A new study has found that alcohol consumption is linked to more than 60 diseases and injuries, with researchers saying reducing or quitting drinking early could help reverse some of the damage.   The research, published in the journal Addiction and reported by TheCable Lifestyle, examined global disease classifications and previous evidence on alcohol-related harm. According to the study, heavy alcohol use is directly responsible for conditions including alcoholic cardiomyopathy, liver cirrhosis, and fetal alcohol syndrome. Researchers said these illnesses are entirely attributable to alcohol use. Jürgen Rehm, a senior scientist at the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, said such diseases “would not even exist in the world without alcohol use”. The study also linked alcohol consumption to a higher risk of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections due to its effect on the liver and immune system. Researchers noted that alcohol contributes significantly to cases of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and dementia, although those illnesses can also occur independently of drinking. The findings showed that some alcohol-related damage may improve after a person stops drinking. Heart-related risks, including elevated heart rate linked to alcohol intake, can decline when consumption is reduced. The study further revealed that alcohol affects the brain by damaging neurons and weakening connections linked to memory and decision-making. While some recovery may occur after long-term abstinence, researchers warned that certain risks, including dementia, may persist. It also found that alcohol temporarily weakens the immune system, though recovery depends on the amount consumed and the duration of drinking. Long-term heavy alcohol use may leave permanent damage. The researchers added that short-term dangers such as injuries and sexually transmitted infections decrease significantly when intoxication stops.

Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia scored stunning goals as Aston Villa outclassed Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday to end a 30-year wait for silverware and ‌earn their coach Unai Emery a record-extending fifth win in the competition.   Morgan Rogers added a third as Aston Villa secured a first major trophy since they lifted the English League Cup in 1996, and their first victory in continental competition since they were European Cup champions in 1982 after defeating Bayern Munich in the final . Back-to-back wins in the Europa League for Premier League clubs after Tottenham Hotspur were victors last season kept alive a rare continental hat-trick with Arsenal in the final of ⁠the Champions League and Crystal Palace to play in the Conference League decider. “I feel amazing,” Tielemans told TNT. “We put in a shift, top performance, we had a great season, and to top it off with this, it’s amazing. “We only had one day to practise, we did it on Monday, and it worked brilliantly tonight. “It’s been a season with a lot of ups and downs. We started so so bad, our standards were very very poor but the way we turned things around was great, credit to the players, credit to the staff, we just kept working, kept believing, and we got the win in the end, Champions League next season and a trophy.” Aston Villa thrash Liverpool to seal Champions League spot Villa took the lead on 41 minutes with a superb strike from Tielemans after Rogers’ floated cross from a short ‌corner was ⁠latched onto by the unmarked Belgian and his low volley arrowed into the net. It was 2-0 seconds before halftime through another stunning goal, this time from Buendia. Freiburg allowed Villa too much space on the edge of their box and the Argentine playmaker curled a left-foot shot into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Noah Atubolu with no chance. Rogers added the third on 58 minutes when Buendia turned provider as his low cross ⁠into the six-yard box from the left was stabbed home at the near post. Villa manager Emery kept up his remarkable record in the competition with a fifth victory, three with Sevilla, one with Villarreal and now with the English Villa. Emery moved level with record-holders Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho ⁠and Giovanni Trapattoni on five European trophies. Freiburg were hoping to win their first major silverware in their 122-year-old history but rarely threatened the Villa goal. “The team believed until the end, but we faced an Aston Villa (side) with a lot of class. We are very ⁠proud of what we have achieved,” Freiburg winger Vincenzo Grifo said. “We wanted to win this cup. Unfortunately we didn’t make it and this must be accepted. If you give space to players like Tielemans and Buendia … they made perfect shots. The first goal gave Aston Villa strength.”

Governor Seyi Makinde has signed an executive order regulating the activities of vigilante groups and other local security organisations across Oyo State amid growing security concerns in the state.   The Executive Order No. 001 of 2026 was signed during a press briefing in Ibadan, according to Channels Television. The regulation is aimed at strengthening coordination among local security groups, preventing abuse and curbing ethnic tensions linked to unregulated operations. Makinde said the government would no longer tolerate the formation of illegal security outfits operating outside official oversight. “We do not want people forming groups, associations, in the name of security, and then on that basis they start ethnic profiling and ethnic confrontation,” the governor said. He warned residents against targeting innocent people based on ethnicity while urging citizens to report criminal activities to security agencies. The governor also addressed the recent abduction of teachers and students from Yawota and Ahoro-Esinele High School in Oriire Local Government Area, assuring residents that security agencies were intensifying rescue efforts. Makinde thanked residents for remaining calm and cooperating with authorities during the ongoing security operations. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abiodun Aikomo, said the executive order became necessary following the rise of community-based security groups across the state. According to him, any group involved in security activities with more than five members must now formally notify the Office of the Governor through the Special Adviser on Security. Existing groups have been given 72 hours to comply with the directive or face prosecution under the law. Aikomo said the regulation would enable the state government and security agencies to identify individuals carrying weapons or operating security outfits in communities across Oyo State. The enforcement of the order will be handled by the Office of the Special Adviser on Security, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The governor maintained that the regulation formed part of his administration’s efforts to safeguard lives and property amid worsening insecurity in parts of the country.