Latest news with #Headache
The Citizen
05-08-2025
- The Citizen
EMPD and Saps officers to appear in court for corruption and theft
The officers allegedly raided a shop, seized cigarettes and took cash. At least ten members of the South African Police Services (Saps) and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police department (EMPD) are expected to make their first court appearance on Tuesday. The officers are expected to appear at the Germiston Magistrate's Court on allegations of corruption and theft. Corruption Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson Lizzy Suping said the incident occurred on 4 June 2025. 'It is alleged that during a multi-disciplinary operation by law enforcement initiated by the Premier of Gauteng, the accused officers raided a shop at number 7 Hermila Avenue, Edenvale, where they seized cigarettes and took cash amounting to R35 000 and three packs of Headache tablets (Panados) to the value of about R5 000. ALSO READ: JMPD officers arrested for extortion and corruption 'They arrested the cashier for trading in illicit cigarettes and the other employee for violating immigration rules,' Suping said. Arrest It is also alleged that the accused officers failed to record all the merchandise seized from the shop at the police station. Suping said the shop manager allegedly disputed the quantity and type of merchandise booked in the Occurrence Book to the Station Commander. 'The members were arrested today [Monday] while on duty and will appear before the court tomorrow. All arrested officers are Constables and one Sergeant, and are detained at the Germiston Police Station.' Last month, two Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers were arrested on charges of extortion and corruption. The arrests followed a swift probe initiated by a public complaint. JMPD corruption JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said they received a distress call on Saturday from a concerned citizen who reported being extorted by officers. Fihla said the operation involved a coordinated effort from the JMPD's Internal Affairs Unit, which effected the arrests. 'The complainant alleged that officers demanded R8 000 after accusing their company driver of fleeing an accident scene. Acting on the provided vehicle registration, JMPD Internal Affairs quickly tracked the vehicle to a BP Garage in Parktown, where three officers were located.' 'A search of the officers and their vehicle uncovered R5,340 from two male officers, much of which could not be accounted for and was suspected to be illicitly obtained. Some of the money was found concealed within the vehicle. The two male officers were immediately detained at Jeppe SAPS on charges of extortion and corruption,' Fihla said. JMPD Chief of Police Commissioner Patrick Jaca said the arrest of these two officers sends a clear message. ALSO READ: Farm murder accused says he was forced to feed women's bodies to pigs
21-06-2025
- Health
Diabetes drug may cut migraine days in half with little weight loss: Study
Drugs in the same family as Ozempic and Wegovy are known for treating diabetes and helping with weight loss, but a small, early-stage study suggested they might also ease migraines -- even when there's no weight loss. The benefit appears to come from lowering pressure in the brain, Dr. Simone Braca, a neurologist at the University of Naples Federico II and lead author of the study, explained to ABC News. 'This study is very interesting in that the GLP 1s are hypothesized to lower brain pressure, which can then lower your chance of getting a headache or a migraine,' Braca said. The small, 12-week study tracked 26 adults with obesity who had chronic or frequent migraines. Published in Headache -- the official journal of the American Headache Society -- and presented at this week's European Academy of Neurology meeting in Finland, it tested liraglutide, a type of GLP-1 drug commonly used for diabetes and weight loss. After taking a daily 1.8 mg dose of liraglutide for three months -- the amount typically used to treat diabetes -- their average number of headache days per month dropped from 20 to about nine. Participants also reported less disability from migraines, with scores on a standard headache impact scale cut by more than half. Although some participants lost a small amount of weight, Braca said the few lost pounds were not meaningful enough to explain the improvement in migraines. Instead, Braca pointed to pressure from cerebrospinal fluid -- the liquid that surrounds and cushions the brain and spine. He said he believes that even slight buildups of this fluid can press on nearby veins and nerves in the brain, potentially triggering migraines. 'An increased pressure of the spinal fluid in the brain may be one of the mechanisms underlying migraine,' Braca said. 'And if we target this mechanism, this preliminary evidence suggests that it may be helpful for migraine.' Nearly half of patients reported at least a 50% reduction in headache days, according to the Headache paper. About 40% experienced mild side effects like nausea or constipation. None stopped taking the medication. With such promising results, Braca and his research team, led by Dr. Roberto De Simone, are already planning larger trials. Future studies will measure brain pressure more directly and explore whether other GLP 1 drugs might also offer the same relief but with fewer side effects. 'There are still a substantial portion of migraine patients that face an unmet need and that live with its burden,' he said. 'New drugs that could target other pathways, I think that could be reassuring to those patients and give them hope.' The study adds to growing evidence that GLP-1 drugs may have benefits beyond diabetes and weight loss. Researchers are already studying these medications for a range of other conditions, including reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, easing symptoms of addiction and treating Alzheimer's disease.
