau does not usually get much snowfall , and if it does , it begins in January or February .
`` However , for the last few years it has been increasingly heavy , starting as early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As a result , food supplements have to be brought in to prevent the animals dying from starvation .
Also , the winters have been getting warmer , which has reduced the quality and quantity of the valuable Pashmina wool .
`` Cashmere is expensive , and rightly so .
The Changpa carefully comb the hair during the spring moulting season to harvest the downy undercoat , and then the good fibre is laboriously separated from the bad by hand .
`` Once the fibres are manually sorted , cleaned and hand-spun , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is equally demanding and painstaking .
`` It takes several months to a year for highly skilled artisans to work their magic on wooden looms and weave a masterpiece which will be exported around the world , selling for between £150 ( $ 200 ) and £1,500 ( $ 2,000 ) by luxury retailers .
`` Another issue of concern is the increasing number of snow leopards in the region , putting their animals at increasing risk of attack .
This is a result of the successful conservation efforts over the last decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would mean the end of the livelihoods of about 300,000 people in the Jammu and Kashmir state who , directly or indirectly , depend on Pashmina .
`` It would also mean an end to the unique culture of the Changpas ; most of them are followers of Tibetan Buddhism , and have an elaborate set of customs centred around their livestock . ''

He explains in his own words: "At an altitude of more than 14,000ft, where winter temperatures can fall to -40 degrees Celsius, it is hard to believe anyone or anything can survive in this vast ice desert that is the Changthang Plateau.


bbc--2020-03-16--The 'climate doomers' preparing for society to fall apart

An article by a British professor that predicts the imminent collapse of society , as a result of climate change , has been downloaded over half a million times .
Many mainstream climate scientists totally reject his claims , but his followers are already preparing for the worst .
As the last light of the late-winter sunset illuminates her suburban back garden , Rachel Ingrams is looking at the sky and pondering how long we have left .
Her hands shielded from the gusts of February air by a well-worn pair of gardening gloves , Rachel carefully places tree spinach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pots .
Over the past year , Rachel , 45 , has invested in a greenhouse and four bright blue water butts , and started building a raised vegetable patch out of planks of wood .
It 's all part of an effort to rewild her garden and become as close to self-sufficient as she can , while society continues to function .
Within the next five to 10 years , she says , climate change is going to cause it to fall apart .
`` I do n't see things lasting any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evening , after picking up her children from school and returning to their former council house , she spends about two hours working outside .
`` I find the more I do it , the less anxious I am , '' she says .
`` It 's better than just sitting in the living room looking at the news and thinking , 'Oh God , climate change is happening , what do we do ? '
'' Rachel is unsure about how much to tell her three daughters .
`` I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we wo n't be here , '' she tells me .
`` But they do accept that food will be difficult to find . ''
Every six weeks , she takes her two youngest daughters on an 450-mile round trip from their home in Sheffield to an organic farm in South Wales , where they learn how to forage for food .
It 's vital for them to learn `` skills we 'll be able to use in the natural world when all our systems have broken down , '' she says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're learning in school is the right stuff any more , given what we 're facing .
They need to be learning permaculture [ self-sufficient agriculture ] and other stuff , ancient stuff that we 've forgotten how to do .
We just go to Tesco . ''
But she 's not at all confident her efforts will make much difference , in the long run .
`` I do n't think we can save the human race , '' she says , `` but hopefully we can leave the planet with some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago , a video of a talk by a British professor called Jem Bendell appeared on Rachel 's Twitter feed .
`` As soon as I saw it , everything seemed to make sense in a terrifying way , '' Rachel says .
`` It felt like a bolt from the blue : 'We 're all going to die . '
I felt it in my bones that we are at the beginning of the end . ''
Bendell , a professor in sustainable leadership at the University of Cumbria , is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adaptation : A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy , which has become the closest thing to a manifesto for a generation of self-described `` climate doomers '' .
In it , he argues that it is too late for us to avoid `` the inevitability of societal collapse '' caused by climate change .
Instead , we are facing a `` near-term '' breakdown of civilisation - near-term meaning within about a decade .
The paper was rejected for publication by a peer-reviewed journal , whose reviewers said its language was `` not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is certainly unconventional , with its disturbing descriptions of what 's to come .
`` You wo n't know whether to stay or go .
You will fear being violently killed before starving to death , '' Bendell writes .
• Climate changes : Big lifestyle changes are the only answer • Where we are in seven charts and what you can do to help • What is climate change ?
A really simple guide After the journal 's rejection , in July 2018 Bendell self-published the 34-page article online .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been downloaded over half a million times , translated into a dozen languages , and sparked a global movement with thousands of followers - called Deep Adaptation , because Bendell calls on people to adapt their lifestyle to cope with the harsh conditions in his vision of the future .
But Bendell 's stark predictions have been dismissed by prominent climate scientists .
Prof Michael Mann , one of the world 's most renowned , describes Bendell 's paper as `` pseudo-scientific nonsense '' .
`` To me , the Bendell paper is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Mann says .
`` It is wrong on the science and its impacts .
There is no credible evidence that we face 'inevitable near-term collapse ' . ''
What 's more , Mann claims , Bendell 's `` doomist framing '' is `` disabling '' and will `` lead us down the very same path of inaction as outright climate change denial .
Fossil fuel interests love this framing . ''
Bendell is , he says , `` a poster child for the dangerous new strain of crypto-denialism '' .
Myles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Oxford , is just as critical .
`` Predictions of societal collapse in the next few years as a result of climate change seem very far-fetched , '' he tells me .
`` So far , the system 's responded to greenhouse gas emissions almost exactly as predicted .
So to say it 's about to change and become much worse is speculation .
`` Honestly this kind of material is at the level of science of the anti-vax campaign . ''
Allen agrees with Mann that the paper 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerless .
`` Lots of people are using this kind of catastrophism to argue that there 's no point in reducing emissions , '' he says .
Bendell rejects the scientists ' claims and says people have been inspired by his paper to demand radical government measures to tackle climate change .
`` I hope Michael Mann gets to meet some more climate activists on the streets , so he can meet the new breed of fearless people taking peaceful direct action after being moved by uncompromising assessments of our situation , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders of Extinction Rebellion read my paper and quit their jobs to go full time to try to reduce harm and save what we can . ''
Other climate scientists say they have more time for Bendell .
`` With global emissions continuing to rise , and no signs that the Paris targets will be respected , Jem Bendell has some justification in taking the strong position that it is already too late and we 'd better prepare to deal with the collapse of the globalised economic system , '' says Prof Will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council .
`` Jem may , in fact , be 'ahead of the game ' in warning us about what we might need to prepare for . ''
He adds that there is a `` credible risk '' that even a 2C rise in global average temperatures above pre-industrial levels could initiate a `` a tipping cascade ... taking our climate system out of our control and on to a Hothouse Earth state '' .
`` I ca n't say for sure that Jem Bendell is right… but we certainly ca n't rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forecasts and direct language , Bendell 's paper has had an electrifying effect on many who have read it .
Almost 10,000 people have joined a `` Positive Deep Adaptation '' Facebook group and about 3,000 are members of an online forum .
Here , the movement 's followers exchange ideas about how they can adapt their lives , businesses and communities in accordance with Deep Adaptation doctrine .
In the paper , Bendell proposes a `` Deep Adaptation Agenda '' - a conceptual roadmap for how to cope with the economic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming our way .
He urges people to think about the aspects of our current way of life we will be able to hold on to and those we will have to let go of , referring to these two ideas as Resilience and Relinquishment .
He also talks about a third R , Restoration , which refers to old skills and habits that we will have to bring back .
For some , such as Rachel , `` restoration '' means rewilding their gardens and local neighbourhoods , learning foraging skills and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without electricity .
For others it 's about leaving the city or heavily populated areas of the country and heading for the hills .
Lionel Kirbyshire , a 60-year-old former chemicals engineer , says he began getting deeply worried about the climate a few years ago .
He read , among other things , some of the writings of Guy MacPherson , a controversial American scientist unaffiliated to Deep Adaptation , who predicts humans will be extinct by 2030 .
His head was soon `` boiling with all this information that no-one wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a moment about a year ago when it hit me and I thought , 'We 're in big trouble , ' '' he says .
`` When you look at the whole picture it 's terrifying .
I think we 've got 10 years , but we 'll be lucky to make it . ''
A few months after reading the Deep Adaptation paper , Lionel and his wife , Jill , decided to move north .
They sold their house in densely populated Bedfordshire and relocated to a three-bedroom terraced house in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` In the back of my mind , [ I think ] when the crunch comes , there 'll be a lot of people in a small area and it 's going to be mayhem - and we 'll be safer if we move further north because it 's colder . ''
They expect their grown-up children will join them in the coming years .
In the meantime Lionel is investing in some growing boxes , in order to create raised vegetable beds in his garden , a foraging manual and water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stockpiling food but as the years go on I ca n't see us having much left . ''
Another Deep Adaptation follower , who did n't want his name to be published , told me he was planning to relocate from the South-East to the Welsh countryside .
`` The basic things we 'll need will be food , water and shelter , '' he says .
He plans to live off-grid , either joining an existing eco-community or `` going it alone '' with like-minded friends in a house clad with straw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is n't a bunker mentality of doing it yourself .
You want a mix of people with different skills , '' he says .
But he also says he has been taking crossbow lessons , `` because you never know '' .
`` It seems like a pretty useful weapon to have around to protect ourselves .
I 'd hate the thought I 'd ever have to use it but the thought of standing by and not being able to protect the ones I love is pretty horrifying . ''
Jem Bendell says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platforms ban members from discussing `` fascistic or violent approaches to the situation '' .
Though it did n't appear in Bendell 's first paper he later added a fourth R , Reconciliation , which is all about living in peace .
And when I finally get through to him , after two months of unreturned emails and conversations with his colleagues in the Deep Adaptation `` core team '' , he puts a big emphasis on love .
`` People are rising up in love in response to their despair and fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ Deep Adaptation ] seems to have reached people in all walks of life , at least in the West - heads of banks , UN agencies , European Commission divisions , political parties , religious leaders ... '' His message , he says , is one of `` putting love and truth first '' .
At present , the professor 's followers often feel that their truth they believe in is ignored and dismissed by the rest of society .
Lionel says that among people he meets `` no-one wants to talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several online groups - with names like Near-Term Human Extinction Support Group and Collapse Chronicles - where he can share his despair .
`` Sometimes I say that I 'm feeling quite low and someone will say they 're feeling the same , '' he tells me .
`` So you know you 're not in it alone . ''
Rachel tells me that she also sometimes feels isolated .
Her attempts to get her neighbours to collaborate in a community compost heap have mostly fallen on deaf ears , so she turns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find support .
`` It 's much easier when you have a group to face the tragedy unfolding before us .
If I am feeling anxious , hopeless or full of grief I can go on there and tell them how I 'm feeling .
`` There are 9,000 people all over the world , so you can post on there in the middle of the night and get support .
I post ideas about my compost bin and get lots of messages back with people being encouraging . ''
However , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the electricity is cut off , so she is learning to recite poems by heart , in case she finds herself alone , with no internet or possessions .
`` At least I 'll have something to carry with me . ''
All photographs by Jack Hunter , unless otherwise indicated You may also be interested in :

Every six weeks, she takes her two youngest daughters on an 450-mile round trip from their home in Sheffield to an organic farm in South Wales, where they learn how to forage for food. It's vital for them to learn "skills we'll be able to use in the natural world when all our systems have broken down," she says.


bbc--2020-03-16--Ethiopia's missing students: Families' pain and the unsolved mystery

`` We are grieving .
I ca n't stop thinking about her .
The entire family ca n't eat , '' a visibly pained Mare Abebe told the BBC .
She is worried about Belaynesh Mekonnen , a first-year economics student at Ethiopia 's Dembi Dolo University , who was kidnapped last December , along with 17 of her colleagues .
As Belaynesh 's guardian , Ms Mare is distraught for the girl , whom she said she had raised despite many challenges .
`` We are in pain .
She is a good girl , so caring , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is .
We do n't know whether she is alive .
`` I never thought this could happen to her , even in my dreams , '' she said , her voice cracking .
On 4 December last year , an unknown group of people blocked a bus and kidnapped students on board who were leaving for home from Dembi Dolo University in western Ethiopia .
The students , mostly ethnic Amharas , were fleeing ethnic violence and threats in the university that is located in Oromia region .
A total of 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - were ordered out of the vehicle at Sudi near Gambela city , about 100km ( 60 miles ) from Dembi Dolo .
Belaynesh was among the 17 who had been reported missing , after one of the students , Asmira Shumiye , managed to escape .
It was Asmira 's account of their kidnap and her subsequent escape that brought the matter to the public 's attention .
Asmira said the young men who kidnapped them `` looked like gangsters '' and spoke in the Afaan Oromo language .
`` They selected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bus .
One person followed us and begged them to leave us , but they refused .
She said their captors repeatedly told them that they had no problem with them ( the students ) .
`` Our problem is with the government , '' she quoted them as having said .
Their intention , she noted , was for Ethiopians to hold demonstrations to pressure the government to come and speak to them .
Inside the forest , the kidnappers kept their captives constantly on the move until some were physically exhausted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long time .
Some of the students were very tired .
They stumbled and fell .
While the abductors were trying to help some of them , I managed to run away .
They did n't notice when I left , '' she told the BBC .
After freeing herself , she spent two nights in the forest , uncertain of where she was until she came to a clearing near a main road .
`` I met an elderly man on the road .
He was alone .
He asked me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him what had happened to us and he asked me where I wanted to go .
I begged him to link me up with the federal police .
`` He made me put on his jacket and and hide under a tree .
He was saying : 'If those people [ the kidnappers ] see me , they might kill me . '
`` I was frightened .
He stood by the roadside and hailed a car for me .
Finally , I managed to go back to the city and reported to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind the kidnapping ?
It remains unclear why the students were abducted but it came at a time of rising ethnic tension in Ethiopia , especially in Oromia .
The Oromo people are the largest of the more than 80 ethnic groups in Ethiopia , constituting more than a third of the country 's 100-million-strong population .
Many ethnic Oromos accuse the government of discriminating against them and there have been attacks on members of other ethnic groups in the area .
The kidnappings had been rumoured to be linked to Oromo rebels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Kumsa Diriba , also known as Jaal Maro .
The group denies it .
Even Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appeared to be at a loss : `` When Boko Haram [ an Islamist militant group in West Africa ] abducts people , it takes responsibility and announces that they did the action , but in this case , no-one took the responsibility of the kidnap .
`` They [ kidnappers ] are unknown people .
If we could say something bad happened to [ the students ] , there is no evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in February while answering a question in parliament .
How many students are missing ?
After Asmira 's escape , it took at least a month for the government to acknowledge the issue .
In the weeks and months after the initial incident , there were protests and a social media campaign to pressure the authorities to take action .
But it had little effect .
On 6 January , the eve of Ethiopian Christmas Day , Amhara regional security head Temesgen Tiruneh finally acknowledged the issue saying : `` We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Five days later , the prime minister 's office said 21 students who had been kidnapped had been released and only six were still missing .
It is not clear why there is such a disparity in the numbers .
On 30 January , Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen said the kidnapping of the students was one of the challenges the country was facing , and they would look for a solution .
You may also be interested in : • The city cutting long hair and the internet • Why Ethiopia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still crying out for the missing students .
Perhaps alluding to what the authorities ought to have done , Amhara region 's former deputy president Lake Ayalew said : `` As a nation , we have made little effort to release the students and as a result , the problem could not be resolved quickly . ''
He was speaking in January , on the 50th day since the students went missing .
'We even do n't know whether she is alive or not' Habte Dagnew , the father of Grima Habte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in the same situation as Ms Mare .
He told the BBC that his son had called him three days after they were kidnapped , using an unfamiliar number , which he said possibly belonged to the kidnappers .
`` He did n't tell me about what situation he was in .
Maybe he was frightened .
He simply said that he was OK , and asked us to pray for him .
Since then , I have n't heard his voice and I do n't know where he is .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got sick .
She is not able to take care of our other children .
She always thinks about him .
I do n't know what to do , '' he said .
Mr Habte said he felt `` useless and powerless '' for not being able to do anything about his kidnapped son .
`` I wish I would die before him , as I do n't know where I should go and fight for him .
I have struggled a lot to raise him .
I was expecting his graduation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Zewdu Adane , another parent , said after the news of the kidnappings , he and other parents went to the town where the university is located .
He had no luck in finding his daughter , Mulu Zewdu , a second-year psychology student .
He told the BBC that everyone in his family was very worried about her .
`` Relatives , neighbours have been asking about her , but we do n't have anything to say .
We do n't know where she is , or what condition she is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether she is alive or not , '' he said .
`` We are farmers ; this is harvesting time , but we ca n't work properly , '' Mr Zewdu said .
What is the government doing ?
The Ethiopian government has met some of the parents and assured them that their children would be safely rescued .
When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met representatives of families of the missing students in late January , the parents had reason to hope that their children would be found .
He made assurances that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students from captivity .
But hope is now starting to run out .
Families are unsure what is happening , more than three months after the kidnaps were first reported .
A relative of one of the students last week told the BBC that the response from the authorities since meeting the prime minister is not what they expected .
On Twitter , Meti Shewaye Yilma directed her anger at Mr Abiy : `` You woke up knowing the whereabouts & safety of your family but not families of abducted Dembi Dollo University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woke up .
@ PMEthiopia , any news or progress on this case ?
# BringBackOurStudents The situation remains a mystery , and parents are desperate to see their children again .
`` We need our children .
We are crying every day .
We are worried about their wellbeing , '' Ms Mare said .
`` We do n't know whether they are alive or not , but we ca n't do anything unless the government returns our children or lets us know what happened to them . ''

Ethiopia's missing students: Families' pain and the unsolved mystery Published 16 March 2020
Image caption, Mare Abebe says she doesn't know whether her ward is still alive
"We are grieving. I can't stop thinking about her. The entire family can't eat," a visibly pained Mare Abebe told the BBC.
She is worried about Belaynesh Mekonnen, a first-year economics student at Ethiopia's Dembi Dolo University, who was kidnapped last December, along with 17 of her colleagues.
As Belaynesh's guardian, Ms Mare is distraught for the girl, whom she said she had raised despite many challenges.
"We are in pain. She is a good girl, so caring, but now we don't know where she is. We don't know whether she is alive.
"I never thought this could happen to her, even in my dreams," she said, her voice cracking.
On 4 December last year, an unknown group of people blocked a bus and kidnapped students on board who were leaving for home from Dembi Dolo University in western Ethiopia.
Image caption, Belaynesh has been missing since December
The students, mostly ethnic Amharas, were fleeing ethnic violence and threats in the university that is located in Oromia region.
A total of 18 students - 14 women and four men - were ordered out of the vehicle at Sudi near Gambela city, about 100km (60 miles) from Dembi Dolo.
Belaynesh was among the 17 who had been reported missing, after one of the students, Asmira Shumiye, managed to escape.
It was Asmira's account of their kidnap and her subsequent escape that brought the matter to the public's attention.
Asmira said the young men who kidnapped them "looked like gangsters" and spoke in the Afaan Oromo language.
"They selected us and forced us to leave the bus. One person followed us and begged them to leave us, but they refused.
She said their captors repeatedly told them that they had no problem with them (the students). "Our problem is with the government," she quoted them as having said.
Their intention, she noted, was for Ethiopians to hold demonstrations to pressure the government to come and speak to them.
How Asmira escaped
Inside the forest, the kidnappers kept their captives constantly on the move until some were physically exhausted.
"They made us walk for a long time. Some of the students were very tired. They stumbled and fell. While the abductors were trying to help some of them, I managed to run away. They didn't notice when I left," she told the BBC.
Amhara Mass Media Agency "I met an elderly man on the road. He was alone. He asked me why I was there... I begged him to link me up with the federal police. Asmira Shumiye
Ethiopian student who escaped from captivity
After freeing herself, she spent two nights in the forest, uncertain of where she was until she came to a clearing near a main road.
"I met an elderly man on the road. He was alone. He asked me why I was there. I told him what had happened to us and he asked me where I wanted to go. I begged him to link me up with the federal police.
"He made me put on his jacket and and hide under a tree. He was saying: 'If those people [the kidnappers] see me, they might kill me.'
"I was frightened. He stood by the roadside and hailed a car for me. Finally, I managed to go back to the city and reported to the federal police."
What is behind the kidnapping?
It remains unclear why the students were abducted but it came at a time of rising ethnic tension in Ethiopia, especially in Oromia.
The Oromo people are the largest of the more than 80 ethnic groups in Ethiopia, constituting more than a third of the country's 100-million-strong population.
Many ethnic Oromos accuse the government of discriminating against them and there have been attacks on members of other ethnic groups in the area.
The kidnappings had been rumoured to be linked to Oromo rebels fighting the government in the region led by Kumsa Diriba, also known as Jaal Maro. The group denies it.
Even Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appeared to be at a loss: "When Boko Haram [an Islamist militant group in West Africa] abducts people, it takes responsibility and announces that they did the action, but in this case, no-one took the responsibility of the kidnap.
"They [kidnappers] are unknown people. If we could say something bad happened to [the students], there is no evidence to show that," Mr Abiy said in February while answering a question in parliament.
How many students are missing?
After Asmira's escape, it took at least a month for the government to acknowledge the issue.
In the weeks and months after the initial incident, there were protests and a social media campaign to pressure the authorities to take action. But it had little effect.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Nafkot Aschenaki Allow Twitter content? This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. Accept and continue The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. End of twitter post by Nafkot Aschenaki
On 6 January, the eve of Ethiopian Christmas Day, Amhara regional security head Temesgen Tiruneh finally acknowledged the issue saying: "We are aware four students have been kidnapped." Five days later, the prime minister's office said 21 students who had been kidnapped had been released and only six were still missing.
It is not clear why there is such a disparity in the numbers.
On 30 January, Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen said the kidnapping of the students was one of the challenges the country was facing, and they would look for a solution.
You may also be interested in:
But families are still crying out for the missing students.
Perhaps alluding to what the authorities ought to have done, Amhara region's former deputy president Lake Ayalew said: "As a nation, we have made little effort to release the students and as a result, the problem could not be resolved quickly." He was speaking in January, on the 50th day since the students went missing.
'We even don't know whether she is alive or not'
Habte Dagnew, the father of Grima Habte, a third-year mechanical engineering student, is in the same situation as Ms Mare.
He told the BBC that his son had called him three days after they were kidnapped, using an unfamiliar number, which he said possibly belonged to the kidnappers.
Image caption, Mr Habte feels powerless for not being able to do anything about his missing son.
"He didn't tell me about what situation he was in. Maybe he was frightened. He simply said that he was OK, and asked us to pray for him. Since then, I haven't heard his voice and I don't know where he is.
"Where should I go? His mother got sick. She is not able to take care of our other children. She always thinks about him. I don't know what to do," he said.
Mr Habte said he felt "useless and powerless" for not being able to do anything about his kidnapped son.
"I wish I would die before him, as I don't know where I should go and fight for him. I have struggled a lot to raise him. I was expecting his graduation and his future success," he said.
Zewdu Adane, another parent, said after the news of the kidnappings, he and other parents went to the town where the university is located.
He had no luck in finding his daughter, Mulu Zewdu, a second-year psychology student.
He told the BBC that everyone in his family was very worried about her.
"Relatives, neighbours have been asking about her, but we don't have anything to say. We don't know where she is, or what condition she is in. We even don't know whether she is alive or not," he said.
"We are farmers; this is harvesting time, but we can't work properly," Mr Zewdu said.
What is the government doing?
The Ethiopian government has met some of the parents and assured them that their children would be safely rescued.
When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met representatives of families of the missing students in late January, the parents had reason to hope that their children would be found.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Abiy Ahmed has been accused of not doing enough to find the students
He made assurances that something was being done to rescue the students from captivity.
But hope is now starting to run out. Families are unsure what is happening, more than three months after the kidnaps were first reported.
A relative of one of the students last week told the BBC that the response from the authorities since meeting the prime minister is not what they expected.
On Twitter, Meti Shewaye Yilma directed her anger at Mr Abiy: "You woke up knowing the whereabouts & safety of your family but not families of abducted Dembi Dollo University students. God knows how the students woke up. @PMEthiopia, any news or progress on this case? #BringBackOurStudents
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post 2 by መቲ Meti Shewaye Yilma Allow Twitter content? This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. Accept and continue The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. End of twitter post 2 by መቲ Meti Shewaye Yilma
The situation remains a mystery, and parents are desperate to see their children again.
"We need our children. We are crying every day. We are worried about their wellbeing," Ms Mare said.


bbc--2020-03-16--The Boss: 'I embraced being a feminist boss'

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 , who at 34 years old 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important .
So , 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , aged 28 , 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of press reports 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to become an entrepreneur .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` 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 .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a fashion buyer , 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She would conduct online 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least I could 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 big challenge was 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The business eventually attracted 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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draws on people 's need for convenience . ''
Katrina , who 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--Premier League Hall of Fame ceremony cancelled

The inaugural Premier League Hall of Fame ceremony has been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak .
Two players were @ @ @ @ @ Thursday 's event in London and a shortlist of nominees for future inclusion , voted @ @ @ @ @ also to be announced .
The Premier League is yet to announce plans for revealing @ @ @ @ @ football in Britain has been suspended until at least 3 April as a result of @ @ @ @ @ Premier League clubs are set to meet on Thursday to discuss potential ways forward in @ @ @ @ @ European football 's governing body , making its own plans clear on Tuesday .
The @ @ @ @ @ League Hall of Fame was announced last month .
Candidates must have retired and only @ @ @ @ @ career is considered .
A separate English Football Hall of Fame has existed since 2002 @ @ @ @ @ National Football Museum .

Last updated on .From the section Premier League
Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry is among the favourites for induction into the Premier League Hall of Fame
The inaugural Premier League Hall of Fame ceremony has been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Two players were set to be inducted at Thursday's event in London and a shortlist of nominees for future inclusion, voted for by fans, was also to be announced.
The Premier League is yet to announce plans for revealing their names.
All elite football in Britain has been suspended until at least 3 April as a result of the spread of coronavirus.
Premier League clubs are set to meet on Thursday to discuss potential ways forward in the wake of Uefa, European football's governing body, making its own plans clear on Tuesday.
The setting up of the Premier League Hall of Fame was announced last month.
Candidates must have retired and only a player's Premier League career is considered.


bbc--2020-03-16--Future of rugby league as a sport 'on the line' - Saints chairman McManus

Rugby league as a sport `` may go out of existence '' unless the government steps in with support to help them through the coronavirus outbreak , according to St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus .
Super League clubs will meet the Rugby Football League on Monday to discuss the situation after most league and cup games went ahead at the weekend .
Among the options are playing behind closed doors or postponing the league .
`` Government has to look at a degree of support for our sport , '' said McManus .
`` There 's huge financial implications , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the line , '' he told BBC Radio Four 's Today programme .
`` We 're different to soccer , probably different to rugby union , we 're at the beginning of our season , this is open-ended both in time and terms of quantum , no-one knows the full extent of it . ''
McManus says any cut to the money Super League is paid by broadcasters could threaten every single club .
`` St Helens is probably in the best financial position of any rugby club in the country of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We 've got our own stadium , we 've not got a penny of debt , we 're profitable , but we have a very high cost base , and if your income evaporates overnight - and that could well happen - certainly the match day income will . ''
Reigning Super League champions Saints were beaten 28-14 by Castleford on Sunday , with Cas coach Daryl Powell acknowledging the difficult situation after his side 's win .
`` There 's an eerie feeling around everywhere .
It will be the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` We have to try and found a way of managing it best that we can .
Nobody knows where it 's going to take us over the next weeks and months . ''
The only top-flight fixture not played over the weekend was Leeds ' trip to Catalans Dragons after the Rhinos opted not to travel to Perpignan for their Super League game on Saturday .
`` This sport has shown itself to be resilient over the last 125 years and hopefully we 're going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and find some ways forward , '' RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer said on Sunday .
`` We face a test , as does the rest of the country .
`` In any modelling that we do going forward we have to consider player welfare issues , competition integrity issues and keeping the clubs solvent . ''

Eamonn McManus says clubs could be financial strife quickly if broadcasting money stops
Rugby league as a sport "may go out of existence" unless the government steps in with support to help them through the coronavirus outbreak, according to St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus.
Super League clubs will meet the Rugby Football League on Monday to discuss the situation after most league and cup games went ahead at the weekend.
Among the options are playing behind closed doors or postponing the league.
"Government has to look at a degree of support for our sport," said McManus.
"There's huge financial implications, the very existence of our sport is on the line," he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.
"We're different to soccer, probably different to rugby union, we're at the beginning of our season, this is open-ended both in time and terms of quantum, no-one knows the full extent of it."
McManus says any cut to the money Super League is paid by broadcasters could threaten every single club.
"St Helens is probably in the best financial position of any rugby club in the country of either code," he said.
"We've got our own stadium, we've not got a penny of debt, we're profitable, but we have a very high cost base, and if your income evaporates overnight - and that could well happen - certainly the match day income will."
Two Super League games and seven Challenge Cup fifth-round ties were played across Friday and Sunday, with Leeds' scheduled trip to Catalans Dragons the only game to be postponed after the Rhinos decided not to travel on Friday when one of their players showed symptoms of the coronavirus but subsequently tested negative.
Late on Sunday, Toronto Wolfpack head coach Brian McDermott said four of his players were self-isolating after experiencing mild coronavirus symptoms and the club were "waiting for a directive from the League's governors".
"We take this very seriously and as a precaution, we have stood down our entire playing staff in the UK," McDermott added in a statement.
The Wolfpack were scheduled to play Wakefield Trinity at York City's Bootham Crescent ground on Sunday.
'We face a test'
'Challenging times ahead' for rugby league - RFL's Mark Foster
Reigning Super League champions Saints were beaten 28-14 by Castleford on Sunday, with Cas coach Daryl Powell acknowledging the difficult situation after his side's win.
"There's an eerie feeling around everywhere. It will be the same for everybody, it will be difficult," he said.
"We have to try and find a way of managing it best that we can. Nobody knows where it's going to take us over the next weeks and months."
The only top-flight fixture not played over the weekend was Leeds' trip to Catalans Dragons after the Rhinos opted not to travel to Perpignan for their Super League game on Saturday.
"This sport has shown itself to be resilient over the last 125 years and hopefully we're going to be very collegiate over the next couple of days and find some ways forward," RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer said on Sunday.
"We face a test, as does the rest of the country.
"In any modelling that we do going forward we have to consider player welfare issues, competition integrity issues and keeping the clubs solvent."
Casty says he 'will not travel'
Catalans Dragons captain Remi Casty has said he plans to self-isolate and has informed the club he will not attend training sessions.
"I'm not sick, I'm not afraid of being either, but I don't want to catch this virus and pass it on to someone more fragile," Casty told the Perpignan-based L'Independent newspaper.
"You have to be responsible for your actions, it is not a simple flu, we have never known a health crisis of this magnitude.
"I have just warned my team-mates and the staff that I will not be present tomorrow (Monday) in training. I made this decision and I will stick to it."
Les Dracs are scheduled to play Wigan at the DW Stadium on Sunday.


bbc--2020-03-15--Footballers treated as coronavirus 'guinea pigs' - Rooney

Wayne Rooney says the government and football authorities have treated footballers as `` guinea pigs '' during the coronavirus outbreak .
Elite football in Britain has been suspended until at least 3 April , with the Premier League saying `` conditions at the time '' will determine its return .
`` For players , staff and their families it has been a worrying week , '' he said .
`` One in which you felt a lack of leadership from the government and from the FA and Premier League . ''
Writing in his column in the Sunday Times , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The rest of sport - tennis , Formula 1 , rugby , golf , football in other countries - was closing down and we were being told to carry on .
`` I think a lot of footballers were wondering , 'Is it something to do with money being involved in this ? '
.
Why did we wait until Friday ?
Why did it take Mikel Arteta [ Arsenal manager ] to get ill for the game in England to do the right thing ?
`` After the emergency meeting , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until then it almost felt like footballers in England were being treated like guinea pigs .
`` I know how I feel .
If any of my family get infected through me because I 've had to play when it 's not safe , and they get seriously ill , I 'd have to think hard about ever playing again .
I would never forgive the authorities . ''
Now , 34 the former Everton and Manchester United player is just over two months into his time as a player-coach at Championship club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points off a play-off berth in the second tier with nine games of the season remaining , and Rooney believes there will have to be a radical restructure of the football calendar to allow fixtures to be fulfilled .
`` We 're happy to play until September if the season extends to then , if that 's how it has to be .
That 's our job , '' Rooney added .
`` As long as we know we 're safe to play and it 's a safe environment for spectators , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cup is in November and December 2022 , so you could actually use this situation as an opportunity and say we 're going to finish the 2019-20 season later this year , then prepare for 2022 by having the next two seasons starting in winter . ''
World greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have led the way as footballers have sent their thoughts and best wishes to the world at large during the coronavirus outbreak .
In a post on Instagram , Messi said : `` They are complicated days for everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is happening and we want to help putting ourselves in the place of those who are having the worst of it , either because it directly affected them or their family and friends , or because they are working on the frontline to combat it in hospitals and health centres .
`` I want to send a lot of strength to all of them .
Health must always come first .
It is an exceptional moment and you must follow the instructions of both health organisations and public authorities .
`` Only in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is the time to be responsible and stay at home , it is also perfect to enjoy that time with yours that you can not always have .
A hug and hopefully we can turn this situation around as soon as possible . ''

Wayne Rooney joined Derby in January after signing an 18-month deal
Wayne Rooney says the government and football authorities have treated footballers as "guinea pigs" during the coronavirus outbreak.
Elite football in Britain has been suspended until at least 3 April, with the Premier League saying "conditions at the time" will determine its return.
"For players, staff and their families it has been a worrying week," he said.
"One in which you felt a lack of leadership from the government and from the FA and Premier League."
Writing in his column in the Sunday Times external-link , the former England captain said: "The rest of sport - tennis, Formula 1, rugby, golf, football in other countries - was closing down and we were being told to carry on.
"I think a lot of footballers were wondering, 'Is it something to do with money being involved in this?'. Why did we wait until Friday? Why did it take Mikel Arteta [Arsenal manager] to get ill for the game in England to do the right thing?
"After the emergency meeting, at last the right decision was made - until then it almost felt like footballers in England were being treated like guinea pigs.
"I know how I feel. If any of my family get infected through me because I've had to play when it's not safe, and they get seriously ill, I'd have to think hard about ever playing again. I would never forgive the authorities."
Now, 34 the former Everton and Manchester United player is just over two months into his time as a player-coach at Championship club Derby.
The Rams are currently five points off a play-off berth in the second tier with nine games of the season remaining, and Rooney believes there will have to be a radical restructure of the football calendar to allow fixtures to be fulfilled.
"We're happy to play until September if the season extends to then, if that's how it has to be. That's our job," Rooney added.
"As long as we know we're safe to play and it's a safe environment for spectators, we'll play.
"The next World Cup is in November and December 2022, so you could actually use this situation as an opportunity and say we're going to finish the 2019-20 season later this year, then prepare for 2022 by having the next two seasons starting in winter."
Footballers' messages of solidarity
World greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have led the way as footballers have sent their thoughts and best wishes to the world at large during the coronavirus outbreak.
In a post on Instagram, Messi said: "They are complicated days for everyone.
"We live worried about what is happening and we want to help putting ourselves in the place of those who are having the worst of it, either because it directly affected them or their family and friends, or because they are working on the frontline to combat it in hospitals and health centres.
"I want to send a lot of strength to all of them. Health must always come first. It is an exceptional moment and you must follow the instructions of both health organisations and public authorities.
"Only in this way can we combat it effectively. It is the time to be responsible and stay at home, it is also perfect to enjoy that time with yours that you can not always have. A hug and hopefully we can turn this situation around as soon as possible."


bbc--2020-03-16--Coronavirus: Trump says coronavirus crisis may last all summer

US President Donald Trump has said the nationwide coronavirus emergency could last until the end of the summer or even longer .
He said Americans over the next 15 days should not gather in groups of more than 10 and avoid bars , restaurants , food courts , gyms and crowds .
At the White House , Mr Trump said the country is facing `` an invisible enemy '' that is `` so contagious '' .
The US has so far had more than 4,200 cases of the virus and 74 deaths .
There have been more than 174,000 confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths , according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University .
What are the new US guidelines ?
Under the US coronavirus task force 's other new guidelines announced by Mr Trump on Monday : • All older Americans are urged to stay home , while work and schooling for everyone should be from home • Discretionary travel , shopping trips and social visits should be avoided and people should stay away from nursing homes or retirement facilities • Anyone in a household who tests positive for the virus should remain at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We 've made the decision to further toughen the guidelines and blunt the infection now , '' Mr Trump told reporters .
`` We 'd much rather be ahead of the curve than behind it . ''
Asked how long the emergency would last , Mr Trump told reporters : `` They think August , could be July , could be longer than that . ''
White House coronavirus response co-ordinator Dr Deborah Birx , who joined the president , said : `` If everybody in America does what we ask for over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see a dramatic difference . ''
She issued an appeal directly to millennials , asking them to limit social contact even though they are at lower risk of suffering if they contract the virus .
`` They are the core people that will stop this virus , '' she said .
`` We really want people to be separated . ''
Dr Birx also warned against socialising even if people feel well .
`` We know that there is a large group of infected people who are asymptomatic , who continue to spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What else did President Trump say ?
The president said he was not considering a national curfew or lockdown , though added : `` We may look at certain areas , certain hot spots as they call them . ''
Mr Trump told reporters he had not yet decided to close the US-Canada border , but said it was something the administration was considering .
While stocks tumbled , Mr Trump acknowledged there `` may be '' a recession , but said : `` The market will take care of itself . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial assistance package for the beleaguered US airline industry , Mr Trump said it was right to help them .
`` It 's not their fault , '' he said .
A trade group for major airlines said the industry requires more than $ 50bn ( £40bn ) in aid to survive .
• Canada to bar entry for most foreigners • Why US testing failed - and can it catch up now ?
The president also addressed issues of testing , as the US has been criticised for lagging far behind smaller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
Officials on Monday said a million tests were currently available and more would be coming this week .
`` A lot of testing has been going on , '' Mr Trump said , though he also noted that those without symptoms should not seek a test .
`` Not everybody should run out and get the test , but we 're able to handle tremendous numbers . ''
The president , who has been criticised for initially playing down the seriousness of the virus , was asked by a reporter how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the crisis on a scale of one to 10 .
`` I 'd rate it a 10 , '' he said .
`` I think we 've done a great job . ''
How are US states responding ?
At least 40 US states have declared an emergency over the virus , and 29 states are shutting schools .
Millions of Americans are already working from home and city centres around the country - including Times Square in New York - are drastically less crowded .
On Monday , officials in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelter-in-place order affecting nearly seven million people .
San Francisco is placing itself on lockdown for three weeks from midnight on Tuesday .
The California city will legally ban residents from venturing out of their homes except to meet basic needs including buying groceries or medicine .
New York , New Jersey and Connecticut announced a tri-state approach to closures , with a shutdown of bars , restaurants , cinemas , casinos and gyms from Monday night for `` as long as necessary '' .
Pennsylvania , the District of Columbia , Ohio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Massachusetts and Washington state have also advised residents to avoid bars and restaurants .
A Kentucky coronavirus patient has meanwhile been placed under police guard after refusing to quarantine himself .
A local judge declared a state of emergency in order to force a `` self-isolation '' on the unnamed 53-year-old man .
CNN reports that Mr Trump 's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida is closed for deep cleaning after several individuals who visited the golf club tested positive for coronavirus .
What about the election ?
The outbreak is also disrupting primary season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes to pick a candidate who will challenge Mr Trump in November .
It is now a two-man race between Vice-President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders .
On Tuesday , four states are due to vote : Arizona , Illinois and the key battlegrounds of Florida and Ohio .
But Ohio 's governor has recommended delaying the vote until June , though the other states have said they would continue as scheduled .
Georgia , Louisiana and Kentucky have already postponed their contests due to the virus .
Wyoming has suspended its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• GETTING READY : How prepared is the UK ?
• TRAVEL PLANS : What are your rights ?

The president, who has been criticised for initially playing down the seriousness of the virus, was asked by a reporter how he would score his administration's response to the crisis on a scale of one to 10.


bbc--2020-03-16--Coronavirus: Canada to bar entry for most foreigners - Trudeau

Canada will be closing its borders to anyone who is not a citizen or a permanent resident , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced .
The new measure to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in Canada does not include US citizens .
Additionally , air operators will be `` formally mandated ' to prevent symptomatic travellers from boarding flights to Canada , Mr Trudeau said .
The prime minister said he has informed G7 partners of the new rules .
Only four Canadian airports - in Montreal , Toronto , Calgary , and Vancouver - will be accepting international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus continues its spread , we 've decided to take increasingly aggressive steps to keep you and your families safe , '' Mr Trudeau said .
Mr Trudeau said these `` far reaching '' measures will help save lives .
What is the situation in Canada ?
Canada had at least 324 confirmed cases of Covid-19 across all 10 provinces as of Monday morning .
There are an additional 17 presumptive cases .
Three new deaths linked to the virus were reported , bringing the total fatalities in Canada to four , all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Trudeau addressed Canadians outside his residence .
He is in self-isolation after his wife , Sophie , tested positive last week for the coronavirus .
Last week , Canada asked citizens to avoid all non-essential travel and urged travellers to return home where possible .
All returning Canadians are being asked to self-isolate for two weeks .
What more did Canada announce on Monday ?
The new measures on travel to Canada will be in place as of Wednesday , 18 March , officials said .
Mr Trudeau said there will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abroad to help them pay for their return , if needed , or to help them with basic needs as they wait to come home .
`` If you 're abroad , it 's time for you to come home , '' the prime minister said .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• HEALTH MYTHS : The fake advice you should ignore He also said flow of trade and commerce will not be affected by these latest border restriction steps .
Asked why United States citizens were exempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the country is working closely in its efforts with the United States .
The Canada-US border is highly integrated with significant trade and people crossing daily , he said .
This `` puts the US in a separate category from the rest of the world '' .
The federal government had previously said closing borders was not required , but Mr Trudeau said it was now `` the time to take this particular step '' .
A number of countries have announced similar measures , including Germany and France .
The United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on many European nations and most recently Ireland and the UK .
Some provinces and cities have implemented their own measures to prevent contagion .
A number of provinces have temporarily closed public schools , as have the Northwest Territories and Nunavut .
Over the weekend , Quebec - where there are approximately 39 cases - asked establishments such as bars , cinemas , arenas , spas and gyms to close indefinitely .
Restaurants were asked to operate at 50 % capacity .
Amid reports that people returning to Canada had not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Montreal authorities said they will be sending additional public health teams and police at the Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport to ensure all travellers are informed .
Health officials in Toronto , Canada 's largest city , are now `` strongly recommending all bars , dine-in restaurants , nightclubs , and theatres close '' as of midnight .

Mr Trudeau said there will be an assistance programme implemented for asymptomatic Canadians abroad to help them pay for their return, if needed, or to help them with basic needs as they wait to come home.


bbc--2020-03-16--Coronavirus: Kind Canadians start 'caremongering' trend

The word `` caremongering '' did not exist on the morning of Friday 13 March .
Yet just three days later what started as a way to help vulnerable people in Toronto has turned into a movement spreading fast across Canada .
More than 35 Facebook groups have been set up in 72 hours to serve communities in places including Ottawa , Halifax and Annapolis County in Nova Scotia , with more than 30,000 members between them .
People are joining the groups to offer help to others within their communities , particularly those who are more at-risk of health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has led to acts of kindness around the world , from delivering soup to the elderly in the UK to an exercise class held for quarantined residents on their balconies in Spain .
But in Canada , a country whose inhabitants are stereotyped in the media as kind to a fault , helping others has become an organised movement called `` caremongering '' .
As it 's all driven by social media , the altruism is arranged online and the hashtags provide a permanent record of all the good happening in different communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anxious times .
• The acts of kindness sparked by coronavirus The first `` caremongering '' group was set up by Mita Hans with the help of Valentina Harper and others .
Valentina explained the meaning behind the name .
`` Scaremongering is a big problem , '' she tells the BBC .
`` We wanted to switch that around and get people to connect on a positive level , to connect with each other .
`` It 's spread the opposite of panic in people , brought out community and camaraderie , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those who are at-risk all the time - now more than ever . ''
Valentina said the rapid growth of the trend was far beyond her expectations , with the Toronto group itself now having more than 9,000 members .
`` We thought we 'd have a couple dozen people , '' she said with a laugh .
`` It 's grown to thousands .
`` But the most positive thing is the local groups that have started , geared to specific neighbourhoods .
It 's really shown us the need that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reassurance and hope .
`` Anxiety , isolation and lack of hope affects you .
In providing this virtual community which allows people to help each other , I think it is really showing people there is still hope for humanity .
We have n't lost our hope . ''
'This will give me a fighting chance' Typically , posts are divided between two main topics - # iso and # offer .
# iso posts are for people `` in search of '' help , whereas # offer posts are ( as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help .
There are other topics for things like discussions , news articles and which shops are open , but these two tags make up the bulk of the posts in the groups .
Paul Viennau , who joined the caremongering group in Halifax , said that the help he received through the trend felt `` like a hug '' .
`` There 's a lot of negative things about social media , '' he tells the BBC .
`` It 's a place that can make you feel isolated normally .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and help each other .
`` I have had a disability for the last 29 years , plus a compromised immune system .
I live on hand sanitiser in normal circumstances .
I started to worry about running out three days ago . ''
• EASY STEPS : What should I do ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• HEALTH MYTHS : The fake advice you should ignore • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak A friend asked on Paul 's behalf for hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and someone soon came through .
Shortly after , Paul joined up to leave a message thanking everyone for their help .
`` I am completely and sincerely feeling some love over it , '' he said .
`` If I get the flu or coronavirus I will be in hospital .
`` This will give me a fighting chance .
Thank you . ''
'It has been life-changing' There are countless examples of goodwill on the various Facebook groups .
These include a single mother in Ottawa receiving food for her baby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offering to cook meals for those who are unable , and a community in Prince Edward Island who gave grocery store gift cards to a woman who was laid off because of closures related to Coronavirus .
One of the most popular acts is to go to the supermarket for those who are unable - though depending on luck this can prove to be an act of extreme patience as one Hamilton woman discovered when going to a Wal-Mart at 5:30am on Saturday - the queue was a long one .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are able to give help , or even those who need it .
They are also about providing a place for people to see acts of goodwill in their communities .
When asked what the group meant to her , Rhia Rave Fae said it was `` a safe haven to restore my faith in humanity '' .
`` It 's easy to feel alone and powerless , '' she said , `` especially if you 're isolated .
Being able to offer people emotional support , share information , and even just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time has been life-changing .
`` This group shows the good in people , and proves we can do amazing things when we come together . ''
And Valentina told the BBC she thought the success of the groups said something about Canadians in general .
`` I think there is an international belief that Canada is a very polite country , '' she said .
`` And Canadians are so nice .
I think there is something Canadian about this because as our population is small as a country , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other , even if there are a few bad apples who buy all the toilet paper !
`` But I think this does highlight something about Canada - people look out for each other .
It is unique . ''

One of the most popular acts is to go to the supermarket for those who are unable - though depending on luck this can prove to be an act of extreme patience as one Hamilton woman discovered when going to a Walmart at 5:30am on Saturday - the queue was a long one.


bbc--2020-03-16--Democratic star ex-mayor Andrew Gillum to enter rehab

A rising star of the Democratic party has said he will enter a rehabilitation centre following news that police found him heavily intoxicated in a hotel .
Andrew Gillum , a former Florida mayor turned political commentator , said he would step down from public roles after he was found in a Miami hotel room with another man believed to be overdosing on crystal meth .
Mr Gillum , 40 , apologised and said the episode was `` a wake-up call '' to seek help .
He had been struggling with alcohol abuse since becoming depressed after narrowly losing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Since my race for governor ended , I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse .
I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated , '' Mr Gillum said .
`` I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles .
I am committed to doing the personal work to heal fully and show up in the world as a more complete person . ''
The former gubernatorial candidate was mayor of Tallahassee , Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 .
He has since become a political commentator on CNN and led a voter registration campaign in his state .
He was found intoxicated in a Miami hotel room on Friday .
Police had been called to the hotel room to treat the individual suspected of overdosing .
• The people using art to beat addiction Mr Gillum , who had been in town for a wedding , was inebriated and initially unable to communicate , local media reported .
Police also found three bags of what was thought to be crystal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gillum said that he never used the drugs , and had only `` had too much to drink '' .
He was not charged with any crimes and was allowed to leave the hotel after a medical check .
Mr Gillum , the first Democratic African-American nominee for Florida governor , narrowly lost the 2018 race to Republican Ron DeSantis , a Trump loyalist .
• An ugly , gloves-off fight that defines US election The margin of loss was less than one percentage point .
It was unclear how Mr Gillum was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was discovered , named by US media as Travis Dyson .

Police also found three bags of what was thought to be crystal meth in the room, but Mr Gillum said that he never used the drugs, and had only "had too much to drink".