The beleaguered bumblebee faces a new threat, scientists say.

Researchers have found that two diseases harboured by honeybees are spilling over into wild bumblebees.

Insects infected with deformed wing virus and a fungal parasite called Nosema ceranae were found across England, Scotland and Wales.

Writing in the journal Nature, the team says that beekeepers should keep their honeybees as free from disease as possible to stop the spread.

Former British prime minister Tony Blair offered to act as an "unofficial adviser" to Rebekah Brooks and Rupert Murdoch during the phone-hacking scandal, a London court has heard.

In Australia, unfortunately, some workers don't realise the value of unions because their working conditions are "okay" and "fair". The workers don't realise unions fought hard to improve workers conditions to these standards — standards that could slip very quickly under the relentless pressure from the Liberals (CONservatives).

Now workers who enjoy safety and rights don't value as they should the organisations that brought them these essential benefits. It's a sad case as the Liberal (CONservative) government — on behalf of employers — has been trying hard to demonise unionism under Rattus Howard and now with renewed vigour under Little Shit Abbott. 

8-10-13-16-19-22-23 — the beauty of consciousness.... (The numbers refer to the chart in "a simplified history of religion"... WAR)

... and wars...

Here I was, this morning, thinking that, soon, global warming was going to hit us for six, relent, let a couple of doosies go to the keeper and hit us for four... In the next over, global warming would hit us in the head, in the balls and for another six beyond the reporters boxes... And the ball is lost on the roof...

Does the Earth go around the sun, or does the sun go around the Earth?

When asked that question, 1 in 4 Americans surveyed answered incorrectly. Yes, 1 in 4. In other words, a quarter of Americans do not understand one of the most fundamental principles of basic science. So that’s where we are as a society right now.

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A week which started out as the one in which the Liberals hoped to begin to fight back has delivered them even more bad news, says Bob Ellis.

The prime minister, Tony Abbott, has told parliament he was unable to do anything to prevent Toyota from ending car manufacturing in Australia but that the government’s job was “not to preserve every single business indefinitely”.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is expected to announce a royal commission into unions and their finances as Federal Parliament prepares to return this week.

The Prime Minister has declared he wants to make Australia the "affordable energy capital" of the world and says the system of promoting renewable energy is pushing up power prices.

Local entrepreneurs are being encouraged to play cupid to Indian couples to help connect the south Asian country's $14 billion wedding market to Australia's tourism industry.

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