In the lead-up to the National Quantum Workshop to be held in Amaravati on June 30, a curtain-raiser programme was held under the chairmanship of IT Secretary Katamaneni Bhaskar, in Vijayawada on Wednesday.

Top national and international experts from IBM, TCS, LTIMindtree, and the State government addressed the session, sharing insights on how quantum computing can transform sectors such as healthcare, finance, logistics, education, cybersecurity, and research.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Secretary Pradyumna emphasised that quantum computing is a fast, accurate, and revolutionary technology already being adopted globally. “From banking and defence to healthcare and education, quantum technology is entering lives faster than expected,” he said, noting that Andhra Pradesh, with its strong IT talent, is well-positioned to lead this technological revolution. He announced that the government will establish the Quantum Valley Centre in Amaravati by January 2026, and affirmed the State’s commitment to the National Quantum Mission.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired the 48th edition of PRAGATI — the Centre’s multi-level, ICT-enabled platform aimed at ensuring proactive governance and timely implementation of key schemes and projects.

During the session, the Prime Minister reviewed critical infrastructure projects across the Mines, Railways, and Water Resources sectors. These projects were examined with a focus on timelines, coordination among agencies, and resolution of pending issues.

The PM stressed that delays in project execution result in escalating costs and deprive citizens of timely access to services and infrastructure. He urged officials across ministries and state governments to adopt a result-oriented approach, calling for stronger inter-agency coordination and time-bound delivery.

Bangladesh, China and Pakistan held an informal trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 9th China-South Asia Exposition and the 6th China-South Asia Cooperation meeting in Kunming on Thursday. A Bangladesh foreign ministry’s press release issued last night said, Bangladesh’s former Acting Foreign Secretary, Md. Ruhul Alam Siddique, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and Pakistani Additional Foreign Secretary Imran Ahmed Siddiqui led their respective delegations in the meeting.

During the meeting, the three sides exchanged views on possible trilateral cooperation on the basis of mutual trust, understanding and shared vision for peace, prosperity and stability in the region, the release added. They identified several areas for deeper cooperation, including infrastructure, connectivity, trade, investment, healthcare, agriculture, maritime affairs, ICT, disaster preparedness and climate change issues, it added.

The three sides agreed to forge cooperation on the principles of openness, inclusivity, good neighbourliness and a win-win situation.

India and South Africa signed two agreements in the domain of submarine cooperation during the 9th Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Monday and Tuesday.

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh led the Indian delegation to the meeting, during which he highlighted India’s growing prowess in defence manufacturing and exports and reiterated India’s commitment to strengthening relations with South Africa.

Areas of mutual interest were discussed and the way forward for further strengthening India-South Africa relations were also identified at the meeting, a Defence Ministry statement said.

An antique lamp, believed to be from the 15th century, with very rare Shaiva and Vaishnavaite sculptures has been found in the Anantapadmanabha temple at Perduru in Udupi district of Karnataka.

The other side of the antique lamp with very rare Shaiva and Vaishnavaite sculptures that was found in the Anantapadmanabha temple at Perduru in Udupi district of Karnataka.

“It is a rare blend of Shiva and Vishnu, and reflects the daily rituals of both the cults in the temple,” said T. Murugeshi, a retired Associate Professor of ancient history and archaeology, Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty College, Shirva, Udupi district.

The lamp was donated by Basavannaras Banga to the temple in 1,456 A.D. This is mentioned in a stone inscription, which is in the inner prakara of the temple.

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has increased the auto-settlement limit for advance claims from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, helping subscribers access funds quickly for medical treatment, marriage, housing, or education.

Claims will be processed automatically and settled within three working days, said the Press Information Bureau (PIB) in a statement on Tuesday.

The auto-settlement facility was introduced during Covid-19 to enable quick disbursal of EPF advances, according to PIB. It was later extended to cover non-pandemic purposes such as medical treatment, children’s education, marriage, and housing.

The system automatically processes claims without manual checks, ensuring transparency, speed, and minimal delays.

The member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) have committed to ramping up their defence spending, affirming an "ironclad commitment" for their collective defence by investing 5 per cent of their country's GDP annually on "core defence requirements" as well as defence- and security-related sectors by 2035 as outlined in The Hague Summit Declaration.

As per the declaration, released on Wednesday following the summit, the 32 Heads of State and Government of the military alliance resolved to bolster its military capabilities, particularly the long-term threat posed by Russia and the persistent challenge of terrorism, while reaffirming the transatlantic bond and collective defence principles.

In Athletics, two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra has clinched the Javelin Throw title in the Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 meet in the Czech Republic. The 27-year-old Indian star clinched the yellow metal with a best throw of 85.29 metres in the one-day competition last night. Douw Smit of South Africa, with a throw of 84.12 metres, finished second, while Anderson Peters of Granada, with a throw of 83.63 metres, came third.

The victory also marked Neeraj’s second consecutive top finish, following his impressive performance at the Paris Diamond League last week. He crossed the 90-metre mark for the first time in his career with a throw of 90.23 metres at that event. He will next participate in the Neeraj Chopra Classic, India’s first global javelin competition at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, in Bengaluru, on July 5th.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today released a book ‘The Emergency Diaries-Years that forged a leader’ in New Delhi. The book delves into the compelling role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then a young RSS Pracharak, played in the fight against Emergency. The book paints a vivid picture of Mr Modi fighting for the ideals of democracy. Mr. Shah launched the book during an event Samvidhan Hatya Diwas 2025 marking the 50th anniversary of the Emergency.

During the event, the Union Home Minister flagged off the Loktantra Zindabad Yatra. The yatra will travel across the country with the aim to spread awareness about constitutional values, democratic rights, and the lessons learned from the Emergency.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Shah highlighted the atrocities faced by the people during the emergency. He pointed out that all must keep the memories of the emergency alive so that it is never being repeated. Referring to Mr. Modi’s fight against emergency, Mr. Shah said, a 25-year-old boy opposed Indira Gandhi’s dictatorship at that time and today the same person, in 2014, uprooted the reason for which the emergency was imposed. He said the reason was dynasty politics. He said, the youth who struggled against the dictatorship is now strengthening the roots of democracy in this country.

Private universities come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act as they are `public authority', the Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has ruled.

In its order dated June 16, the commission asked the state government to issue directions to ensure that all the universities established under the Gujarat Private Universities Act, 2009, implement the provisions of the RTI Act.

The order came in response to an appeal filed by Prof Devdutt Rana against Vadodara-based Parul University.