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Israeli airstrikes on Friday killed at least 30 Palestinians across Gaza, including five in al-Mawasi, an area designated a “humanitarian zone.” The UN warned Israel’s expanded push into Gaza City marks a “new and dangerous phase” of the war, Al Jazeera reported.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has urged annexing Gaza if Hamas refuses to disarm. Israel also acknowledged killing two Lebanese soldiers near Ras an-Naqoura, citing a drone malfunction.

According to Al Jazeera, the war has so far killed nearly 63,000 people in Gaza and left more than 159,000 wounded.

Germany has advised its nationals to leave Iran and avoid travel there, warning of possible retaliatory actions from Tehran. The alert follows Berlin’s decision, along with Britain and France, to trigger a 30-day process to reinstate UN sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear program, according to Reuters.

The German Foreign Ministry said Iranian officials have threatened consequences, raising risks for German citizens and interests in the country. It also noted that the German Embassy in Tehran is operating with limited capacity to provide consular support.

Margin loan investment by banks and financial institutions surged significantly in the fiscal year 2024/25, led by commercial banks. According to the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), total margin loan exposure reached Rs 140.7bn by the end of mid-July 2025, compared to Rs 90.09bn a year earlier. This represents an increase of Rs 50bn (56.17 percent) over the previous fiscal year.

While finance companies and development banks posted moderate growth, commercial banks accounted for a lion’s share of the expansion. Finance companies increased their margin loan portfolio by only 4.27 percent, from Rs 4.15bn to Rs 4.35bn, while development banks saw their margin loan exposure go up by 25.31 percent, from Rs 15.59bn to Rs 19.54bn. In contrast, commercial banks expanded their investment by a whopping 66.05 percent. Margin loan exposure of commercial banks expanded from Rs 70.03bn in mid-July 2024 to Rs 116.8bn in mid-July 2025.

In terms of portfolio, Nabil Bank has the largest margin loan exposure at Rs 16.76bn followed by Global IME Bank (Rs 12.3bn) and Kumari Bank (Rs 10.43bn). Similarly, in terms of growth, Machhapuchchhre Bank recorded the sharpest growth in margin loans with its portfolio expanding by 442.10 percent. The bank’s total margin loans increased from Rs 460m to Rs 2.53bn during the period. Similarly, Nepal SBI Bank’s margin loans grew by 207.15 percent to Rs 610m, up from Rs 200m a year earlier.

Agriculture Development Bank (192.66 percent), NMB Bank (144 percent), Laxmi Sunrise Bank (143 percent) and Kumari Bank (138.41 percent) also saw significant expansion in their margin loan portfolio during the period. Market analysts say improved investor confidence in the stock market  is the main reason behind expansion in margin lending portfolios of banks. Since return from the stock market is higher than interest rates offered by banks, investors are availing themselves of cheaper loans and investing in stocks, one analyst said. 

US Senators Roger Wicker and Deb Fischer arrived in Taipei on Friday to reaffirm Washington’s commitment to Taiwan amid growing Chinese military pressure. Wicker, chair of the Armed Services Committee, said the visit highlights the long-standing security partnership and praised Taiwan’s determination to remain free, according to Reuters.

The senators will meet President Lai Ching-te later in the day, ahead of a US Senate debate on the $1trn defense bill that includes new provisions on Taiwan.

Beijing condemned the visit, reiterating its claim over the island as it prepares a major military parade attended by Russian and North Korean leaders, Reuters reported.

The government has appointed Additional Inspector General (AIG) Chandra Kuber Khapung as the 32^nd Inspector General of Nepal Police (IGP).

A Cabinet meeting held on Friday decided to appoint Khapung to the top post of the Nepal Police.

Current IGP Deepak Thapa is retiring on September 3.

Bangladesh will close three land ports—Chilahati in Nilphamari, Daulatganj in Chuadanga, and Tegamukh in Rangamati—and suspend operations at Balla in Habiganj after a government committee found them inactive and unprofitable due to low trade, Firstpost reported.

Chief Adviser Yunus said many ports were approved for political reasons but saw little activity, imposing unnecessary costs on taxpayers. The committee also noted that Balla’s lack of infrastructure and poor road connectivity on the Indian side made cross-border trade impractical.

According to Firstpost, the decision follows India’s suspension of a transshipment facility that previously allowed Bangladeshi exports via Indian land routes.

A Polish Army pilot died Thursday when his F-16 jet crashed during preparations for the Radom Air Show. The aircraft, from the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznan, hit the ground after failing to recover during a practice run. No bystanders were hurt, according to Al Jazeera.

Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz honored the pilot as a dedicated and courageous officer. Video showed the jet nose-diving and erupting in flames; reports say the pilot, part of NATO’s elite “Tiger Demo” unit, did not eject.

The Radom Air Show 2025 has been cancelled. NATO allies, including Italy and Latvia, expressed condolences to the pilot’s family and colleagues, Al Jazeera reported.

A physical clash broke out in Mexico’s Senate on Wednesday between opposition PRI leader Alejandro “Alito” Moreno and Senate President Gerardo Fernandez Norona of Morena. The confrontation, which included slaps and shoving, occurred as the session ended with the national anthem. A photographer was injured during the scuffle, CNN reported.

The fight followed a heated debate over the presence of foreign armed forces in Mexico. Fernandez Noroña plans an emergency session Friday to address the incident and consider expelling Moreno and three other PRI senators. Moreno claims he was provoked first.

The incident has heightened political tensions after a PRI senator defected to Morena, weakening PRI’s Senate representation. The Permanent Commission may also discuss impeachment proceedings against Moreno, according to CNN.