New Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) These are the top stories at 9 pm: NATION DEL108 BIZ-FM-GST GST Council extends concessional tax rates on COVID drugs till Dec 31; 5 pc GST levied on food delivery apps Lucknow: The all-powerful GST Council on Friday decided to charge food delivery platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato a tax even as it extended concessional tax rates on certain COVID-19 drugs by three months till December 31.gst DEL73 VACCINE-2NDLD HEALTH MINISTRY Setting a record, India administers over two crore vaccine doses on PM Modi"s birthday New Delhi: India set a record on Friday by administering over two crore COVID-19 vaccine doses, in a major push to the inoculation drive on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi"s birthday. DEL76 SCO-2NDLD MODI Developments in Afghanistan demonstrate that radicalisation biggest challenge to peace, security : Modi, pitches for common SCO template to tackle it New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the recent developments in Afghanistan have demonstrated that increasing radicalisation was the "root cause" of biggest challenges relating to peace and security in the region and pitched for developing a common template by the SCO to deal with these challenges. DEL89 PM-LD AFGHANISTAN Continuing instability, fundamentalism in Afghanistan will embolden terrorist, extremist ideologies across world: Modi New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the global community should decide "collectively" and "thoughtfully" on recognising the new set-up in Afghanistan in view of questions over its acceptability as the change of power was not "inclusive" even as he warned that continuing instability and fundamentalism in that country will embolden terrorist and extremist ideologies all over the world. DEL84 LDALL SINOINDIA Ladakh standoff: Jaishankar calls for early resolution of remaining issues in talks with Wang Yi in Dushanbe New Delhi/Beijing: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that the two sides should work for an early resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in eastern Ladakh to restore peace and tranquillity in the border areas as this has been an essential basis for progress in Sino-India ties. DEL15 VIRUS-LD CASES India records 34,403 COVID-19 cases, 320 deaths New Delhi: With 34,403 more people testing positive for COVID-19, India"s overall infection tally has increased to 3,33,81,728, while the count of active cases has dipped to 3,39,056, according to Union health ministry data updated on Friday. DEL91 CONG-PM-LD BIRTHDAY Cong wishes Modi on birthday but says country paying price for his "failures" New Delhi: The Congress on Friday wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 71st birthday but said the country is paying the price for his "failures" on several fronts and so the day is being observed as "unemployment day", "anti-farmer day" and "high prices day". DEL32 PM-MEMENTOS At e-auction of PM"s mementos, sports gear of Olympians, paralympians grab eyeballs New Delhi: Badminton rackets used by the Paralympic gold medallist, the javelin which brought India its first gold in the Olympics and gloves worn by the bronze medal winning athlete are among Prime Minister Narendra Modi"s mementos which are drawing the highest bids currently on the Culture Ministry website which is e-auctioning them. BOM13 MH-MODI-LD SHAH Modi was first CM to recognise seriousness of climate change, he set up ministry for it in Guj: Shah Mumbai: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that Narendra Modi was the first chief minister in the country to understand the seriousness of the climate change phenomenon and he had set up a separate ministry for it in Gujarat. MDS7 KL-CPI(M)-TERRORISM Amid "narcotic & love jihad" row, ruling CPI(M) cautions against luring educated women to terrorism Thiruvananthapuram: At a time when Kerala is witnessing a raging debate on religious extremism and concerns about the radicalisation of youth, the ruling CPI(M) has cautioned against the deliberate attempt by a section to lure educated women studying in professional colleges to the path of communalism and terrorism. LEGAL LGD14 SC-2NDLD COLLEGIUM SC collegium recommends eight names for appointment as chief justices in HCs New Delhi: The Supreme Court collegium headed by CJI N V Ramana is learnt to have recommended eight names of judges, including acting chief justice of Calcutta High Court Justice Rajesh Bindal, for their elevation as chief justices of different high courts. BUSINESS DEL42 BIZ-WORLDBANK-BUSINESS REPORT World Bank Group to discontinue Doing Business report New Delhi: The World Bank Group has decided to discontinue publication of its Doing Business report on country investment climates following allegations of irregularities. FOREIGN FGN44 UN-CLIMATE Berlin: The world is on a “catastrophic pathway” toward a hotter future unless governments make more ambitious pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the head of the United Nations said Friday. FGN32 SCO-PAK-AFGHAN-2NDLD IMRAN Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said that a "new reality" has been established in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power in Kabul and it is now in the international community’s "collective interest" to ensure that there is no renewed conflict in the war-torn country and it will never again become a safe haven for terrorists. By Sajjad Hussain PTI MGA MGA