They’ve faced drought, extreme heat and bushfires, and now they have to deal with a new paranoia courtesy of the pandemic

Australia’s bats are turning up in increasing numbers in city suburbs. But as they search for food, they’re bringing for some a newfound paranoia thanks to a global pandemic that likely sprang from one of their overseas relatives.

In Ingham in far north Queensland, an influx of more than 200,000 little red flying foxes in January was variously described as a “swarm”, a “tornado” and an “infestation”.

As the US deals with a Covid-19 catastrophe in its meatworks, the Melbourne factory points to the potential for outbreaks in Australia

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Working in an abattoir at the best of times is tough. The hours are long, the labour is intensive and, for rank and file labourers, the pay is low.

Now, in the Covid-19 crisis, workers have one more thing to worry about – around the world their factories have proved to be a hotbed of infection. As Australia moves to ease lockdown laws, meat workers may still be at the frontline of exposure and infection.

Deep recessions have long shadows and already there is a gaping hole opening up in our pandemic response

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The great recession was followed by Brexit, the election of Donald Trump and the rise of authoritarianism particularly in Europe.

Big economic events have big political consequences.

The millions of unemployed in Thailand due to the coronavirus include elephants dependent on tourists to feed their voracious appetites. With scant numbers of foreign visitors, commercial elephant camps and sanctuaries lack funds for their upkeep and have sent more than 100 of the animals trudging back to their natural habitats.

It's been years since Coyote Peterson was stung by a Japanese giant hornet -- a subspecies of the Asian giant hornet -- but the American wildlife educator vividly remembers how the sting immediately felt like a 'red hot fire poker' being shoved into his skin, followed by residual, almost unbearable pain that lasted for hours.

The Toronto Zoo announced on Wednesday it had successfully hatched a baby Madagascar spider tortoise, its first successful hatching of the critically endangered species.

As businesses in the United States slowly begin reopening, researchers in Pennsylvania are turning to dogs to help them fend off a second wave of COVID-19.

Scientists are cautioning that it’s still too early to know how the novel coronavirus mutates after a preliminary study in the U.S. claimed that a new strain of the virus has emerged that is more dominant and contagious than the original.

What may be the latest hope in the hunt to develop a treatment for COVID-19 comes from an unusual source – a furry, four-year-old llama named 'Winter' that is living on a farm in the Belgium countryside.

Washington state has another bug to worry about in addition to Asian giant hornets -- gypsy moths, which the state's governor says could become an "infestation."

"I am very aware that I'm not the only one going through this torture" Read our live coronavirus updates HERE

Bill Oddie hails Brooke-Taylor as 'true visual comic' Stephen Fry, Rob Brydon and Jack Dee also pay tribute Brooke-Taylor joins public figures to have died after contracting Covid-19 Read our live coronavirus updates HERE

Tomlinson appears in a bathtub wearing nothing but a shower cap in the cover video

The comedian's death was announced over the weekend

The singer has reportedly handed over cash to good causes in his hometown of Suffolk

The 99-year-old is walking the length of his garden 100 times to raise funds

The incident took place in December 2018

The actress has resurfaced as a TikTok star

Hussain made his debut on Wednesday's show

The Hollywood star was filming The Last Duel in Dublin when lockdown measures kicked in

The comedian had one last act of defiance before renouncing his new moniker

The designer is inviting us all to her Instagram party

Hollywood actor Brian Dennehy has died at the age of 81, his daughter has said. The star, known for roles in films including First Blood and Cocoon, died on Wednesday due to natural causes. His daughter Elizabeth announced the news on Twitter.

Beyoncé was a surprise addition to the TV fundraiser for America's coronavirus relief effort

The book has been curated by This Is Going To Hurt author Adam Kay

The singer said their post had been badly timed

The former Spice Girl celebrated her birthday with a throwback to her youth

Price said her 'phobia of water' made things difficult during the tough course

Beckham is also sacrificing her own pay

Kay's original Amarillo video featured an eclectic line-up of celebrity cameos

Captain Tom has so far raised an astonishing £26 million for NHS charities

The comic has presented the Golden Globes five times

The actor and his wife both tested positive for the virus in Australia

The Queen of Pop shared the picture on Instagram

The actor and his wife Sabrina both tested positive for Covid-19 last month

They've shared messages of remembrance in honour of the DJ

Hoping to recreate Holden's signature glow? You've come to the wrong place...

The Quiz star says she still feels like she constantly has to prove herself as an actor

The star gave the Blinding Lights TikTok challenge a go while clad in fluorescent exercise gear

O'Porter and Flack were good friends

The fundraising veteran has released a charity single with Michael Ball

Andersson said it has been "humbling" to return to her old profession during the coronavirus crisis

The message will feature in this evening's Big Night In on BBC One

The pair were previously spending the lockdown period at Hague's family home

The Weeknd has urged fans to help Captain Tom Moore beat him to the number one spot

Taylor Swift has reignited a feud with her former record label, accusing it of "shameless greed" over a plan to release a live album she has not authorised.

Actor Tom Hanks has sent a letter and a Corona-brand typewriter to a eight-year-old Australian boy who said he was being bullied because of his name.

Hollywood star Johnny Depp's libel battle against The Sun newspaper has been postponed thanks to coronavirus as the actor is stuck in France and unable to fly to London.

The superstar has made a donation through her BeyGood foundation

Time to get full on throwback with a trip down memory lane