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Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Australia records highest rates of 'aggressive' cancer in the world: 'We don't know why'
Australia is facing a troubling rise in one of the world's most aggressive cancers appearing in younger people — and experts admit they don't yet understand what's driving it. Despite overall declines in bowel cancer rates, cases among Australians under 50 are climbing fast, with researchers warning of a silent surge of the deadly disease in younger adults. Professor Mark Jenkins, Head of the Colorectal Cancer Unit at the University of Melbourne, has been studying the trend. He said over the last 30 years, there have been more than 28,000 people under the age of 50 diagnosed with bowel cancer. In Australia alone, researchers estimate this trend has led to 4,300 additional diagnoses of early-onset bowel cancer over that period. Bowel cancer develops in the lining of the colon or rectum, often without obvious symptoms at first, and can spread rapidly if not detected early. "It's getting worse — in Australia, but also around the world — it's increasing," Jenkins told ABC Radio National on Wednesday. "So there's something going on, but we don't know why." When Queensland woman Laura Corfield experienced "persistent pain" and discomfort in her tummy, she was reassured by doctors her symptoms were expected during pregnancy. But as weeks went on and the bowel trouble continued, she knew something "wasn't right". The Brisbane mum felt nauseous early in her pregnancy, which continued for four more months. But a heartbreaking diagnosis 22 weeks into the pregnancy threw the "healthy" mum's life into a spin when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Bowel cancer. She was just 35 years old. "I was in total disbelief," she told Yahoo News Australia recently. "They said it was aggressive and really advanced. They used all those words you don't want to hear at that moment". Various theories have been proposed, including increasing obesity, declining physical activity, lower use of protective medications like aspirin, and even exposure to microplastics. One of the country's leading specialists when it comes to microplastics, Dr Michelle Blewitt, previously explained to Yahoo how people often ingest the potentially deleterious material. "Every time Aussies wash their clothes, millions of tiny microfibres are shed and released. When these plastics make their way into our oceans, they're often eaten by fish and aquatic life, and subsequently by us," she said. "Anything less than five millilitres in size is a microplastic, and if it gets smaller than one millilitre, it becomes nanoplastics, and then picoplastics, until we're breathing it in. Aussie mum's shock cancer diagnosis during pregnancy Risky activity Gen Z admit they love despite dire warning Aussie family's remarkable bravery after baby girl's tragic diagnosis "Whatever is consuming these plastics, they get a dose of those chemicals as well". Blewitt said while we don't often consume the stomachs of fish, "what we do know is that when you're eating the whole animal, like a prawn or an oyster, you're eating a whole dose". But while microplastics may play a role, it doesn't fully explain the rise, Jenkins pointed out. "The strongest theory at the moment is that it's something to go with the bacteria in our gut, which we call the microbiome," he told ABC radio this morning. "Maybe there's been a change in them, maybe they've become more toxic over time. But it could be something else completely." Given the mystery, researchers are now turning to molecular studies, analysing tumour DNA to try and pinpoint the causes. In the meantime, Jenkins said the best defence is early detection. "The most effective thing that can be done is to try and diagnose bowel cancer before it becomes more serious," he said. People aged 45–49 are now eligible for the national screening program and can request a home test kit online. "It's a great one to do, it's really high quality, one of the best in the world." He also urged younger Australians to stay alert. "Young people, though not in that age group, if they have a strong family history of bowel cancer, they should go and talk to their doctors… because they may be eligible for screening as well," he said. Symptoms to watch for include blood in the stool, persistent changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue. "Some of those symptoms are pretty vague, but in combination, they might be signs that something is going on.' Although the causes remain unclear, experts agree that living a healthy lifestyle — including regular exercise, a balanced diet, and not smoking — is one of the most effective steps people can take. If bowel cancer is detected early, treatment is often highly effective — but once it spreads, it becomes far more challenging to manage. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
The Age
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
The broken Liberals have a dilemma: Was Angus Taylor the problem or is he the solution?
Taylor's supporters are arguing that he drafted a bolder agenda – for instance, on tax reform – but was blocked by former leader Peter Dutton. The critics dismiss this as spin. 'I don't see any scenario where someone who has failed to prosecute the case against the government on the economy turns out to have the secret economic agenda for the future,' says one Liberal. 'The incompetence is clear.' Liberals now acknowledge in public the weakness of their economic agenda. 'I feel that we had zero economic policy to sell,' NSW senator Hollie Hughes told ABC Radio National on Monday. She blamed Taylor for failing to land a blow on Treasurer Jim Chalmers. 'I have concerns about his capability. I don't know what he's been doing for three years.' Hughes has an axe to grind: Taylor marshalled the numbers on the right to have her dropped from the Senate ticket, which means she is out of parliament on June 30. Even so, other Liberals agree that the economic plan was too thin and that Taylor has to take responsibility. Can he be the solution if he was such a big part of the problem? No less than former treasurer Peter Costello warned that the opposition failed to do enough about falling living standards and heavy federal spending. 'The Coalition presented no coherent policy about how to deal with these issues,' he told The Australian Financial Review. The leadership contest is close for one big reason: Ley also shares responsibility for the election outcome. As the deputy leader, she was part of the team that oversaw the agenda for the past three years. No candidate for the leadership is a fresh face who offers a clean break from the past. The numbers are difficult to predict because the party room is in flux. The strategic failure under Dutton, who tried to appeal to 'battlers' in the outer suburbs without doing enough to win back 'teal' voters in wealthier suburbs, has reduced the Liberal ranks by at least 13 seats. This could weaken the support for Ley. The cruel twist for the moderates is that they lost so many MPs under an agenda set by the conservatives. The frustration about this is obvious when moderates such as Andrew Bragg and Dave Sharma, both senators from NSW, say that 'culture wars' turned away voters. The moderates have lost former minister David Coleman, Jenny Ware, James Stevens, Keith Wolahan and Bridget Archer. The conservatives have lost former minister Michael Sukkar, Ross Vasta and Luke Howarth. Loading The Liberals paid the price every time Dutton copied US President Donald Trump by promising to cut government services or stop 'woke' agendas. They paid the price when he complained about working from home. This is also a problem for Hume because some of her colleagues blame her for the perception that the Liberals wanted to curb working from home, given she fuelled the complaints about it with a speech on March 3. Hume has been a good addition to the senior ranks over the past three years, but she is caught up in the recriminations over the campaign. Some colleagues are furious with her for a television appearance in which she suggested 'Chinese spies' were handing out how-to-vote leaflets for Labor. The Labor team turned this into a social media campaign that hurt the Liberals in Chinese communities. The Liberals are in a crisis that will take years to address. Their branches are getting older and smaller, while they struggle to find younger and more diverse candidates for parliament. Dutton allowed these structural problems to remain, while getting glowing feedback from the late-night hosts on Sky News. A leadership battle that pits conservatives against moderates will not fix the structural flaws, either. The conservative MPs who love a 'culture war' will be permanently exiled from government if they refuse to share power with moderates who can win urban electorates. Who can bring the party together? Nobody sounds convinced that Ley is the answer. Some are even more sceptical about Taylor.
Perth Now
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Manele boosted as Solomons no-confidence motion delayed
The Solomon Islands parliament has delayed consideration of a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, who now holds renewed hope of retaining the position. A walk-out by key government members including Manasseh Sogavare last week imperilled Mr Manele's tenure, a year into taking the job. The four-time prime minister claimed a new grouping, including key opposition figures Matthew Wale, Gordon Darcy Lilo and Peter Kenilorea Jr, held a slender majority in the 50-seat parliament. Mr Lilo tabled the no-confidence motion last week with the intent of it being discussed on Tuesday, and winning the vote to allow them to form a new government. However, on Tuesday morning, parliament released an order paper without the motion on the agenda, suggesting it had been pulled. Debate was due to begin at 10am local (9am AEST), but Speaker Patteson Oti convened the house around 90 minutes late to briefly state that ongoing discussions meant deliberations would not begin until the afternoon. "Parliament has yet to put forward a position. Because of its non-appearance on the order paper. I will suspend parliament until two o'clock," he said. One explanation for the last-minute switch could be a change of heart by key MPs. On Monday, Mr Manele released a photo alongside with 27 other MPs, suggesting he had coaxed a pair of MPs back into the government tent, and he would defeat a no-confidence motion. "Members of the (government) coalition convened this afternoon in a caucus meeting at cabinet," Mr Manele said, as reported by In-depth Solomons. "They reaffirmed their unity and preparedness to face tomorrow's vote." One pictured was Claudius Tei'ifi, a Malaita-based MP who cited concerns over the slow pace of work on an Australia-backed tuna plant in his constituency when he left the government. The political instability has led to schools in Honiara being allowed to close for the day. Previous no-confidence motions and political ructions have brought riots or demonstrations in the capital Honaira, though police figures have suggested the chances of unrest is low. Senator Penny Wong, Australia's foreign minister, deferred when she was asked whether she was concerned about the stand-off. "These are matters for the people and the parliament of the Solomon Islands. It's a sovereign country," she told ABC Radio National.
ABC News
05-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
The most diverse conclave in the history of the Catholic Church looks to the future
At Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Kellyville in western Sydney, a Filipino congregation gathers for Sunday mass. Hymns are sung in English, Tagalog and Latin. In front of the panoramic stained glass window is an altar to memorialise Pope Francis, his smile beaming from a small frame. Pope Francis is mourned by the Filipino congregation at Our Lady of the Rosary Church. ( ABC Radio National: Anna Levy ) This community and many like it are waiting eagerly for the conclave — the If elected, Cardinal Tagle would be the first Asian pope in history. Church youth leader Ian Epondulan says there's "a lot of speculation" in the Filipino community about what this week will bring. "[We're] very excited to see whether there'll be a pope from the Philippines, such as Cardinal Tagle," Mr Epondulan says. "But there's also an opportunity for the whole Filipino community, and also the Catholic population across the world, to really pray for the College of Cardinals that are going into this conclave. " Whether it is a Filipino pope, an Italian pope or a pope from another country, I think the College of Cardinals will make the right decision. " "There will be a celebration, whoever the pope might be," says church youth leader Ian Epondulan. ( ABC Radio National: Anna Levy ) During the conclave, members of the College of Cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, with no outside interference or influence. They will discuss the most pressing issues facing the church, then the 133 cardinals eligible to vote will submit their choice for pope via secret ballot. When the new pope is chosen, white smoke will billow through the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Shortly after that, the waiting crowd of Catholic faithful will lay their eyes on their new leader for the first time. This system for electing the new pontiff dates back to the 13th century, and many of the rituals involved remain the same. Photo shows A graphic with textured red background, a black and white cut-out of the Sistine Chapel and St Peters Basilica, and black smoke. The world's eyes are on the Vatican at the moment, with a new pope soon to be decided through the secretive process of the conclave. Here's how we will know when one is chosen. But one important element has changed dramatically. While past conclaves have comprised mainly Italian or European electors, this one will host cardinals from 72 countries, many in the Global South — any of whom could be selected as the next pope. It is the most diverse conclave in history. And experts say this is likely to affect not only the choice of pope but the future of the Catholic Church worldwide. How did we get here? For the first thousand years of Catholicism, clergy were selected by their peers, political rulers and the Roman laity. The College of Cardinals was first formed in 1150, and didn't number more than 30 until the 15th century. Outsiders were forbidden; the title of cardinal was only bestowed upon members of the ancient clergy of Rome. The system of the conclave was formalised by Pope Gregory X in 1274, after As Christianity spread, cardinals were allowed to be appointed from other parts of Italy and Europe, but conclaves remained overwhelmingly European until the 20th century. This was reflected in the popes of the day, too: of history's 266 pontiffs, 217 were born in modern-day Italy. In the 1960s, the Second Vatican Council significantly modernised and internationalised the church, with Pope John XXIII famously saying it was time to "open the windows and let in the fresh air". Under these reforms, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II appointed many new cardinals from around the world. After his election in 2013, Pope Francis — the first Argentinian pontiff in history — continued this trend, naming 163 cardinals from 76 countries. A mark of Francis' legacy During his 12-year pontificate, Pope Francis appointed 80 per cent of the 135 cardinals eligible to vote. "One of the most striking dimensions of the Francis papacy was his efforts to internationalise the conclave, to make the church reflect not only the world, but the social fabric of the church itself," explains Benedict Coleridge, a scholar and academic of political and legal theory, trained at the University of Oxford and Yale Law School. "Francis appointed cardinals from all over the world, but particularly from places that had hitherto been either under-represented or not represented at all in papal conclaves." Pope Francis deliberately appointed cardinals from diverse locations. ( Reuters: Vatican Media ) Dr Coleridge says Pope Francis intentionally named cardinals who weren't in high-profile positions or dioceses, sometimes overlooking more established contenders. "He was basically trying to say, 'Look, appointment to the College of Cardinals follows a life of expeditionary leadership and brave service, it isn't just associated with a seat of power'," he says. Twenty-five of the cardinals appointed by the late pontiff hail from countries never before represented in the College of Cardinals. That includes Haiti, Timor Leste, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Sweden. Many of them minister to minority Catholic populations, such as in Malaysia, Jerusalem and Mongolia. Jerusalem is home to just 4,500 Catholics, who are served by Italian-born Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa. ( Reuters: Ammar Awad ) This is a marked shift away from the historical perception of Western Europe as the epicentre of Catholicism. "In Francis' view, there were no peripheries, only centres," Dr Coleridge says. "[He believed] everywhere where the church is, where people are living out their lives in pursuit of God, that is a centre … and the church needs to look at itself in those terms." Deciding the next pope Given the geographically diverse makeup of the conclave, there's a strong possibility the next pope could come from outside of Europe. Photo shows R&E background The ABC's Religion & Ethics portal is home to reporting on religion, ethical discussion and inspiring stories of faith and belief. While each cardinal has his own social and political views, those from non-European locations may have priorities in common, Dr Coleridge says. He points to a moment in the recent film, Conclave, in which the cardinal of Kabul gives a powerful speech about witnessing war and suffering. "The truth is that there will be cardinals in that conclave who could make the same speech," he says. "There will be the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who offered himself as a replacement hostage during the [Israel-Gaza] ceasefire. There will be the cardinal of Rabat, Morocco, who has been right at the coalface of inter-religious dialogue with Islam. " [Each] will be speaking with a really powerful voice on behalf of his society. " Spanish cardinal Cristóbal López Romero (centre) has served as the Archbishop of Rabat, Morocco since March 2018. ( Reuters: Yara Nardi ) As wars rage on in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, a leader with this understanding could be considered desirable in the years to come. Joanne Pierce, professor emerita in religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, USA, agrees that on-the-ground experience will likely be an important factor. But she says there are other elements to consider, too. "Lengthy experience doing pastoral ministry outside of Europe or even North America would be an important element in the resume of any serious candidate for election," she says. "However, cardinal-electors will also have to look at other areas of experience that potential candidates have or don't have. "Does the candidate have significant experience in the central administration of the Church or other committees? How well have they led their own dioceses … or performed other administrative duties? What kind of education have they had, since popes also have to deal with theological issues and interpretations of canon law?" Another issue that may emerge during the conclave is climate change, especially as several of the cardinal electors have lived experience of climate crisis. Papua New Guinea's cardinal, for example, has Pope Francis has consistently "East Timor's [cardinal] and other cardinals from Pacific countries will be concerned with the fates of their neighbours," Professor Pierce says. East Timor cardinal Virgilio do Carmo da Silva hosted Pope Francis during his apostolic trip to Asia in 2024. ( Reuters: Guglielmo Mangiapane ) "The cardinals from Papua New Guinea and Australia are aware of the eventual fate of Tuvalu and Kiribati [which are at risk of rising sea levels]. Southeast Asia is also threatened. "For some of the more conservative cardinals, these environmental issues are concerning, but not immediately urgent. But cardinals in or near these areas should, I think, emphasise the need to look to the future now." A conclave that reflects the world As the geographic makeup of the conclave has shifted, so has the global face of Catholicism. "The face of the Catholic church is already changing, regardless of who is going to be elected," Professor Pierce says. "The Catholic church is growing absolutely astonishingly in the Global South: South America, Africa, South Asia, parts of East Asia, Oceania." Priests take part in a Requiem Mass for Pope Francis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Catholicism is growing. ( Reuters: Arlette Bashizi ) At the same time, it's shrinking in places like Australia, where the percentage of the population who identify as Catholic has "For a pope to be elected from any of these areas [where Catholicism is growing] would have an enormous impact on the Catholic community in those areas," Professor Pierce says. "A pope who had been born there, grew up in in the culture and knew the issues important to the local communities, would mean that they had been 'seen' — acknowledged as of central importance to the global Catholic community, not just … missionary territories that still needed leadership from Europeans to live as 'genuine' Catholics. " Imagine what it must be like to have a pope from your country; to say, 'He's one of us'. " For Catholics around the world, the pope signifies the future of their church. ( ABC Radio National: Anna Levy ) Regardless of who is elected pope, Mr Epondulan says the conclave is a unifying moment for his community. "It's an opportunity [for] Filipinos [to] see that they belong to a wider community, not just within the Philippines, and that the Catholic Church is universal," he says. "I think the shape of the Australian church is changing and evolving, and creating a new identity for the church of the future." Want to go beyond the news cycle? 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Sydney Morning Herald
05-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
The broken Liberals have a dilemma: was Angus Taylor the problem, or is he the solution?
'I don't see any scenario where someone who has failed to prosecute the case against the government on the economy turns out to have the secret economic agenda for the future,' says one Liberal. 'The incompetence is clear.' Liberals now acknowledge in public the weakness of their economic agenda. 'I feel that we had zero economic policy to sell,' NSW senator Hollie Hughes told ABC Radio National on Monday. She blamed Taylor for failing to land a blow on Treasurer Jim Chalmers. 'I have concerns about his capability. I don't know what he's been doing for three years.' Hughes has an axe to grind: Taylor marshalled the numbers on the right to have her dropped from the Senate ticket, which means she is out of parliament on June 30. Even so, other Liberals agree that the economic plan was too thin and that Taylor has to take responsibility. Can he be the solution if he was such a big part of the problem? No less than former treasurer Peter Costello warned that the opposition failed to do enough about falling living standards and heavy federal spending. 'The Coalition presented no coherent policy about how to deal with these issues,' he told The Australian Financial Review. The leadership contest is close for one big reason: Ley also shares responsibility for the election outcome. As the deputy leader, she was part of the team that oversaw the agenda for the past three years. No candidate for the leadership is a fresh face who offers a clean break from the past. The numbers are difficult to predict because the party room is in flux. The strategic failure under Dutton, who tried to appeal to 'battlers' in the outer suburbs without doing enough to win back 'teal' voters in wealthier suburbs, has reduced the Liberal ranks by at least 13 seats. This could weaken the support for Ley. The cruel twist for the moderates is that they lost so many MPs under an agenda set by the conservatives. The frustration about this is obvious when moderates such as Andrew Bragg and Dave Sharma, both senators from NSW, say that 'culture wars' turned away voters. The moderates have lost former minister David Coleman, Jenny Ware, James Stevens, Keith Wolahan and Bridget Archer. The conservatives have lost former minister Michael Sukkar, Ross Vasta and Luke Howarth. The Liberals paid the price every time Dutton copied US President Donald Trump by promising to cut government services or stop 'woke' agendas. They paid the price when he complained about working from home. This is also a problem for Hume because some of her colleagues blame her for the perception that the Liberals wanted to curb working from home, given she fuelled the complaints about it with a speech on March 3. Hume has been a good addition to the senior ranks over the past three years, but she is caught up in the recriminations over the campaign. Some colleagues are furious with her for a television appearance in which she suggested 'Chinese spies' were handing out how-to-vote leaflets for Labor. The Labor team turned this into a social media campaign that hurt the Liberals in Chinese communities. The Liberals are in a crisis that will take years to address. Their branches are getting older and smaller, while they struggle to finder younger and more diverse candidates for parliament. Dutton allowed these structural problems to remain, while getting glowing feedback from the late-night hosts on Sky News. A leadership battle that pits conservatives against moderates will not fix the structural flaws, either. The conservative MPs who love a 'culture war' will be permanently exiled from government if they refuse to share power with moderates who can win urban electorates.
