India's message on terrorism is clear; no double standards, no compromise: PM Modi in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur (PTI): India and Malaysia on Sunday unveiled several initiatives to further shore up cooperation in areas of defence and security, semiconductor and trade after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim.
Following the meeting, Modi said India and Malaysia share a "special relationship" and both sides are committed to expanding their ties in diverse sectors.
The prime minister also reiterated India's position on combating terrorism as he said: "Our message on terrorism is clear; no double standards, no compromise."
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Modi arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday to a grand red-carpet reception, with Ibrahim receiving him at the airport.
Ahead of the talks, Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Perdana Putra this morning.
"India and Malaysia share a special relationship. We are maritime neighbours. For centuries, our people have had deep and affectionate ties," Modi said.
"Today, Malaysia is the second largest country in the world with a population of Indian origin. Our civilisations, shared cultural heritage and democratic values bind us together," he said.
Modi said both sides will strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, and maritime security.
We will also make defence cooperation more comprehensive, he said.
"Along with AI and digital technologies, we will advance partnerships in semiconductors, health, and food security," he said.
The prime minister also touched upon India's approach towards the Indo-Pacific.
"The Indo-Pacific region is emerging as the growth engine of the world," he said.
The prime minister said India is committed to development, peace and stability across the entire Indo-Pacific region together with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
Malaysian Prime Minister Ibrahim said India and Malaysia continue to expand collaboration in trade, investment, connectivity and defence.
India has registered a spectacular rise in global trade and economic front, he said.
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Top US counterterrorism official resigns over Iran war, says Iran posed no imminent threat
Washington (AP): Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, announced his resignation on Tuesday, saying he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration's war in Iran.
Kent said on social media Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
There was no immediate comment from the White House.
Kent, a former political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, was confirmed to his post last July on a 52-44 vote.
As head of the National Counterterrorism Centre, he was in charge of an agency tasked with analysing and detecting terrorist threats.
Before entering President Donald Trump's administration, Kent ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state. He also served in the military, seeing 11 deployments as a Green Beret, followed by work at the CIA.
Democrats strongly opposed Kent's confirmation, pointing to his past ties to far-right figures and conspiracy theories. During his 2022 congressional campaign, Kent paid Graham Jorgensen, a member of the far-right military group the Proud Boys, for consulting work. He also worked closely with Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer, and attracted support from a variety of far-right figures.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kent also refused to distance himself from a conspiracy theory that federal agents instigated the January 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, as well as false claims that Trump, a Republican, won the 2020 election over Democrat Joe Biden.
Democrats grilled Kent on his participation in a group chat on Signal that was used by Trump's national security team to discuss sensitive military plans.
Still, Republicans praised Kent's counterterrorism qualifications, pointing to his military and intelligence experience.
Sen. Tom Cotton, the GOP chair of the intelligence committee, said in a floor speech that Kent had "dedicated his career to fighting terrorism and keeping Americans safe.”
