Australia

Are you an addict? Turns out we're all tech junkies

Chances are you're looking at it right now.

Before you try and deny you're addicted, here are some stats to consider:

Australian men unlock their phones more than anyone in the world - on average 45 to 46 times a day, while for Australian women it is around 42 times.

Those figures have been calculated by AntiSocial, an app developed by Melbourne software company Bugbean, to monitor people's use of social media.

More visitors despite lift on visa-on-arrival

 

CEO of the Manufacturers' Council of PNG, Chey Scovell, said this during the Australia-PNG Business Council Forum in Port Moresby.

Scovell said it was revealed during the ‘No Border’ session of the forum that the lifting of the visa-on-arrival did not have the expected effect on Australian visitors' numbers.

“In the forum last year we were saying it’s going to be good and well and cut down on the numbers, it didn’t happen," he said.

Another successful South Pacific Tourism Exchange in Sydney, Australia

A majority of participants expressed their gratification with the two-day event and their commitment to participation in the next SPTE.

A majority of the participants had established new networks, clients and contacts at the event and had gained new information, with a number of buyers securing actual bookings, contracts and package deals.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals: Is your home making you sick?

Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some cancer rates are on the rise in humans. While sperm count and fertility is on a downward slide in some populations. What if chemical exposure was partly responsible for these trends?

One hypothesis is that a group of chemicals — known as 'endocrine disrupting chemicals' (EDCSs) — could affect human reproduction, puberty, metabolism and other functions controlled by hormones in our endocrine system.

Many suspected EDCs are already in your home — but how much risk do they really pose? At what exposure level do they become unsafe?

Adam Goodes once again face of anti-racism fight in Archibald Prize entry

Colour Doesn't Matter was painted by Darwin artist Megan Adams as a response to the racial abuse of her friend's Indigenous son, a Year 6 student.

"He's just the kindest, happy-go-lucky kid so it was really hard to see him so upset," Ms Adams said.

"Adam Goodes is a fantastic AFL player but he's also a great speaker, speaking against racism; the troubles he went through also related to experiences my friend's son had."

African teenager allegedly held as sex slave in Australia

The 17-year-old girl had been brought to Sydney in early April by a man who offered her work as a cleaner, New South Wales Police said.

She was allegedly taken to a house and sexually assaulted by "a number of men" until her escape on 27 April.

Police officers from human trafficking and sex crime squads are investigating.

The teenager told police she fled the unknown location before being picked up by a woman who drove her to a community centre.

She was taken to hospital for medical treatment.

Red Cross trials frozen blood to deploy in conflict zones

The technology, which was pioneered in the Netherlands, dramatically extends the shelf life of blood components for up to 10 years.

The blood service said it was critical to have a constant supply in field hospitals, but the technique also has huge benefits for rural and remote communities.

In Australia one in three people need blood, but only one in 30 donate it.

Why milestones matter: How birthdays and anniversaries shape our lives

It's not just birthdays, anniversaries or significant days of the calendar.

Consider also the ubiquitous counters on social media sites; the use of biometric technology in personal exercise regimes; the goal-oriented logic of structured weight-loss programs; the steady stream of statistics and sporting records published each week; the significance that accrues around the first 100 days of the US presidency.

In these and a multitude of other ways, we impose a kind of order on the passage of time.

Australia's first Polyfest set for 2018

The inaugural Polyfest Australia was set for February 2018 and school registrations have officially opened.

The festival would be held in Sydney and the Polyfest Australia team was expecting more than 20,000 spectators.

Event director Sy Laga'aia said that Polyfest Australia shares the same vision as the New Zealand event which has run for 42 years.

RNZI reports t would aim to increase public awareness of the indigenous and Pacific cultures.

 

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Burning question: If you cut mould off food, is it then safe to eat?

Can you attempt a rescue operation by cutting off the mould or should the whole lot go in the bin?

The answer to some extent depends on how you balance your approach to a potential health risk versus your desire to avoid wasting food.

If the cheese is a hard cheese, it's probably safe just to cut the bad bit off, says Dr Ailsa Hocking, of CSIRO Agriculture and Food.

The bread though, is probably better off thrown away, she believes.

Assessing the risk

It's not just an awful taste you're risking if you eat mouldy food.