New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 9.25 pm: NATION DEL68 AFGHAN-GOVT-2NDLD PARTIES-BRIEFING Govt calls all-party meeting on Afghanistan New Delhi: The government has called an all-party meeting on Thursday on the developments in Afghanistan. DEL11 AFGHAN-INDIA EVACUATION Afghan crisis: India brings back 146 of its evacuated nationals from Doha New Delhi: India on Monday brought back 146 of its nationals in four different flights from Qatar"s capital Doha, days after they were evacuated from Afghanistan by NATO and American aircraft in view of the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country. DEL12 VIRUS-LD CASES India sees single-day rise of 25,072 new Covid cases, lowest in 160 days New Delhi: India saw a single-day rise of 25,072 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 160 days, while active cases declined to 3,33,924, comprising 1.03 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Monday. DEL64 VIRUS-VACCINE TRIAL-CERTIFICATES Covid vaccine trial participants to be issued digital certificates through Co-WIN New Delhi: People who participated in COVID-19 vaccine trials will be issued digital certificates through the Co-WIN portal, the Union health ministry said on Monday. DEL28 BIHAR-LD PM-CASTE CENSUS Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav meet PM Modi to push for caste census New Delhi: Stepping up their campaign for a caste-based census, a delegation of 10 parties from Bihar headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday in support of the demand. DEL42 VIRUS-REPORT-THIRDWAVE Experts warn of imminent third wave of COVID-19 in Sept-Oct New Delhi: An expert panel, set up by an institute under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has predicted a third wave of COVID-19 hitting the country anytime between September and October and suggested significantly ramping up vaccination pace. DEL66 UP-KALYAN-3RDLD RITES Kalyan Singh cremated, top leaders attend funeral Aligarh/Lucknow (UP): Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh was cremated with full state honours on Monday at Bansi Ghat in Bulandshahr’s Narora town, where senior BJP leaders and a large number of people congregated for the last rites. DEL76 DL-3RDLD SMOG TOWER India"s first smog tower inaugurated in Delhi New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday inaugurated the "country"s first smog tower" at Connaught Place in Delhi, one of the most polluted cities in the world, and said it will prove to be a path-breaking milestone. MDS5 KL-CM-LD IDEOLOGIES Afghanistan, a lesson on how religious fundamentalism can burn down nations: Kerala CM Thiruvananthapuram: Afghanistan is a lesson for mankind that communal disharmony in the name of religious fundamentalism can burn down people and nations and therefore, we should uphold humanity above caste and religion, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday. BUSINESS DEL70 BIZ-FM-2NDLD ASSET MONETISATION Passenger trains, stadiums, railway stations, airports in Rs 6 lakh cr monetisation plan New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday unveiled an ambitious Rs 6 lakh crore National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) that included unlocking value by involving private companies across infrastructure sectors -- from passenger trains and railway stations to airports, roads and stadiums. DEL69 BIZ-FM-LD TAX PORTAL I-T portal glitches: FM sets Sept 15 as deadline for Infosys to resolve issues New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday conveyed to Infosys CEO Salil Parekh in no uncertain terms the government"s "deep disappointment and concern" over the continuing glitches in the new income tax filing portal and set September 15 as the deadline for the software major to resolve all snags. DEL62 BIZ-CCI-LD MARUTI SUZUKI CCI slaps Rs 200 cr penalty on Maruti Suzuki; says discount control policy violates competition norms New Delhi: Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Monday imposed a penalty of Rs 200 crore on Maruti Suzuki for restricting discounts offered by its dealers and directed the country"s largest car maker to cease and desist from indulging in unfair business practices. LEGAL LGD17 SC-FARMERS PROTEST Farmers" protest: Centre, states have to find solution for removal of road blockades, says SC New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday said the Centre and Delhi"s neighbouring states should find a solution to road blockades on the national capital"s borders due to farmers" protest against the three farm laws passed last year. LGD7 DL-HC-MARKAZ-RESIDENCE Nizamuddin Markaz: HC directs police to hand over keys of residential portion New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Monday directed the city police to handover the keys of the residential portion of the Nizamuddin Markaz to its occupants after it was locked by the authorities in the wake of an FIR in connection with the Tablighi Jamaat congregation there last year. FOREIGN FGN30 UK-TALIBAN Taliban warns of "consequences" if August 31 deadline for US-led troop withdrawal is extended London: Ahead of an emergency G7 meeting on Afghanistan, the Taliban on Monday warned that there will be "consequences" if the US and UK sought an extension to the August 31 deadline for the US-led troop withdrawal from the war-torn country. By Aditi Khanna FGN35 CHINA-TALIBAN-AID China hints at providing financial aid to Taliban controlled Afghanistan Beijing: China on Monday hinted at stepping up financial assistance to the Taliban controlled Afghanistan, saying it will play a “positive role” in helping the war-ravaged country amid global pushback to stop funding to Kabul until the Afghan militant group modified its hardline religious policies. By K J M Varma. PTI HDA