bbc--2020-04-28--Coronavirus: Wild animals enjoy freedom of a quieter world

Coronavirus lockdowns globally have given parts of the natural world a rare opportunity to experience life with hardly any humans around .
Animals in urban areas are exploring emptied streets and waterways , and delighting human inhabitants along the way .
While many of these are not unique sightings , the human restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic seem to have given animals the confidence to go deeper into our cities and stay for longer .
Others are enjoying having nature reserves and parks all to themselves , and some authorities report a boom in wildlife while tourists are away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is normally one of the world 's busiest marine routes .
Huge tankers , cargo ships and passenger boats criss-cross the straits that cut the city in half 24 hours a day .
Now , with a lull in traffic and fishermen staying at home during the city 's lockdown , dolphins are swimming and jumping in the waters .
It 's not uncommon to spot the tell-tale dots of a dolphin from the city 's quays , far away in the distance .
But videos posted by residents of the animals swimming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the city they 're happy to come now .
Dolphins `` are coming closer to the edge of the water as the terror of uncontrolled anglers on the shoreline has temporarily stopped , '' a ship spotter who has photographed dolphins in the past told AFP .
`` Wild boars take over Haifa as residents stuck inside , '' said the headline in Israeli newspaper Haaretz .
Boars were seen snuffling and foraging for food around the city of Haifa before the pandemic , but the absence of humans has encouraged them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now so serious that local officials held a Zoom meeting to discuss the expanding population .
`` I 'm scared that after the coronavirus passes , the boars will have gotten used to coming every day , every night , every hour , '' Yaron Hanan who is campaigning for a crackdown on the animals told Reuters .
However some species are enjoying solitude in previously busy natural reserves or parks .
In Albania , pink flamingos are flourishing in lagoons on the country 's west coastline , where numbers have increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities told AFP .
Thousands have been seen soaring over the waters at Narta Lagoon where they go to mate after flying from Africa and the southern Mediterranean .
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Couples have been `` moving a little further into the lagoon and are now starting courtship rituals , '' said Nexhip Hysolakoj @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area .
And in Divjaka National Park , 85 pairs of curly pelicans are nesting .
The usual 50,000 monthly tourists are keeping away , creating quiet in the area where officials hope a population boon will now happen .
In Thailand , a herd of 30 dugongs was caught on camera swimming in the Hat Chao Mai National Park where tourism has ground to a halt .
The dugong , also known as sea cow , is classed as a vulnerable species and can often fall victim to fishing nets or suffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ park has been posting videos on Facebook of large swarms of fish and other species , and says there has been a revival in wildlife since the pandemic began .
However some animals enjoying new adventures are n't able to stay around for long .
Several cougars found wandering the streets of Santiago , Chile were captured and released back to their natural habitats .
One of the big cats was found inside an apartment complex .
`` They sense less noise and are also looking for new places to find food and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities , '' Horacio Bórquez , Chile 's national director of livestock and agriculture service , said of the animals .
And who could forget the famous Kashmiri goats of Llandudno ?
They enjoyed the deserted town in Wales and had a scamper around last month .
Some even helped themselves to garden flowers and hedges .
But not all creatures are benefitting from the coronavirus lockdown .
Europe 's pigeons risk starvation , warns an animal rights group in Germany .
That 's because the humans who normally feed them or drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuck at home .
The group , while acknowledging that pigeons are a problem for many cities , says they should not be allowed to die a painful death .
In Krakow , Poland , one animal welfare organisation is coming out specially to feed the flocks abandoned for the time being .

Europe's pigeons risk starvation, warns an animal rights group in Germany. That's because the humans who normally feed them or drop morsels of food on the streets are stuck at home. The group, while acknowledging that pigeons are a problem for many cities, says they should not be allowed to die a painful death.


bbc--2020-04-28--India coronavirus: The man giving dignified burial to Covid-19 victims

For three decades , Abdul Malabari has been an undertaker for unclaimed bodies .
But he never thought he would have to bury people whose families wanted to say goodbye but could n't because of Covid-19 .
BBC Gujarati 's Shaili Bhatt reports .
`` My work has no fixed timings , '' says the 51-year-old undertaker .
`` As soon as we get a call , we proceed with the kit . ''
Every time someone dies of coronavirus in Surat - in India 's western state of Gujarat - officials call Mr Malabari .
So far the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active cases .
There are 3,548 in Gujarat .
`` In such difficult times , Abdul bhai [ brother ] has been of great help , '' says Ashish Naik , Surat 's deputy commissioner .
Mr Malabari says this is his job , and so he agreed to do it , despite the risk .
His team now eat and sleep at the office of their charities , to protect their families from infection .
It is not the first time Mr Malabari has gone above and beyond for people he does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a stranger three decades ago - when a different disease was snaking its way through the population - which led to his work today .
The stranger 's name was Sakina , and she was suffering from HIV .
Her husband and son had brought her to hospital , but then disappeared .
Efforts to track them down after her death proved fruitless .
And so , she had been lying in the morgue for a month .
Local officials were desperate , and put an appeal out for a Muslim volunteer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Malabari , then just 21 , was touched by the advert and decided to help .
He contacted the only organisation in Surat that was burying unclaimed bodies , but they told him the man who did the job was travelling so they would have to wait for him to return .
Read more about the coronavirus in India • Indian migrants have a question : When can I go home ?
• How the virus cleared the world 's most polluted skies • Should Indians pay for their own coronavirus tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Mr Malabari says .
So he went to the hospital and told officials that he would bury Sakina .
Her body , he recalls today , `` was stinking '' .
But he was not put off , approaching some women he knew to bathe the body as per Islamic custom .
But they refused , he says , because Sakina had HIV , which was still little understood in 1990 .
So Mr Malabari decided to do it himself , pouring buckets of water over her body , before taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's when he realised Surat could n't rely on just one man for this job .
`` It took me a whole day , and I also realised I could not do this alone . ''
So he started his charity .
He says his family , which runs a textile business , was initially against it .
`` I remember telling them how Islam says its every citizen 's duty to help and carry out a person 's final journey out of humanity and respect .
I was just doing that as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there is as much fear surrounding the bodies of those who die with Covid-19 - although with far more reason as , although health experts say the virus can not transmit after death , it can survive on clothes for a few hours .
So once the body is sealed in a bag , no-one , not even family , can see it .
Mr Malabari and his team take all the precautions - they wear masks , gloves and gowns .
They have also been trained on how to prepare the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body with chemicals and then they wrap it in plastic to avoid contamination , before transporting it in one of the two vans reserved for Covid-19 victims .
The vehicles are sanitised after every trip , and the cemetery or crematorium is disinfected after each funeral .
Even so , fears over the virus have led to protests in some Indian cities by people who live close to the graveyards .
Mr Malabari says he has also encountered some trouble , but he has been able to reason with people so far .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is dealing with families who ca n't say goodbye - many of them are also under quarantine .
`` They cry a lot and talk about seeing the deceased .
We explain to them that it 's for their own safety and assure them that we will make the arrangements according to their religious customs . ''
He says sometimes a family member has been allowed to observe from afar : `` We take them in a separate vehicle and ask them to stand at a distance and pray .
Things have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buried Sakina all those years ago , Now , he says , his three children - a daughter and two sons - are `` happy '' and `` proud '' of him .
His charity has since grown to 35 volunteers and has some 1,500 donors , as well as the help and support of officials .
What he 's most proud of , he adds , is that his team includes people of all faiths and castes .
`` We have Hindu volunteers who bury the bodies of Muslims , and Muslim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Most often , he says , they end up with the bodies of the homeless or runways who are never identified .
`` We find bodies in rivers and canals , on railway tracks .
We sometimes deal with decomposed bodies . ''
He says the effect of what they do is hard to express but , over the years , it has affected his sleep , appetite and even his ability to enjoy time with his family .
But he has never considered stopping .
`` In my heart I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this that nothing else will ever give me . ''
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Mr Malabari and his team take all the precautions - they wear masks, gloves and gowns. They have also been trained on how to prepare the bodies. First, they spray the body with chemicals and then they wrap it in plastic to avoid contamination, before transporting it in one of the two vans reserved for Covid-19 victims. The vehicles are sanitised after every trip, and the cemetery or crematorium is disinfected after each funeral.


bbc--2020-04-28--What is behind Nigeria's unexplained deaths in Kano?

The Nigerian president has expressed deep concern over a high number of unexplained deaths in the northern state of Kano , amid fears they could be caused by Covid-19 .
President Muhammadu Buhari said a lockdown would be imposed in Kano for an additional two weeks , and that he was sending a government team to investigate .
Nigeria 's Health Minister Dr Osagie Ehanire says the situation is being `` monitored closely '' .
But following preliminary investigations the state authorities have dismissed a connection with coronavirus .
• Why some Nigerians are gloating about coronavirus • Helping those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people are rumoured to have died in the community but no official death records are kept .
Grave diggers initially raised concerns that they were burying a higher than usual number of bodies .
Ali , a grave digger at the Abattoir Graveyard , told the BBC : `` We have never seen this , since the major cholera outbreak that our parents tell us about .
That was about 60 years ago . ''
This week , the state governor issued a statement saying the `` mysterious deaths '' were unrelated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the deaths '' , announced that their preliminary findings `` indicated that the deaths are not connected to the Covid-19 pandemic '' .
The state government said `` reports from the state ministry of health has shown that most of the deaths were caused by complications arising from hypertension , diabetes , meningitis and acute malaria '' .
`` Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is earnestly waiting for the final report from the state ministry of health so as to take the necessary action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the north , Kano has become the epicentre of coronavirus in northern Nigeria .
Its highly dense population is still in lockdown in an effort to contain the spread of the virus .
Do n't tests show the cause of death ?
State officials started testing for Covid-19 two weeks ago and one lab has had to close due to contamination .
Samples are being sent to the capital , Abuja , which authorities say is causing a delay in announcing how many positive cases have been detected in the state .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ national co-ordinator for the presidential task force on Covid-19 , says a team of five medical experts were deployed to Kano to facilitate in reopening the testing centre this week after it was fumigated .
Officials also plan to open a second lab , at Bayero University , for testing for Covid-19 from next week .
How many people have died ?
It is unclear how many people have died , as the deaths causing concern are happening in the community .
Deaths in many parts of Nigeria are not registered , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital , no records are kept .
This makes it difficult to understand how many people have died in recent weeks .
Sabitu Shaibu , the deputy head of the state task force on Covid-19 , is hoping to release preliminary findings of the investigation by next week but believes that most of the rumoured 640 deaths are from natural causes and says the figure is below the average death rate for Kano .
Hospital records which provide the only death register available are thought to provide lower numbers than the real picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigating taskforce say they will conduct `` verbal autopsies '' with family members to help establish why people are dying .
If not coronavirus , what else could be going on ?
Private hospitals which provide for a significant part of health provision in the region have been closed due to coronavirus fears .
This could mean a lack of support for those with existing conditions who may have died as a result .
Dr Nagoma Sadiq who works at the Aminu Kano Hospital , thinks this could be behind the additional deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out coronavirus .
`` It 's shocking to most of us that the count of the dead is alarming .
But it 's likely due to the reduction in the number of health institutions available in the state .
`` Because there are a lot of hypertensive patients , diabetic patients , asthmatic patients , cancer patients , and they do n't have much access to the hospitals .
The lockdown is affecting everybody .
`` Our poor majority do n't even have a vehicle to take them to the hospitals . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ some say the current situation is due to the epidemic , others say it 's difficulties of life .
People have so many problems in their lives and a lack of peace of mind . ''
However Covid-19 is known to be more dangerous for those with underlying health conditions , so it could be that the deaths are related to coronavirus .
The only way to know for sure is to test for coronavirus .
Dr Sadiq also said that there was still a concern about an ongoing Lassa fever infection amongst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed cases and one death , according to the most recent report from the Nigerian Centre For Disease Control .
Kano currently has 77 positive cases of coronavirus with three deaths .
Authorities are urging the public not to panic .
What else did the president announce ?
President Buhari announced a gradual easing of lockdown restrictions in Abuja , Lagos and neighbouring Ogun state from next Monday .
But he also said that the government would impose a curfew across the country between 20:00 and 06:00 , require everyone to wear face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-essential inter-state passenger travel '' .
Bans on social and religious gatherings will also remain in place .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
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• VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
You may also be interested in : Two Nigerian software engineers have been fixing ventilators for free at a hospital in northern Nigeria .
William Gyang and Nura Jubril , who have experience doing electrical repairs , discovered that there were 40 faulty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital .

What is behind Nigeria's unexplained deaths in Kano? Published 28 April 2020
Image source, Reuters Image caption, President Muhammadu Buhari said Kano would extend its lockdown while the restrictions are relaxed in the rest of Nigeria
The Nigerian president has expressed deep concern over a high number of unexplained deaths in the northern state of Kano, amid fears they could be caused by Covid-19.
President Muhammadu Buhari said a lockdown would be imposed in Kano for an additional two weeks, and that he was sending a government team to investigate.
Nigeria's Health Minister Dr Osagie Ehanire says the situation is being "monitored closely".
But following preliminary investigations the state authorities have dismissed a connection with coronavirus.
Hundreds of people are rumoured to have died in the community but no official death records are kept.
Grave diggers initially raised concerns that they were burying a higher than usual number of bodies.
Ali, a grave digger at the Abattoir Graveyard, told the BBC: "We have never seen this, since the major cholera outbreak that our parents tell us about. That was about 60 years ago."
Image caption, Grave digger Ali says he is burying more bodies
This week, the state governor issued a statement saying the "mysterious deaths" were unrelated to coronavirus.
But after ordering a "thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the deaths", announced that their preliminary findings "indicated that the deaths are not connected to the Covid-19 pandemic".
The state government said "reports from the state ministry of health has shown that most of the deaths were caused by complications arising from hypertension, diabetes, meningitis and acute malaria".
"Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is earnestly waiting for the final report from the state ministry of health so as to take the necessary action."
The commercial and industrial centre of the north, Kano has become the epicentre of coronavirus in northern Nigeria. Its highly dense population is still in lockdown in an effort to contain the spread of the virus.
Don't tests show the cause of death?
State officials started testing for Covid-19 two weeks ago and one lab has had to close due to contamination. Samples are being sent to the capital, Abuja, which authorities say is causing a delay in announcing how many positive cases have been detected in the state.
Dr Sani Aliyu, who is the national co-ordinator for the presidential task force on Covid-19, says a team of five medical experts were deployed to Kano to facilitate in reopening the testing centre this week after it was fumigated.
Officials also plan to open a second lab, at Bayero University, for testing for Covid-19 from next week.
How many people have died?
It is unclear how many people have died, as the deaths causing concern are happening in the community. Deaths in many parts of Nigeria are not registered, and so for those who died outside of hospital, no records are kept.
This makes it difficult to understand how many people have died in recent weeks.
Sabitu Shaibu, the deputy head of the state task force on Covid-19, is hoping to release preliminary findings of the investigation by next week but believes that most of the rumoured 640 deaths are from natural causes and says the figure is below the average death rate for Kano.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Health workers prepared beds for a coronavirus isolation centre in Abuja at the beginning of April
Hospital records which provide the only death register available are thought to provide lower numbers than the real picture across the state.
Those on the investigating taskforce say they will conduct "verbal autopsies" with family members to help establish why people are dying.
If not coronavirus, what else could be going on?
Private hospitals which provide for a significant part of health provision in the region have been closed due to coronavirus fears. This could mean a lack of support for those with existing conditions who may have died as a result.
Dr Nagoma Sadiq who works at the Aminu Kano Hospital, thinks this could be behind the additional deaths, but he is also not ruling out coronavirus.
"It's shocking to most of us that the count of the dead is alarming. But it's likely due to the reduction in the number of health institutions available in the state.
"Because there are a lot of hypertensive patients, diabetic patients, asthmatic patients, cancer patients, and they don't have much access to the hospitals. The lockdown is affecting everybody.
"Our poor majority don't even have a vehicle to take them to the hospitals."
Image caption, More funerals are happening
Grave digger Ali agrees, adding "some say the current situation is due to the epidemic, others say it's difficulties of life. People have so many problems in their lives and a lack of peace of mind."
However Covid-19 is known to be more dangerous for those with underlying health conditions, so it could be that the deaths are related to coronavirus. The only way to know for sure is to test for coronavirus.
Dr Sadiq also said that there was still a concern about an ongoing Lassa fever infection amongst communities. The state has had five confirmed cases and one death, according to the most recent report from the Nigerian Centre For Disease Control.
Kano currently has 77 positive cases of coronavirus with three deaths.
Authorities are urging the public not to panic.
What else did the president announce?
President Buhari announced a gradual easing of lockdown restrictions in Abuja, Lagos and neighbouring Ogun state from next Monday.
But he also said that the government would impose a curfew across the country between 20:00 and 06:00, require everyone to wear face masks in public, and stop "non-essential inter-state passenger travel".
Bans on social and religious gatherings will also remain in place.
You may also be interested in:
Two Nigerian software engineers have been fixing ventilators for free at a hospital in northern Nigeria.
William Gyang and Nura Jubril, who have experience doing electrical repairs, discovered that there were 40 faulty machines at the University of Jos teaching hospital.


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Trump orders meatpacking plants to stay open

US President Donald Trump has ordered meat processing plants to stay open to protect the nation 's food supply amid the coronavirus pandemic .
He invoked a Korean War-era law from the 1950s to mandate that the plants continue to function , amid industry warnings of strain on the supply chain .
An estimated 3,300 US meatpacking workers have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 20 have died .
The UN last month warned the emergency threatened global food supply chains .
Twenty-two US meatpacking plants across the American Midwest have closed during the outbreak .
They include slaughterhouses owned by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beef producers , such as Smithfield Foods , Tyson Foods , Cargill and JBS USA .
What does the White House say ?
`` Such closures threaten the continued functioning of the national meat and poultry supply chain , undermining critical infrastructure during the national emergency , '' says Tuesday evening 's executive order , invoking the 1950 Defense Production Act .
`` Given the high volume of meat and poultry processed by many facilities , any unnecessary closures can quickly have a large effect on the food supply chain . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of critical infrastructure in the US .
A White House official told US media it will work with the Department of Labor to issue guidance for vulnerable workers , such as over-65s and those with chronic health conditions , to stay at home .
Like lambs to the slaughter ?
The leadership of large meatpacking companies have faced tough questions over whether they did enough to prepare for the pandemic and protect workers .
On top of the fact that production lines necessitate that workers stand very close together , most are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigrants living paycheque to paycheque , like the ones at a Sioux Falls , South Dakota , pork plant who told the BBC that despite the risk , they have no choice but to go to work if plants are open .
Without strict adherence to safety guidelines - which are not currently being deemed `` mandatory '' by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration - it 's not hard to picture new outbreaks at factories , or resurgences of the virus in factories that shuttered but reopen prematurely .
All of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same impossible choice they were in when the virus first began spreading in factories in late March : risk my health or lose my job .
What does the meat industry say ?
John Tyson , chairman of Tyson Foods took out full-page ads on Sunday in the Washington Post and New York Times to warn `` the nation 's food supply is breaking '' .
`` As pork , beef and chicken plants are being forced to close , even for short periods of time , millions of pounds of meat will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wrote .
`` As a result , there will be limited supply of our products available in grocery stores until we are able to reopen our facilities that are currently closed . ''
He said millions of cattle , pigs and chickens will be euthanised because of slaughterhouse closures , limiting supplies at supermarkets .
Pork production has borne the brunt , with daily output slashed by at least a quarter .
Tyson - which employs some 100,000 workers nationwide - has suspended operations at its pork plant in Waterloo , Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its plant in Sioux Falls , South Dakota , after an outbreak infected hundreds of employees .
What do the unions say ?
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union ( UFCW ) , the largest US meatpacking union , demanded the Trump administration compel meat companies to provide proper protective equipment and ensure daily coronavirus testing for slaughterhouse workers .
`` While we share the concern over the food supply , today 's executive order to force meatpacking plants to stay open must put the safety of our country 's meatpacking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• US Congress abandons plan to return to Washington The UFCW said the White House order would provide legal cover to companies in case employees catch coronavirus at work .
`` We 're working with Tyson , '' Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office earlier on Tuesday .
`` We 're going to sign an executive order today , I believe , and that will solve any liability problems . ''
Richard Trumka , the president of the AFL-CIO union , said : `` Using executive power to force people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is wrong and dangerous . ''
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Many are immigrants living paycheque to paycheque, like the ones at a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, pork plant who told the BBC that despite the risk, they have no choice but to go to work if plants are open.


bbc--2020-04-29--Irrfan Khan: Slumdog Millionaire and Life of Pi actor dies

Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan , known internationally for roles in Slumdog Millionaire and Jurassic World , has died at the age of 53 .
Khan was known for his nuanced and understated performances , with many calling him one of India 's most talented actors .
He was so highly respected , director Wes Anderson once wrote him a part just so he could work with him .
In 2018 , the actor revealed he had an endocrine tumour , a rare illness .
He later underwent treatment in a London hospital for the illness which affects cells that release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and politicians have rushed to pay tribute to him on social media .
`` An incredible talent ... a gracious colleague ... a prolific contributor to the World of Cinema ... left us too soon ... creating a huge vacuum , '' superstar actor Amitabh Bachchan who worked with him in Piku tweeted .
Actor Raveena Tandon tweeted that he was a `` fantastic co-star , an actor par excellence , and a beautiful human being '' .
Actor Konkana Sensharma said Irrfan paved the way for many actors .
`` Irrfan shone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his glory .
Who will we look to for such integrity again ?
The world is a lesser place now .
Thank you for having the courage to be yourself and unlocking worlds for us , Irrfan , '' she tweeted .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described his death as `` a loss to the world of cinema and theatre '' .
`` He will be remembered for his versatile performances across different mediums .
My thoughts are with his family , friends and admirers .
May his soul rest in peace , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Bollywood to theatre to Hollywood action and art house .
In 2013 , he won India 's National Film Award for his leading role in Paan Singh Tomar , a biopic about a top athlete who becomes a bandit .
Other Bollywood hits he acted in including Lunchbox , Piku and Hindi Medium .
His latest , Angrezi Medium , was released just last month .
His international breakthrough came in the British-Indian film The Warrior by director Asif Kapadia which won a Bafta .
It was also shortlisted for the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but had to be dropped on the technicality that Hindi was not a language indigenous to Britain .
The critical success of the movie launched his film career and for the next two decades he would make as many as five or six movies a year .
He kept in touch with Mira Nair - who had spotted his talent at drama school but cut him from Salaam Bombay .
They would go on to make The Namesake in 2006 and New York , I Love You in 2010 .
Michael Winterbottom cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Mighty Heart and Wes Anderson wrote a small role for him in The Darjeeling Limited - just so he could work with him .
Two months after Khan went public with his diagnosis , he wrote an open letter about his experience with the cancer treatment , reflecting on the `` intensity '' of his pain and the `` uncertainty '' of life .
It drew a massive outpouring of support from his fans around the world .
The statement released by his PR company confirming his death said , `` surrounded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whom he most cared about , he left for heaven abode , leaving behind truly a legacy of his own .
We all pray and hope that he is at peace '' .
He had been admitted to hospital with a colon infection .
Irrfan Khan 's untimely demise is the biggest loss to Indian cinema since the death of Smita Patil , one of the country 's most promising actors , in 1986 .
Like Patil , Khan was a protean actor , excelling in a wide range of roles and straddling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cinema .
Khan was a successful outlier in Bollywood , known for its hammy filmmaking .
He was a quintessentially understated actor - underlined in his brilliant performance as a loner in The Lunchbox - with unforced grace .
I still remember a brief meeting in a hotel lobby in the city of Agra where he was shooting The Namesake for Mira Nair , a cloying , moving tale of a newly-immigrated Bengali couple in the US .
I told him he looked every bit a bespectacled Bengali professor from the seventies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ film .
He smiled shyly .
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"Irrfan shone so bright that we all reflected in his glory. Who will we look to for such integrity again? The world is a lesser place now. Thank you for having the courage to be yourself and unlocking worlds for us, Irrfan," she tweeted.


bbc--2020-04-29--Dancing gargantuan black holes perform on cue

Astronomers have been able to test key consequences of Einstein 's theories by studying the way a couple of black holes move around each other .
One of these objects is a true colossus - a hole weighing 18 billion times the mass of our Sun ; the other not quite so big at `` only '' 150 million Sun masses .
Scientists managed to predict their interactions very precisely .
They did so by including their warping effects on space-time and by assuming the larger hole had a smooth `` surface '' .
The black hole pairing , known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion light-years from Earth .
• Gravitational waves : So many new toys to unwrap Scientists have long recognised a sudden brightening from this system that occurs twice every 12 years .
The outburst of energy is equivalent to a trillion suns turning on at once in the holes ' host galaxy .
The best explanation for this extraordinary behaviour is that the smaller object is routinely crashing through a disc of gas and dust that 's accreting on to its larger companion , heating the inspiraling material to extremely high temperatures in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somewhat irregular .
Sometimes the brightening episodes in the 12-year period occur as little as one year apart ; other times , as much as 10 years apart .
It speaks to the complexity of the path the small hole takes around its partner - a complexity the research team has now built into a highly sophisticated model .
`` The orbit of the smaller black hole precesses .
That 's why the times of the impacts vary , '' explained Prof Mauri Valtonen from the University of Turku , Finland .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a model that predicted more or less what would happen .
But we 've just got more and more accurate , '' he told BBC News .
One of the updated model 's important parameters is the energy radiating away from the system in the form of gravitational waves .
These ripples in the fabric of space-time - a consequence of Einstein 's theory of general relativity - are generated by accelerating bodies , and in the super-massive circumstances of OJ 287 they have a significant influence on the way the system operates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ model came on 31 July last year when the appearance of the most recent flaring was identified to within 2.5 hours of what the equations had anticipated .
The event was captured by the US space agency Nasa 's Spitzer infrared telescope , a fortunate observation , as it turned out , because OJ 287 was on the far side of the Sun to the Earth at the time and therefore out of sight to ground-based facilities .
Spitzer 's separation from Earth ( 160 million km ) , on the other hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` When I first checked the visibility of OJ 287 , I was shocked to find that it became visible to Spitzer right on the day when the next flare was predicted to occur , '' said Dr Seppo Laine , a Caltech , US , staff scientist who oversaw the Spitzer viewing .
`` It was extremely fortunate that we would be able to capture the peak of this flare with Spitzer , because no other human-made instruments were capable of achieving this feat at that specific point in time . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in details about the larger black hole 's physical characteristics .
Specifically , its rotation .
Scientists , including the late Stephen Hawking , developed what became known as the `` no-hair '' theorem of black holes .
This essentially states that the surface , or `` event horizon '' , of a black hole along its rotation axis is symmetrical - there are no lumps and bumps .
The observation of OJ 287 is said to be the best test yet of this no-hair idea .
If there were serious irregularities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out so well .
Prof Achamveedu Gopakumar , from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research , India , worked on gravitational-wave additions to the model along with graduate student Lankeswar Dey .
The professor spoke of his `` elation '' on seeing the Spitzer data come through .
He is now looking forward to OJ 287 being imaged by the Event Horizon Telescope which produced the first ever picture of a black hole last year .
`` The EHT observed the source both in 2017 and 2018 .
The other campaigns are suspended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope to get time during the 2021 campaign , '' he told BBC News .
Details of the Spitzer observations are published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters .
The next flaring will be in 2022 , and then in 2033 and 2034 .
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET @ bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter .

One of the updated model's important parameters is the energy radiating away from the system in the form of gravitational waves. These ripples in the fabric of space-time - described by Einstein's theory of general relativity - are generated by accelerating bodies; and in the super-massive circumstances of OJ 287, they have a significant influence on the way the system operates.


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Switzerland says young children can hug grandparents

Swiss authorities say it is now safe for children under the age of 10 to hug their grandparents , in a revision to official advice on coronavirus .
The health ministry 's infectious diseases chief Daniel Koch said scientists had concluded that young children did not transmit the virus .
However , he said such meetings should be brief and not involve babysitting .
Switzerland is one of several European countries beginning to ease their lockdown measures .
This week , garden centres and hairdressers have been allowed to open their doors .
Schools and shops selling items other than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weeks ' time .
Dr Koch told a news conference this week that the original advice to keep distance between children and their grandparents was made when less was known about how the coronavirus was transmitted .
`` Young children are not infected and do not transmit the virus , '' he said .
`` They just do n't have the receptors to catch the disease . ''
Dr Koch said that many grandparents `` live to see their grandchildren '' and that it was important for their mental health .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posed a risk to elderly relatives but their parents .
• 'When will I be able to hug my grandchildren ? '
• Why going without physical touch is so hard • Can you compare different countries ?
The revised official guidelines came after consultation with experts at universities in Zurich , Bern and Geneva , Swiss broadcaster SRF reported .
The new advice applies to young children who show no signs of illness while older children must still avoid contact with grandparents .
Dr Koch advised only `` brief contact with grandchildren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or spending time with children outside the home .
However , not all experts concur with the Swiss government 's findings .
Sounding a note of caution , Germany 's chief virologist Christian Drosten told Austrian broadcaster ORF that there was insufficient data to say conclusively that young children could not transmit the virus .
He said the question of whether children contracted the virus , and if so how they might pass it on , was answered differently in different studies .
Advice in the UK remains that children should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily news briefing this week , Health Secretary Matt Hancock was asked by a member of the public when she would be allowed to hug her grandchildren again .
Mr Hancock said he `` fully accepts '' the importance of getting together with family but that it was important that `` people who are vulnerable continue to be protected '' .
The UK 's chief medical adviser , Chris Whitty , has warned that for some vulnerable groups close contact with family may continue to be a risk for some time .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
• TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

Dr Koch said that many grandparents "live to see their grandchildren" and that it was important for their mental health. He said it was not the children who posed a risk to elderly relatives but their parents.


bbc--2020-04-29--UK PM Johnson and fiancee announce birth of son

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds have announced the birth of a son .
A spokeswoman for the PM and his partner said both mother and baby are `` doing very well '' .
It is understood Mr Johnson , who has just recovered from coronavirus , was present throughout the birth , at an NHS hospital in London .
`` The PM and Ms Symonds would like to thank the fantastic NHS maternity team , '' the PM 's spokeswoman added .
The couple have received messages of congratulation from across the political spectrum , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` absolutely delighted '' and `` thrilled '' by the birth of his grandson .
Mr Johnson , 55 , and Ms Symonds , 32 , announced in March that they were expecting a baby in `` early summer '' , and that they had become engaged at the end of last year .
They are the first unmarried couple to move into Downing Street together .
The baby is Ms Symonds ' first child , while Mr Johnson is known to have fathered five .
Mr Johnson returned to work on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which saw him spend three nights in intensive care .
Ms Symonds also suffered symptoms of the disease .
Ms Symonds said on social media that she had spent a `` worrying '' week in bed with the symptoms of the virus while the PM was self-isolating with the the disease .
She later sent Mr Johnson baby scans and daily messages while he was in hospital , to keep his morale up .
Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe were among the first international leaders to offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleagues have also been congratulating the couple on social media , with Health Secretary Matt Hancock saying : `` So thrilled for Boris and Carrie .
Wonderful to have a moment of unalloyed joy ! ''
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also offered his congratulations on the `` wonderful news '' .
Whatever their political differences , he said at Prime Minister 's Questions , `` as human beings I think we all recognise the anxiety that the prime minister and Carrie must have gone through in these past few weeks - unimaginable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this brings them incredible relief and joy . ''
There was speculation that Mr Johnson would take part in his first Prime Minister 's Questions since recovering from coronavirus on Wednesday .
But his place was taken Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab , who has been deputising for him .
Mr Raab said `` I 'm sure the whole House will want to join with me in sending congratulations and our very best wishes to them . ''
He also paid tribute to the key workers who have lost their lives fighting coronavirus and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tom Moore who has raised over £29m for the NHS .
Boris Johnson has previously indicated he will take paternity leave but it is not known if his plans have changed , in light of the coronavirus emergency .
The four children from Mr Johnson 's second marriage , to barrister Marina Wheeler , are in their 20s .
He was reported to have reached a divorce settlement with Ms Wheeler in February .
The new arrival is the third baby born to a serving prime minister in recent history .
Tony Blair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leo in May 2000 , three years after her husband 's first election victory , and David Cameron and wife Samantha welcomed daughter Florence in 2010 .
Mr Cameron tweeted his `` heartfelt congratulations '' to Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds , adding : `` Sam and I are thrilled for you both !
Sorry we did n't leave the cot - but the climbing frame should still be in the garden ! ''
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted : `` Some good news - sending congratulations to Carrie and the PM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wee one . ''
Arlene Foster , the First Minister of Northern Ireland , congratulated the couple , adding : `` More sleepless nights ahead ! ''
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle congratulated Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds `` on behalf of everyone in the House of Commons , '' adding : `` Such happy news amid so much uncertainty - 2020 is certainly a year they will never forget . ''
The Archbishop of Canterbury , Justin Welby , tweeted his congratulations and prayers for the couple `` as they welcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Whatever their political differences, he said at Prime Minister's Questions, "as human beings I think we all recognise the anxiety that the prime minister and Carrie must have gone through in these past few weeks - unimaginable anxiety.


bbc--2020-04-29--South Korea fire: Dozens killed in warehouse blaze in Icheon

At least 25 people have been killed in a fire at a warehouse that was under construction in the South @ @ @ @ @ The blaze was caused by an explosion of flammable material being used in the installation @ @ @ @ @ , South Korean media reported .
All the victims are believed to be construction workers @ @ @ @ @ death toll higher .
It began at about 13:30 local time ( 04:30 GMT ) @ @ @ @ @ news agency said at least seven people were injured in the fire at Icheon , @ @ @ @ @ south-east of the capital , Seoul .
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun has ordered the mobilisation @ @ @ @ @ and resources '' to tackle the emergency .

There are fears the death toll could rise as 78 people were working in the building and not all are accounted for.


bbc--2020-04-29--Germany's new Berlin airport set for take off, nine years late

There may be no passengers on the horizon because of the coronavirus pandemic , but Berlin 's long-awaited new airport has finally been given clearance for take off on 31 October .
Berlin-Brandenburg was due to open in March 2011 but delays and scandals put it on hold for almost a decade .
Building authorities have now given it the green light , 14 years after construction began .
It will replace the capital 's old Tegel and Schönefeld airports .
Berlin-Brandenburg , also known as Willy Brandt airport after the former West German chancellor , was never going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That tourist season is already under threat , with the government aiming to extend a worldwide travel ban for tourists up to 14 June and leaving a decision on the rest of the summer until later .
German states operate a staggered summer holiday with the northern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania starting on 22 June .
`` A normal holiday that we 've grown used to with full beaches wo n't happen this year anywhere , whether in Europe or anywhere else in the world , '' Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit especially hard by lockdown restrictions .
Germany is predicting a 6.3 % fall in economic output in 2020 , bigger than the slump that followed the 2008 financial crisis , reports say .
What took the airport so long ?
Construction at the airport , south of Schönefeld , began in 2006 .
But a mixture of design fiascos and other issues turned Berlin-Brandenburg into a national embarrassment as it missed six opening dates in succession .
The main problems were : • Meinhard von Gerkan 's original terminal design had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a row over the airport company adding airport shopping • Then there were problems with sprinklers , fire doors and cabling and the public cost mushroomed • A corruption scandal prompted accusations that a whistleblower had become ill after his coffee was poisoned • It soon emerged that the increase in flights to Berlin meant it would already not be big enough even by the time it opened .
Now safety company TÜV has given the airport a clean bill of health and airport boss Engelbert Lütke Daldrup sees the opening as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rise in the capital region and that the economy is getting back on its feet '' .
Operational tests still need to be carried out and aviation permits granted but officials say nothing stands in the way of an autumn opening .
You might also be interested in : • A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
• TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

Now safety company TÜV has given the airport a clean bill of health and airport boss Engelbert Lütke Daldrup sees the opening as a sign that "things are back on the rise in the capital region and that the economy is getting back on its feet".


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus 'will hasten the decline of cash'

Coronavirus will hasten the decline in the use of cash as people make a long-term switch to digital payments , experts say .
The lockdown has led to a 60 % fall in the number of withdrawals from cash machines , although people are taking out bigger sums .
Payment card use has risen with online shopping , particularly for groceries .
Experts say the long-term future of cash could be at risk , before the UK is ready to cope with the change .
This could leave behind an estimated 20 % of the population who rely on cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post Office to deliver cash to the vulnerable About 11 million cash withdrawals are still being made each week , with £1bn taken out , according to Link , which oversees the UK 's cash machine network .
Yet , with many shops as well as bars , cafes and restaurants closed , there is less demand for regular cash withdrawals .
People are going out less , but potentially hoarding more cash .
The average ATM withdrawal has risen from £65 last year , to £82 now .
'We can process cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 100 years ago , Webb 's Ironmongery Store has seen locals through many a crisis .
In the current emergency the hardware shop at Tenterden , Kent , is serving items such as garden and home equipment , and paint , from a counter set up in the doorway of the shop .
In order to ensure customers do not have to wait , given social distancing , it has put a sign up pointing out that cash is still accepted .
`` We are trying to serve as many people as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done and we can send them on their way , '' said co-owner Nigel Webb .
`` We take cards , but they may have to wait for the machine .
We can process cash in a couple of seconds . ''
Following a survey of consumers , Link suggested that 75 % of people were using less cash , and 54 % of those asked said they were avoiding cash .
There were reports early in the coronavirus outbreak about the spread of the virus on banknotes and coins .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organization have stressed that the risk is no greater than on any other items , and repeated the advice on regular hand washing .
Some 76 % of people asked in the survey said they expected to use cash less and move instead to other forms of payment , or online shopping more in the next six months .
Natalie Ceeney , who authored a major report on access to cash , said that an estimated 30 % of UK residents liked having cash as an option but , as a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other methods of payment .
She described this as a `` sticky habit '' , which they could stay with in the future .
With 50 % of the population already operating predominantly cashless , that left only 20 % who relied on notes and coins , many of whom were vulnerable .
Their demand risked being insufficient for the providers of cash infrastructure , such as delivery and ATM services , to be profitable enough to survive .
`` The cash infrastructure could collapse before we are ready , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in transit company Pivotal , said : `` It will be hard to judge the true impact of Covid-19 until businesses have reopened .
The pandemic has certainly has not changed many of the key reasons why people use cash , including convenience and lack of access to bank accounts . ''
Will this be seen in future years as the crisis which finally ended our love affair with cash ?
Many shoppers are suspicious of handling it , worried about anything another person might have touched .
Traders who used to wince @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happily bringing out their card readers from the back of the stall .
These findings do also show that in uncertain times some cling to their notes and coins even more tightly .
And they may be struggling to get hold of cash because they ca n't leave their homes .
But right now there seems little doubt the virus is speeding up the switch to electronic payments .
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Natalie Ceeney, who authored a major report on access to cash, said that an estimated 30% of UK residents liked having cash as an option but, as a result of lockdown, may now be comfortable using other methods of payment. She described this as a "sticky habit", which they could stay with in the future.


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Odeon-owner bans Universal films in Trolls home movie row

The owner of Odeon Cinemas has banned all Universal films after the studio said it will release new movies at home and on the big screen on the same day .
AMC boss Adam Aron said the ban will cover its 1,000 cinemas worldwide .
It follows comments from NBCUniversal which said the film Trolls World Tour had performed well despite only being available on streaming services .
The move is damaging to cinemas as it will make it less likely people will visit a public screening .
The children 's film is reported to have generated sales of nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled for release in cinemas at the beginning of April .
However , with cinemas currently closed because of the Covid-19 lockdown , it was offered as a Premium Video on Demand ( PVOD ) on streaming platforms such as Apple TV .
Jeff Shell , president and chief executive of NBCUniversal , parent company of the film studio , told the Wall Street Journal said the film had `` exceeded our expectations and demonstrated the viability '' of streaming .
`` As soon as theatres reopen , we expect to release movies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But in a letter to Universal Studios ' chair Donna Langley , Mr Aron accused the studio of trying to `` have its cake and eat it too '' .
He said : `` AMC believes that with this proposed action to go to the home and theatres simultaneously , Universal is breaking the business model and dealings between our two companies . ''
He added : `` Going forward , AMC will not license any Universal movies in any of our 1,000 theatres globally on these terms . ''
John Fithian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Theatre Owners , accused the film company of using the pandemic to alter the existing release structure .
`` Universal does not have reason to use unusual circumstances in an unprecedented environment as a springboard to bypass true theatrical releases , '' he said .
It has already been announced that another Universal film - The King of Staten Island - will have its premier on video on demand in June .
But there are a number of other major Universal movie releases which had been planned to be shown in cinemas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instalment of The Purge horror movie franchise .
Mr Aron said the ban could be extended to other studios if they chose to go down the same route as Universal .
Though he said : `` Universal is the only studio contemplating a wholesale change to the status quo . ''

The owner of Odeon Cinemas has banned all Universal films after the studio said it will release new movies at home and on the big screen on the same day.


bbc--2020-04-29--Australia marks Cook anniversary under lockdown

On 29 April 1770 , explorer James Cook arrived in Australia .
He would later claim the region for the British crown .
But celebrations in Australia for the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook 's voyage have been a muted affair .
This is mainly down to the coronavirus lockdown but there is also significant unease over marking the `` discovery '' of a land already inhabited for millennia .
Captain Cook is acknowledged as one of the world 's greatest explorers but his legacy has been questioned by many .
The date is still seen by many as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but this is a highly controversial claim given the lack of reconciliation with indigenous people , and the inequality that has arisen from two centuries of discrimination .
Prominent Aboriginal Australians described the colonial anniversary as a `` difficult day '' marking the start of their dispossession , while Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the date represented a `` merging '' of histories .
Captain Cook arrived on the shores of Botany Bay in modern day Sydney 250 years ago .
He and his crew stayed on land for eight days .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glossing over the realities of his first encounters with local people .
The National Museum of Australia says `` the perspectives of First Australians , and the Gamayngal people of this area , have been largely missing '' .
According to the museum , which has researched stories handed down by First Australians , Captain Cook 's arrival was not peaceful .
He and his men , upon approaching the shore in their boat , were challenged by two men on the shore from the Gweagal clan of the Dharawal nation .
Historians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the men , wounding one of them before they left and he was able to land .
The local people ignored and avoided the crew until they left .
Seventeen years later the First Fleet arrived and began colonising Australia .
What events have been cancelled ?
The government has been forced to shelve its A $ 48.7m ( £25.5m ; $ 31.7m ) commemorations due to the Covid-19 pandemic .
These included a replica of the HMS Endeavour , Captain Cook 's Royal Navy vessel circumnavigating Australia - despite Cook only actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` As the 250th anniversary nears we want to help Australians better understand Captain Cook 's historic voyage and its legacy for exploration , science and reconciliation , '' Mr Morrison said last year .
The vessel is still due to sail down West Australia 's coast to Perth later in the year .
Meanwhile long-planned ceremonies have been cancelled and museum exhibitions moved online .
Last October , New Zealand marked their Captain Cook anniversary with several public events that also sparked debate .
How has the government marked the anniversary ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's navigation achievements with the sensitivities of what his landing meant for indigenous Australians .
Mr Morrison released a statement on Wednesday saying it represented a `` merging of histories '' .
`` The day Cook and the local Indigenous community at Kamay [ Botany Bay ] first made contact 250 years ago changed the course of our land forever , '' he said .
The Minister for Indigenous Affairs Ken Wyatt , who is Aboriginal , said the day was a chance `` to reflect upon the impact and changes felt by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a better understanding of how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders lived prior to European settlement '' .
Opposition Labor MP Linda Burney , who is Aboriginal , said on Wednesday : `` I 'm not saying that Cook 's contribution to the world is not significant .
But what today means for First Nations people was the beginning of… a very difficult period in our history '' .
• The 'mind-blowing ' struggle for an Aboriginal treaty Why is the day controversial ?
Critics say Australia has still not been able to adequately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or offer reparations .
It remains the only Commonwealth country never to make a treaty with its indigenous peoples , although work has begun on one in recent times .
Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders , who make up 3 % of Australia 's population , have significantly lower life expectation than the rest of the population and experience high levels of disadvantage .
• How an Aboriginal history play set off a row • The countries grappling with their European past Critics have voiced concerns that celebrations of Cook 's landing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however most official events have sought to include the perspectives of those who were on the shore .
Others have also defended the commemorations as necessary for marking a foundational , although difficult , part of the country 's history .
The 200th anniversary had been a very different affair , where the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had travelled to Australia to join celebrations .

According to the museum, which has researched stories handed down by First Australians, Captain Cook's arrival was not peaceful. He and his men, upon approaching the shore in their boat, were challenged by two men on the shore from the Gweagal clan of the Dharawal nation.


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: A new way of dating during lockdown

Dating apps have exploded in popularity over the last decade , but with social isolation now in place the dating @ @ @ @ @ BBC Click 's Omar Mehtab goes on a date using Love is Quarantine - a @ @ @ @ @ as a sort-of live reality-show on Instagram , but you do not get to see @ @ @ @ @ it off in conversation first .
The creators wanted to get right away from the @ @ @ @ @ find on most dating sites - to get to what they say is important .
@ @ @ @ @ website and @ BBCClick

Dating apps have exploded in popularity over the last decade, but with social isolation now in place the dating game is being reinvented.
BBC Click's Omar Mehtab goes on a date using Love is Quarantine - a dating format that has broadcast as a sort-of live reality-show on Instagram, but you do not get to see your date unless you hit it off in conversation first.
The creators wanted to get right away from the normal obsession with image you find on most dating sites - to get to what they say is important.
See more at Click's website and @BBCClick


bbc--2020-04-28--Coronavirus: How New Zealand got its coffees and fries back

Coffee and fast food seemed to be the first thing on the mind of New Zealanders as the country emerged from almost five weeks of strict lockdown .
The alert level has shifted to level three , allowing takeaway food shops and some non-essential business to re-open .
And it was n't long before queues formed in front of coffee shops and McDonald 's outlets as people rushed out .
`` That cup of coffee tasted amazing and I felt a sense of normality come back into my life , '' said one coffee lover .
`` Nothing beats a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Victoria Howe , who is based in Auckland , told the BBC .
Dr Samantha Keene , a New Zealander based in Wellington agreed , saying `` the ability to get a coffee and a scone made by someone else after weeks of doing it myself was a real treat '' .
But it was the re-opening of McDonald 's that got people most excited - with local media speaking to one Auckland resident who said he arrived at 04:00 .
Pictures online showed queues of cars and people posing with their fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great to have a wee treat at the end of a pretty tough period in lockdown , '' Christopher Bishop , a local MP , told the BBC , adding that his order was `` a delicious Sausage and Egg McMuffin '' .
But though the curve appears to have flattened , New Zealand 's top health expert warned against people congregating outside public spaces .
`` Like many people returning to work today , I have enjoyed a takeaway coffee .
However it is important not to congregate outside the cafes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's .
We do not want to see the sort of rebound we have seen in other countries , '' said Dr Ashley Bloomfield .
• How New Zealand turned to science and kindness Under the level three alert - a notch below its highest alert level - people have still been told to stay at home and work at home if they can , but businesses are allowed to open if they can provide contactless service .
Schools are also allowed to re-open but will have to ensure social distancing rules are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancelled and public venues closed .
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New Zealand currently has 1,124 confirmed cases and 19 deaths out of a population of around five million people .
Its new cases have stayed in the single digits for several days , leading the government to say that the virus was effectively eliminated .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Zealand 's apparent success in containing the virus has been attributed to its early and sweeping actions .
New Zealand brought in some of the toughest restrictions in the world on travel and activity on 19 March , early on in the global pandemic .
That helped stop cases being brought in from overseas - 33 % of New Zealand 's cases were imported .
As Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at the time : `` We only have 102 cases , but so did Italy once . ''
`` If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its cases came from overseas , '' Prof Sanjaya Senanayake of the Australian National University told the BBC .
`` So it was really important to close the borders and it did that very effectively . ''
On 21 March , New Zealand introduced a new public alert system with four levels - the highest being a total national lockdown and the lowest indicating that the disease was contained but people should be prepared .
It went in at level two , which meant there was a growing risk of community transmission .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a level four alert .
Offices , schools and public spaces like beaches and playground were shut .
Bars and restaurants were also closed - including for takeaway and delivery .
The ministry of health says 80 % of close contacts of someone confirmed with the virus are now being alerted within 48 hours of the diagnosis .
That means those people can self-isolate until the incubation period has passed , and they can get tested .
Officials say 8,000 people are being tested each day .
There has been some criticism though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up even more if it 's to remain effective .
People are also being encouraged to keep a diary of people they interact with , and New Zealand is also working on a contact tracing app , similar to those in use in Singapore and Australia .
• It told people to stick to their 'bubble' New Zealanders were told to stick to their `` bubble '' - at a level four level , this essentially meant people from the same household .
Authorities said people could not meet up with those outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep a 2m distance from anyone outside this .
At a level three alert level , this bubble can be `` slightly extended '' to include close family members , caregivers or someone who needs care .
Read more on the 'social bubble ' approach to lockdown easing The government has also been praised for the clarity of its messaging throughout the crisis , with Ms Ardern and Dr Bloomfield singled out for praise .
`` I think when you hear your prime minister deliver sensible information in a calm manner that also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prof Senanayake .
But he warned against lifting restrictions too early , saying people still had to `` remain vigilant '' .
`` I think the best way to lift restrictions is to do it piece by piece , watching very carefully for a surge in cases , '' he said .
`` The only way to do that is to continue surveillance and enhanced testing .
Today the restrictions have come down but if cases surge you have to consider returning to restrictions .
It 's something you have to remain vigilant @ @ @

"Like many people returning to work today, I have enjoyed a takeaway coffee. However it is important not to congregate outside the cafes, the carpark of takeaway places like McDonald's. We do not want to see the sort of rebound we have seen in other countries," said Dr Ashley Bloomfield.


bbc--2020-04-29--Obituary: Irrfan Khan, star of Bollywood and Hollywood

Irrfan Khan was one of Indian cinema 's finest actors and among its most successful exports to Hollywood .
A veteran of nearly 80 films , he almost gave up acting in his 30s - after an unrewarding decade in TV soaps .
Khan lacked the looks for a traditional Bollywood romantic lead but made his name as a character actor in Hindi cinema and in Hollywood productions like Life of Pi , Slumdog Millionaire and Jurassic World .
Deeply introspective and philosophical in nature , Khan would speak candidly and often controversially about both his Muslim religion and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I always object to the word Bollywood , '' he once told the Guardian .
`` That industry has its own technique that ... has nothing to do with aping Hollywood .
It originates in Parsi theatre .
`` Hollywood is too planned .
India has no planning at all .
It 's more spontaneous and informal .
India could be more formal and Hollywood more spontaneous . ''
In truth , few actors can claim to have mastered both genres as well as Irrfan Khan .
He was born Sahabzada Irfan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Rajasthan village of Tonk .
His mother 's family had a royal lineage and his father was a wealthy , self-made businessman who owned a tyre business .
Khan dropped the `` Sahabzada '' from his name as it pointed to his family 's privileged past - he felt this would get in the way .
He also changed his name from `` Irfan '' to `` Irrfan '' - not for any noble motive - but simply because he preferred the way it sounds .
When his father died , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tyre business .
He was determined to become an actor , although it was not a future his family and friends could easily foresee .
`` No-one could have imagined I would be an actor , I was so shy .
So thin .
But the desire was so intense . ''
In 1984 , he applied for a scholarship to the National School of Drama in Delhi .
He lied about his previous experience in the theatre and got in .
`` I thought I would suffocate if I did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interviewer .
It was at drama school that he also met his future wife - the writer Sutapa Sikdar .
`` He was always focused .
I remember when he would come home , he would head straight for the bedroom , sit on the floor , and read books .
The rest of us would be hanging around gossiping , '' she recalled .
Taking what work he could get He was keen to work in film but the early roles were in India 's TV soap operas .
With dozens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily dramas - the work was easy to come by but artistically unsatisfying .
For a decade he got stuck in hundreds of uninspiring parts `` chasing middle-class housewives '' on the Zee and Star Plus networks .
He thought seriously about quitting acting .
`` Once they did n't even pay me because they thought my acting was so bad , '' he claimed .
His big screen debut was a further disappointment .
Cast as one of the younger characters in Mira Nair 's Oscar nominated Salaam Bombay !
, he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cutting room floor .
The scriptwriter sympathised but could only tell him `` you win some , you lose some '' .
His breakthrough came in the British-Indian film The Warrior .
It was shot in the high Himalayas and the roasting deserts of Rajasthan .
It was the first feature from British director Asif Kapadia .
He could n't afford an established Bollywood star and was on the look-out for a talented unknown .
Khan starred as the eponymous warlord who attempts to give up the sword .
The film won the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Baftas .
It was short listed for the UK 's official entry for the Academy Awards but had to be dropped on the technicality that Hindi was not a language indigenous to Britain .
The critical success of The Warrior launched his film career , and for the next two decades he would make as many as five or six films a year .
He kept in touch with Mira Nair - who had spotted his talent at drama school but cut him from Salaam Bombay !
.
They would go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and New York , I Love You in 2010 .
Michael Winterbottom cast him as a Pakistani police captain in A Mighty Heart , and Wes Anderson wrote a small role for him in The Darjeeling Limited - just so he could work with him .
In 2008 , he teamed up with Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire .
Khan played the police inspector who beats Dev Patel 's character , Jamal - believing him to be a cheat .
Boyle described the performance as `` beautiful to watch '' .
By now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he could be choosy about the roles he took on .
`` I try to do films which leave a longer impact , which speak to you and which keep coming back to you after you 've seen them .
I prefer movies which have a longer relationship , '' he told one interviewer .
He would also refuse to take parts he felt had too close a religious or cultural connotation - declining roles in Deepa Mehta 's Midnight 's Children and Mira Nair 's Reluctant Fundamentalist .
In the aftermath of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , he found himself twice detained at Los Angeles airport because his name was similar to that of a terrorist suspect .
He tried to drop the family name Khan - preferring to be called simply Irrfan in the credits of his films .
He also upset Muslim leaders by criticising animal sacrifice during the Shia religious festival , Muharram .
`` We perform these rituals without knowing the meaning behind them , '' he said .
He was angrily advised to concentrate on his film career and refrain from making `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2011 , he was awarded the Padma Shri - India 's fourth-highest civilian honour for his contribution to the arts .
A year later , he would play the adult Piscine in Life of Pi - Ang Lee 's film version of the Booker Prize-winning novel of a ship-wrecked boy forced to share a lifeboat with a zebra , an orangutan and a ferocious Bengal tiger .
And he would enjoy playing the super scientist Rajit Ratha in The Amazing Spiderman and Simon Masrani , the billionaire owner of Jurassic World .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blackmail and Puzzle , the latter of which was shot in New York alongside co-star Kelly Macdonald .
In 2018 , he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumours - which affects cells that release hormones into the bloodstream .
In a tweet quoting Margaret Mitchell , author of Gone With The Wind , he greeted the news philosophically .
`` Life is under no obligation to give us what we expect , '' he said .
He sought treatment for his condition in London and posted a poem to his followers on Instagram suggesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in coming to terms with the disease .
`` God speaks to each of us as he makes us , then walks with us silently out of the night . ''

Khan dropped the "Sahabzada" from his name as it pointed to his family's privileged past - he felt this would get in the way. He also changed his name from "Irfan" to "Irrfan" - not for any noble motive - but simply because he preferred the way it sounds.


bbc--2020-04-28--Kim Jong-un: Who might lead N Korea without Kim?

Speculation and rumour about Kim Jong-un 's health may amount to nothing , but questions about who might succeed him in the short or long term will always be there .
The BBC spoke to analysts about the contenders and whether history is on their side .
A male member of the Kim family has been in charge of North Korea ever since its founding by Kim Il-sung in 1948 - and the mythology of this family runs deep throughout society .
Propaganda about its greatness begins for citizens before they can even read : pre-schoolers sing a song called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader Kim Jong-un . ''
So how can you imagine a North Korea without this symbolic and political figure at the top ?
How would elites organise themselves , as well as society as a whole ?
The easy answer is : we do n't know .
More interestingly , they do n't know either .
They have never had to do it .
• What do we know about North Korea ?
• Scepticism over N Korea 's claim to be virus free There has always been a Kim ... As Kim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they even began using the term `` Paektu Bloodline '' to help legitimise his rule .
Paektu is the sacred and mythologised mountain where Kim Il-sung is said to have waged guerrilla war and where Kim Jong-il was reportedly born .
Kim Jong-un still goes there when he wants to emphasise important policy decisions .
There has always been a Kim at the ideological heart of the country .
What would North Korea be like without such an heir ?
Kim Jong-un , 36 , is believed to have children - but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought he has three children , the oldest being 10 and the youngest three .
Kim Jong-un himself was considered young when he took power - he was 27 .
It is likely that some sort of group leadership would emerge , perhaps as in Vietnam , that leans heavily on the founder 's teachings and legitimacy to boost their own standing .
Observers can track who holds certain key positions and can follow news and open-source intelligence about important institutions , but ca n't really tell how factions are developing , nor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than institutional bonds .
Moreover , sometimes vice or deputy directors wield more real power than the titular heads of institutions .
This makes all predictions extremely difficult .
There are three Kims who could potentially be involved in the political make-up of North Korea if Kim Jong-un were to disappear .
They all face limitations in carrying on family rule .
The first is Kim Yo-jong , Kim Jong-un 's younger sister .
She is said to have been a favourite of her father who commented on her precocity , her interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her manner is efficient , mild and one suspects rather observant .
Much has been made of her closeness to her brother .
At the Singapore Trump-Kim summit she was famously on hand to pass him a pen to sign the agreement with , and at the next summit in Hanoi , was pictured peeking out from behind corners as her brother posed for statesman-like photos .
Yet she was not above a temporary demotion after the Hanoi summit - purportedly because of its failure although this will never be confirmed .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body , the State Affairs Commission , but is an alternate member of the Politburo and vice director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department ( PAD ) of the Workers ' Party of Korea .
These may seem like incomprehensible acronyms but the PAD is a powerful organisation that ensures ideological loyalty in the system .
She is a woman , however , and this makes it hard to imagine her occupying the top position in such a deeply patriarchal country .
North Korea is an extremely male state , in which gender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and certainly running the military , does not fit in the range of womanly duties .
The second is Kim Jong-chul .
He is Kim Jong-un 's older brother , but has never appeared interested in politics or power .
( He is known to be interested in Eric Clapton . )
At most , he could be a symbolic link to the Kim family : perhaps made the head of a foundation and put forward to read the odd speech .
The final one is Kim Pyong-il , Kim Jong-il 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's stepmother - was angling to have him become Kim Il-sung 's successor .
She failed and was sidelined by Kim Jong-il as he rose in influence .
Kim Pyong-il was sent to Europe in 1979 , where he has held various ambassadorships , returning to North Korea only last year .
This means it is very unlikely he has the network to be a central player in elite politics in Pyongyang .
The second-most powerful man in North Korea right now There are other individuals who have been central in the Kim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know who among them would form co-operative relationships and who would compete with one another .
One is Choe Ryong-hae .
He has had his ups and downs under Kim Jong-un , but having weathered a few storms currently sits on the presidium of the politburo and is also first vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission .
Last year he became the first new president in 20 years , replacing the aging Kim Yong-nam - so he is the person who represents the North at international engagements .
Choe has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Organization and Guidance Department ( OGD ) of the Worker 's Party of Korea , responsible for enforcing loyalty throughout the regime .
This is an extremely powerful organisation : it enforces the adherence of all citizens to North Korea 's ideology .
He is probably the second most powerful man in North Korea .
The old spymasters and rising political grandees Another is Kim Yong-chol .
This general paved the way for the Trump-Kim summits , meeting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo several times .
He has been head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relations with South Korea ) and the Reconnaissance General Bureau , the country 's main intelligence service .
He seems to have suffered a demotion following the collapse talks with the United States , but it is unlikely this spymaster will remain obscure for long .
Yet another is Kim Jae-ryong .
As well as being on the State Affairs Commission , he is Premier of the Cabinet , a moderately influential position .
Relatively little is known about him , but his star has risen in the past years as others have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industries and ran the most isolated province , home to key military-industrial sites , for several years .
This may mean he has been closely involved in the nuclear program .
Jong Kyong-taek is responsible for the State Security Department , which investigates and punishes political crimes .
It also helps physically protect the leadership .
These are crucial responsibilities that help enforce stability in the system .
Hwang Pyong-so is another official who has held top military posts and has run the OGD in the Kim Jong-un era .
Like Choe ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disciplined ; he does n't seem to have been rehabilitated in the same way , however .
Other 2010s foreign policy stalwarts Ri Yong-ho and Ri Su-yong have also seen roles diminish recently .
They have been replaced by Ri Son-gwon and Kim Hyung-jun .
The former is said to be an ally of Kim Yong-chol .
A handful of top generals of the Korean People 's Army ( KPA ) would also certainly exert influence in any transition period .
Currently , two men sit atop the General Political Bureau of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This bureau enforces political loyalty in the military , something that would be absolutely crucial during periods of uncertainty .
Kim Won-hong , helps illustrate how difficult it is to predict how power would be shared if Kim Jong-un were no longer there .
Kim Won-hong and Hwang Pyong-so had been thought to be rivals , competing to influence Kim Jong-un at the other 's expense .
Amongst top elites , who would clash and who would ally ?
Would there be pro and anti-Kim Yo-jong factions ?
Would the fear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand ?
After all , it is in no elite politician 's interest to see the state collapse , opening the door for some kind of takeover by South Korea , or even China .
There is currently no perfect contender : his sister would have to overcome the sexism and the break from tradition of a male heir .
Anybody else is not directly descended from that all-important Paektu bloodline .
but in the end , they will all have to think of the unity of the state they have defied every @ @ @ @ @

The first is Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un's younger sister. She is said to have been a favourite of her father who commented on her precocity, her interest in politics from a young age. Her manner is efficient, mild and one suspects rather observant. Much has been made of her closeness to her brother. At the Singapore Trump-Kim summit she was famously on hand to pass him a pen to sign the agreement with, and at the next summit in Hanoi, was pictured peeking out from behind corners as her brother posed for statesman-like photos.


bbc--2020-04-28--Fighting back against addiction from 'rock bottom'

As the blows smashed against his face and body he was thinking : `` Stop me , knock me out . ''
The tens of thousands of pounds he was being paid to put his unbeaten record on the line had already been gambled away .
Not for the first time , he was essentially risking his life in a fight for free .
It was the rock bottom he needed .
A year has now passed since his last bet , but when opening up to BBC Sport he says he fears many are currently `` going through torture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At just 24 , Cheeseman already knows the stories Gamblers Anonymous meetings serve up .
He has learned how people lose partners , access to children and houses .
It is his view that a standout low point is needed to jolt an addict into truly decisive action .
His came in front of a packed O2 Arena in London , where he headlined the bill in a points defeat by Spain 's Sergio Garcia in February 2019 .
Thousands watched as Cheeseman stood post-fight , lost and beaten .
None of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the ring .
All they knew was his dream of winning the European light-middleweight title had gone .
It was the sad climax to a fortnight during which he had gambled away his fight purse .
He had won most of it back , only to then blow the lot once more - about £30,000 - before being cheered to the ring as the home fighter .
Recalling the late stages of the fight , he says : `` My hands are down and I 'm letting him hit me .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You have a million thoughts in the biggest fight of your career , and mine were about money .
I realised I 'd mucked my chance up .
`` Gambling is like an up-and-down process .
One day you lose five grand , you feel low , hate yourself , hate boxing , want to kill yourself - all of those emotions .
`` The next day you go and win a grand .
Then you think you can break the system , so your mood is up .
Before the Garcia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had out of my purse I gambled the night before the fight , after the weigh-in .
`` I thought : ' I 'm in a European title fight , I have this money , I wasted all the rest , so it 's either win or bust . '
I can honestly say from my first fight in 2015 to my Garcia fight , I fought for free .
Whether it was before the fight or in the weeks after a fight , losing the money always happened .
`` When you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you do n't realise .
Then defeat comes and I thought : ' I either gamble and my life goes to pot or I give up . '
'' Cheeseman took trainer Tony Sims into a private room shortly after defeat by Garcia and laid bare his addiction .
He noticed how opinions of him changed with a single loss .
The commentators and pundits who had once spoken of the `` good pressure '' he applied in fights now began to point to a recklessness .
Few knew just how reckless he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his teenage years - but now , it had to be over .
Online sports betting , hours at the bookmakers and time spent standing at the fixed odds betting terminals which have been described as `` the crack cocaine of gambling '' were part of his routine , either after training or between sessions .
He says he was prepared to bet `` on anything '' .
`` If I won £10,000 , the next day I would n't think what I would buy - I 'd be thinking I 'll turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who trains out of the Matchroom Boxing Gym in Essex .
But GamCare - the UK 's leading charity for problem gamblers - says contributing factors to the addiction , such as financial distress , isolation and boredom , are more prevalent during the shutdown of normal life .
Cheeseman is accessing his gambling support group through video calls and WhatsApp chats , but says others will now be suffering even more .
`` I said to my partner a few weeks back that if I was gambling now this lockdown would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he says .
`` If you are a compulsive addict , you will bet on anything .
If there were no sports to bet on you 'd be on slots or roulette , and that 's where you lose the most money all the time .
`` So now , compulsive gamblers are probably smashing their money as they 'll be going hard on things like slots or roulette to get their fix .
I know a lot of gamblers will be going through torture right now .
It does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a million .
Mentally , if that 's all you have to lose it gets you the same way . ''
A draw with Kieron Conway and defeat by British champion Scott Fitzgerald followed Cheeseman 's loss to Garcia , who is now undefeated in 31 outings .
The 24-year-old 's career has hit a bump in the road - but his youth and improved balance to life outside the ring offers hope for the future .
He had planned to move on to a healthy financial footing without the drain of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a postponed March bout - because of the coronavirus pandemic - means money from sponsors is his current income source .
Cheeseman is at least now looking to his family , future and fights with a year free of gambling under his belt .
`` I am over the moon , '' he says .
`` My partner and my family are all happy .
I 'm trying not to make a big thing of going a year without a bet .
No-one forced me to gamble - I did it myself .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of it - and now I have the opportunity to turn life around . ''
GamCare operates the National Gambling Helpline , providing information , advice and support for anyone affected by gambling problems .
Advisers are available 24 hours a day on Freephone 0808 8020 133 or via web chat at www.gamcare.org.uk .
It also offers a range of free treatment across England , Scotland and Wales , as well as a moderated forum and daily chatrooms so that people can speak to others experiencing similar issues and seek support .

'You have a million thoughts in the biggest fight of your career. Mine were about money'
In the closing minutes of the biggest fight of his life, Ted Cheeseman wanted to be punched and punished.
As the blows smashed against his face and body he was thinking: "Stop me, knock me out." The tens of thousands of pounds he was being paid to put his unbeaten record on the line had already been gambled away. Not for the first time, he was essentially risking his life in a fight for free.
It was the rock bottom he needed. A year has now passed since his last bet, but when opening up to BBC Sport he says he fears many are currently "going through torture" in fighting addiction in coronavirus lockdown.
At just 24, Cheeseman already knows the stories Gamblers Anonymous meetings serve up. He has learned how people lose partners, access to children and houses. It is his view that a standout low point is needed to jolt an addict into truly decisive action.
His came in front of a packed O2 Arena in London, where he headlined the bill in a points defeat by Spain's Sergio Garcia in February 2019.
Thousands watched as Cheeseman stood post-fight, lost and beaten. None of them knew the lonely battle he faced outside the ring. All they knew was his dream of winning the European light-middleweight title had gone.
It was the sad climax to a fortnight during which he had gambled away his fight purse. He had won most of it back, only to then blow the lot once more - about £30,000 - before being cheered to the ring as the home fighter.
Recalling the late stages of the fight, he says: "My hands are down and I'm letting him hit me. In my head, I'm punishing myself. You have a million thoughts in the biggest fight of your career, and mine were about money. I realised I'd mucked my chance up.
"Gambling is like an up-and-down process. One day you lose five grand, you feel low, hate yourself, hate boxing, want to kill yourself - all of those emotions.
"The next day you go and win a grand. Then you think you can break the system, so your mood is up. Before the Garcia fight, the last five grand I had out of my purse I gambled the night before the fight, after the weigh-in.
"I thought: 'I'm in a European title fight, I have this money, I wasted all the rest, so it's either win or bust.' I can honestly say from my first fight in 2015 to my Garcia fight, I fought for free. Whether it was before the fight or in the weeks after a fight, losing the money always happened.
"When you're winning fights and earning money, you don't realise. Then defeat comes and I thought: 'I either gamble and my life goes to pot or I give up.'"
Cheeseman took trainer Tony Sims into a private room shortly after defeat by Garcia and laid bare his addiction.
He noticed how opinions of him changed with a single loss. The commentators and pundits who had once spoken of the "good pressure" he applied in fights now began to point to a recklessness. Few knew just how reckless he had been. He had gambled since his teenage years - but now, it had to be over.
Online sports betting, hours at the bookmakers and time spent standing at the fixed odds betting terminals which have been described as "the crack cocaine of gambling" were part of his routine, either after training or between sessions. He says he was prepared to bet "on anything".
"If I won £10,000, the next day I wouldn't think what I would buy - I'd be thinking I'll turn it to £30,000," says Cheeseman, who trains out of the Matchroom Boxing Gym in Essex.
"You are never, ever appreciative of money. I like buying nice clothes but those luxuries end up going out of the window because you end up thinking: 'Rather than buy something, I'll take that £500 in the bookies, double it and buy things with what I've won.' It never happens. You end up losing three times the amount.
"I wouldn't like to put a number on what I've lost. I had inheritances, all my fight purses and sponsorship money. The thing is trying to get over the regret.
"I try not to regret it. Sometimes you're in bed and you know you have to pay something that may not leave you short but will leave you low. Then you think: 'Wow, I had all this money and now I'm worrying about this bill.'
"If I sat and looked at my [bank] statements I'd probably cry my eyes out. That could be the trigger that sends me back to gambling."
In the weeks after his Garcia loss, Cheeseman staked about £20 on the Grand National, but he says he would ordinarily have bet thousands.
Since that day - 6 April 2019 - he has not placed a bet of any kind. He can now see the logical choices that are so easily missed when addiction has gripped a mind.
No longer is he looking for windows of opportunity around family life to sit in the bookmakers, and the result he says is a "better relationship" with his partner, Jenna, and quality time with his one-year-old son, Ted.
Others, though, continue to fight addiction. At the start of 2020, it was estimated there are over 300,000 problem gamblers in the UK. external-link
The sporting lockdown brought about by the coronavirus pandemic has helped ease temptation for some, given there are few events to bet on. Earlier this month, one recovering addict told BBC Sport he sometimes finds himself hoping "football doesn't come back".
But GamCare - the UK's leading charity for problem gamblers - says contributing factors to the addiction, such as financial distress, isolation and boredom, are more prevalent during the shutdown of normal life.
Cheeseman is accessing his gambling support group through video calls and WhatsApp chats, but says others will now be suffering even more.
"I said to my partner a few weeks back that if I was gambling now this lockdown would be the worst time in the world," he says. "If you are a compulsive addict, you will bet on anything. If there were no sports to bet on you'd be on slots or roulette, and that's where you lose the most money all the time.
"So now, compulsive gamblers are probably smashing their money as they'll be going hard on things like slots or roulette to get their fix. I know a lot of gamblers will be going through torture right now. It doesn't matter if you have £10 to lose or a million. Mentally, if that's all you have to lose it gets you the same way."
A draw with Kieron Conway and defeat by British champion Scott Fitzgerald followed Cheeseman's loss to Garcia, who is now undefeated in 31 outings.
The 24-year-old's career has hit a bump in the road - but his youth and improved balance to life outside the ring offers hope for the future.
He had planned to move on to a healthy financial footing without the drain of his former addiction in 2020, but a postponed March bout - because of the coronavirus pandemic - means money from sponsors is his current income source.
Cheeseman is at least now looking to his family, future and fights with a year free of gambling under his belt.
"I am over the moon," he says. "My partner and my family are all happy. I'm trying not to make a big thing of going a year without a bet. No-one forced me to gamble - I did it myself.
"With help, I got back out of it - and now I have the opportunity to turn life around."
GamCare operates the National Gambling Helpline, providing information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling problems. Advisers are available 24 hours a day on Freephone 0808 8020 133 or via web chat at www.gamcare.org.uk.
It also offers a range of free treatment across England, Scotland and Wales, as well as a moderated forum and daily chatrooms so that people can speak to others experiencing similar issues and seek support.