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Mum diagnosed with cancer after 34-month wait for colonoscopy

It took more than two-and-a-half years for doctors to diagnose Rhiannon Coombs with bowel cancer.

The 31-year-old, from the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne's south east, thought she had done everything right when she went to see her GP at the first sign something was wrong.

That was back in December 2018.

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Rhiannon Coombs and her five-month-old daughter Hendrix. Ms Coombs will start four months of chemotherapy today to treat her bowel cancer.

Ms Coombs had started to notice some blood in her stools.

"That was my only symptom and it wasn't happening very often, just every three or so months," she told 9news.com.au.

Ms Coombs was put on the public waitlist for a colonoscopy, which is an elective surgery procedure.

A few months went by and Ms Coombs said she heard nothing. Her doctor sent in another referral to the local hospital.

In March 2019 Ms Coombs was given an appointment at the hospital to be assessed for the surgery.

"I was asked about my family history and what my symptoms were and then put on the public waitlist for the colonoscopy.

"I was told it would be about a three-to-six-month wait," she said.

READ MORE: How the pandemic has impacted cancer diagnosis in Australia

Rhiannon Coombs, pictured with her fiance Danny.

Fast forward 12 months and Ms Coombs still did not have a date for her colonoscopy.

It was by now March 2020, and Australia's first wave of the coronavirus hit, forcing elective surgeries to be delayed.

Ms Coombs said she didn't hear anything from the hospital until early July 2020, during a brief window between Melbourne's lockdowns in 2020.

A staff member who was updating its waitlist rang to ask if she still needed the surgery, to which Ms Coombs said yes.

READ MORE: Canberra mum calls for bowel cancer screening age to be lowered

Ms Coombs said she wasn't particularly worried about her symptoms at the time, because none of the doctors she had seen seemed to be.

"I had been to the doctor a couple of times, and I saw that person at the hospital," she said.

"I didn't think to look into it further.

"I thought, oh well, no one thinks it's urgent."

Then Ms Coombs fell pregnant with her first child, and her symptoms got worse.

"Every time I went to the toilet there was blood," she said.

"I thought I had a haemorrhoid so I went to the doctor, twice, because I thought I should just get this checked.

"The doctor didn't even examine me, they just said it'll be a haemorrhoid, because of my pregnancy."

Last month, Ms Coombs finally had her colonoscopy done – two years and 10 months after she was given her initial referral.

The news was devastating.

"I was told that what I thought was a haemorrhoid was actually a tumour, a five centimetre tumour," Ms Coombs said.

Do you have a similar story? Contact us at em********@******om.au.

Ms Coombs said she wished she had not relied on the public health system and had gotten her colonoscopy done privately.

Ms Coombs was diagnosed with stage-three bowel cancer.

Scans show the cancer has spread to some lymph nodes and the wall of her colon.

While caring for her five-month-old daughter, Hendrix, Ms Coombs is now facing a gruelling six months of chemotherapy and radiation, followed by surgery.

Ms Coombs said she had been left frustrated by a medical system that failed her.

"I did all the right things," she said.

"I went to the doctor because I wanted to check that it wasn't anything else.

"Who am I to know? I go to them because they're the professionals, and they tell me it's nothing really to be worried about, so that's what I believed."

Ms Coombs said she was left wishing she had not relied on the public health system, where already long wait waiting times and the pandemic had combined to create her 34-month wait for her colonoscopy.

The number of people waiting in Victoria for elective surgeries has ballooned during the pandemic.

As of September 2021, there were 67,600 people waiting for elective surgeries, figures from the Victorian Agency for Health information show.

Of those, 33,800 were waiting for category-three, "non-urgent" procedures, such as colonoscopies.

The average overdue wait time for category-three elective surgeries across the state in September 2021 was 225 days.

Tens of thousands of bowel cancer tests delayed

Bowel cancer claims the lives of 5255 Australians every year, including 290 people under the age of 50. 

Despite a perception that it only affects older Australians, it is the deadliest cancer for young adults.

Cancer Australia has warned diagnoses have been delayed for a significant number of Australians during the pandemic.

There was an eight per cent drop in the number of tests carried out nationally in 2020, Cancer Australia figures show.

One of the biggest areas patients are "missing" is when it comes to colorectal cancer tests, such as for bowel cancer.

There were around 87,000 fewer of these tests such as colonoscopies carried out in 2020, Cancer Australia found. Usually there are almost 700,000 done annually.

Ms Coombs said she hoped her story would be a warning to others to be persistent in seeking answers for any medical concerns.

"Do what you think is right for you, for your health and peace of mind," Ms Coombs said.

"If you have symptoms of something that doctors are dismissing, just push and keep going until you find someone who's willing to get you the right tests."

Contact reporter Emily McPherson at em********@******om.au

headline

GoPro's latest camera is a thousand leaps ahead of the original

GoPro's latest action camera is the highest quality and fastest action camera on the market, but only just.

It's hard to believe the first GoPro camera used film, and it wasn't until 2006 that the first digital GoPro was launched.

The first-ever GoPro could snap pictures using film from your wrist — it's obvious to see why this didn't take off.

READ MORE: Retailers jump the gun on Black Friday, Cyber Monday deals

The original digital GoPro camera couldn't record any audio, only shot in 10-second clips and was only capable of shooting at 10 frames per second.

Fast forward to 2021.

The HERO10 has arrived, and it's a force to be reckoned with.

GoPro's latest action camera is a thousand leaps ahead of the original design, boasting 23-megapixel photos, 120fps video at 4K and the option of 5.3K video resolution at 60fps — something that was almost unfathomable 20 years ago.

9News went hands-on with the new GoPro HERO10 to see how this latest camera stacks up against the previous model.

Design

At first glance, there's little difference between the HERO10 and HERO9.

The red paint on the battery clasp is gone, it's got a newly coloured logo and the lens is made from stronger glass – but it's what's inside this camera that really counts.

The GoPro HERO10 retails for $749, and for a camera of its calibre it's worth the cost.

GoPro claims the processor inside the HERO10, the GP2, is about twice as fast as the chip inside the HERO9.

And if the front display, live capture, upload and streaming speeds are anything to go by, they're far from wrong.

Video stabilisation

But it's video stabilisation where the GoPro HERO10 truly shines.

Stabilisation technology has taken an exceptional leap forward and GoPro's HyperSmooth 4.0 takes away almost any shaking or unwanted movement while recording, meaning all your sporting videos look great and are easy on the eyes.

Could the days of the Steadicam be a thing of the past?

I took the HERO10 out for a test drive attached to my kid's pram and the results aren't debatable.

The camera was exceptionally smooth, especially when I was forced to take the pram up a set of stairs due to the lift being out (video above).

Battery

Shooting at 5.3K resolution, or 120fps, will chew through your battery faster than other settings.

You'll get about an hour of continuous recording at 5.3K, with an extra half an hour on the standard 4K 60fps setting — so if you're looking at a longer shoot, make sure you check your settings and maybe pack an extra battery or two.

One way to conserve battery is to make sure the LCD screen saver is turned on while recording; this can be changed by swiping down from the top of the screen on the HERO10.

You can also choose whether to turn the front screen off — this little LCD won't chew through as much battery as the back.

The battery in the HERO10 is the same as the HERO9.

Photos and displays

The photo resolution on the HERO10 has been improved, up three megapixels compared to the previous camera.

It's a slight improvement but it's one that produces a cracking wide-angle photo.

The touch display, while fiddly at first, is ever so slightly easier to navigate and clearer than the previous model.

The screen on the front of the device, used for a "selfie" style of recording, remains in place — this is one of my personal favourite features.

Having a screen on the front allows you to back the GoPro right up to a wall and still see what the camera is pointing at but if you're too far away from the camera to see, there's always the app.

The Quik app

GoPro's Quik app is exactly when the name suggests. It's one of the best camera-connect apps going around right now.

Connecting live to the camera is trouble-free and super-fast.

The GoPro creates its own WIFI connection, producing a seamless link between phone and device.

I found I could transfer files to my iPhone, in the highest resolution, in just seconds.

If you really want to make the most out of the app, there's a subscription fee available.

The subscription enables cloud storage, automatic cloud upload and editing tools from your mobile phone.

It starts from about $8 per month, or $70 a year, but you can check it out with a free 30-day trial.

But don't think you have to cough up the extra cash, users can still take advantage of Quik's live view, recording and transfer features without paying for a subscription.

Performance and accessories

GoPro says the HERO10 is waterproof up to 10m. Unlike earlier models, gone are the days you'll need an external housing to protect your camera when diving.

Now there's a tonne of mounts and accessories compatible with the HERO10, from mini tripods, to camera straps, microphones and lights — if you need something for your GoPro you can probably get it.

The mounting connection on the HERO10 is the same as the HERO9, so if you are thinking of upgrading to the next model, be sure to hang on to all your mounts.

It's an obvious statement to make, but the HERO10 really is the best camera GoPro has ever produced.

While it's mostly just some slight tweaks and improvements, there's still no denying that this camera sets the new bar for action cams.

If you've already got your hands on the HERO9, there's no rush to upgrade.

While there's new features galore in the HERO10, the HERO9 is still an exceptional camera.

9News was supplied a unit of the GoPro HERO10 for the purpose of this review.

headline

After 28 years in Parliament PM Harris Reflects on His Constituency and the Country

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — Area Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher Seven (Bellevue to Ottley’s), Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris, was first elected to parliament on November 29, 1993.

As he prepares to celebrate the 28th anniversary as a parliamentarian, he is reflecting and sharing with his constituents the transformation that has taken place under his watch in the constituency and the country on a whole, and is thanking them for their loyalty and trust in him.

PM-Harris at worship-service-at-Miracle-Temple

“Thank you very much for your support through all the years,” said Dr Harris. “Through good times and bad times, the people of Constituency Number Seven have never let me down, and I will do and endeavour to do my very best always to assist you – to deliver for you, and by the Grace of God I shall continue to deliver, so thank you again for your support.”

Prime Minister Harris, who is also the National Political Leader of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP), one of the three political parties in the ruling Team Unity Administration, made the remarks on Sunday November 21 when he and members and supporters of the PLP worshipped at the Miracle Temple in Lodge Project.

“Thank you for your loyalty, and thank you for your trust in me,” continued the Honourable Prime Minister at the worship service which was conducted by Pastor John Bradley, who also delivered the sermon. “And over the last many years we have seen the constituency transform because I made it my business to deliver for you.”

Starting with the Lodge-Ottley’s area, Prime Minister Harris informed that there are several housing programmes, and that he would have delivered housing for somebody that they know, and the new Violet Petty Primary School. He pointed out that those are things they are to give God thanks because that is part of the promised stronger and safer future.

“We have seen for example in Upper Lodge Project two housing projects on either side as we continue to go further up in the hills, as we use available lands to deliver housing for all the people of the constituency,” stated Dr Harris.

“We have seen, going down to the Grange Health Facility, the extension of our housing programme, and on the left-hand side you have seen one of the most modern community centres in the country (the new Lodge-Ottley’s Community Centre) being delivered for you the people of this constituency. So everywhere, there is evidence that I have been working for you the people.”

In Molineux he mentioned of further housing programmes, the building of a new Mary Charles Hospital and the bringing back of the ambulance service and the dental unit. He recalled that he at one time he met the former Premier of Nevis, Ambassador His Excellency Vance Amory, going to the facility for a dental appointment.

As for the neighbouring Mansion Village, the Prime Minister also talked of the new primary school built under his watch, and two housing projects. He advised that fifteen homes will be delivered between now and Christmas for the people of the Constituency.

“Tabernacle continues to expand,” said Dr Harris of his hometown. “We have brought there improvement in our security with a brand new Forensic Department. We built the best health centre in the country and in the Caribbean, right there in Tabernacle, and we named it after an outstanding nurse, Nurse Sylvia Garnette, who served as matron.”

Black Rocks, which is on one end of the vast constituency (Bellevue), has been developed from a small petite community, and has expanded with a housing programme. Government has created a brand-new tourism attraction at Black Rocks, where a lot of activities take place, to include a modern stage and it has bathroom facilities.

“When we look around, we see transformation of the constituency and indeed of the country,” pointed out the Prime Minister. “I am happy that under my watch that so much things have happened, particularly in public infrastructure. Ambassador Ian Liburd did a wonderful job, and was the most productive minister of Public Infrastructure.”

According to the Prime Minister, some of Ian Liburd’s work as the minister of Public Infrastructure include roads that have been resurfaced around the island of St. Kitts, the Basseterre Ferry Terminal, the East Basseterre and the West Basseterre Bus Terminals, and the brand-new Department of Public Works on the factory compound among many others.  

“But not only in St. Kitts had we been working hard,” observed Dr Harris. “We have delivered services on the island of Nevis and we have worked well with that government so that today nearly $400 million have been provided to the people of Nevis, first a range of public sector initiatives and government initiatives. So, we have been good as we promised the people of Nevis, and we have done that without creating any challenges for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis, because by the grace of God we have been able to manage the finances of the country very well.”

He concluded: “We continue to deliver for you the people because Government is about people – government is about doing good for the largest possible number of persons. Everyone will not be satisfied, and everyone perhaps may not be rich, though we must bring the majority of the people along in the country.”

 

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T&T: Cop & Coast Guardsman Killed in Duel Over Woman

CMC- A  Special Reserve Police officer and a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard were among several people killed during a bloody weekend in Trinidad and Tobago where the murder toll has inched closer to 400 this year.

Last year the murder toll was 340 and as of October 28, there had been 340 killings.

Police confirmed that Coast Guardsman Jabari Francois and Special Reserve Police (SRP) officer, Jomo Golston, shot and killed each other in Diego Martin, west of here, during a fracas on Sunday apparently over a woman.

Police reported that Golston had dropped off a female friend when he was approached by Francois who knocked on the window of the policeman’s car. The two argued over each other’s perceived disrespect before the gunfire erupted. Both men died at the scene of the incident.

In another incident, police believe that a long-standing feud that may have originated in Venezuela resulted in the death of one man on Sunday.

The authorities said that Charlys Agosto Polo Mata, 22, who was originally from Tucupita, Venezuela, died after he was stabbed several times. His cousin, Omar Ramos, 25, was also stabbed but survived.

Mata, a labourer, was the father of a two-year-old girl.

Relatives told Newsday newspaper that Mata, Ramos and two other Venezuelan men had earlier left a bar in Caroni in Central when a car pulled alongside the four men, and a man got out with a knife. Three other accomplices, all believed to be Venezuelans, remained in the car. The knifeman stabbed both Mata and Ramos repeatedly, killing Mata on the spot.

“The killer went back in the car and the driver drove off. The men who were with Charlys ran off,” the unnamed relative told the newspaper.

Police are also probing the death of a 43-year-old man, who died at a hospital after being shot once in the head on Sunday.

Police said Ronnie Samuel of Caledonia, along the east-west corridor, was in his yard when he was shot.

In another incident on Sunday, officers from the Port-of-Spain Task Force responded to reports of an explosion on the outskirts of the capital where they discovered a vehicle ablaze,

After the fire was extinguished, law enforcement officials said a burnt corpse was found in the vehicle and another body with multiple gunshot wounds was found a short distance away.

The victims were later identified as Jordan and Jada Pierre.

The police were also kept busy investigating a shooting incident in Armia, east of here, where two men dressed in camouflage clothing and armed with firearms broke into Jose Mariano Acosta Bella’s home.

After robbing Bella and his relatives of their cash and cell phones, the men had an argument with Bella, whom they shot Bella several times in his chest before escaping. Bella was taken to the Arima District Hospital and died while undergoing emergency surgery.

Police are also investigating the death of 33-year-old Kendell John, who was at his home with his wife and two children in Cunupia in Central Trinidad when the occupants of a vehicle alighted the vehicle and pretended to be interested in purchasing a refrigerator from John, who was then shot several times.

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It Was ‘Destiny’ for Belize to Win the 2021 Miss Earth Title

The people of Belize and the wider Caribbean are celebrating today, after Destiny Wagner was crowned Miss Earth 2021!

The Belizean beauty made history when she emerged best out of 88 delegates from around the world at the competition which was held virtually for the first time.

Wagner will now be written into her country’s history books as the first to secure a placement at the Miss Earth pageant and the first Belizean delegate to place at a Big 4 pageant- Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss World and Miss Earth- since 1979.

The other finalists at the pageant which was hosted on Saturday night were Miss Earth-Air, Marisa Butler from the USA; Miss Earth-Water, Romina Denecken from Chile and Miss Earth-Fire, Jareerat Petsom from Thailand.

After being crowned, Wagner said: “My country has never placed at Miss Earth before nor have we ever had an international crown so right now, this is what we needed and I am happed to represent such a gorgeous country. I am overwhelmed right now with emotions. The words and the gratitude, it’s very hard to express, but I am thankful. I am thankful for the Miss Earth Organisation and thankful for my team as well.”

The post It Was ‘Destiny’ for Belize to Win the 2021 Miss Earth Title appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.

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WORLD VIEW: Christmas Parade Horror, Covid Latest, Sailboats Ferry Migrants, More

Nov 22, 2021

Alternate text
  • Horror in suburban Milwaukee as an SUV plows through a Christmas parade, killing at least 5 and injuring 40
  • Austria goes into nationwide lockdown to curb rising COVID-19 infections
  • Asian nations’ vaccination campaigns speed past the U.S., many European nations
  • Two of 17 kidnapped missionaries in Haiti released
  • Sailboats ferry migrants to Italy from Turkey in new tactic.
  • Middle-class Afghans slide into poverty amid job losses
  • Chinese tennis star’s IOC interview over sexual assault allegations raises more questions
  • Closing arguments expected in the murder trial of 3 men in Ahmaud Arbery killing
  • Democratic plan for methane emissions fee clears key hurdle, strong opposition ahead

Menelaos HadjicostisThe Associated Pres

The Rundown

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WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — A joyous scene of marching bands and children dancing in Santa hats and waving pompoms turned deadly in an instant, as an SUV sped through a barricade and into a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee while spectators watched in…Read More

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VIENNA (AP) — Austria went into a nationwide lockdown early Monday in a desperate effort to contain spiraling coronavirus infections. The lockdown in the Alpine nation comes as average daily deaths have tripled in recent weeks and some hospitals have…Read More

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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — When Cambodia rolled out COVID-19 vaccines, lines stretched down entire streets and people left their shoes out to save their places as they sheltered from the sun. …Read More

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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Two of 17 members of a missionary group who were kidnapped more than a month ago are safe and “in good spirits” after being freed in Haiti, their U.S..-based church organization announced. …Read More

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ROCCELLA JONICA, Italy (AP) — When the Taliban took Kabul in August, Zakia was six months pregnant and in her first year of university while her husband, Hamid, was working as an auditor. They decided to flee, and along with five relatives, began a t…Read More

OTHER TOP STORIES

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Not long ago, Ferishta Salihi and her family had enough for a decent life. Her husband was working and earned a good salary. She could send severa…Read More

Out of public view for almost three weeks, Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai has appeared in a video call with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. The IOC…Read More

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — Attorneys were scheduled to give closing arguments Monday in the murder trial of three white men charged in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, whose death…Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Democratic plan to impose a fee on methane emissions from oil and gas wells has cleared a key hurdle, but it faces strong opposition from the oil and ga…Read More

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Guadeloupe: French Troops Arriving to Quell Covid Regs Rioting

OINTE-A-PITRE — The French overseas territory of Guadeloupe was hit by a third night of looting and rioting amid protests against COVID-19 regulations, with gunmen shooting at police and firefighters, the authorities said on Sunday.
Police arrested 38 people as shops were broken into and cars set ablaze
Special police forces were due to arrive from mainland France to the Caribbean archipelago on Sunday to restore order.
“This situation cannot be accepted nor tolerated,” government spokesman Gabriel Attal told Europe 1 radio.

Guadeloupe’s prefect, Alexandre Rochatte, who represents the French government, said in a statement that armed groups had tried to loot stores in Pointe-a-Pitre, Basse-Terre and Lamentin and battled police.

Shots were fired at police and firemen trying to put out blazes. Four pharmacies were broken into and cars set on fire while barricades were erected to stop security forces from intervening, the prefect adde

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Saturday that France would send about 50 members of the GIGN and RAID elite tactical forces of the gendarmerie and police to the territory.
Prime Minister Jean Castex is also due to meet on Monday in Paris with Guadeloupe officials to discuss the situation.

Rochatte on Friday had imposed a curfew from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m following five days of civil unrest during which barricades burned in the streets and firefighters and doctors walked out on strike.

Trade unions started an indefinite strike on Monday to protest the compulsory vaccination of health workers against COVID-19 and health pass requirements. (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

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WA construction worker killed in building site accident

A 19-year-old man has died after he was struck in the head with a door while on a building site in Perth's southern suburbs.

Nathaniel Good was working on a residential development in North Coogee when the accident occurred around 9am Monday.

He was lowering an entry ramp when a door made of heavy steel and timber to fall on him.

READ MORE: Wild weather to lash three Australian states

Police said emergency services were on scene quickly but could not save the man.

"A lot of the workers are quite upset, as you'd imagine," Inspector Vic Hussey said.

"He received CPR at the scene, there was a lot of work to attempt to revive him, but to no avail unfortunately."

Work stopped immediately on the site and a full investigation is currently underway.

READ MORE: She died from a snakebite. But the real killer was her husband

In a statement, the company overseeing the project Mr Good was working on said it was devastated to learn of the incident.

"We are devastated by the events that took place today on a site adjoining one of our development projects in North Coogee," M/Construction director Michael Read said.

"Our thoughts go to the family of the deceased."

READ MORE: New clue found in search for William Tyrrell

Mr Good was an employee of a subcontracted business that was employed to perform a specific role on the site.

"M/Construction maintains the highest standards of onsite safety and we are doing everything possible to support WorkSafe and relevant authorities as they investigate the incident," Mr Read said.

headline

Ecuador, Colombia to Open Shared Border Dec.1

QUITO, Nov 21 (Reuters) – Ecuador and Colombia on Sunday agreed to the bilateral reopening of their shared border from the start of December after it was closed amid the coronavirus pandemic, and pledged to work together to combat drug trafficking.

The shared border was shut in March 2020 as both governments looked to curb the spread of coronavirus. The controlled reopening, complete with epidemiological measures, will bring greater security and economic activity to the zone.

“Opening the borders means no Ecuadorian or Colombian family will have to pay criminal bands charging to cross via alternative routes, rather than the official ones, which will be opened on December 1,” Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso said in Quito following a meeting with his Colombian counterpart Ivan Duque.

During the meeting, Colombia offered to support Ecuador in the fight against drug trafficking.

Ecuador is beset by a wave of crime that has caused homicides to spike which the country’s authorities link to the trafficking and consumption of drugs.

On Friday Lasso extended a state of emergency across Ecuador to keep military patrols on the streets in areas with high rates of homicide and other crimes associated with the drug trade.

“Ecuador will receive everything it needs from Colombia to fight against organized crime,” Colombia’s President Ivan Duque said.

The two presidents also discussed repatriation of prisoners. Duque said the process to repatriate 170 prisoners will proceed in line with laws and protocols.

Violence in Ecuador’s prisons has spiked this year as criminal gangs duke it out for supremacy. The most recent riot in the Penitenciaria del Litoral prison saw 62 prisoners killed. read more

In recent years Ecuador’s prison system has struggled with violence, overcrowding, and poor living conditions for some 39,000 prisoners.

Reporting by Alexandra Valencia Writing by Oliver Griffin; editing by Diane Craft

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Democracies Worldwide Sliding Towards Authoritarianism

BRUSSELS, Nov 22 (Reuters) – A greater number of countries are sliding towards authoritarianism, while the number of established democracies under threat has never been so high, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) said on Monday.

Populist politics, the use of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions to silence critics, a tendency of countries to mimic the anti-democratic behaviour of others, and disinformation used to divide societies are mainly to blame, the Stockholm-based intergovernmental organisation said in a report.

“More countries than ever are suffering from ‘democratic erosion’,” IDEA said in its 2021 study on the state of democracy, relying on data compiled since 1975.

“The number of countries undergoing ‘democratic backsliding’ has never been as high,” it said, referring to the regressive turn in areas including checks on government and judicial independence, as well as media freedom and human rights.

Afghanistan, which was taken over by Taliban militants in August after international troops withdrew, is the most dramatic case this year, while Myanmar’s Feb. 1 coup marked the collapse of a fragile democracy. Other examples include Mali, which has suffered two coups since 2020, and Tunisia, where the president has dissolved parliament and assumed emergency powers.

Large democracies such as Brazil and the United States have seen presidents question the validity of election results, while India has witnessed the prosecution of groups of people critical of government policies.

Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Serbia are the European countries with the greatest declines in democracy. Turkey has seen one of the largest declines between 2010 and 2020.

“In fact, 70 per cent of the global population now live either in non-democratic regimes or in democratically backsliding countries,” the report said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in authoritarian behaviour by governments. The study said that there was no evidence that authoritarian regimes were better at fighting the pandemic, despite Chinese state media reports to the contrary.

“The pandemic provides additional tools and justification for repressive tactics and silencing of dissent in countries as diverse as Belarus, Cuba, Myanmar, Nicaragua and Venezuela,” the report said.

Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Hugh Lawson

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