DH Evening Brief: August 31, 2021

Here are the top headlines this evening.

India holds talks with Taliban; raises concern that Afghan soil should not be used against India

Indian envoy toQatarDeepak Mittal on Tuesday met Taliban leaderSher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai in Doha, first high-level contact between the two sides on a day the US completed withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan. Read more

India's GDP grows 20.1% in April-June quarter of FY22

India's economy grew by 20.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2021-22, helped by a low base of the year-ago period, official data showed on Tuesday. Read more

Paralympics: Mariyappan Thangavelu wins silver, Sharad Kumar claims bronze in high jump

Defending champion Mariyappan Thangavelu and Sharad Kumar won a silver and bronze respectively in the men's high jump T42 event as India's medal tally at theParalympicstouched an unprecedented 10 on Tuesday. Read more

In Pics | US withdraws all its troops out of Afghanistan; Taliban celebrate with gunfire

The Taliban triumphantly marched into Kabul's international airport on Tuesday, hours after the finalUStroop withdrawal that ended America's longest war. Standing on the tarmac, Taliban leaders pledged to secure the country, quickly reopen the airport and grant amnesty to former opponents. In a show of control, turbaned Taliban leaders were flanked by the insurgents' elite Badri unit as they walked across the tarmac. The commandos in camouflage uniforms proudly posed for photos. See pics

Maruti Suzuki sees production slump on chip shortage

India's top car maker Maruti Suzuki expects production at its plants in the states of Haryana and Gujarat to be impacted in September due to a shortage of semiconductors, it said on Tuesday. Read more

BCCI may get richer by Rs 5000 cr with 2 new IPL teams

The Indian cricket board could soon get richer by at least Rs 5000 crore with the addition of two new franchises during the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League. The IPL, which is currently an eight-team tournament, will become a 10-team affair from the next edition and during a recent governing council meeting, the modalities of the bidding process were chalked out. Read more

Centre approves 4 Tesla models, bringing the EV maker closer to India

Tesla Inc. is closer to making its official debut in India after it received approval to make or import four models in India.

Tesla has had its vehicles certified as being roadworthy in India, a posting on the website of the nation’s ministry of road transport and highways showed. Read more

South Africa's Dale Steyn retires from all forms of cricket

South African fast bowling greatDaleSteyn on Tuesday announced retirement from all forms of cricket, bringing the curtains down on an illustrious career during which he locked horns with some of the finest batsmen of his time. Read more

MLA's son among 7 killed in major accident in Bengaluru's Koramangala

Seven persons, including the son of an MLA from Tamil Nadu, were killed in a major road accident that occured in the early hours of Tuesday in Bengaluru's Koramangala. The police said that the SUV, being driven by one of the deceased, was crushed after the driver lost control, hit a pole and then rammed into a building near Mangala Convention Hall. Read more

Supreme Court orders demolition of 40-storey Supertech towers in Noida

The Supreme Court on Monday directed demolition of two 40-storey towers built by real estate developer Supertech in one of its housing projects in Noida of Uttar Pradesh, after finding violation of rules in constructions carried out with the collusion with authorities. Read more

Nine new SC judges administered oath of office

Nine new judges, including three women, were on Tuesday administered oath of office as judges of the Supreme Court, taking its strength to 33. It is for the first time in the history of the apex court that nine judges took oath of office at one go. Read more