India reaching new heights in field of sports under PM Modi: Rajasthan CM
Jaipur (PTI): Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Thursday said that India is reaching new heights in the field of sports under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said that the Prime Minister had made sports a national priority, and initiatives like Khelo India were helping promote a culture of sports across the country.
Sharma was addressing the concluding ceremony of the Sansad Khel Mahotsav at Sawai Man Singh stadium here.
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PM Modi addressed the closing ceremony virtually and lauded the Sports Festival, saying that it had become a mass movement.
He said that thousands of talented athletes were emerging through the festival and it was becoming a strong pillar for nation building.
CM Sharma said that under the guidance of the PM, the MP Sports Festival was providing opportunities to youth from towns and villages to showcase their talent.
Initiatives such as the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the establishment of sports universities have significantly impacted athletes' lives, he opined.
Sharma added that the state government had taken concrete steps to promote sports in Rajasthan, including the successful organisation of the Khelo India University Games and the launch of the Sports Life Insurance Scheme, which provides accidental and life insurance cover up to Rs 25 lakh to international medallists.
The Chief Minister said no talented athlete in the state will be left behind due to lack of resources.
Sharma also presented trophies to the winners of the cricket competition during the event.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel, MP Manju Sharma, MLAs Kailash Verma, Gopal Sharma, Balamukundacharya, other representatives, athletes, coaches, and school students were also present on the occasion.
Later, Sharma also addressed the Good Governance Day ceremony at Officers Training School and paid tributes to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary.
He said that the former PM followed the ideals of Ram Rajya, transforming governance into good governance and Swaraj into Suraj.
He said that PM Modi also believes that good governance is the key to a nation's progress.
The Chief Minister also administered the oath of good governance to officers and staff.
Deputy Chief Ministers Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel, Chief Secretary V Srinivas, DGP Rajeev Kumar Sharma, and senior officials from various departments were present in the programme.
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Trump warns he's considering limited strikes as Iranian diplomat says proposed deal is imminent
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump warned on Friday that limited strikes against Iran are possible even as the country's top diplomat said Tehran expects to have a proposed deal ready in the next few days following nuclear talks with the United States.
In response to a reporter's question on whether the US could take limited military action as the countries negotiate, Trump said, “I guess I can say I am considering that.” Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a TV interview that his country was planning to finalise a draft deal in “the next two to three days” to then send to Washington.
“I don't think it takes long, perhaps, in a matter of a week or so, we can start real, serious negotiations on the text and come to a conclusion,” Araghchi said on MSNOW's “Morning Joe” show.
The tensions between the longtime adversaries have ramped up as the Trump administration pushes for concessions from Iran and has built up the largest US military presence in the Middle East in decades, with more warships and aircraft on the way. Both countries have signalled that they are prepared for war if talks on Tehran's nuclear programme fizzle out.
“We are prepared for war, and we are prepared for peace,” Araghchi said Friday.
Trump said a day earlier that he believes 10 to 15 days is “enough time” for Iran to reach a deal following recent rounds of indirect negotiations, including this week in Geneva, that made little visible progress. But the talks have been deadlocked for years, and Iran has refused to discuss wider US and Israeli demands that it scale back its missile program and sever ties to armed groups.
Araghchi also said Friday that his American counterparts have not asked for zero enrichment of uranium as part of the latest round of talks, which is in contradiction to what US officials have said.
"What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran's nuclear programme, including enrichment, is peaceful and will remain peaceful forever," he said.
He added that in return Iran will implement some confidence-building measures in exchange for relief on economic sanctions.
In response to Araghchi's claim, a White House official said Trump has been clear that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons or the capacity to build them and that it cannot enrich uranium. The official wasn't authorised to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Tehran has long insisted that any negotiations should only focus on its nuclear programme and that it hasn't been enriching uranium since US and Israeli strikes last June on Iranian nuclear sites. Trump said at the time that the strikes had “obliterated” Iran's nuclear sites, but the exact damage is unknown as Tehran has barred international inspectors.
Iran has also insisted that its nuclear programme is peaceful. The US and others suspect it is aimed at eventually developing weapons.
