SOUTH AFRICA: STILFONTEIN - SURFACING OF UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN LEADS TO TRAFFICKING CONCERNS: ALLEGED NEWS

SOUTH AFRICA: RECENT TRAGIC EVENTS IN STILFONTEIN HAVE SHONE A SPOTLIGHT ON THE PLIGHT OF ILLEGAL MINERS IN SOUTH AFRICA: ALLEGED NEWS. [1] Illegal miners, otherwise known as zama zamas, reportedly operate in disused gold mines in South Africa; Alleged News. [2] Many do not make it out of the disused mines alive, according to a 52-year-old, Alleged News. [2] 

Underground town with graveyard

A small 'town' complete with markets and a red-light district has grown up deep underground at a disused gold mine in South Africa; Alleged News. [2] One one level of the shaft there are bodies and skeletons, called the zama-zama graveyard; Alleged News. [2] 

Children among undocumented miners

The Department of Social Development has been urged to prioritise the welfare of the children who resurfaced in the abandoned mine shaft in Stilfontein, North West, South Africa; Alleged News. [1] It was reported that at least 96 children from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Lesotho were among undocumented illegal miners who surfaced in the disused mine: Alleged News. [1] 

Children as young as 10 reportedly working underground

Profound dismay was expressed at the reported discovery of children, some as young as 10, from neighbouring countries working underground at the Stilfontein mines Alleged News. [3] Undocumented children arrested in Stilfontein's illegal mining operations highlight growing concerns about child labour; Alleged News. [1] 

Plight of children

Attention was drawn to reports of children being sexually violated and forced into dangerous labour, overseen by heavily armed syndicates; Alleged News. [3] The presence of children from countries in Southern Africa indicates that the issue is not simply one of illegal mining, but an indication of cross-border child trafficking and exploitation; Alleged News. [1] 

[1] The South African. Nokwanda Ncwane. Stilfontein: Surfacing of undocumented children sparks trafficking concerns; Alleged News

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/stilfontein-mine-news-undocumented-children-human-trafficking-latest/

[2] BBC. Nomsa Maseko. Inside South Africa's 'ruthless' gang-controlled gold mines; Alleged News

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yx9gwweeeo

[3] IOL. Shocking revelations of child trafficking at Stilfontein mines raise alarms; Alleged News

https://www.iol.co.za/saturday-star/news/shocking-revelations-of-child-trafficking-at-stilfontein-mines-raise-alarms-7d00d59f-0554-4e82-bf2e-917f687f4ba0

With thanks to thesouthafrican.com, bbc.com and IOL

LONG-TERM USE OF HORMONAL THERAPY PILLS HAS BEEN LINKED TO INCREASED ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RISK, STUDY FINDS; ALLEGED NEWS

 

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LONG-TERM USE OF HORMONAL THERAPY PILLS MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RISK, STUDY FINDS; ALLEGED NEWS. [1] 

The Finnish study looked at nearly 84,000 postmenopausal women, between the ages of 70 and 80, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease between 1999 and 2013; Alleged News. [1] 

The researchers reportedly found that use of oral hormone therapy for 10 or more years in women who started the pills before age 60 had a nine to 17 percent increased risk for Alzheimer's disease; Alleged News. [1] Women who used vaginal hormone therapy showed no increased risk, Alleged News. [1]

Study shows 9 to17 percent increased risk

Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia, occurs more frequently in women than in men. [2] By using Finnish comprehensive nationwide registers, Savolainen-Peltonen et al. were able to conduct a case-control comparison to investigate whether hormone therapy had an effect on the risk of Alzheimer's disease, and whether this risk was associated with age of treatment initiation or duration of treatment use. [2] 

The conclusions of the study were as follows: the study indicates that the use of systemic hormone therapy, once claimed to be protective against Alzheimer's disease, is accompanied with a 9 -17% increase in the risk of the disease in postmenopausal women, whereas the exclusive use of vaginal estradiol shows no risk. [2]

Estimation

In absolute terms, Savolainen-Peltonen et al. estimate that nine to 18 excess diagnoses of the disease per year will be detected in 10 000 women aged 70-80 (incidence 105 per 10 000 women years in this age group), especially in those who had used hormone therapy for over 10 years. [2]

The age at initiation of hormone therapy is no decisive determinant for the future risk of Alzheimer's disease. Hormone therapy users should be informed of a possible risk of the disease with prolonged use. [2]

Conclusion

The study therefore has given researched evidence that there is a link between the long-term use of hormonal therapy pills and an increased risk of contracting Alzheimer's disease. 

According to the study, hormone therapy users should be informed of a possible risk of the disease with prolonged use. 

The study showed that there is a 9 percent to 17 percent increased chance of developing Alzheimer's disease, if long-term use of hormonal therapy pills is used; Alleged News.

[1] Long-term use of hormonal therapy pills have been linked to increased Alzheimer's risk, study finds; Alleged News

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/long-term-use-hormone-therapy-pills-linked-increased-alzheimer-s-n980286

[2] BMJ 2019: 364:1665. Hanna Savolainen-Peltonen, Associate Professor et al. 2019. Use of postmenopausal hormone therapy and risk of Alzheimer's disease in Finland: nationwide case-control study. doi https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l665

https://www.bmj.com/content/364/bmj.l665

With thanks to nbcnews.com, bmj.com, doi

Image with thanks to Freepik AI generated content with CN Whittle

A CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT IN REMEMBRANCE OF STILFONTEIN

A CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT BY LUMIERE

IN REMEMBRANCE OF STILFONTEIN.

OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH ALL WHO ARE SUFFERING,

FOR ALL WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES;

FOR THEIR FAMILIES, COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS.

HAPPY CHRISTMASTIDE AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ALL LUMIERE CHARITY READERS

 

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Happy Christmastide and a Blessed New Year

to all Lumiere Charity readers.

May blessings be with you and your loved ones

at this time of peace, joy and goodwill.

We pray for an end to war.

We thank Almighty God for His Graces

and Blessings over the past year. 

A candle has been lit by Lumiere in 

remembrance of all who are suffering

or have lost their lives due to war.

Our thoughts are with their families,

colleagues and friends.

Image with thanks to Freepik AI generated content by CN Whittle