Odisha’s Debadatta Wins Gold at International Chemistry Olympiad
Debadatta Priyadarshi of Bhubaneswar, Odisha, won a gold medal at the 58th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) 2026. The competition was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 10 July to 19 July 2026, and India finished with four gold medals in the event.
Omicron RF.5 Sub-Variant Detected in Andhra Pradesh
The Omicron RF.5 sub-variant of SARS-CoV-2 was detected in Andhra Pradesh in mid-July 2026. Genome sequencing at the National Institute of Virology, Pune, confirmed the RF.5 sub-lineage in samples from Kadapa district.
India Flags Off First Hydrogen-Powered Train
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first hydrogen-powered train on 17 July 2026 from Jind in Haryana. The indigenous train runs on the 89-km Jind-Sonipat route, has 12 intermediate stops, and uses hydrogen fuel cell technology that emits water vapour as the only by-product.
CDSCO Approves Wegovy for MASH Treatment
India’s drug regulator, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), approved Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide injection 2.4 mg) on 17 July 2026 for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in adults. The approval covers noncirrhotic MASH in adults with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis, along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
NASA Webb Telescope Finds New Exoplanet in Beta Pictoris
Scientists announced the discovery of Beta Pictoris d, a new exoplanet in the Beta Pictoris star system, on 15 July 2026. The planet was identified through observations made with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile.
FDA Approves First Oral PCSK9 Inhibitor
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Lipfendra, also called enlicitide, on 16 July 2026 for lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults. It is the first FDA-approved oral proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, or PCSK9, inhibitor and is given as a once-daily 20-mg tablet.