Many of us believe that we are great drinkers and that alcohol does not affect us as much. People who are able to drink without showing any sign of inebriation are known as social drinkers. In short, they are not addicted to alcohol but will not turn down the opportunity to have a good time! While it may seem like it doesn’t affect you, new studies suggest that it is just an illusion, even if you have high tolerance, alcohol affects your cognitive and motor functions more than you think.

The study reveals the below implications and techniques:

• Researchers used a new MRI technique to precisely measure brain electrical activity.
• By comparing brain scans before and after drinking, scientists identified specific areas affected by alcohol and how much brain activity slowed down.
• Participants were chosen to be regular social drinkers without alcohol addiction, ensuring the study focused on the effects of alcohol alone.
• MRI technology provided reliable data on brain activity changes caused by alcohol consumption.

How does the brain react to alcohol?

Think of it as the foundation for your brain's performance. When brain conductivity is high, information flows smoothly, and that helps your brain in rapid processing and response. On the other hand, low conductivity can hinder cognitive function, leading to slower thinking, impaired memory, and difficulties with coordination.

A study conducted at the Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and UNSW Science unveiled a startling connection between alcohol consumption and brain conductivity.

What is the connection between alcohol consumption and brain activity?

While many people brush off the effects of alcohol as temporary changes in behaviour, the reality is much more complex. Beyond the obvious impacts on coordination and judgment, alcohol significantly alters brain function. Alcohol dramatically slowed down brain activity, especially in areas responsible for decision-making, planning, and physical coordination. This decline was so significant that it resembled the brain changes seen in normal ageing. This means even one drink could temporarily accelerate the ageing process of your brain.

Alcohol and Brain activity: What does the study Imply?

The implications of this research are far-reaching. It provides compelling evidence that alcohol consumption has a direct and measurable impact on brain function. The discovery that alcohol can significantly reduce brain conductivity opens new avenues for understanding the neurocognitive effects of alcohol abuse and dependence. While you may not feel like alcohol is affecting you and you have a high tolerance, it most definitely changes and affects your decision-making abilities and impulse control.

Furthermore, the MRI technique employed in the study could be a valuable tool for assessing the impact of other substances on the brain and for developing interventions to mitigate alcohol-related brain damage.

India's food safety regulator has banned the sale of select whisky and rum products produced by some of the country's biggest liquor companies, including Diageo India's United Spirits.

FSSAI's move comes after they found artificial or "nature-identical" flavouring that allegedly violates Indian food standards.

Among the affected products are United Spirits' Antiquity Blue Whisky and Royal Challenge Whisky manufactured in Madhya Pradesh, Inbrew's Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum, as well as three variants of Old Monk produced by Mohan Rocky Springwater in Maharashtra.

It is still unclear whether the restrictions apply only to products manufactured at these specific facilities or to the brands nationwide.

Why Did FSSAI Ban These Products?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said laboratory tests found that certain products manufactured by United Spirits, Inbrew Beverages and Mohan Rocky Springwater contained external artificial or nature-identical flavouring substances intended to recreate the taste and aroma of whisky or rum, instead of relying on traditional production methods.

According to the regulator, the use of natural flavouring substances in alcoholic beverages is permitted but manufacturers cannot add whisky flavour to whisky or rum flavour to rum.

"There is no internationally recognized manufacturing practice whereby rum flavour is added to rum or whisky flavour is added to whisky," FSSAI said in its statement.

The regulator added that these practices could bypass proper maturation and reduce reliance on ingredients traditionally used to develop flavour, including molasses, malt and grapes.

FSSAI classified the tested products as "sub-standard due to the presence of external artificial or nature-identical flavours in the product."

While Diageo India, Inbrew Beverages and Mohan Rocky Springwater did not immediately issue public responses to media queries, Reuters reported that some industry executives believe the use of flavouring does not violate existing Indian regulations.

Also read: You Can No Longer Buy Medicines Containing More Than 12% Alcohol Over the Counter: Health Ministry

What Are "Nature-Identical" Flavourings?

Nature-identical flavouring substances are chemically synthesised compounds created to replicate the flavours naturally found in foods or beverages.

Although they may be seem same like the naturally occurring compounds, regulators determine whether they can be used in specific products based on food standards.

In this case, FSSAI's objection is not to all flavourings, but specifically to the addition of whisky or rum flavouring to beverages marketed as whisky or rum.

They argue that the flavour should develop naturally through the approved manufacturing and ageing process.

India is among the world's largest alcohol markets, with annual sales estimated at around $40 billion, and United Spirits, owned by global drinks giant Diageo, is the country's largest liquor company by market share.

The affected products are widely consumed because they are significantly more affordable than the imported spirits.

The latest action also signals FSSAI's bigger effort to tighten regulations of the food and beverage industry. In recent weeks, the regulator has also intensified scrutiny of products marketed as energy drinks and other packaged foods over labelling and compliance issues.

India recorded 20,138 organ transplants in 2025, the highest ever in a single year, while deceased donor transplants increased to 3,526, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel announced at the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD).

The Minister said India now ranks third globally in total organ transplants, after the United States and China.

Organ Transplants Hit Record High

Patel said the number of organ transplants increased from 4,990 in 2013 to 20,138 in 2025, marking the country's highest annual total.

She also highlighted the rise in deceased donor transplants, which increased from 837 in 2013 to 3,526 in 2025.

However, she noted that a significant gap remains between the demand for organs and their availability, adding that bridging this gap continues to be a national priority.

'Organ Donation Is the Highest Expression of Compassion'

Describing the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day as a celebration of service and humanity, Patel said organ donation offers a second chance at life for people with end-stage organ failure.

She expressed gratitude to the families of deceased organ donors, saying their selfless decisions have strengthened India's organ donation movement.

The Minister also announced that the country has crossed five lakh Aadhaar-verified organ donation pledges

since the launch of the national digital pledge portal in 2023.

Patel said misconceptions remain one of the biggest challenges to organ donation. She stressed that no major religion prohibits organ donation and that all faiths uphold the values of compassion, service and saving lives, making organ donation a noble humanitarian act.

New Campaign and Digital Initiatives Launched

The national event, organised by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) in New Delhi, witnessed the launch of 'Jug Jug Jiyo Abhiyaan', a year-long nationwide awareness campaign aimed at taking the message of organ donation to every community and reinforcing that organ donation is the greatest gift of life.

The Minister also launched 'e-Pratyaropan, a unified digital platform that integrates hospitals, doctors, donors, recipients and other stakeholders into a single system. The platform brings together registration, wait-list management, organ allocation, monitoring and public information services.

A new NOTTO Mobile Application was also launched to improve access to organ donation and transplantation-related services and information.

New National Guidelines Released

The National Brain Stem Death Certification Guidelines and the National Guidelines on Swap Transplantation were also released.

The guidelines provide a practical framework for transplant professionals and support States and Union Territories in implementing a robust, ethical and efficient organ donation and transplantation programme. They are expected to strengthen the national transplantation ecosystem and facilitate wider access to safe, equitable and high-quality transplantation services across the country.

Government Strengthening Organ Donation Network

Patel said the government has established a nationwide institutional network comprising:

• National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO)
• Five Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (ROTTOs)
• 26 State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (SOTTOs)
• around 1,200 registered hospitals

The United States has reported 53 new measles cases, bringing the 2026 total to 2,371, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Amid the rising outbreak, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urged American parents to vaccinate their children against the highly contagious disease.

The CDC said that of the 53 new cases, 16 were locally acquired across 45 US jurisdictions, while the remaining cases were linked to international travel.

Highest Measles Toll In 35 Years

Although measles is preventable through vaccination, the 2,371 cases reported as of July 30 have already surpassed the 2,289 cases recorded during all of 2025. Both years represent the highest annual measles totals in the US since 1991.

The US was declared measles-free in 2000, but it could lose that status later this year when the Pan American Health Organization reviews transmission data.

Also read: Donald Trump Urges RFK Jr. To Accelerate Childhood Vaccine Rollback

Measles by the numbers:

• 2,371 measles cases reported in 2026.
• 20% of cases are in children under 5; 49% are in those 5–19 years.
• 7% of patients have been hospitalized, compared with 11% in 2025.
• No deaths have been reported.
• 93% of cases are in people who are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status.

Current measles hotspots:

• Pennsylvania: 31 new cases in the past week; 167 total cases in 2026.
• Ohio: Four new cases in unvaccinated individuals in Ashtabula and Tuscarawas counties; the state's third measles outbreak of 2026.
• Utah: Largest active outbreak with 514 cases; no new cases reported this week.
• Arizona: One new case; 120 total cases in 2026.
• Washington: Seven new cases; 53 total cases in 2026.

Kennedy Urges Parents to Vaccinate Children

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In a notable shift, Kennedy urged American parents to vaccinate their children against measles during a CNN interview.

Long known as a vaccine skeptic, Kennedy has spent years amplifying misinformation about vaccines, including the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. His remarks came as US measles cases surpassed the 2025 annual total.

The past two years have seen more measles infections in the US than the rest of the 21st century combined. More than 90% of cases have occurred in people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.

"I've never questioned the efficacy of the MMR vaccine," the Healthy Secretary said.

Kennedy also blamed low vaccination rates in some religious communities for ongoing outbreaks.

"The communities that are suffering from measles are almost all religious communities that just don't vaccinate," Kennedy told CNN.

Kennedy Repeats Debunked Vaccine Claims

During the interview, Kennedy also blamed pandemic lockdowns on Dr. Anthony Fauci while repeating several widely debunked claims about vaccines and other health issues.

He claimed that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of infant mortality, suggested Lyme disease was caused by laboratory manipulation of germs, repeated unsupported claims linking Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism, and questioned the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines for children.

Large studies conducted over several decades in multiple countries have consistently found no evidence that routine childhood vaccines cause autism.

Major medical associations also continue to consider acetaminophen the preferred pain reliever and fever reducer during pregnancy when used appropriately. They have also cautioned against avoiding acetaminophen altogether, noting that untreated high fever or severe pain during pregnancy can pose risks to both the mother and the developing baby.

Speaking to CNN, Ashish Jha, former White House COVID-19 response coordinator under President Joe Biden, said the rise in measles cases was not coincidental.

"The administration has not done enough to promote vaccines. It has not done enough to highlight the harms that come from measles."

Jha added that "accountability has to be with our political leaders," while criticizing Kennedy's false claims about vaccines.