- After player covers anti-homophobia logo, Monaco apologise
- Ukraine says allies can down Russian missiles over its territory
- Apple appeals huge EU fine for music streaming restrictions
- Greek court drops charges in migrant shipwreck case
- Raisi death reshapes Iran succession, puts focus on Khamenei son
- Schools, factories closed after quake 'swarm' near Naples
- German 'prince' at centre of alleged coup plot denies charges
- After rider rebellion at hazardous weather, shortened Giro stage starts
- Debt deadline looms for Italian champions Inter Milan
- Afghanistan hire T20 expert Dwayne Bravo as bowling consultant
- UK blood scandal victims to receive payouts this year: govt
- Stock markets waver as traders look for fresh impetus
- Man Utd's Rashford left out of England's Euro 2024 squad
- Ireland back Zebo to retire from rugby at end of season
- OpenAI apologizes to Johansson, denies voice based on her
- Progress in US inflation fight 'has likely resumed': Fed official
- Man Utd's Rashford left out of England's Euros squad
- Serial winner Kroos eyes two-trophy finish to career
- Ronaldo poised for Euro record as Portugal name squad
- Diplomatic crisis deepens as Spain pulls out Argentina envoy
- 'Thank God!': First New Caledonia evacuation flight arrives in Australia
- OpenAI apologizes to actress Johansson over AI voice similarity
- Schools, prison checked after quake 'swarm' near Naples
- Hazardous weather sparks chaos and rider anger at Giro 16th stage
- Murray comeback ends in Geneva defeat
- IMF cautions on timing of UK rate cut
- Germany's Kroos to retire from football after Euro 2024
- Stock markets retreat as traders take profits
- Hazardous weather causes Giro 16th stage to be shortened
- ICC arrest warrant requests: what next?
- Thailand celebrates return of looted statues from New York's Met
- Trump vows to sue over explosive biopic
- France's Macron to visit riot-scarred New Caledonia
- First New Caledonia evacuation flight arrives in Australia
- 16 top AI firms make new safety commitments at Seoul summit
- Sanofi allies with OpenAI, Formation Bio for AI use in drug development
- German FM warns in Kyiv of 'dramatic' worsening on Ukraine front
- Strike over Olympics bonuses disrupts Paris trains
- NGOs seek climate trial of French oil giant TotalEnergies
- Postecoglou tells Spurs players to enjoy post-season Australia trip
- Gaza battles flare as Israel slams arrest warrant bid for 'war crimes'
- German coup plot: Who are the alleged ringleaders?
- First tourists evacuated from riot-scarred New Caledonia
- Thailand celebrates return of looted statue from New York's Met
- German prince on trial in far-right coup plot
- Syria first lady diagnosed with leukaemia: presidency
- India inspects spice companies after contamination claims
- Fear but no injuries after quake 'swarm' near Naples
- France begins its first war crimes trial of Syrian officials
- Blues look into early playing return for Beauden Barrett
Pet dogs and strays suffer in Asia heatwave
Soaring temperatures across Kolkata have brought life in much of the Indian megacity to a standstill, but veterinarian Partha Das cannot recall a time when he was more busy.
His clinic has been swamped by distressed members of the public carrying in beloved pets suffering nosebleeds, severe skin rashes and lapses into unconsciousness in a relentless heatwave suffocating much of South and Southeastern Asia over the past week.
"Many pets are also hospitalized for three or four consecutive days, and they are taking a long time to get back to normal," the 57-year-old told AFP from his surgery.
"We are getting several heatstroke cases in a day. It's unprecedented."
Kolkata has sweltered through days of punishing heat, peaking at 43 degrees Celsius for the hottest single April day since 1954, according to the city's weather bureau.
Streets of the normally bustling colonial-era capital have been almost deserted in the afternoons as its 15 million people do what they can to stay out of the sun.
But even cats and dogs lucky enough to have an owner have been susceptible to falling ill, with Das saying the heat had triggered a surge in dehydration-related illnesses in pets from around the city.
Teacher Sriparna Bose said her two cats had become sullen and withdrawn in a way she hadn't seen before when the heatwave hit.
"They are refusing food," she said. "They hide in dark, cold corners of the room and won't come out."
The situation is worse for the 70,000 stray dogs estimated to live on city streets by municipal authorities, which have no owner but are often fed and tended to by nearby residents.
Many are spending the day taking refuge from the sun under parked cars, while a lucky few are hosed down by sympathetic humans to help them cool off.
"They are finding it difficult to stand on their soft paws because the roads are so hot," said Gurshaan Kohli of Humanimal Foundation, a local animal welfare charity for stray animals.
"Scores of dogs and cats have died" even though he and his colleagues had rushed them to clinics for treatment, he added.
- 'This year was worse' -
Large swathes of South and Southeast Asia are struggling through a heatwave that has broken temperature records and forced millions of children to stay home as schools close across the region.
Experts say climate change makes heatwaves more frequent, longer and more intense, while the El Nino phenomenon is also driving this year's exceptionally warm weather.
The heat has taken its toll on animals across the continent.
"They are eating less, and they are reluctant to move," Henna Pekko of Rescue PAWS, which operates an animal shelter near Thailand's capital Bangkok, told AFP.
With temperatures in Thailand exceeding 40 degrees Celsius over the past week, Pekko said her charity had taken to bringing its rescues to the ocean to cool down with a swim, while older dogs were being kept indoors.
"We are definitely taking extra precautions because of this weather," she told AFP, adding that the stress on animals from the heat was the worst she had experienced in the kingdom.
"Last year was bad. This year was worse."
S.Keller--BTB