It seems that a new chapter is about to come in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. AstraZeneca is set to launch a new oral GLP-1 pill that could bring diabetes and obesity treatments out of the needle era.If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, or simply struggling with your weight, the story isn’t just about blood sugar. It’s about the stubborn pounds that make everything difficult. Over the past few years, injectable GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Vegovy, and Monzaro have turned the diabetes world upside down. People lost weight, managed their blood sugar better, and sometimes saw their health risks drop. However, if we’re being honest, the shots are a dealbreaker for a lot of people.Now, AstraZeneca thinks it has cracked the code: a pill instead of a needle.

What is happening?

According to Reuters, at the 2026 American Diabetes Association conference, they released new data showing their oral GLP-1 candidate, alecoglypron, helped people lose weight and control blood sugar. It’s becoming a topic of discussion because, suddenly, the future looks like a bottle of pills instead of a fridge full of injections.

Now what is elecroglypron?

It is an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist that AstraZeneca acquired last year from Accogene, a Chinese biotechnology company. GLP-1 drugs mimic the hormone your gut uses to suppress appetite, slow digestion, increase insulin, and keep blood sugar under control. Hence they help in both weight loss and diabetes. Most of the big winners in this area are injectables, but scientists have been chasing the pill for centuries, because tablets are easier to take, and most people hate injections.If AstraZeneca gets it right, it could compete with giants like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.

Weight Loss: The Numbers Everyone Is Talking About

Their Phase IIb VISTA trial looked at adults struggling with obesity or excess weight. Big headline: People taking higher doses of elecampane lost about 10.5% of their body weight over 26 weeks. Now, that’s nothing. Some kept losing, reaching 11.8% at 36 weeks. About nine out of ten people taking the highest dose had at least a 5% loss, which is a number that doctors pay attention to.Simply put: If you weigh 100 kg, you are looking to lose more than 10 kg.What matters is that it all happened with one bullet. Typically, people think that injections are more powerful because pills are not always absorbed as well. Elecoglipron is closing the gap.

Diabetes: what do the results say?

Their SOLSTICE trial zoomed in on people with type 2 diabetes. This disease means that your body either ignores insulin or does not make enough insulin. The sugar piled up; Over time, serious complications began to emerge. Elecoglipron did more than just lower blood sugar. People taking the higher dose lost about 7.7% of their body weight over 26 weeks, while also improving their cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors.This is a big deal: GLP-1 drugs aren’t just pursuing lower blood sugar; They deal with basic things like weight, heart risk, kidney problems, and things like that. People are getting broader health benefits, not just the number on the glucose meter.

Side Effects: Usual Suspects

As with other GLP-1 drugs, intestinal problems have been reported. Some people had nausea, vomiting, constipation or stomach upset. But most side effects were mild to moderate — about the same as you see with existing GLP-1 drugs. AstraZeneca says these side effects did not cause many people to drop out of the study and there were no major liver safety events.Still, if you’re dreaming about a magical weight loss pill with zero belly drama, you’ll have to wait until science waves its wand.

How does it stack up against Ozempic, Wegovi and the rest?

Elecoglypron’s 10.5% average weight loss puts it in the top tier for oral drugs, but it lags behind some of the bigger injectable names. For example, Wegovi has achieved rates of 14% or more, and the latest Lilly drugs sometimes perform better. The main advantage here is simplicity: just one pill per day. If later trials show that elecampane is safe and continue distribution, many people (and doctors) may prefer it.A better oral GLP-1 could make these treatments available to more people.

What will happen next?

Phase 2 trials look promising, but this is only the beginning. AstraZeneca plans a larger Phase 3 study. They will test elekaglipron in larger groups and look at long-term safety. Only then can regulators consider approval.This tablet is a big milestone. Although it is not final, its importance cannot be denied. With diabetes and obesity rates rising everywhere, treatments that are both effective and simple matter more than ever. If these results hold true, elecroglypron may signal a paradigm shift: There is no need to choose between real weight loss and the convenience of a pill. For those who are balancing diabetes every day, this is about as reassuring as the statistics can get.

Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after the United States launched a new wave of attacks on targets inside the country. Iran’s top joint military command said the strategically important waterway had been closed to all traffic, including oil tankers and commercial ships, and warned that any ship attempting to pass through would be fired upon.The announcement came hours after US forces launched additional strikes across Iran under orders from US President Donald Trump. Iranian state media also reported various explosions, air defense activity and alleged clashes between US and Iranian forces around the Strait of Hormuz.

Hegseth hints at fresh attack on Iran

Before the operation began, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that the US military would take military action against Iran. He suggested that the campaign could continue beyond one night.Speaking from U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Hegseth said, “The attacks that happen tonight will be strong, they will be obvious. If they happen tomorrow night, they will be strong and they will be obvious.”He also indicated that key Iranian facilities could be targeted and said the strikes would advance US military objectives while strengthening Washington’s diplomatic position. Hegseth also warned about Trump “hitting hard,” as he put it, “because President Trump said we would hit Iran hard and we will.”He said Tehran still had an “opportunity to make a deal” with Washington despite the military action.

CENTCOM announces new attacks on Iran

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) later confirmed that additional strikes had begun.In a statement, CENTCOM said, “U.S. Central Command forces, at the direction of the Commander in Chief, launched additional self-defense strikes at 5:15 pm ET today against multiple targets in Iran. These attacks are in response to Iran’s unjustified and continued aggression.

Explosions and air defense activity reported across Iran

Following the US announcement, Iranian media reported explosions and air defense activity in several parts of the country.Mehr news agency said air defense systems were activated in western Tehran. Explosions were also reported in Bandar Abbas, the southern cities of Sirik and Minab, Qeshm Island, Hengam Island and the northern city of Gorgan.An explosion heard in Fars Province was later attributed to the activation of air defense systems outside the city.Iranian state media later reported an explosion in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, although there were no immediate details on damage or casualties.IRNA later reported that the explosions in Qeshm and Hengam were caused by projectiles “all of military nature”.

conflict on the strait of hormuz

As military activity intensified, Iranian media reported a direct confrontation near the Strait of Hormuz. The Mehr news agency said there were intense clashes and firing between US forces and IRGC naval units in the strategic waterway.The report said US forces had targeted seven coastal locations, including areas around Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Qeshm Island and Hengam Island.Amid increased military activity, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that its air defense forces had intercepted a plane in Gulf airspace. According to the Mehr news agency, the IRGC said it fired the missile at an F-16 fighter jet that violated “Gulf airspace”, causing the aircraft to turn away.

Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz

The confrontation culminated with Iran’s announcement that it was closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. Iran’s top joint military command announced that the waterway would be closed to oil tankers and commercial shipping and warned that any ship attempting to cross the strait would be “shot at”.

IRGC reportedly targets ships in Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy has reportedly targeted two ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran announced the closure of the strategic waterway, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.The report claimed that the ships were “violating vessels” that tried to transit the strait despite orders to stop all maritime traffic. Earlier, Iran’s top joint military command had directed all ships, including oil tankers and commercial ships, to stay out of the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any ship attempting to pass through there would be targeted.

captain of england ben stokes Root, who will miss the second Test against New Zealand at the Oval after the nightclub incident, is set to lead the team as interim captain.Stokes has been dropped from the team along with fast bowler Gus Atkinson after the pair violated the team’s midnight curfew in the early hours of Monday.The England and Wales Cricket Board said that Stokes and Atkinson “have not been made available for selection.”The two players were in a nightclub when a member of England’s security staff was attacked by Saracens rugby player Totoa Auwa.Although Harry Brook is England’s vice-captain, he has not been selected to lead the side for the match.Brook was involved in an incident last year when he was punched by a bouncer outside a nightclub in Wellington on the eve of an ODI against New Zealand.Therefore, Root will return to captaincy for the first time after stepping down from the role in 2022. The former captain led England in a record 64 Test matches between 2017 and 2022.The 35-year-old player remains England’s highest run-scorer in Test cricket. He resigned as captain after England achieved one win in 17 Test matches and was succeeded by Stokes.England have also included fast bowler Joffra Archer and batsman Jordan Cox in the team that won the first Test against New Zealand by 115 runs at Lord’s.The second Test against New Zealand will start from June 17 at The Oval.Meanwhile, some reports have suggested that England’s Ben Stokes may also retire from cricket following the nightclub brawl involving him and teammate Gus Atkinson.The development comes after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) launched an investigation into an incident involving Stokes and Atkinson at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday, hours after England’s 115-run win over New Zealand in the first Test at Lord’s.England Test Team: : Joe Root (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethel, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, James Reve, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue.

Fact Check: Did Kylian Mbappe leave France camp to spend time with rumored girlfriend Ester Expósito? (Image via Getty Images)

Did kilian mbappe Departure from team camp just hours after victory against Northern Ireland?

Yes, according to Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid star player Kylian Mbappe left the national team camp just hours after the match against Northern Ireland.But it has not been confirmed whether Kylian Mbappe went to Madrid to be with his girlfriend Ester Expósito or not. According to reports, Kylian Mbappe’s departure due to personal reasons was officially cleared after the match.Although there have been claims that he has been spotted with his girlfriend Ester Expósito in Madrid, this has not yet been confirmed.

Kylian Mbappe and girlfriend Ester Exposito have caused outrage among many

This has also sparked heated debate among fans as many have criticized him for his behaviour.One fan wrote toAnother fan posted, “Truly, Mbappé went from being a team star to a team star at both his club and national team.”A third fan posted: “What a bummer, what a poor professional. I hope Madrid get rid of this parasite as soon as possible.”Another fan wrote, “That guy handed them a World Cup, made it to two finals, and in France they blasted him with insults for not winning it. Let him clear his head and leave him alone.”A fifth fan said, “He scored 4 goals in the World Cup final, and they question his commitment to the national team. Sometimes they give him too much stick.”However, Kylian Mbappe and girlfriend Ester Expósito have maintained silence.

Representative Image (AI Generated)

New Delhi: Pakistan has increased its space surveillance power manifold by launching a series of six Earth Observation (EO) satellites in the last one and a half year. These EO or spy satellites can be used by Pakistan to keep an eye on India’s borders, army deployment and military assets.Pak launches 6 satellites in one year; Expert warns, it can be used for spying on IndiaAlthough the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) was established in 1961, Pakistan launched its first satellite only in 1990. Even payloads launched with the help of foreign launchers over the past several decades were less than a dime a dozen. However, between January 2025 and April 2026, Pakistan surprisingly launched six EO satellites, mostly with the help of Chinese rockets.The six EO satellites, launched by SpaceX-Falcon 9 on January 14, 2025, are Pakistan Air University PAUSAT-1; Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite-Earth Observation 1 (PRSC-EO1) launched by China’s Long March-2D rocket on January 17, 2025; PRSS-2 EO by a Chinese rocket on July 31, 2025; Hyperspectral satellite HS-1 by China’s Long March on October 19, 2025; PRSC-EO2 launched by China’s Smart Dragon-3 on February 12, 2026; and PRSC-EO3 by the Chinese Long March-6 on April 25 this year.Group Captain Ajay Ahlawat (retd), now a defense analyst, told TOI, “There is no mystery about these satellites as all payload launches are recorded with ITU (International Telecommunication Union). We (India) also do not miss out. These EO satellites have been designed to see things in more detail and have improved Pakistan’s visibility over Indian territory for at least 3-4 years. In contrast, India has not been able to launch a single surveillance satellite in the last one year. Our payload is ready. But there is no rocketry system. After several recent failures, ISRO is worried and not confident about successful launches.“Our NavIC system has also become vulnerable as only three navigation satellites are in space against the requirement of minimum four, forcing our strategic forces to depend on foreign navigation systems like GPS and GLONASS for missile navigation,” the defense expert said. Group Captain Ahlawat (Retd) suggested that until ISRO fixes its rocket problems, India should get its payloads that are critical for major space missions to be launched from friendly space agencies like Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana or Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome.Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai (Retd), also a defense analyst, recently said in his blog, “When the EO-3 satellite is passing over South Asia in daylight, the PRSC-S1 is passing over the same geography in darkness, and vice versa. Since the optical satellite requires daylight and the SAR satellite does not, both satellites together provide what cannot be achieved alone, in the entire 24-hour cycle of the South Asian theatre. Compressed revision cycles approaching persistence in operational terms.“Writing about India’s satellite plans, Pillai further wrote, “India’s Space-Based Surveillance Phase-III program – SBS-3 – approved in October 2024 and accelerated after Operation Vermillion, envisages a constellation of 52 surveillance satellites to be deployed in the second half of this decade. The intention is good, but the sequencing problem is acute: China’s already dense military satellite network and the overhead ISR threat from this China-enabled Pakistani constellation are now operational, While the first launches of SBS-3 are only expected to begin around 2026 and full deployment is generally not anticipated before 2029.“

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has backed Ben Stokes to remain as England Test captain despite the controversy over a breach of team protocol, arguing that the all-rounder has made a mistake but should not lose his job because of the incident.

Writing in The Telegraph, Vaughan said Stokes had clearly crossed a line by breaking the team curfew, but questioned whether the offense was serious enough that he should be removed as captain.

Vaughan wrote, “Yes, Ben Stokes broke curfew. Yes, he made a mistake. But is that a dismissable offense as England’s Test captain? I don’t think so.”

The former England captain said that although the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has every right to take disciplinary action, he disagrees with any move to remove Stokes from the leadership role.

Vaughan wrote, “The ECB has to be brave and strong enough to do what it thinks is right. If it has to be sacked then so be it, but I do not agree with that decision on this issue.”

Vaughan’s defense of Stokes comes at a time when the England captain’s future has become a major talking point following a breach of team protocol. While acknowledging that disciplinary action may be necessary, Vaughan argued that punishment should be proportionate to the crime.

The former captain said one should not automatically lose the captaincy due to an error in judgment, especially considering the role Stokes has played in England’s recent success in Test cricket.

curfew violation investigation

Stokes will not play in England’s second test against New Zealand at the Oval following an incident at a London nightclub earlier this week.

Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson defied the team’s midnight curfew after celebrating England’s first Test win over New Zealand on Monday morning. The pair were present when a member of England’s security staff was attacked by Saracens rugby player Totoa Auwa.

The security staff member was reportedly left bloodied and required medical treatment following the incident.

The ECB confirmed on Monday evening that it was investigating a breach of team protocol, while both Stokes and Atkinson Investigation is also being done by the cricket regulator.

With Stokes unavailable, England have turned to former captain Joe Root to lead the side at The Oval, sidelining Harry Brook despite his vice-captain role.

The ECB has denied reports that Stokes has been asked to resign and have instead given the 35-year-old time to consider his options.

brooke case

A significant part of Vaughan’s argument focused on what he believed was the ECB’s inconsistent handling of the previous disciplinary case involving Brook.

“The problem for ECB chief executive Richard Gould and cricket director Rob Key is that their poor handling of the Brook situation has set a precedent,” Vaughan wrote.

Brooke was involved in a nightclub incident in Wellington In October, the night before he was to captain England in a One Day International against New Zealand. The batsman was hit by a bouncer, details of the incident became public months later.

Following an investigation by the regulator of cricket, Brook received a final warning and was fined, while teammates Jacob Bethel and Josh Tongue were also investigated. No action was taken against Tong.

According to Vaughan, the ECB’s decision to allow Brook to remain captain while imposing only a financial penalty weakened its authority in dealing with future disciplinary breaches.

Vaughan wrote, “He allowed him to continue as captain, suppressed it and by being so lenient put himself in a position where he had to take strict action on any other minor breach of team rules in the future.”

calls for fellowship

Vaughan also questioned whether financial penalties alone are enough to deter players from repeating mistakes.

He wrote, “They fined Brooks, not a suspension. Fines are nothing to these boys. So when people at the highest levels of management allow a team to do a lot, don’t be surprised if it happens again.”

With Stokes and Atkinson under investigation, the ECB faces a key decision on how to respond. While Vaughan acknowledged that the England captain made an error in judgment, he believes that one lapse should not be enough to end Stokes’ tenure as captain.

– ends

The district administration also directed officials to seek clarification from their subordinate staff and submit detailed, fact-based reports along with supporting documents

Ghaziabad: : The district administration has issued show cause notices to five officials whose performance was found to be well below the target set during a recent review of preparations for the ongoing census exercise.According to officials, a review of the House Listing Block (HLB) work revealed a substantial gap between the number of blocks allotted and the number of blocks completed in many urban and semi-urban areas of the district. The Administration found that despite repeated instructions and monitoring, progress in these areas was well below expectations.District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar directed officials to explain the reasons for the poor progress in their respective jurisdictions and warned that negligence in completing census duties could attract action under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948, besides departmental disciplinary proceedings.Data reviewed by the district administration showed that in Modinagar, only 96 out of 253 allotted HLBs were completed, while in Khoda Municipality, 383 out of 1,040 allotted blocks were completed. Loni Municipality reported that 842 out of 1,393 HLBs were completed, while only 83 out of 173 allotted blocks in Muradnagar recorded progress. The performance of Loni tehsil administration was also found deficient, only 62 out of 152 HLBs could be completed.In a notice issued to the officials concerned, Mandar described the pace of work as “extremely slow and unsatisfactory” and said it was not in line with the targets set by the state and central government. He also said that the Chief Secretary had expressed displeasure over the slow progress of census preparations in some areas.Officials said the administration has held several review meetings and has repeatedly directed officials to closely monitor the work of enumerators and supervisors. However, the expected improvement was not visible on the ground. The notice said it appears that the authorities concerned have failed to ensure effective supervision and accountability among the field staff, resulting in delay in completion of the exercise.The district administration also directed officials to seek clarification from their subordinate staff and submit detailed, fact-based reports along with supporting documents. Officials said the replies would be carefully examined and if the explanations were found unsatisfactory, strict action could be initiated.The administration stressed that timely completion of the house listing phase is important for the smooth implementation of the nationwide census program and warned that any delay will be viewed seriously.

TimesofIndia.com in Mohali: A day after getting the green signal from the Center of Excellence (CoE), Rohit Sharma IS Bindra looked in good form during India’s optional training session at the PCA Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday.Rohit Sharma was the first one to step out of the team bus, and security officials and Punjab Police personnel took out their phones as the former India captain was flooded with selfie requests. He scored a few runs before going straight to the pavilion. The 39-year-old started with a light jog with his former Mumbai Indians opening partner Ishan Kishan before heading out to bat in the open nets.Rohit looked a little rough initially when Nitish Kumar Reddy hit the ball on his pads. But as the sun started setting, the right-handed batsman started looking in great form. Flicks, pulls, cuts and drives were all on display. None of the fast bowlers like Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar or Prince Sharma were able to trouble them.Rohit shared the fast bowling net Shreyas IyerAfter each over both batsmen finish switching. Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal became aggressive against the spinners in the side nets.After a good 45 minutes against the fast bowlers, Rohit Sharma was involved in a chat with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. Next, he moved to the spinner nets, where he faced left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey and the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) net bowlers. One thing was missing in Rohit’s batting that he never performed aggressively on the wicket against spinners or fast bowlers. He finished the session with fielding coach T Dilip taking some high catches.India’s new T20 captain Shreyas Iyer also looked in good form. The dashing batsman, who plays for Sobo Mumbai Falcons in the Mumbai T20 League, hardly looked troubled. Gurnoor Brar tested him with short-pitched balls.Except for Yashasvi Jaiswal, who played the only Test against Afghanistan in New Mullanpur, they opted out of the training session. Notable absentees were captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar.India won this test match by an innings and 300 runs. The first ODI of the three-match series will be played in Dharamshala on Saturday (June 13), followed by matches in Lucknow on June 17 and Chennai on June 20.