Tag Archives: Australia

30May/23

‘They just ignored my tears, they ignored my unhappiness’: former Irish nuns reveal accounts of brainwashing and abuse

Karen Hanrahan, University of Brighton

Any thoughts of escaping to a more natural life was regarded as being sinful. The idea of being unfaithful to your vocation was a step on the way to hell. It would be a mortal sin.

These are the words of Mary, my mother. She was just 15 when she entered a convent in Ireland in 1950 and 34 by the time she finally managed to leave. She had been expressing doubts to her superiors since her early twenties but years of “brainwashing” and the very real fear of her and her family facing eternal damnation made breaking her vows seem impossible.

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15May/23

Chisenga Katongo

May 15, 2023 /Entertainment/ — Chisenga Katongo is a Zambian-born Australian hip hop artist. He is known for his unique blend of African and Australian sounds, as well as his socially conscious lyrics. Katongo has released three albums, “Officer in Charge” (2005), “Mr. Swagger” (2009), and “Rhythm and Poetry” (2016). He has also toured extensively throughout Australia, Africa, and Europe. Continue reading

26Apr/23

Oral sex is now the leading risk factor for throat cancer

Hisham Mehanna, University of Birmingham

Over the past two decades, there has been a rapid increase in throat cancer in the west, to the extent that some have called it an epidemic. This has been due to a large rise in a specific type of throat cancer called oropharyngeal cancer (the area of the tonsils and back of the throat). The main cause of this cancer is the human papillomavirus (HPV), which are also the main cause of cancer of the cervix. Oropharyngeal cancer has now become more common than cervical cancer in the US and the UK.

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25Apr/23

The current state of open banking regulation around the world.

April 25, 2023 /Finance/ — Open banking is a financial services term for the practice of allowing third-party financial service providers to access customer data held by other financial institutions, through the use of application programming interfaces (APIs). The goal of open banking is to promote innovation and competition in the financial services industry by giving consumers more choices and control over their financial data. Continue reading

20Apr/23

Square Software Turns Android Devices Into Powerful Payment Technology

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Square today launched Tap to Pay on Android for sellers across the U.S., Australia, Ireland, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The new technology empowers sellers to securely accept contactless payments with a compatible Android device, and at no additional cost.
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20Apr/23

Why universities should return to oral exams in the AI and ChatGPT era

Stephen Dobson, CQUniversity Australia

Imagine the following scenario.

You are a student and enter a room or Zoom meeting. A panel of examiners who have read your essay or viewed your performance, are waiting inside.

You answer a series of questions as they probe your knowledge and skills. You leave. The examiners then consider the preliminary pre-oral exam grade and if an adjustment up or down is required.

You are called back to receive your final grade.

This type of oral assessment – or viva voce as it was known in Latin – is a tried and tested form of educational assessment.

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11Apr/23

‘It’s like you’re a criminal, but I am not a criminal.’ First-hand accounts of the trauma of being stuck in the UK asylum system

Steve Taylor, Leeds Beckett University

Warning: this story contains graphic descriptions of violence. Pseudonyms are used to protect the interviewees’ identities.

Angela had already been in the UK as an asylum seeker for nine years and four months when we interviewed her. She was still in a state of limbo, unsure whether asylum would be granted, and her story was disturbing to hear.

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27Feb/23

The cockney dialect is not dead – it’s just called ‘Essex’ now

Amanda Cole, University of Essex

As English dialects go, cockney is one of the most influential. Long considered the preserve of working-class communities in east London, it has shaped the way people speak across the country, from Reading, Milton Keynes and even Hull all the way to Glasgow.

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19Jan/23

Digital welfare dystopia

By Samuel Woodhams | Digital rights researcher and journalist

Algorithms to determine welfare payments and detect fraud are becoming standard practice around the world. From Manchester to Melbourne, peoples’ lives are being shaped by secretive tools that determine who is eligible for what, and how much debt is owed.

Although the technology has been around for some time, the outbreak of COVID-19 renewed enthusiasm for the digital welfare state and, for thousands of cash-strapped public bodies, the promise of increased efficiency and lower costs has proven irresistible.
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