News Digest: Kashmir Newspapers Refuse to Publish In Protest

Here are some important reports from the biggest newspapers of India:

1. Kashmir Newspapers Refuse to Publish In Protest

Owners and editors of newspapers in the Kashmir Valley on Tuesday decided not to publish and circulate their dailies in protest against the Mehbooba Mufti government’s failure to own up the “ban order” issued three days ago, reports The Hindu.

Several newspaper owners said the Chief Minister’s adviser Amitabh Mattoo approached them on Monday “insisting it was a mistake for which he had apologised”. A Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)-level officer has been transferred for “acting against the media.” The owners and editors met in Srinagar on Tuesday and released a statement claiming the State government had resorted to a “propaganda blitzkrieg insisting there was no ban.”

2. Common Tests May Make DU Cut Offs History

The University of Delhi is planning a drastic change in admission norms for its colleges. It will consider replacing the system of setting minimum admission scores with an entrance examination, amid reports that school boards were inflating marks and many high-scoring students were unable to get into colleges because the cut-off levels were scaling new heights every year.

A report in the Economic Times said comprehensive consultations are being planned to assess the possibility of holding a single entrance exam for admission to over 75 colleges spread across two campuses that are affiliated to one of the most prestigious Central universities.

3. Pokémon Goes on to Beat Twitter Records

The return of Pokémon as an interactive augmented-reality app has left social media abuzz. Besides reports of Pokemon GO overtaking Twitter and Tinder in app download numbers, in only a week of its launch, the hashtag #Pokemongo had a Twitter outreach of 82 million followers, according to data compiled by Mindshift Interactive.

The game's engagement ratio on Facebook was over 100% on a weekly basis. Social media analytics firm Blueocean Market Intelligence said the game drove the maximum conversations on Twitter in India compared to other platforms, reports The Economic Times.

4. NGT Order Can Put 70% of NCR's Trucks Off-Roads

The National Green Tribunal's order to deregister diesel vehicles older than 10 years in Delhi and NCR could take away 70 per cent of the goods carriage fleet of the capital and nearly 90 per cent of its private chartered buses, as reported in the Times of India.

A day after the ruling, transport department officials were still coming to grips with the enormous impact the order was likely to have. 1200 ambulances may also have to stop plying.Govt officials to seek clarification on NGT and SC orders on diesel vehicles.

5. Kin of Hyd IS men Snub Owaisi's Offer for Legal Aid

In an unexpected move, family members of two of the seven alleged operatives of the Islamic State (IS), who were arrested recently , have snubbed All India Majlis-eIttahadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi for his offer of legal aid to the arrested men, as reported in the Times of India.

In a petition to the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), relatives of Ibrahim Yazdani and Ilyas Yazdani said AIMIM was taking undue advantage and playing vote bank politics along with other political parties by using the `false case that was busted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA)'. They sought Rs 1-crore compensation in the petition which was moved a few days ago.

6. Norms For Starting Medical Colleges To Be Eased: Govt

The government said it is working on relaxing policy norms for starting medical colleges and increasing post graduate seats in the existing ones to address shortage of doctors.

Union health minister JP Nadda said the number of medical colleges in the government sector was being increased so that the shortfall of medical professionals can be met, reports The Times Of India.

7. Army Orders Probe into Adarsh Housing Scandal

Moving on the Adarsh housing scandal in Mumbai, the Army has instituted a Court of Inquiry to probe alleged lapses by former General Officers Commanding of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa Area (MG&G Area) in not filing a writ petition in the Bombay High Court “at the earliest available opportunity”. It will also inquire whether they compromised security of the Colaba military station in lieu of flats in the society building, reports The Indian Express.

The Army’s move to set up a Court of Inquiry follows directions from the Bombay High Court on a petition filed by the Army through Headquarters MG&G Area.

8. Delhi: Cabinet Nod for Rs 374 cr to MCDs

The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved the release of Rs 374 crore to the three municipal corporations of Delhi as “one-time exemption” for the financial year 2015-16 “so that the employees of these corporations do not face financial hardships.”, as reported in The Indian Express.

In a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Cabinet approved grant of Rs 145.30 crore for north MCD, Rs 110.70 crore for east MCD and Rs 118 crore for south MCD as Municipal Reform Fund.

9. Addressing Consumption Question Key to Solving Climate Change Issue, says Amitav Ghosh

THE CONSUMPTION patterns of the western countries and their lifestyles are completely at odds with the fight against climate change, author Amitav Ghosh has argued. Neither technology nor alternative sources of energy like solar or wind can ensure similar lifestyles to other people without completely jeopardising the earth’s future.

As per reports in The Indian Express, Ghosh’s latest book, The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable, deals with, what he says is, the “most difficult issue that this world has ever faced”.

10. Hiranandani Hospital Kidney Racket: Accused says an Illegal Transplant took place in May, Cops to Verify Claim

BARELY two months before an illegal kidney transplant was stopped by the Mumbai Police at the LH Hiranandani Hospital last Thursday, another illegal kidney transplant allegedly took place at the same hospital in May, reports The Indian Express.

An accused arrested in the latest case Tuesday reportedly told investigators about the illegal transplant in which his wife had donated her kidney under an assumed name. A senior officer said the accused indeed made such a claim, but the police were yet to verify it with the hospital records.