No order to block X accounts of international news channels, says IT Ministry
'The Government has not issued any fresh blocking order on 3rd July, 2025 and has no intention to block any prominent international news channels including Reuters and Reuters World. The moment Reuters and Reuters World were blocked on X platform in India, immediately the government wrote to 'X' to unblock them,' a statement from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said.
'The Government continuously engaged and vigorously pursued with 'X' from the late night of 5th July 2025. 'X' has unnecessarily exploited technicalities involved in the process and did not unblock the URLs. However, after lot of follow up on hourly basis, X has finally unblocked Reuters and other URLs after 9 pm on 6th July 2025. They took more than 21 hours to unblock Reuters,' the statement added.
The clarification from the Government follows a post from X's Global Government Affairs team on Tuesday which claimed that it had been ordered to block accounts in India including those of news outlets like Reuters.
https://x.com/GlobalAffairs/status/1942534153297084907
'On July 3, 2025, the Indian government ordered X to block 2,355 accounts in India, including international news outlets like @Reuters and @ReutersWorld , under Section 69A of the IT Act. Non-compliance risked criminal liability. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology demanded immediate action- within one hour- without providing justification, and required the accounts to remain blocked until further notice. After public outcry, the government requested X to unblock @Reuters and @ReutersWorld,' the statement read.
'We are deeply concerned about ongoing press censorship in India due to these blocking orders. X is exploring all legal options available. Unlike users located in India, X is restricted by Indian law in its ability to bring legal challenges against these executive orders. We urge affected users to pursue legal remedies through the courts,' the statement further read.
The X accounts of UK-based news agency Reuters, Turkish broadcaster TRT World, and China's English language newspaper Global Times were restored in India on the evening of July 6, after users reported that they were unable to access them.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology stated that the Indian government had not sought to withhold the Reuters account on the social media platform X, and was 'working with X to resolve the problem'.
An official spokesperson for the Ministry had said, 'There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters handle. We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem. '
Earlier, people in India were unable to access the X handle of Reuters with a message stating that its account has been withheld in India 'in response to a legal demand.'
The X handles of TRT World and Global Times also encountered the same 'account withheld' message.
On its help centre page, the Elon Musk-owned platform X explained that such messages 'about country withheld content' mean that X was compelled to withhold the entire account specified or posts in response to a valid legal demand, such as a court order or local laws.
The Reuters X handle, as well as those of TRT and Global Times, continue to be accessible in India after the Centre intervened. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
9 minutes ago
- Business Standard
125 immigrant billionaires now hold $1.3 trillion of America's wealth
Immigrants aren't just cheap labour — they help make America wealthier. The 2025 Forbes list of foreign-born billionaires living in the US, along with Meta's newly announced Superintelligence Lab run entirely by immigrant researchers, reflects how central immigrants have become to the country's growth — economically and technologically. A record 125 foreign-born American citizens now appear on Forbes' annual list of billionaires residing in the US, up from 92 in 2022. Together, they account for 14 per cent of America's nearly 900 billionaires and hold $1.3 trillion in combined wealth — around 18 per cent of the country's total billionaire fortune. Among the top 10 richest Americans, three are immigrants. The world's wealthiest person, Elon Musk, was born in South Africa and moved to the US via Canada as a student. He is now worth $393.1 billion. Google cofounder Sergey Brin, who came to the US from Russia as a child, follows with a net worth of $139.7 billion. Nvidia's Jensen Huang, born in Taiwan and sent to the US as a child during political unrest in Thailand, is worth $137.9 billion. These 125 billionaire immigrants hail from 43 countries, but most were born in just a handful of places. • Indian-origin immigrants leads with 12 billionaires, up from 7 in 2022 • Taiwan and Israel follow closely with 11 each • Canada (9), China (8), and Germany and Iran (6 each) also feature prominently Among the new entrants are AMD CEO Lisa Su, cousin of Nvidia's Huang, and Iranian-born biotech leader Maky Zanganeh, now co-CEO of Summit Therapeutics. 'Being an immigrant is about seeking the best opportunities and learning to adapt to new environments,' Forbes quoted Zanganeh, whose firm's lung cancer drug candidate helped push her into the billionaire bracket. Indians added five new immigrant billionaires this year — more than any other country. Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, and Nikesh Arora are now part of this cohort, joining other US-based billionaires like Jay Chaudhry, Vinod Khosla, and Romesh Wadhwani. Most are self-made, and many came for education While over a quarter of US billionaires inherited their wealth, 93 per cent of immigrant billionaires built it themselves. Nearly two-thirds made their fortune in tech (53 people) or finance (28 people). Many came to the US for higher education and stayed on. According to Forbes, Musk arrived to study at the University of Pennsylvania. Jay Chaudhry, now worth $17.9 billion, flew from India to the University of Cincinnati in 1980 having never been on a plane. Shahid Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, arrived at 16 to study in Illinois and washed dishes for $1.20 an hour his first day. Immigrants leading Meta's AI lab Beyond billionaires, immigrants are also behind some of the most cutting-edge innovation in the US today. Meta's newly launched Superintelligence Lab, tasked with building next-generation AI systems, is staffed entirely by immigrant researchers. The 11-member team includes talent from India, China, the UK, South Africa, and Australia — all with advanced US university degrees and work histories at top AI firms like OpenAI, Google and DeepMind. 'Meta's Superintelligence Lab, led entirely by immigrant researchers, is the practical reality we needed to see,' Praneet Singh, AVP of University Partnership at upGrad's study abroad division told Business Standard. 'AI innovation is truly going borderless and India continues to serve as a strong hub of ready talent.' He added, 'It's quite paradoxical, though — while our talent is ready, mobility remains constrained. Despite policy shifts like STEM OPT extensions and improved green card processing, visa constraints and bureaucratic uncertainties continue to slow down global movement.' This rise in immigrant wealth and innovation comes against the backdrop of tighter immigration scrutiny under the Trump administration, with longer visa processing times and expanded enforcement.
The Hindu
16 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Reuters' X account block: what just happened?
Here's the gist: First, Reuters' X account was blocked. Then, it got unblocked. X says it withheld the account in response to a legal demand from the Indian government. The Indian government denied the claim. And then X jumps in, saying India actually ordered a ban on over 2,300 accounts, including Reuters. Let's dig into the details. On July 5th, international news agency Reuters had its X accounts @Reuters and @ReutersWorld, blocked in India. A message on X said the accounts were withheld 'in response to a legal demand.' And it wasn't just Reuters. The X accounts of Chinese newspaper Global Times and Turkish public broadcaster TRT World were also withheld in India. When questions started surfacing, a spokesperson from Press Information Bureau told Reuters that no Indian agency had asked for their account to be withheld and added that officials were working with X to resolve the problem. And just 24 hours later, the accounts were restored. Meanwhile, X In a post on its Global Government Affairs handle, stated: On July 3, 2025, the Indian government ordered X to block 2,355 accounts in India, including international news outlets like @Reuters and @ReutersWorld, under Section 69A of the IT Act. Non-compliance risked criminal liability. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology demanded immediate action- within one hour- without providing justification, and required the accounts to remain blocked until further notice. After public outcry, the government requested X to unblock @Reuters and @ReutersWorld. We are deeply concerned about ongoing press censorship in India due to these blocking orders. What is the Act all about? The Section 69A of the IT Act empowers the government to restrict access to any content in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of the country, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or for public order. According to a PTI report, an unnamed government source said the demand to block Reuters' X account came during Operation Sindoor, and X must have acted on it only now. Credit: Camera: Johan Sathya Das, Kailas Krishna Producer: Athira Madhav
Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Why date an unattractive Indian-American': Kash Patel's girlfriend smeared into Jeffrey Epstein conspiracy
FBI director Kash Patel 's girlfriend Alexis Wilkins is dominating the headlines at a time when anger is mounting over the US administration's denial of the very existence of Jeffrey Epstein files. Multiple conspiracy theories such Donald Trump administration dropped the Epstein case, his name was in the files as claimed by Elon Musk, or because Jeffrey Epstein was a Mossad agents, have been doing rounds on social media amid a major MAGA meltdown. Now, surprisingly Kash Patel's 19-years-younger girlfriend Alexis Wilkins has been dragged into the Jeffrey Epstein conspiracy. Many social media users have wondered whether the FBI and the US Justice Department's refusal to release the list of Jeffrey Epstein's clients could have something to do with Alexis Wilkins. A post has gone viral on X, formerly known as Twitter, which claims that Alexis Wilkins works for an "NGO that's basically Israeli intelligence". "And seriously, why would an attractive young woman date a not so attractive Indian American. Classic honey pot," the post claimed adding that Alexis works for PragerU . "Plus: she is 26 and he is 45. Red flags all over," the conspiracy theorist noted. Alexis Wilkins is indeed affiliated with PragerU, as she's listed as a presenter on the organization's official website. However, the viral claim attempting to link PragerU to Israel appears to be a stretch. It alleges that Marissa Strey, PragerU's CEO, previously served in the Israeli Defense Forces' military intelligence unit. ALSO READ: After Texas, flood warning in North Carolina after severe rainfall from Chantal's remnants. Check latest update Live Events Why is Kash Patel girlfriend's dragged into Epstein controversy? Many social media users and conspiracy theorists have pointed out that Kash Patel claimed for years that FBI had a list of rich and wealthy people to whom Epstein trafficked underage girls. Now, since the Justice Department has said that Jeffrey Epstein did not maintain a 'client list' and said no more files related to the wealthy financier's sex trafficking investigation would be made public and Kash Patel's refusal to release the list after being appointed as FBI director, has raised eyebrows. 'Kash Patel claimed for years that the Epstein files were under direct control of the director of the FBI and called for them to be released. But, now after he's been made the director of the FBI, he claims that the Epstein list doesn't exist, even though Pam Bondi said it was sitting on her desk,' reads one comment on Reddit. 'This really comes across as trying to cover up for Trump, especially after Musk said he's in the files,' another person said. ALSO READ: Big blow to Trump as Supreme Court declines to let Florida enforce its controversial immigration law How does Alexis Wilkins fit in here? Country music star Alexis Wilkins is dating Kash Patel. Online sleuths have uncovered that Wilkins contributes to PragerU, a US-based media outlet known for promoting conservative and pro-capitalist perspectives. Some internet users claimed that PragerU operates as 'an Israeli/Zionist front' and accuse it of attempting to suppress the release of the Epstein files. 'Kash Patel's girlfriend is a Jewish 'country singer' and works for Prager U, run by Dennis Prager whose CEO is a known former Mossad operative. Epstein Island was a blackmail operation for Mossad,' reads one post on X. "Alexis Wilkins is a PragerU media personality, political commentator, country music artist, and published writer. Alexis was born in the USA, raised in both Europe and Fayetteville, Arkansas, and is currently based in Nashville. Alexis uses her platform and experiences as a public speaker, musician, and conservative student to promote education, America-first values, and veteran causes. She is an ambassador for Turning Point USA and a contributor to The Unity Project," the PragerU bio of Alexis Wilkins said. ALSO READ: NASA employees layoffs: Trump administration planning to cut over 2,000 senior staff across 10 regional centers The US Justice Department and FBI have concluded that notorious sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein did not have a so-called client list that could implicate high-profile associates, and that he did take his own life - contradicting long-held conspiracy theories about the infamous case. While campaigning last year, President Donald Trump promised to release files relating to the disgraced financier. But since he returned to office in January, some of his supporters have grown frustrated with the administration's handling of the case and for failing to deliver new revelations. Kash Patel also vowed to give out the details of explosive in the Esptein case but five months into the administration, the White House has abruptly closed the investigation. Officials concluded there was no foul play in Jeffrey Epstein's 2019 death, affirming it was a suicide in his prison cell—not a murder. The swift closure of the case triggered a backlash among right-wing commentators, some of whom are now floating unverified theories that Epstein was a Mossad agent and that the case is being buried to protect intelligence secrets. ALSO READ: 'No water, mosquitoes like elephants': Alligator Alcatraz's detainees detail horrifying inhumane conditions Is there a Mossad link? The Mossad is the national intelligence agency of Israel. The alleged link between Jeffrey Epstein and Mossad is a conspiracy theory that has circulated online and in some media discussions — but there is no confirmed or publicly verified evidence that Epstein worked for or was connected to Mossad. Conspiracy theorists claim that Epstein was working on behalf of Mossad to bring down influential people. 'Why date an unattractive Indian-American': Kash Patel's girlfriend smeared into Jeffrey Epstein conspiracy
