bbc--2020-08-16--Prosopagnosia: The artist in search of her face

Carlotta has never been able to recognise faces , neither the faces of other people , nor her own .
Her condition , face blindness , has had a major effect on her life but has also given her a sense of purpose as an artist - to make self-portraits of the face she can not picture in her mind .
Carlotta sits down to draw a self-portrait .
The room is very dark , lit just by a few candles .
She does n't need light , because she 's not using a mirror or a photograph - instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contours of her face , while her other hand sketches the shapes on paper .
`` It 's always a surprise when I see my drawings in daylight , '' she says .
Her apartment is filled with self-portraits - about 1,000 of them , she thinks .
Each one is completely different , and they have an otherworldly quality .
Shapes overlap .
Several heads may be projected on top of each other , sometimes upside down .
In one , she has three eyes , in another six .
If she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Carlotta will think , `` the woman looking at me is in my nightie and in my flat , so it must be me '' .
She will also recognise her hair - it 's what happens underneath those grey curls that 's a mystery .
Carlotta 's condition began to cause problems when she was a young girl , in Munich in the 1960s , though at first no-one really noticed .
`` When I went shopping with my mother , or went to the doctor 's surgery , we would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but I did n't have any idea who they were , '' she says .
`` I was amazed that my mother could do this .
I thought this was an amazing gift she had , of recognising other people . ''
Often Carlotta would wait for her mother outside the shops with her dog , and follow the wrong person home , only realising it was n't her mother when they turned down the wrong street .
She never told her mother why .
`` I thought it was probably a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't concentrating enough . ''
So she relied on other clues instead .
`` I began to notice what clothes people were wearing , the way they walked , their voice or if they were wearing glasses .
Everyone has their own way of breathing and their own way of moving , the way their clothes rustle , and that 's how I try to identify people . ''
It was only when Carlotta went to school that she finally grasped there was something different about her .
`` It was really hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people 's faces that my mum had , I realised other children had as well , '' she says .
Still , she did n't tell her parents .
She assumed that recognising faces was a skill , like tying your shoelaces , that she would master one day .
School was a brutal and horrible experience .
Everyone looked the same to Carlotta .
On one occasion she was sent to the staff room to collect something from a teacher .
`` I knocked on the door of the staff room .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I said , ' I want Mr Schultz . '
I had to repeat this three times , and he became very angry with me .
He said , ' I am Mr Schultz ! '
He 'd been my first class teacher , but I just did n't recognise him . ''
• Listen to The face blind portrait artist on Outlook , on the BBC World Service ( producer Fiona Woods ) She tried writing down all of her teachers ' defining characteristics - if they had glasses or a beard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she also wrote down which teachers were friendly and which ones were n't , and one day a teacher angrily confiscated the list .
During lunch breaks , Carlotta usually stood apart from the other children .
The problem came when the bell rang and the teachers would come to collect their classes .
Children would line up in the playground , but never in the same spot .
`` I often went back inside with the wrong class , and I did n't realise until I got through to the wrong classroom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't recognise her classmates , then she must be stupid . ''
`` They made me stand in front of the class and said , 'You 've got nothing but sawdust between your ears . '
Or they 'd insult me : 'You 're thick as a brick . '
'' The children bullied her too .
As a consequence , she withdrew from everyone .
`` I would n't say anything out loud .
I would just do my written work and did n't really take part . ''
The school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote to her parents suggesting that she be sent to a special school .
But they knew this was unnecessary and ignored the letters .
At the end of the school day , Carlotta would run home at breakneck speed and immerse herself in books .
She read everything she could , especially about nature , and fantasised about moving far away from everyone .
`` I had this idea that I could go deep into the forest and create myself a sort of cave , '' she says .
`` There would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a cave of books - that would be the biggest .
I just really wanted to go deep under the earth into the darkness .
`` Being with other people was difficult for me .
I much preferred being in nature and being on my own . ''
When she left school at 17 she looked for a job which involved as little human contact as possible .
She loves horses , so she became a groom , until dealing with the horses ' owners and their children became too much .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cement mixer , she took a job as a projectionist , which was both solitary and enjoyable .
Science fiction films were her favourite , because the characters were more recognisable and the plot was therefore easier to follow .
`` This issue I have with faces is really quite specific to humans .
The faces of animals or aliens I find very easy to recognise ! ''
she says .
This does n't apply , though , to chimpanzees ; they are too similar to humans .
In her mid-20s she fulfilled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from people entirely .
She bought a boat and sailed along the Australian coast for a year , reading books and catching her daily meals from the sea .
It was n't until she was over 40 and living back in Munich that Carlotta found out what her condition was called - quite by chance , when in the pharmacy she was handed a free health magazine .
`` I just flicked through it , and this word , 'prosopagnosia ' , stood out .
I really like unusual words , so I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ describing this condition called face blindness .
`` It was the most extraordinary moment , because it was the release of all my burdens .
To finally have a name for this thing , and to be able to say : ' I 'm not stupid .
It 's not that I 'm not concentrating properly .
It 's a genetic condition , and I ca n't do anything about it . '
'' • People with prosopagnosia may avoid social interaction and develop an overwhelming fear of social situations .
They may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems with their career .
Feelings of depression are common .
• Studies have indicated that as many as 1 in 50 people may have developmental prosopagnosia , which equates to about 1.5 million people in the UK .
But if at first she was relieved , she soon became angry .
`` My anger was related to the fact that no-one around me had recognised what was going on , and that no-one had been able to tell me that I had a genetic problem .
`` I hope that teachers today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and often in schools there are psychologists who might spot these issues , but I 'm talking about when I was at school 50 years ago , and the teachers were completely blind to what was going on with me .
`` I think if someone had been able to recognise what was happening , it would have made the world of difference . ''
By this time , Carlotta 's parents , who had adopted her as a baby , were dead .
`` I would have liked to have shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficulties from school would have been explained , '' she says .
She was , however , able to have an interesting conversation with her birth mother , a woman only 15 years older than her , whom she had been brought up to think of as an aunt .
How she discovered this deception is an interesting story in itself .
At the age of six Carlotta had been sent to hospital for a small operation .
It was n't explained what was wrong with her , so she listened carefully to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard doctors referring to children on the ward as the `` tumour-child '' and the `` hare-lip child '' , whom Carlotta imagined had swallowed a live hare .
( She worried that the the hare might not have survived . )
Then they described Carlotta as `` the adopted child '' .
She was terrified because she thought `` adopted '' was her illness .
`` I asked the nurse if you could die from 'adopted ' .
She said , 'No , it means you do n't live with your real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on turning 18 , Carlotta got hold of her birth certificate , and this named her birth mother as her `` aunt '' Susanne .
When she finally spoke to Susanne about prosopagnosia , Susanne explained that she also found it difficult to recognise people , though not as difficult as Carlotta .
Prosopagnosia is an inherited condition .
The women live 500km apart , so they only meet a couple of times a year , but they have a close bond .
They also look alike , although of course Carlotta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says it was a `` revelation '' for her when she read in a book once that you could draw self-portraits by touching your face .
`` The face is a hilly landscape that I travel with my finger and transform into a two-dimensional drawing .
It 's not that easy , because I ca n't see what I am doing , '' she says .
Since then she has done little else , working on them so furiously , that sometimes she tears through the paper with her tools - she usually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and scratches on paper with knitting needles .
`` Art was definitely cathartic for me - without it , I would n't be where I am now , '' she says .
`` In making art , and also at times in destroying it , I was able to deal with a lot of the emotion and the difficulties I experienced in my childhood , and now I 'm not carrying them around with me any more .
`` I can look back differently now , with more understanding for my teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they did n't know any better . ''
Carlotta 's portraits have been exhibited all over Germany and caught the attention of Valentin Riedl , a brain scientist who decided to make a film about her .
`` As a neuroscientist , I found it astonishing that because of a brain deficit , someone produced a new kind of art , '' he says .
It took him some time to persuade Carlotta , a deeply reclusive person , to agree to be filmed , but eventually she did , and found herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was an incredible relief to be taken seriously , because that was what sometimes made me very lonely when talking to people : not being understood .
It is more lonely than being alone , '' she says .
They started filming Lost in Face in 2015 , and finished last year .
During filming , Carlotta agreed to draw Valentin 's portrait , even though she finds looking at someone else 's face - let alone touching it - very difficult .
`` For me , the face is something I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she explains .
`` It 's like if you 're on a beach and someone 's getting changed to go into the water , and there 's that quick moment where they 're slipping off their underwear or putting on their swimming costume and you look away . ''
Valentin also gave Carlotta her first brain MRI scan , which showed no damage - whatever makes her brain different from others is too small to be visible .
`` Behind the right ear , there 's a region of the brain which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Valentin told Carlotta afterwards .
`` Every face that catches your eye is identified by this region as a face , and then processed .
In your case , this does n't seem to work . ''
• Find out more about the documentary Lost In Face Prosopagnosia ca n't be treated - if neural connections are not established , they ca n't be created afterwards .
Although it 's described as `` blindness '' , it has nothing to do with sight , but rather with an impaired ability to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Carlotta 's face-processing area ca n't hold on to the information .
`` She sees certain aspects in detail , that 's fine , but when she moves away , she forgets what she saw , '' explains Valentin .
`` It 's a bit like if you have to remember what 's in a fruit bowl : you know there was a banana but you do n't really remember if it was on top or on the bottom , and if someone shows you a different fruit bowl , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this one . '
'' `` I ca n't recognise people 's faces because I ca n't remember them , '' Carlotta says .
`` I know me , but I do n't know my face . ''
The condition does n't prevent her from knowing how another person is feeling .
`` I can understand a person 's moods and facial expressions well , and that 's what I remember about them - their emotions , their feelings , the whole person , '' she says .
`` I wo n't remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the colour of their eyes , but if they cry or get very angry , that 's what stays in my memory . ''
Now that she has got rid of her own anger , she has a new perspective on life .
`` It 's wonderful .
I feel like life can start now , in a way that brings me more peace , '' she says .
She retired early due to arthritis and spends much of her time drawing , on a permanent quest to find her face .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , '' she says .
`` I ca n't help but make art , to feel my portraits and put them on paper again and again , and to keep going in search of my face , of what will escape my memory in the next second .
`` I see it and I do n't remember it , I reach for it and the next moment it disappears - it is an ongoing process that can never end . ''
Carlotta is a pseudonym .
Follow her on Instagram You may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when she was five years old , Daya Bharj told her brother she did n't want to play with him any more .
She wanted to play with her imagination .
Daya lay down on the sofa in her family 's living room and stared at the ceiling .
She imagined a little boy , about her own age , running through a field .
He came across an airplane that had crash-landed , then climbed inside and sat in one of the cockpit seats .
Thirteen years on , the daydream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never stops

One day, when she was five years old, Daya Bharj told her brother she didn't want to play with him any more. She wanted to play with her imagination. Daya lay down on the sofa in her family's living room and stared at the ceiling. She imagined a little boy, about her own age, running through a field. He came across an airplane that had crash-landed, then climbed inside and sat in one of the cockpit seats. Thirteen years on, the daydream is still going.


bbc--2020-08-15--Rising water levels in Kenya's Great Rift Valley threaten jobs and wildlife

In Kenya , rising water levels in lakes along the Great Rift Valley have forced thousands of people from their @ @ @ @ @ flooding after months of unusually heavy rain , which campaigners say has been made worse @ @ @ @ @ Baringo and Lake Bogoria , once 20km ( 12.5 miles ) apart , are now @ @ @ @ @ are fears they could contaminate each other , threatening wildlife and livelihoods still further .

In Kenya, rising water levels in lakes along the Great Rift Valley have forced thousands of people from their homes.
It follows severe flooding after months of unusually heavy rain, which campaigners say has been made worse by illegal deforestation.
Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria, once 20km (12.5 miles) apart, are now so close together that there are fears they could contaminate each other, threatening wildlife and livelihoods still further.
Video by Joe Inwood and Ferdinand Omondi


bbc--2020-08-15--Blood cancer, my baby and me

Blood cancer, my baby and me

Within the same month , Máirín Geddis turned 30 years old , gave birth and was diagnosed with cancer .
She gave birth to her son on 5 November 2019 and nine days later she was diagnosed with lymphoma in her chest .
`` I had six rounds of chemotherapy and 15 rounds of radio therapy and I would be in hospital for a week at time , but the hardest thing was leaving my baby because he was tiny , '' she said .
`` It just felt like a lot of life happened at once - it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time . ''
Máirín received a number of blood transfusions after chemotherapy to enable her to have the strength to go home and see her family again .
`` I 've given blood since I was 20 , but I never thought too much about who might use it .
I assumed it was somebody who had a car accident or someone having surgery .
`` So to then be the person with cancer who needed it , it really opened my eyes . ''
As well as for procedures such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used after mothers give birth and patients ' post-cancer treatment .
The NI Blood Transfusion service ( NIBTS ) has said that as lockdown eases the demand for blood from hospitals has increased rapidly .
Máirín says she 's grateful for being able to benefit from donated blood .
`` I remember sitting there getting the transfusion thinking : 'Is n't it so magical that 's someone has essentially donated medicine to me . '
`` Thankfully now I 've finished my treatments , I 'm waiting on a final scan but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added : `` People will say : 'How did you deal with all that ? '
And you do n't know you can until you have to and it makes you go , 'wow maybe I 'm a bit stronger than I think ' . ''
NIBTS is reminding the public that blood donations are still required and that travelling to give blood is classed as essential travel .
Details on donating blood can be found on nibts.org .

Within the same month, Máirín Geddis turned 30 years old, gave birth and was diagnosed with cancer.
"It just felt like a lot of life happened at once - it's a lot of things to happen at the same time."
Máirín received a number of blood transfusions after chemotherapy to enable her to have the strength to go home and see her family again.
"I've given blood since I was 20, but I never thought too much about who might use it. I assumed it was somebody who had a car accident or someone having surgery.
"So to then be the person with cancer who needed it, it really opened my eyes."
As well as for procedures such as emergency surgery, blood transfusions are used after mothers give birth and patients' post-cancer treatment.
The NI Blood Transfusion service (NIBTS) has said that as lockdown eases the demand for blood from hospitals has increased rapidly.
NIBTS is reminding the public that travelling to give blood is classed as essential travel. Details on donating blood can be found on nibts.org.
Video journalist: Niall McCracken


bbc--2020-08-15--The black women in tech coding the future

A unique 'boot camp ' has been set up in the West Midlands to train black women to become software @ @ @ @ @ to increase digital skills and help create a more diverse workforce in technology , a @ @ @ @ @ has been put together by two start-ups run by black women ; NIYO Enterprise and @ @ @ @ @ secured funding of £250,000 from the West Midlands Combined Authority Digital Retraining Fund .
The @ @ @ @ @ course is designed for women over-18 who are unemployed or employed with a salary below @ @ @ @ @ intended for 40 women , but after more than 300 applied , 50 are now @ @ @

A unique 'boot camp' has been set up in the West Midlands to train black women to become software developers.
The aim is to increase digital skills and help create a more diverse workforce in technology, a traditionally male-dominated industry.
It has been put together by two start-ups run by black women; NIYO Enterprise and Coding Black Females. They secured funding of £250,000 from the West Midlands Combined Authority Digital Retraining Fund.
The free, six-month, part-time course is designed for women over-18 who are unemployed or employed with a salary below £20,000.
Originally it was intended for 40 women, but after more than 300 applied, 50 are now taking part.
Video journalist: Catherine Mackie


bbc--2020-08-15--Musicians hire fishing boat to beat France quarantine

A group of musicians beat the France quarantine rules with just 10 minutes to spare - after chartering a fishing boat to get them back to the UK .
After a five hour Channel crossing , eight members of the Scotland-based Dunedin Consort arrived at Hayling Island in Hampshire at 03:50 .
They made the last-minute dash after a performance in Lessay Abbey , Normandy , on Friday night .
It was the first concert by the baroque ensemble since lockdown began in March .
They were among thousands of British people who were trying to get home before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 04:00 .
Jo Buckley , the Dunedin Consort 's chief executive , told BBC Scotland they knew quarantine was a risk as they travelled to France on Wednesday .
But after four months in lockdown , the musicians were desperate to play together again .
And if they had withdrawn from the concert on the basis of speculation about new restrictions , the organisation would have lost `` many thousands of pounds '' , she added .
`` This is the impossibility of planning concerts amidst all the changing rules and regulations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine rules were announced late on Thursday night , the group spent hours online trying to find ways to get home before the deadline .
As self-employed musicians who have been hit hard economically during lockdown , they needed to return home to work .
Amongst other things , they are lined up to work with the online Edinburgh Festival next week .
`` We looked into ferries , the Eurotunnel , flights , even chartering a private jet — you name it , we tried it , but we could n't find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting home before the quarantine curfew , '' she said .
Eventually - on Friday morning - they tracked down a firm which hired out a boat for fishing trips from Hayling Island .
Once they finished the concert at 22:30 local time ( 21:30 BST ) , eight of the 13-strong group boarded a coach to Cherbourg where they met the Valkyrie boat .
They left the French port shortly before midnight and arrived in the UK about five hours later .
`` It was lovely , '' Ms Buckley said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ We were all able to have a little sleep inside even though we were all quite excited when we got on board .
`` It was a calm night so it was a very easy crossing . ''
With just minutes to spare until the new restrictions came into force , they arrived in Hampshire .
They were taken to London Euston by minibus and from there the musicians were able to make the final leg of the marathon journey home .

"We looked into ferries, the Eurotunnel, flights, even chartering a private jet — you name it, we tried it, but we couldn't find any way of doing the concert and getting home before the quarantine curfew," she said.


bbc--2020-08-15--Egypt Facebook page raises hopes for missing children

In 2009 , six-year-old Mostafa accompanied his mother on a visit to her sister in Cairo .
But what was meant to be a one-day trip away from his hometown in northern Egypt turned into over seven years of agony , despair and very little hope .
On the way to his aunt 's house in one of the capital 's most populated neighbourhoods , Mostafa 's mother started to feel unwell .
She gave the little boy money to buy her a bottle of water from a kiosk while she sat down to rest .
What happened next is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father , Abdallah , after he came to find his wife in hospital .
Abdallah , a retired accountant , says he received a phone call telling him that his wife had lost consciousness .
He rushed to the clinic , a three-hour drive away , to be with his wife and son .
His wife was there , but there was no boy .
No child had been with her when she was admitted , he was told .
`` This was the beginning of near eight years of suffering , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took my wife to the hospital had found her unconscious on a chair in the street .
It seems that as soon as Mostafa left to get her water , she fainted - then people gathered and moved her to the hospital without realising she had a kid with her , '' he says .
`` I rushed to the local police station to file a report that my son was missing , only to be asked to file that report in my hometown .
I rushed back there but they told me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , by law Abdallah should have been able to file the report on the same day and in the local police station , where his son had gone missing .
To make matters worse , as soon as Mostafa 's mother left hospital and learnt that her son had gone missing she suffered a stroke and was paralysed as a result .
`` She was overwhelmed with a feeling of guilt .
She died a year later , '' Abdallah says .
`` In that year , I was trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife .
`` I was moving from one hospital to another trying to treat her and going from one police station to another trying to find him . ''
In 2011 , Egypt underwent tumultuous change when mass protests forced the resignation of long-time President Hosni Mubarak .
But for Abdallah , what happened in those days was a disaster .
During the demonstrations , several police stations were stormed and set on fire .
`` Police reports were burnt , including my son 's , '' Abdallah says .
He recalls the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These events harmed me personally , '' he says .
In 2011 and 2012 , Egypt went through a period of instability with waves of protests calling for the post-Mubarak transitional period to be accelerated .
• One every eight minutes : India 's missing children • 'It took 32 years , but I finally found my kidnapped son' Then in 2013 another series of demonstrations took place against the rule of late Islamist President Mohamed Morsi , leading to his ousting that July ; only one year after he had assumed power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sit-ins by his supporters that were dispersed by force in August 2013 .
According to Abdallah , because of years of political upheaval , it took until 2014 for him to be able to file new police reports about Mostafa 's disappearance .
As time passed , Abdallah started to lose hope of finding his son .
Then something unexpected happened .
`` One day , I came across a page on Facebook called Missing Children , '' he says .
`` I got in touch with the administrator and sent my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the page .
I had very little hope but did it anyway . ''
Missing Children was launched in mid-2015 to raise awareness of the issue by posting pictures of lost children and their stories .
`` When I started it , my aim was n't to find these children , '' he says .
The first time a child was discovered through the page , it happened by chance , but it prompted Mr Gebali to change its mission from drawing attention to actively trying to find missing children .
`` A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was contacted about one of the pictures , which was of a missing special needs boy .
The caller claimed the boy in the photo slept in front of the block where he lived , '' Mr Gebali recalls .
`` I did n't believe him until he sent me a picture of the boy .
I contacted the boy 's mother and she confirmed it was him . ''
After Mostafa 's picture was posted on the page in July 2015 , Abdallah says people started claiming to have seen him in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing him somewhere , Abdallah would drive to that place and spend the whole day looking for him but in vain .
`` Every time the picture was posted , new people started claiming to have seen him .
But I stopped believing them , '' Abdallah says .
`` Then on 26 May 2016 , I received a phone call from the wife of the page 's founder , telling me they found Mostafa .
She was over the moon . ''
An employee at a foster care institution had gotten in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send someone to see if any of the youngsters at the facility matched any of its pictures .
`` We sent someone to check and when she saw Mostafa , his name and the date he was admitted to the centre rang a bell , '' Mr Gebali says .
`` We tried to check as much details as possible to verify his identity before getting in touch with the dad . ''
At first Abdallah was sceptical .
`` Although I was assured that they had verified his identity , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abdallah says .
`` I asked them to send me a picture [ of the boy ] .
But his looks had changed . ''
However , Abdallah had kept one piece of information secret to use as a conclusive evidence of his son 's identity if he ever found him .
Mostafa had a car accident when he was four and the operation left a mark above his left knee .
So Abdallah asked the page 's administrators to send a picture of the boy 's bare legs .
`` When I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , '' he says .
Seven years after last seeing his son , Abdallah went to get him from the foster care centre in Giza .
`` The moment I walked through the doors , it felt surreal , '' he recalls .
After being reunited with Mostafa , Abdallah started to piece together what had happened on that fateful day in 2009 .
It transpired that when Mostafa had returned with the bottle of water for his mother , he could not see her anywhere .
`` The boy started crying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took him to the police station , '' says Abdallah .
`` There Mostafa only said his first name .
He was terrified to the extent that he could n't talk . ''
The police station is about two kilometres ( 1.2 miles ) away from where Mostafa was separated from his mother .
He was then transferred to the foster care centre .
`` I do n't think I would have found him if it was n't for the Missing Children page , '' Abdallah says .
Rami el-Gebali describes the work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complicated process '' .
`` We do n't just post pictures of missing children , '' he says .
`` When the page found its first missing child , his mother mentioned something intriguing : he was wearing different clothes . ''
This prompted Mr Gebali to start researching how many of the children are kidnapped .
He found that children get abducted for five main reasons : adoption , begging , sex trade , organ trade and ransom .
He thought that while it was difficult for ordinary people to help find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade or ransom , they could actually help find those taken to join gangs of beggars or for adoption .
As a result , the page started a `` No to using children as beggars '' campaign in 2015 .
`` We asked people to take pictures of kids begging on the streets and send it to the page .
We collected tens of thousands of pictures of beggars of all ages , '' Mr Gebali says .
A match-making process started between those missing and those begging on the street .
Due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the page started using open-source face recognition tools in late 2017 .
Although the campaign led to only three children being found , thanks to it the page now has `` the biggest database of missing children with pictures in Egypt , '' according to Mr Gebali .
The page now has 13 people working on it and has over 1.7 million followers .
It also has a large network of lawyers , therapists and educators to help missing individuals and families transition back to living with each other .
It also has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , so far , it has found more than 2,500 missing people of all ages out of more than 7,000 cases reported to it .
But as many are found , more still go missing .
According to the state-owned Al-Akhbar newspaper , police received 2,264 reports about disappeared children in 2018 and 2019 .
Mr Gebali expects these numbers to drop in 2020 as a consequence of the pandemic .
`` During Covid-19 we noticed almost a 30 % drop in cases compared to the same period last year . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as one of the top 115 most impactful initiatives on the platform .
Using a $ 50,000 ( £38,000 ) grant from the social media giant , the page was able to build its own website with face recognition tools .
Capitalising on its success in Egypt , the page launched a similar one in Romania - `` very similar to us , with a large number of missing people , '' Mr Gebali says - in 2019 .
`` Our dream is to have one global database of missing people around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That way we will be able to connect the dots and confront human trafficking , organ trade , etc .
`` Our motto is that no family should suffer the pain of missing a living loved one .
We want to spread our model across the world .
We proved the concept and we know it works . ''

"The people who took my wife to the hospital had found her unconscious on a chair in the street. It seems that as soon as Mostafa left to get her water, she fainted - then people gathered and moved her to the hospital without realising she had a kid with her," he says.


bbc--2020-08-13--Democratic National Convention: What to expect at Biden's nomination party

Balloons .
Confetti .
Signs .
Big hats .
It 's the moment US election enthusiasts have been waiting four years for .
It 's convention season .
We 'll kick things off next week with the Democratic National Convention , with four days of party events leading up to the main event : crowning the presidential nominee .
Of course this year , things are going to look a bit different .
Here 's everything you need to know about this year 's convention , Covid-19 changes and all .
What is the Democratic National Convention ?
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formally name - and hype up - their candidates .
You may be thinking , 'is n't Joe Biden already the nominee ? '
Yes - and no .
He 's certainly the presumptive Democratic candidate , but things are n't party-official until they announce it at the convention .
Party members will also unveil the 2020 Democratic platform , the list of party values and policy priorities which they believe distinguish them from their rival Republicans .
OK , so where and when is the 2020 convention ?
Officially , it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Milwaukee , in the Midwestern state of Wisconsin , from Monday 17 August to Thursday 20 August .
But Covid-19 restrictions and concerns mean that the only people attending in-person will be those necessary to orchestrating the event .
Instead of 50,000 people gathering for the traditional calendar with days full of speeches , receptions and rallies , sessions will be streamed from the Democratic Party 's social media channels and aired live on most US news channels from 21:00 to 23:00EDT each night .
Will Joe Biden be there ?
Do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The presumptive nominee will be dialling in from his home state of Delaware on Thursday night , although the exact location and format is still under wraps .
Who are the speakers this year ?
Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle are closing out Wednesday and Monday night respectively .
Senator Bernie Sanders is also scheduled to address the virtual crowds on Monday night .
Former President Bill Clinton and Jill Biden will be the final two speeches on Tuesday , after remarks from several lawmakers , including Congresswoman Alexandria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of state and the 2016 nominee , will take a prime time slot on Wednesday night , as will Senator Elizabeth Warren .
Biden 's vice-presidential pick Kamala Harris will also get a chance to address the nation with an acceptance speech on Wednesday .
What to watch out for This political convention wo n't look like any we 've seen before but the stakes are as high as ever .
First and foremost , this is Joe Biden 's moment in the spotlight .
There have been doubts , encouraged by his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost a step in recent years .
He 's traditionally been a compelling public speaker , and Democrats will be hoping he can rise to the moment and put doubts about his endurance and ability to bed for good .
During his primary campaign , Biden leaned heavily on his partnership and friendship with the still-popular Barack Obama to insulate himself from rivals ' attacks .
With the former president , and his wife Michelle , closing out two nights , the Biden campaign clearly hopes some of the Obama magic rubs off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conventions are also a chance to highlight the party 's rising stars .
While Biden 's choice of Kamala Harris as his running mate has made her an heir apparent , there are other names on the speaking schedule who might someday challenge her .
That includes a gaggle of governors , such as New York 's Andrew Cuomo and Gavin Newsom of California , five of Biden 's 2020 campaign rivals and several members of his vice-presidential short list .
Then there 's Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , who at 30 is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bid but is already a power in the progressive wing of the party .
Will any of follow in the steps of then-state senator Barack Obama in 2004 , and seize the moment ?
Why is a Republican on the bill ?
It 's rare , though not unprecedented , to have members of the other party show up .
This time , former Ohio Governor John Kasich , a Republican and Trump critic , is going to address the convention on Monday .
He represents moderate conservatives unhappy with the direction the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Will it just be politicians speaking ?
Not to worry - you 'll hear from ordinary , relatable Americans too .
Planners have promised `` fewer people behind podiums - and more people in living rooms , on factory floors , at small businesses , and in schools and town squares '' .
This line-up includes educators , gun safety advocates , healthcare workers and even some former Republicans .
We 'll hear from a Pennsylvania farmer , Rick Telesz , who voted for Trump in 2016 , but changed his mind after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's trade war .
Another highlighted voice this year is gun safety advocate DeAndra Dycus , an Indiana mother whose 13-year-old son was shot and injured at a birthday party .
And it likely wo n't be just ordinary voters joining the e-party : expect appearances by celebrities .
In 2016 , we heard from actresses Meryl Streep and Lena Dunham , comedian Sarah Silverman and got a musical performance by Alicia Keys .
How is the candidate chosen ?
If you 've been following along with the primary election season so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a formality for Biden .
Delegates from across the nation will vote at the convention for the candidate that won their state 's Democratic primary election or caucus .
They 're not obligated to do so , but at least this year , the options are limited with only Biden still in the running .
As for those delegates who were promised to other candidates who 've since withdrawn from the race , they 're free to vote as they will .
Usually delegates are in the convention hall when they vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` re-imagined roll call process will take convention viewers to all 57 states and territories '' on Tuesday .
If you want to know more about the delegate system , you can read about it in our guide to primaries and caucuses .
What happens next ?
Do n't worry , convention season is n't over yet .
We 've got the Republican National Convention coming up from August 24-27 though the pandemic has upended plans for that , too .
After that , presidential campaigning will be in full force until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a note in your calendars for the debates too .
The first presidential debate is scheduled for 29 September with two more in October .

An appeal to multiple audiences: Biden will use the convention to appeal to a national audience tuning into the campaign for the first time - especially independents and moderate Republicans - but he also needs to energise the base, including those on the left of the party. Barack Obama was the last Democrat to build a winning coalition - with the former president, and his wife Michelle, closing out two nights, his campaign clearly hopes some of the Obama magic rubs off.


bbc--2020-08-15--Philippines death penalty: A fight to stop the return of capital punishment

Capital punishment opponents expect a steep battle to prevent President Rodrigo Duterte from reimposing the death penalty , as he renews calls for the law as part of a `` drug war '' that has already killed thousands of Filipinos .
Few were surprised when Mr Duterte last month pushed , once again , to reintroduce the death penalty for drug offenders .
Since coming to power in 2016 he has waged a brutal crackdown on suspected drug users and dealers , issuing police with shoot-to-kill orders while encouraging citizens to kill drug users too .
Officially the police say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows more than 8,000 people have been killed in anti-drug operations .
The nation 's human rights commission estimates a toll as high as 27,000 .
The piling bodies have been documented by photojournalists whose images of dead suspects face-down in pools of blood after a police raid , or strewn on streets in suspected vigilante murders , have shocked the world .
`` The death penalty would give the state another weapon in its ongoing war against drugs , '' said Carlos Conde , Philippines researcher for Human Rights Watch .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war ?
Mr Duterte was restrained , at first , by the upper house of parliament .
But last year 's mid-term elections saw his allies win control of the senate and many fear the law could now be passed .
Twenty-three bills have been filed across both houses to reinstate the death penalty for drug crimes , including possession and sales .
Committee deliberations began last week .
Mr Conde says he would like to be proved wrong but senses the law `` is as good as passed '' .
He points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversial anti-terrorism law , and the speed at which ABS-CBN , a broadcaster critical of the president , was forced off air .
The move would be a breach of international human rights law .
But this is unlikely to faze Mr Duterte , who frequently expresses his disdain for human rights checks .
Last year the Philippines left the International Criminal Court as it was probing accusations of crimes linked to his drugs campaign .
Surveys by the Social Weather Stations , a pollster , have shown the war on drugs remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signature policy has failed to curb drug use or supply .
A majority are also in favour of reinstating capital punishment .
But a closer look at the results shows an alternative picture , says Maria Socorro Diokno , secretary-general of the Free Legal Assistance Group , a network of human rights lawyers .
When presented with alternatives to capital punishment for crimes linked to illegal drugs , for instance , most favoured other options .
`` They begin to think that death is not always the answer , '' said Ms Diokno @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group 's anti-death penalty task force , has been braced for a battle with Mr Duterte ever since he vowed to bring back the death penalty as part of his election campaign .
She knows that minds can be changed because she was part of the movement that succeeded last time .
The death penalty has been abolished twice before - first in 1987 and then again in 2006 after being reinstated in 1993 .
The last push for abolition was led by the Catholic church , which holds considerable influence over Filipinos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Duterte is an open critic .
Last week the Clergy of the Archdiocese of Manila condemned the `` lack of independence and imprudence '' of some lawmakers in supporting the president on the issue .
`` We see such acts as betrayal of the people 's interests and an implicit support to the creeping authoritarian tendencies exuded by this administration , '' it said .
In his annual address to the nation last month Mr Duterte claimed reinstating the death penalty by lethal injection would `` deter criminality '' .
But there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalty can be a deterrent .
Instead research has shown the punishment frequently affects the most disadvantaged .
In the Philippines alone the Supreme Court said in 2004 that 71.77 % of death penalty verdicts handed by lower courts were wrong .
By imposing the death penalty for drug offences , the Philippines would also be moving away from what Harm Reduction International has identified as a downward global trend in using the penalty for such crimes .
It says 35 countries and territories retain capital punishment for drug offenders but only a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the eight `` high application states '' are in South East Asia .
Raymund Narag , an assistant professor of criminology at Southern Illinois University , knows firsthand the problems of a flawed criminal justice system .
He spent nearly seven years jailed in the Philippines as a pre-trial detainee before he was acquitted of a campus murder that took place at his university when he was 20 .
The death penalty was still intact at the time and prosecutors had sought it for the 10 men charged .
Worse than his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says , was the `` agony of waiting '' for hearings .
`` It was traumatic thinking that you can be put to death for a crime you did not commit , '' said Dr Narag , speaking from the US .
Now 46 , he was one of five men eventually acquitted , while the others were sentenced to life imprisonment .
The experience has shaped his career .
He now researches prolonged trial detention in the Philippines , while advocating for criminal justice reform .
Dr Narag says that if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a key witness , an overseas worker , to return home and testify , proving he was n't at the crime scene , he may have been convicted .
Through his advocacy he wants Filipinos to know the consequences of mistaken convictions , which could become mistaken executions if the law changes , in an already struggling justice system .
The scope of and timeline for the eventual death penalty bill put to vote in parliament is uncertain , especially during the Covid-19 pandemic .
Some have argued the bill should not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the International Drug Policy Consortium , says the death penalty has not solved the drug-related problems of any country .
`` It is the poor and vulnerable who bear the harsh punishment of criminal justice systems in grossly unjust ways , '' she says .

Mr Conde says he would like to be proved wrong but senses the law "is as good as passed". He points to the swift recent passing of the controversial anti-terrorism law, and the speed at which ABS-CBN, a broadcaster critical of the president, was forced off air.


bbc--2020-08-15--Spree: The Drake-produced 'takedown' of attention-seeking violence

`` For every influencer we 've heard of , there 's 100,000 people out there trying to do exactly the same thing and getting less than 10 views . ''
That feeling of getting a like or a comment on your first-class selfie gives you validation .
It gets the brain excited and the buzz only gets better the more attention you get .
But when does that desire for a dopamine hit turn into desperation… or worse ?
`` Everyone has that moment where they 're oblivious to how thirsty they 're being , '' says Eugene Kotlyarenko , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thriller takes on a darker side of social media culture - which he says captures `` something horrifying about people constantly looking for love and attention '' .
Kurt Kunkle ( played by Stranger Things ' Joe Keery ) is a Los Angeles taxi driver so desperate for online fame he 's willing to do the very worst to get it .
He livestreams a murder spree .
It 's a satire on social media which plays out entirely through screens - phone footage , body cams , CCTV and dash cams .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ witnessed in real life - when 51 worshippers were killed during attacks on two mosques in New Zealand in March 2019 .
Eugene says he wanted the film to be a `` takedown '' of people who use violence to gain attention .
`` When we see violence in films it becomes sensational in a way that could be emulated .
And I think in this film , no-one would want to be Kurt Kunkle .
He is definitely a loser and definitely cringy to watch .
So I did have a kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says .
Kurt 's character spends years trying to get internet-famous with his 'Kurtsworld96 ' channel - where he aimlessly posts boring reviews and gaming vlogs .
Eugene and Joe Keery watched loads of online videos and vlogs , specifically of people with little or no followings but who offer tutorials on how to get a following .
`` The irony of that and the fact it 's lost on these people is really funny , '' the director tells Radio 1 Newsbeat .
The movie also stars former SNL cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who crosses paths with Kurt when she gets in the back of his rideshare as a passenger .
Her character is also obsessed with followers and as part of her research , Sasheer watched loads of Insta-famous comics who were always streaming or talking into their phone to learn how they engaged with their online audiences .
In the film , there 's a running joke about how Kurt is desperate for others to tag him , something Sasheer still gets in real life on a regular basis , '' People get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you tag them .
They 're craving popularity or fame and I ca n't really fault them for that .
That 's what these apps are made for .
You want to promote yourself consistently . ''
Recently , Sasheer has taken a step back from social media and only tries to use it for `` promotional purposes '' .
`` I 've tried to unfollow lots of people , '' she says .
`` It clears my timeline and I keep most of my personal life off social media too .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlighted in Spree . ''
You might also like : • When Drake turns up at your local club • 'What happened when I went on a dopamine fast' Drake is the film 's executive producer and someone who `` understands social media really well '' , according to Eugene .
`` He got that I 've tried to critique and make fun of something that 's really scary .
I 'm proud to say that he 's not only a fan of the film but also the producer . ''
The film @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get a physical release in UK cinemas , following their extended closure during lockdown .
Many studios are pushing the release dates of their films back or moving them to streaming services , like Disney 's Mulan - but director Eugene hopes his movie might entice people back ( with social distancing ) .
`` The communal nature of viewing is really important because that shared experience lets you know you 're part of the human race , '' he says .
The film was recently shown at a drive-in event , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people `` laughing at the same time '' was a `` great experience '' .
`` You 're in the midst of this claustrophobic , funny nightmare . ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

"When we see violence in films it becomes sensational in a way that could be emulated. And I think in this film, no-one would want to be Kurt Kunkle. He is definitely a loser and definitely cringy to watch. So I did have a kind of brutal approach to satirising him," he says.


bbc--2020-08-15--Coronavirus: Ten African innovations to help tackle Covid-19

As Africa passes more than a million confirmed Covid-19 cases , innovators on the continent have responded to the challenges of the pandemic with a wide range of creative inventions .
Here are 10 we 've picked out .
Students from the Dakar Polytechnic School in Senegal have built a multifunctional robot designed to lower the risk of Covid-19 contamination from patients to caregivers .
The device is equipped with cameras and is remotely controlled via an app .
The designers say it can move around the rooms of quarantined patients to take their temperatures and deliver drugs and food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wooden hand-washing machine to help curb the spread of coronavirus .
The machine allows users to tip a bucket of water to wash their hands by using a foot pedal .
This helps users avoid touching surfaces to reduce the risk of infection .
Stephen was given a presidential award in June .
Amid a shortage of ventilators on Covid-19 wards in Nigeria , 20-year-old engineering student Usman Dalhatu attempted to help meet the shortfall .
Dalhatu built the portable automatic ventilator to help people with respiratory problems - often a symptom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now plans to build up to 20 ventilators .
Natalie Raphil is the founder of Artificial Intelligence company Robots Can Think South Africa .
She 's using 3D printers to produce 100 masks a day for use in some of Johannesburg 's major hospitals .
South Africa accounts for around half of all reported coronavirus cases in Africa .
Amid a lockdown in Ghana aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 , shoemaker Richard Kwarteng and his brother Jude Osei decided to design a solar-powered hand-washing basin .
When hands come into contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soapy water is automatically released .
An alarm goes off after 25 seconds of hand-washing - within the timescale recommended by the World Health Organization .
Engineers in Tunisia have created an online platform that scans lung X-rays to try to determine if a person could be suffering from coronavirus .
When an X-ray is uploaded onto the platform , it runs a test to detect signs of a possible coronavirus infection .
Researchers at the National Institute of Applied Science and Technology in Tunis say the tool is 90 % effective in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platform is still in development , but thousands of lung X-rays have been fed into the system to enable it to recognise the impact of Covid-19 on lungs .
Authorities in Tunisia deployed police robots on the streets of the capital Tunis in April to enforce lockdown measures .
The surveillance robots , called PGuards , spied on people walking on the street and approached them to ask why they were out .
Offenders then had to show their ID and other documents to the cameras attached to the robots .
The four-wheeled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light detection and ranging technology .
More about coronavirus in Africa : • How fast is coronavirus spreading in Africa ?
• How close are we to finding a treatment ?
Kenyan mobile money agent Danson Wanjohi has built a wooden device that sanitises cash notes that are passed through a slot in the machine .
Wanjohi constructed the mechanism using a motor , a rubber band and gears which enable notes to pass through the machine .
As the notes pass through the device , they are cleaned with a sanitising solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Dineo Lioma have created a Covid-19 testing kit which provides results in just 65 minutes .
Typically , it can take up to three days for Covid-19 tests to produce results .
The testing kit is known as qPCR , and features a technology used to measure DNA .
The testing kit needs to undergo regulatory approval before it can be rolled out .
In Ethiopia , barbers have come up with a way to continue cutting hair for clients while minimising the risk of Covid-19 transmission .
The barbers stand in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a partition separating them from clients , minimising person-to-person contact .

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bbc--2020-08-15--Dropshipping: The hustlers making millions from goods they never handle

Gabriel Beltran moved from Uruguay to Miami with the dream of making it big as a drummer .
Five years ago , he was struggling to pay his rent and living on his girlfriend 's student loan .
Then he made over $ 20m ( £15m ) through a little-known online retail technique : dropshipping .
And in bedrooms around the world other savvy individuals are getting rich the same way .
The sellers never see their products .
They typically remain completely anonymous .
And their marketing reaches hundreds of millions of people .
The process is simple : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marketplace and identifies a cheap product .
The seller sets up a flashy website , suggesting the product is made in the US or Europe , and adds a huge mark-up .
The dropshipper uses social media for promotion , often paying influencers to add legitimacy .
When an order is received , the seller collects the customer 's money , and only then do they buy the product .
Finally , the product is shipped directly to the customer from China .
In practice , the vendors act as virtual middlemen or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often done well .
But the anonymity it confers means there is also abuse .
The sale of counterfeit products is commonplace , and customers often do n't receive their orders .
Gabriel started off selling fake NFL products and made $ 50,000 in just one month .
He says he has n't sold knock-off products since .
''Stores come and go , and they literally steal money from people , '' he told the BBC .
`` Those stores make millions of dollars within a month and then disappear and do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the goods are n't actual counterfeits , but may still infringe the intellectual property rights of the tech firms whose designs have , in effect , been cloned , even though the product is sold under a different brand and uses its own packaging .
Kevin David is a dropshipper who does n't engage in the sale of such goods .
But he says some of his friends have made `` hundreds of thousands a month selling knock-off AirPods '' .
''It 's very easy to take the moral high ground , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skillset and were making tens of thousands of dollars profit a day , then they would probably think pretty differently , '' he says .
Dropshipping is not new , but the rise of social media celebrities has supercharged the model .
Sellers previously marketed their products via eBay and/or Facebook adverts .
But the boom in `` influencer marketing '' has given them access to many more credulous customers .
Sarah Mebarki worked for a dropshipping operation , Magnetic SL , which sells products that feature its own brand .
She told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - who has close to 100 million Instagram followers - €170,000 ( $ 203,000 , £156,000 ) to promote fake eyelashes and other beauty products and made the investment back many times over .
''Influencer marketing is nowadays enough to create the image of a strong and influential brand , '' she explained .
''People think you have to be an internationally renowned brand to engage influencers like Kourtney Kardashian , but that 's completely false .
Influencers who care about the quality of product they promote are rare , or even non-existent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,000 complaints online .
They include stories of the product not being delivered , or taking months to arrive .
However , there is an equal number of glowing reviews .
Sarah told BBC Click that the dropshippers she worked for had flooded Trustpilot , a major consumer review website , with bogus posts .
''Almost 70 % of their total customers wrote one-star reviews… so basically , they just bought fake reviews [ to counteract them ] and created fake accounts in order to make fake reviews . ''
Glenn Manoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says it is aware of Magnetic SL 's practices and has added a warning banner to the firm 's page .
''Consumers can see that we have total transparency on the platform and can see how many reviews are being flagged . ''
BBC Click emailed Kourtney Kardashian 's representatives informing them of the company 's practices and highlighting the complaints .
Ms Kardashian declined to comment , and her promotional video is still live on the dropshipper 's Instagram page .
Magnetic SL did not reply to the accusations put to them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preserve of celebrities .
Thousands of lesser-known influencers have also become involved in dropshipping paid promotions .
The vast majority are `` sole traders '' and can make a living with just a hundred thousand followers , a relatively modest number .
And the mix of closed High Street stores and people stuck at home during the coronavirus lockdowns has benefited the trade .
Charli Paton , manager of influencer Zara McDermott , told BBC Click that her email inbox is flooded with offers from dropshippers asking her client to promote what she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think these companies prey on the fact that influencers and management companies do n't always do their due diligence , '' she says .
Under such circumstances , it can be a case of buyer beware .
''Anybody can source products online with a degree of anonymity , quickly sell a whole bunch of dangerous or counterfeit products and then exit the system , '' says Mike Andrews , from the UK 's National Trading Standards eCrimes team .
Until recently , Metisha Schafer sold knock-off Apple products .
Her customers often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has since reimbursed every follower who got in touch .
''There are a lot of 'scammy ' companies , but honestly , I have n't experienced anything like this before the pandemic , '' she says .
''It was my responsibility to make sure this company was legit and I did n't do it .
`` People get angry because they ask why people like us actually do this kind of promotion without looking into it .
And they 're totally right . ''

Sometimes the goods aren't actual counterfeits, but may still infringe the intellectual property rights of the tech firms whose designs have, in effect, been cloned, even though the product is sold under a different brand and uses its own packaging.


bbc--2020-08-15--The civilian heroes of India's plane crash tragedy

When an Air India Express plane with 190 people on board crashed at an airport in the southern Indian state of Kerala last week , dozens of locals rushed to help .
They rescued passengers and took them to hospitals .
Officials say this was part of the reason that the death toll was so low .
Ashraf Padanna spoke to some of the volunteers .
Fazal Puthiyakath , 32 , and eight of his friends were in quarantine when they recently received an unexpected visitor .
It was a police officer who introduced himself as Nizar .
Standing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had come to pay tribute to their bravery .
`` I have great respect for you , but I brought nothing to give you .
This is the only gift I can give , '' he told them , raising his arms in salute .
Mr Puthiyakath and his friends were among dozens of locals who had rushed to the Kozhikode ( formerly known as Calicut ) airport , when a repatriation flight coming in from Dubai crashed while landing and broke in two .
Eighteen people , including the two pilots , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescue dozens of people and were now in quarantine , because of the risk of catching Covid-19 from the people they rescued .
An image of the policeman saluting the men as they stood on the veranda of their quarantine centre went viral on social media .
The group say they have also got countless calls - mostly from relatives of people on the flight - thanking them for saving their loved ones .
Mr Puthiyakath , who lives 100 metres ( 300ft ) from the airport , says he was one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` There were around six of us who managed to get there within a few minutes of the crash .
The gates were shut , and people were crying for help , '' he told the BBC .
`` The security people initially refused to open the gates as firefighters were spraying foam on the plane . ''
But with the fire risk dissipated , they were allowed in .
Mr Puthiyakath says the scene was heart rending .
`` Many passengers were unconscious .
Some were stuck under their seats .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get them out of the plane . ''
They began helping rescue workers cut people free and get them to hospitals .
Regional fire officer K Abdul Rasheed , who was at the crash site , said the local volunteers took a massive risk .
`` Firefighters at the airport sprayed foam immediately after the crash to prevent fire .
But a small spark or lapse could have led to a big tragedy , '' he said .
Meanwhile , news of the crash spread through the community via WhatsApp .
Dozens more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help .
So by the time rescue workers began bringing out passengers , there was a fleet of private vehicles ready to take them to hospital .
Officials say this alone saved many lives because hospitals had only a limited number of ambulances .
Fazal Karalil , 33 , a truck driver , and also one of those who arrived on the scene , told the BBC that he did n't even think about the risk of coronavirus at the time .
`` We used any vehicle at our disposal , including trucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wait for an ambulance . ''
Between them , locals ferried victims to some 20 hospitals within a 30km ( 18 mile ) radius .
`` The volunteers took them to hospitals immediately , without waiting for ambulances to arrive .
They cared little about their own safety , '' Mr Rasheed said .
Dr PP Venugopalan , director of emergency medicine at a hospital in Kozhikode , believes the community action saved at least 10 lives .
`` The people in the neighbourhood had received some training in trauma care and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he told the BBC .
`` In 2012 the district administration conducted a mock drill on air crashes involving some 650 people , which I think was the biggest in India .
The [ Air India ] plane fell exactly on the same spot . ''
`` It took one month to train the local community members , including taxi drivers .
Everyone received hands-on training .
I think that also helped to reduce the casualties . ''
Some 200,000 people in Kerala 's Kozhikode and Malappuram districts have received training in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr Venugopalan said that the community response was so efficient that most of the ambulances he sent returned empty from the airport as volunteers had already rushed the passengers to hospitals in their private vehicles .
Meanwhile , apart from getting them medical attention , locals also helped passengers who were desperate for news of loved ones and family who had been with them on the flight .
`` We immediately formed a WhatsApp group of rescue workers and posted whatever information we received so that they could find out if their family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Puthiyakath said .
By the time he got home , Mr Puthiyakath added , it was around 3:30 in the morning .
They reported back to police at the site of the crash a few hours later , and were then admitted into quarantine .
Since then , they have all been treated like heroes - their stories featured on the social media feeds of prominent journalists and celebrities .
`` People are now showering us with love and affection after we entered the mandatory 14-day quarantine .
They send us good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Karalil .
Justice Devan Ramachandran of the Kerala High Court penned a poetic tribute to the locals who volunteered on a news portal dedicated to legal matters .
`` Gods came down from the heavens yesterday .
Ordinary men who had no fear for themselves but deep love for all .
Men who risked Covid and braved injury so that those in greater pain could be saved . ''
`` Kerala is safe in the hands of these valiant and pure souls . ''

Mr Puthiyakath, who lives 100 metres (300ft) from the airport, says he was one of the first responders at the site. "There were around six of us who managed to get there within a few minutes of the crash. The gates were shut, and people were crying for help," he told the BBC. "The security people initially refused to open the gates as firefighters were spraying foam on the plane."


bbc--2020-08-15--MS Dhoni retirement leaves a void in world cricket

The uncertainties leading up to the retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be forgotten soon enough , and what will remain are the certainties and the pride of performance over the years .
Should he have retired earlier ?
Or at least should he have cleared the air earlier ?
It does not matter .
Dhoni was under no compulsion to make it easier for everybody else , especially those whose job it is to tie up careers neatly and move on to the next big thing .
It is likely that Dhoni might continue to play in the IPL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , playing for a team he loves whose fans return the love many times over .
A man who has played 90 Tests , 350 one-dayers and 98 T20s will , naturally , be missed .
This in addition to being the country 's most successful captain , taking India to the No 1 ranking and leading them to a World Cup win after 28 years ( 2011 ) , the T20 Worlds ( 2007 ) which set up the IPL revolution and the Champions Trophy ( 2013 ) .
In white ball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greats , his 84 undefeated innings pushing his average above 50 in one-day internationals .
Only Ricky Ponting has led his team , Australia , to more wins .
Dhoni has led in and won more matches than any other captain in T20 internationals .
He led India in the most number of Tests , 60 , and was only recently overtaken by Virat Kohli as the most successful .
Dhoni 's reign had a profound impact on Indian cricket , and not just in terms of statistics .
He rose from what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - the eastern city of Ranchi - and continued the work begun by a predecessor , Sourav Ganguly , who turned to the non-traditional cricketing centres and discovered players of international standard .
Dhoni 's elevation as captain continued a process begun with the aristocrats - the maharajahs and nawabs - who led in the early years , the middle-class players ( often bankers ) who followed and then the small-town talent who spread the game ; this in some ways reflecting the evolution of Indian society itself .
He was eight years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debut , and within months of his taking over Tendulkar was saying , `` I am delighted with the way Dhoni has conducted himself .
He is a balanced guy with a sharp brain . ''
Dhoni was easily accepted by the seniors in the side , a tribute both to his potential and fairness .
He learnt from his predecessors .
From Rahul Dravid under whom he played 19 Tests and Anil Kumble under whom he played 10 .
These two men from the southern state of Karnataka brought to the job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man management skills .
`` I want a team , '' Dhoni once said , `` that can stand before an advancing truck . ''
And he worked at building just such a team .
As a player , the amazing thing about Dhoni was what might look inadequate in another player , a gimmick even , worked well for him .
Syed Kirmani said initially he lacked `` copybook basics '' as a wicketkeeper and criticised his habit of standing on his heels to receive the ball rather than on his toes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' shot was uniquely Dhoni 's .
It was seldom imitated because it was inimitable .
Retirement is a difficult thing , both for the player and his team .
In the first Test following Sunil Gavaskar 's retirement , India were bowled out for 75 by the West Indies and went on to lose by five wickets .
It was another 19 Tests before India had a century opening partnership .
That 's one side of the coin .
Here 's the other : after Tendulkar was caught at slip in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virat Kohli struck the next ball for four .
The symbolism was inescapable .
The king is dead , long live the king .
Dhoni , as he prepares to leave the international scene , can take comfort in the fact that his successors are already in place .
He leaves Indian cricket in a good place - back as the best team in the world with a captain who is as hot ( if one might be pardoned that expression ) as he himself was cool , but just as successful ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He will be missed for his remarkable self-control , his ability to change the tempo of a match either through sustained hitting or dour defence , and his manner of encouraging the bowlers , especially the spinners , from behind the wickets .
In the latter half of his career , he appeared at times to have eyes at the back of his head with his ability to run out batsman behind him without looking at the stumps .
He also patented a way of avoiding the recoil with his practised manner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bat or the throw from the field without wasting time having to take his hands back with the ball .
It is a significant contribution to the art of wicket keeping .
Anything that saves time .
In 15 years , Dhoni played 538 internationals , scored over 17,000 runs , averaged 45 with a strike rate of nearly 80 , held 634 catches and effected 195 stumpings .
Only five players in the history of the game have played more internationals ; only one of them was a wicketkeeper , and none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Dhoni did .
His will be tough boots to fill .
But Dhoni 's legacy goes beyond figures and reflects the arc of India 's societal transformation .
It will include the self-confidence he brought to large hitherto ignored sections of the population , and emphasise the old-fashioned dignity and respect he brought to the game and its players .
Suresh Menon is the Editor of Wisden India Cricketers ' Almanack

He learnt from his predecessors. From Rahul Dravid under whom he played 19 Tests and Anil Kumble under whom he played 10. These two men from the southern state of Karnataka brought to the job a rare intelligence, tactical nous and man management skills. "I want a team," Dhoni once said, "that can stand before an advancing truck." And he worked at building just such a team.


bbc--2020-08-15--Dembele's late double knocks Man City out of Champions League

Manchester City 's Champions League ambitions are in ruins once more after Lyon shocked Pep Guardiola 's side in the quarter-final in Lisbon .
City started as firm favourites but came out second best against a fiercely determined Lyon in a game that swung on controversy and uncharacteristic errors in the closing stages .
Lyon went ahead in the 24th minute with Maxwel Cornet 's smart finish but City , lifeless as Guardiola chose to play a three-man central defence , looked to have been revived by Kevin de Bruyne 's precise strike from Raheem Sterling 's pass after 69 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on as a substitute , restored Lyon 's lead in contentious circumstances 11 minutes from time , the video assistant referee ignoring what appeared to be an obvious foul by the goalscorer before he ran on to beat Ederson .
City pressed for the equaliser but Sterling was guilty of an atrocious miss , somehow sending his finish over the top of an open goal from Gabriel Jesus ' pass .
It proved to be hugely expensive as seconds later Lyon set up a semi-final meeting with Bayern Munich when Dembele scored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Houssem Aouar 's routine shot .
Guardiola has rightly been showered in plaudits for the wonderful football and success he has brought to Manchester City - but his biggest target remains elusive and this was a miserable night for the manager .
Guardiola , who has been accused of over-thinking his approach in the Champions League before , adopted a three-man central defensive system and chose to leave many of City 's creators and manipulators on the bench .
Lyon deserved respect after eliminating Juventus but this was a ploy that took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuttering City lacking urgency and creativity .
He eventually introduced Riyad Mahrez after the break to some effect but Lyon were offered hope and encouragement by Guardiola 's approach and showed magnificent grit and resilience to secure the win .
City will rightly claim an injustice over the VAR decision that did not penalise what appeared to be a foul on Aymeric Laporte by Dembele but the team defending for the second goal was horrific , with every City player bar keeper Ederson in the Lyon half when the goal was created when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
City and Guardiola have suffered Champions League disappointment before but this may hurt more than any other - and make no mistake , the much-feted Catalan must take his full share of responsibility for a flawed game plan .
Lyon 's celebrations were wild at the final whistle - and who can blame them after a magnificent victory against many experts ' favourites after previously knocking out Juventus despite another stellar contribution from Cristiano Ronaldo ?
The French side dug deep , rode their luck at the right times , especially with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered the opportunity put City away .
Dembele showed the poacher 's instinct that made him so highly prized at Celtic and has made him a success in France to score the two goals that saw off City .
Bayern Munich will be hot favourites after their astonishing 8-2 demolition of Barcelona but this revamped knockout format has already produced its share of surprises and Lyon have shown they must not be written off .
'We 're not getting carried away ' - reaction Goalscorer Moussa Dembele speaking to RMC Sport : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means we have a great team .
`` We are taking it game by game , not getting carried away .
We will try to be ready for Bayern . ''
• Lyon 's Rudi Garcia is the first French manager to guide a French team to the Champions League semi-finals since 2009-10 ( Claude Puel with Lyon ) .
• Since progressing from his first seven Champions League quarter-finals as a manager with Barcelona and Bayern Munich , Pep Guardiola has been eliminated in each of his three with City .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French teams ( PSG , Lyon ) and two German teams ( RB Leipzig , Bayern Munich ) .
It is the first time since 2012-13 that there are just two different nations at the semi-final stage .
• City 's Kevin de Bruyne has been directly involved in more goals in 2019-20 than any other Premier League player ( 38 - 16 goals , 22 assists ) .
• Lyon 's Maxwel Cornet and Moussa Dembele have scored four Champions League goals against City , a joint high with Lionel Messi .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ League appearance tonight , aged 25 years and 251 days .
The only Englishman to reach this milestone at a younger age was Wayne Rooney in 2010 ( 24 years , 115 days ) .
• Sterling provided his 11th assist for Manchester City in the Champions League - the joint-most for the club alongside De Bruyne .
• Fernandinho made his 58th appearance in the Champions League for Man City - the most of any City player in the competition .
• Vampire origins : Nine fangtastic facts on their history • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way we eat ?

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Four of Moussa Dembele's seven Champions League goals have been against Manchester City
Manchester City's Champions League ambitions are in ruins once more after Lyon shocked Pep Guardiola's side in the quarter-final in Lisbon.
City started as firm favourites but came out second best against a fiercely determined Lyon in a game that swung on controversy and uncharacteristic errors in the closing stages.
Lyon went ahead in the 24th minute with Maxwel Cornet's smart finish but City, lifeless as Guardiola chose to play a three-man central defence, looked to have been revived by Kevin de Bruyne's precise strike from Raheem Sterling's pass after 69 minutes.
Former Celtic striker Moussa Dembele, on as a substitute, restored Lyon's lead in contentious circumstances 11 minutes from time, the video assistant referee ignoring what appeared to be an obvious foul by the goalscorer before he ran on to beat Ederson.
City pressed for the equaliser but Sterling was guilty of an atrocious miss, somehow sending his finish over the top of an open goal from Gabriel Jesus' pass.
It proved to be hugely expensive as seconds later Lyon set up a semi-final meeting with Bayern Munich when Dembele scored his second after Ederson fumbled a shot from Houssem Aouar's routine shot.
Guardiola must take responsibility
Guardiola has rightly been showered in plaudits for the wonderful football and success he has brought to Manchester City - but his biggest target remains elusive and this was a miserable night for the manager.
Guardiola, who has been accused of over-thinking his approach in the Champions League before, adopted a three-man central defensive system and chose to leave many of City's creators and manipulators on the bench.
Lyon deserved respect after eliminating Juventus but this was a ploy that took it too far and resulted in a stuttering City lacking urgency and creativity.
He eventually introduced Riyad Mahrez after the break to some effect but Lyon were offered hope and encouragement by Guardiola's approach and showed magnificent grit and resilience to secure the win.
City will rightly claim an injustice over the VAR decision that did not penalise what appeared to be a foul on Aymeric Laporte by Dembele but the team defending for the second goal was horrific, with every City player bar keeper Ederson in the Lyon half when the goal was created when the game was finely balanced at 1-1.
City and Guardiola have suffered Champions League disappointment before but this may hurt more than any other - and make no mistake, the much-feted Catalan must take his full share of responsibility for a flawed game plan.
Lyon deserve credit
Lyon's celebrations were wild at the final whistle - and who can blame them after a magnificent victory against many experts' favourites after previously knocking out Juventus despite another stellar contribution from Cristiano Ronaldo?
The French side dug deep, rode their luck at the right times, especially with Sterling's ghastly miss, and when offered the opportunity put City away.
Dembele showed the poacher's instinct that made him so highly prized at Celtic and has made him a success in France to score the two goals that saw off City.
Bayern Munich will be hot favourites after their astonishing 8-2 demolition of Barcelona but this revamped knockout format has already produced its share of surprises and Lyon have shown they must not be written off.
Man of the match - Kevin de Bruyne
Kevin de Bruyne scored City's goal and attempted 17 crosses, almost three times as much as anyone else - although he only completed 23 of his 39 passes
'We're not getting carried away' - reaction
Goalscorer Moussa Dembele speaking to RMC Sport: "We are still in it, which means we have a great team.
"We are taking it game by game, not getting carried away. We will try to be ready for Bayern."
Match stats - Cornet and Dembele match Messi
Lyon's Rudi Garcia is the first French manager to guide a French team to the Champions League semi-finals since 2009-10 (Claude Puel with Lyon).
Since progressing from his first seven Champions League quarter-finals as a manager with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Pep Guardiola has been eliminated in each of his three with City.
The Champions League semi-finals will see two French teams (PSG, Lyon) and two German teams (RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich). It is the first time since 2012-13 that there are just two different nations at the semi-final stage.
City's Kevin de Bruyne has been directly involved in more goals in 2019-20 than any other Premier League player (38 - 16 goals, 22 assists).
Lyon's Maxwel Cornet and Moussa Dembele have scored four Champions League goals against City, a joint high with Lionel Messi.
Raheem Sterling made his 50th Champions League appearance tonight, aged 25 years and 251 days. The only Englishman to reach this milestone at a younger age was Wayne Rooney in 2010 (24 years, 115 days).
Sterling provided his 11th assist for Manchester City in the Champions League - the joint-most for the club alongside De Bruyne.
Fernandinho made his 58th appearance in the Champions League for Man City - the most of any City player in the competition.


bbc--2020-08-15--All you need to know about Spanish GP: Even Mercedes think Red Bull will win

Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas occupy their customary positions on the front row of the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix - but their team boss Toto Wolff believes the man who starts third is favourite to win the race .
Verstappen lagged behind Mercedes over one lap on Saturday afternoon in Spain but on race pace it has looked a different story .
And after tyre problems brought Verstappen into play at Silverstone , both Wolff and Hamilton are extremely wary of the threat he poses on Sunday .
`` The only similarity between Silverstone and Barcelona this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Wolff said on Saturday evening .
`` The track is very different so we do n't expect the same blistering issues but more degradation and more overheating .
And I believe Red Bull masters those conditions very well .
`` Nevertheless , I believe the work that 's been done during the week and from yesterday to today was good .
We 've improved and that is most important and I hope we can give him a run for his money .
But definitely Max needs to seen as the favourite based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • None How qualifying for the Spanish GP unfolded Hamilton 's pole was the 92nd of his career and this will be his 150th front-row start , but it brings no guarantees of an 88th victory that would put him within three of Michael Schumacher 's all-time record .
`` It is going to really hard , '' Hamilton said .
`` The Red Bulls I think are a little bit quicker than us in race trim .
It 's strange how we 're quick in qualifying but then in the race they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn a little bit .
But we 're ahead of them so hopefully we can still apply the pressure and hold position .
`` I do n't know what 's going to happen on these tyres on the long run , whether blistering will happen or not .
But it is going to be physically so demanding ; it 's so hot .
But I will be ready . ''
Verstappen 's Silverstone win - the first time a Mercedes has been denied victory this year - moved him into second place in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measure of his the high standard of his performances this season .
And while he is 30 points behind Hamilton , it 's worth remembering that Verstappen retired from the opening race of the season while running second .
The impression , then , of a season of total Mercedes domination is perhaps not as accurate as it might seem , at least not when it comes to the races .
`` If I just keep driving behind them in the distance it 's not going to happen , '' Verstappen said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be there , you have to push it .
Yesterday [ on the race runs in practice ] I felt good .
Let 's hope it 's going to be the same tomorrow and I hope we have an entertaining race at the end of the day . ''
Will Wolff stay or go ?
Wolff has this weekend been open about the fact that he is contemplating his future with Mercedes beyond the end of this season .
His contract as F1 team principal and Mercedes motorsport boss is up at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position with the company is complicated by the fact that he is a 30 % shareholder .
Wolff has made it clear that he is weighing up the strains of the role , his longevity in it - he has held it since 2013 - its impact on his private life , with a wife who is also a team boss in Formula E , and the fact he continues to enjoy its challenges .
No decisions have been taken .
But it could well be that , even if he concludes he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and attend every race any more , he remains the most senior person in the team and its boss .
Wolff said on Saturday : `` It is to take the right decision for the team , which is my highest priority .
I enjoy the camaraderie and the ups and downs .
I could n't wish for a better group of people .
And obviously I am discussing every millimetre with [ Daimler boss ] Ola Kallenius and Susie [ Wolff , his wife ] .
`` Hopefully I will be in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with you and if not I will be staying close to the team . ''
Whatever happens , Hamilton said it would not affect his decision over his new contract , which is also still to be concluded .
`` You have to remember it is a team , '' said Hamilton , who joined Mercedes at the same time as Wolff .
`` There are almost 2,000 people in the team .
It 's not just down to one individual .
That does not determine whether or not I stay .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this team and the strength is there and it 's not just one individual .
`` Everyone has to do what 's best for them and their career and happiness .
And everyone needs to take a moment and evaluate what they want to do moving forwards , whether it suits them and their families and their future dreams .
`` We have done so much already together .
But I hope he stays because it 's fun working with him and negotiating with him and having the ups and downs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be supportive in whatever he decides to do . ''
The last two races at Silverstone were particularly sobering experiences for Sebastian Vettel , a man who once bestrode F1 much as Hamilton does now , but who has looked a pale shadow of his previous self for some time .
Vettel was way off the pace of team-mate Charles Leclerc in the UK , and made another of his unforced errors in the second race , too .
The regularity with which these mistakes are appearing , by the way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Renault 's Daniel Ricciardo described his own error at Silverstone as a `` Seb spin '' .
Ouch .
Vettel admitted to being flummoxed as to why he was struggling so at Silverstone , so when Ferrari announced that they had found a crack in his chassis and were giving him a new one for Spain , it seemed a possible explanation .
Vettel said on Thursday , though , that he did n't `` expect miracles '' and so it has turned out .
He has been closer to Leclerc this weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in qualifying , and still failed to make it into the top 10 shootout , while Leclerc did .
Now , to be 0.215secs off a man who it is already clear will be one of the stars of the next decade and more is no shame .
On average over all the races , Vettel was just over 0.1secs slower in qualifying than Leclerc in 2019 .
So it is far from impossible that 0.2secs could be a typical and expected margin between the two this year , with Leclerc now in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very much designated as their future focus , and Vettel entering this season having been told he would be leaving at the end of it .
But Vettel is a proud man and his highly impressive career statistics mean a lot to him .
And he will very much not see this as a situation he will have to accept for the rest of the year , not least with his future still up in the air .
Vettel complained after qualifying of a nervous rear on his car - exactly the opposite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his `` just did n't have enough front end to rotate the car and we lost quite a bit of time because of this .
It is something we regularly have with this car , struggling with the front in mid-corner '' .
Two drivers reporting exactly the opposite problem with their cars , and both more than a second slower than the Mercedes .
This is going to be a long and difficult year for Vettel and Ferrari .
It remains to be seen whether Vettel will still be in F1 next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of options .
But he can at least console himself with some supportive words from his former team boss at Red Bull .
`` Sebastian is a great driver , '' Christian Horner said in an interview with 5 Live Sport this weekend , `` the third most successful driver in the world and still holds numerous records and it 's sad to see him struggling as he is at the moment .
`` Whatever he chooses to do will be his choice .
If he decides to take a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to teams in a year 's time .
He is one of the few drivers who could afford to take a year out .
`` It 's all about the environment you 're in and that 's something he 's obviously finding tough at the moment . ''

The Spanish Grand Prix is on BBC Radio 5 Live from 13:00 BST on Sunday
Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas occupy their customary positions on the front row of the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix - but their team boss Toto Wolff believes the man who starts third is favourite to win the race.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen arrived at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this weekend to be greeted by the same high temperatures that were partly responsible for making his victory at Silverstone last Sunday possible.
Verstappen lagged behind Mercedes over one lap on Saturday afternoon in Spain but on race pace it has looked a different story.
And after tyre problems brought Verstappen into play at Silverstone, both Wolff and Hamilton are extremely wary of the threat he poses on Sunday.
"The only similarity between Silverstone and Barcelona this week is the ambient and track temperatures," Wolff said on Saturday evening. "The track is very different so we don't expect the same blistering issues but more degradation and more overheating. And I believe Red Bull masters those conditions very well.
"Nevertheless, I believe the work that's been done during the week and from yesterday to today was good. We've improved and that is most important and I hope we can give him a run for his money. But definitely Max needs to seen as the favourite based on yesterday's long runs."
Hamilton's pole was the 92nd of his career and this will be his 150th front-row start, but it brings no guarantees of an 88th victory that would put him within three of Michael Schumacher's all-time record.
"It is going to really hard," Hamilton said. "The Red Bulls I think are a little bit quicker than us in race trim. It's strange how we're quick in qualifying but then in the race they close the gap massively and the tables turn a little bit. But we're ahead of them so hopefully we can still apply the pressure and hold position.
"I don't know what's going to happen on these tyres on the long run, whether blistering will happen or not. But it is going to be physically so demanding; it's so hot. But I will be ready."
Verstappen's Silverstone win - the first time a Mercedes has been denied victory this year - moved him into second place in the championship ahead of Bottas, a measure of his the high standard of his performances this season. And while he is 30 points behind Hamilton, it's worth remembering that Verstappen retired from the opening race of the season while running second.
The impression, then, of a season of total Mercedes domination is perhaps not as accurate as it might seem, at least not when it comes to the races.
"If I just keep driving behind them in the distance it's not going to happen," Verstappen said. "If I have the opportunity to be there, you have to push it. Yesterday [on the race runs in practice] I felt good. Let's hope it's going to be the same tomorrow and I hope we have an entertaining race at the end of the day."
Will Wolff stay or go?
Wolff is the only team principal who has won more than five consecutive double world championships
Wolff has this weekend been open about the fact that he is contemplating his future with Mercedes beyond the end of this season.
His contract as F1 team principal and Mercedes motorsport boss is up at the end of the year, and his position with the company is complicated by the fact that he is a 30% shareholder.
Wolff has made it clear that he is weighing up the strains of the role, his longevity in it - he has held it since 2013 - its impact on his private life, with a wife who is also a team boss in Formula E, and the fact he continues to enjoy its challenges.
No decisions have been taken. But it could well be that, even if he concludes he does not want to be team principal and attend every race any more, he remains the most senior person in the team and its boss.
Wolff said on Saturday: "It is to take the right decision for the team, which is my highest priority. I enjoy the camaraderie and the ups and downs. I couldn't wish for a better group of people. And obviously I am discussing every millimetre with [Daimler boss] Ola Kallenius and Susie [Wolff, his wife].
"Hopefully I will be in the same place next year and discussing with you and if not I will be staying close to the team."
Whatever happens, Hamilton said it would not affect his decision over his new contract, which is also still to be concluded.
"You have to remember it is a team," said Hamilton, who joined Mercedes at the same time as Wolff. "There are almost 2,000 people in the team. It's not just down to one individual. That does not determine whether or not I stay.
"I have been a part of growing with this team and the strength is there and it's not just one individual.
"Everyone has to do what's best for them and their career and happiness. And everyone needs to take a moment and evaluate what they want to do moving forwards, whether it suits them and their families and their future dreams.
"We have done so much already together. But I hope he stays because it's fun working with him and negotiating with him and having the ups and downs. Truly grateful to Toto. But I will be supportive in whatever he decides to do."
A small step forward for Vettel
Vettel failed to make it out of Q2 for the second weekend in a row
The last two races at Silverstone were particularly sobering experiences for Sebastian Vettel, a man who once bestrode F1 much as Hamilton does now, but who has looked a pale shadow of his previous self for some time.
Vettel was way off the pace of team-mate Charles Leclerc in the UK, and made another of his unforced errors in the second race, too.
The regularity with which these mistakes are appearing, by the way, can be judged by the fact that Renault's Daniel Ricciardo described his own error at Silverstone as a "Seb spin". Ouch.
Vettel admitted to being flummoxed as to why he was struggling so at Silverstone, so when Ferrari announced that they had found a crack in his chassis and were giving him a new one for Spain, it seemed a possible explanation.
Vettel said on Thursday, though, that he didn't "expect miracles" and so it has turned out.
He has been closer to Leclerc this weekend, but was still 0.215 seconds off in qualifying, and still failed to make it into the top 10 shootout, while Leclerc did.
Now, to be 0.215secs off a man who it is already clear will be one of the stars of the next decade and more is no shame.
On average over all the races, Vettel was just over 0.1secs slower in qualifying than Leclerc in 2019. So it is far from impossible that 0.2secs could be a typical and expected margin between the two this year, with Leclerc now in his second season with Ferrari, and very much designated as their future focus, and Vettel entering this season having been told he would be leaving at the end of it.
But Vettel is a proud man and his highly impressive career statistics mean a lot to him. And he will very much not see this as a situation he will have to accept for the rest of the year, not least with his future still up in the air.
Vettel complained after qualifying of a nervous rear on his car - exactly the opposite of comments from Leclerc, who said his "just didn't have enough front end to rotate the car and we lost quite a bit of time because of this. It is something we regularly have with this car, struggling with the front in mid-corner".
Two drivers reporting exactly the opposite problem with their cars, and both more than a second slower than the Mercedes. This is going to be a long and difficult year for Vettel and Ferrari.
It remains to be seen whether Vettel will still be in F1 next year - he does not exactly have a lot of options.
But he can at least console himself with some supportive words from his former team boss at Red Bull.
"Sebastian is a great driver," Christian Horner said in an interview with 5 Live Sport this weekend, "the third most successful driver in the world and still holds numerous records and it's sad to see him struggling as he is at the moment.
"Whatever he chooses to do will be his choice. If he decides to take a year out, he will still be attractive to teams in a year's time. He is one of the few drivers who could afford to take a year out.
"It's all about the environment you're in and that's something he's obviously finding tough at the moment."