Hungarian analysts are split on MNB’s future course as rate hold looks imminent
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India has banned 16 YouTube channels operated from Pakistan, including those of major broadcasters such as Dawn News, Geo News, Samaa TV and Ary News, citing the spread of disinformation following the recent terrorist assault in India’s Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, All India Radio reported.
The ban, announced on April 28, 2025, is in response to content described by the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as inflammatory, communally charged, and aimed at undermining trust in India’s armed forces and security institutions.
Collectively, the channels had a subscriber base exceeding 63mn. According to the Indian government, these platforms pushed misleading narratives that could incite unrest, particularly in the context of heightened tensions following the Kashmir attack.
India’s Ministry of Home Affairs assessed that the content was not only factually incorrect but posed a national security risk due to its potential to stir communal sentiments. In a related development, India has formally criticised the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) coverage of a recent terror incident in Peshawar, Pakistan.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has objected to the broadcaster’s use of terminology that referred to terrorists as militants. A formal letter expressing New Delhi’s concerns was issued to the head of BBC India, reinforcing the country’s displeasure over what it sees as editorial insensitivity.
The ministry has indicated it will now monitor future BBC coverage more closely to ensure accurate and responsible reporting of sensitive regional events. Inspired by preserving its national security interests in the era of hybrid warfare, the Indian government has previously worked with social media platforms most notably X formerly known as Twitter to take down content on several occasions. With over 900mn internet users in India’s 1.4bn population, adversarial misinformation tactics could lead to a serious breakdown in social harmony and lead to widespread instability.
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