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India will increase Russian oil imports by 10–20 percent in September as Moscow offers steeper discounts after refinery outages caused by Ukrainian drone attacks, traders said.

The US has condemned India’s purchases, with President Donald Trump raising tariffs on Indian imports to 50 percent this week. New Delhi rejected the criticism, pointing to continued Western trade with Russia.

India currently buys about 1.5m barrels per day of Russian crude, meeting 40 percent of its oil needs and making it Russia’s largest customer, Reuters reported.

Over 500 staff at the UN human rights office have urged Chief Volker Turk to declare Israel’s war in Gaza a genocide, according to Reuters.

In a letter, they argued the scale of killings and destruction meets the legal definition and warned that silence would damage the UN’s credibility, recalling its failure during the 1994 Rwanda genocide.

Israel rejects the accusation, citing self-defense after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Since then, nearly 63,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry, with parts of the enclave facing famine.

Rights groups and some UN experts already call it genocide, though the UN itself says such judgments rest with international courts. South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice is still pending, Reuters reported.

Mexico has halted small package shipments to the United States as Washington prepares to end a tariff exemption for goods worth under $800. The “de minimis” rule, in place since 2016, allowed duty-free entry but will expire Friday under President Donald Trump’s trade agenda, Al Jazeera reported.

Mexico said it is awaiting clarity on how the new tariffs will be applied, joining several European countries that have taken similar steps. The White House plans to impose tariffs of 10 to 40 percent, either based on package value or a flat rate of $80–$200 per item. Mexico is negotiating its rate while pledging tougher action against drug cartels and higher tariffs on Chinese imports to secure a deal.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 38. 10 points to close at 2, 781. 00 points on Thursday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 5. 74 points to close at 477. 68 points.

A total of 17,891,917-unit shares of 322 companies were traded for Rs 8. 09 billion.

Meanwhile, Bikash Hydropower Company Limited (BHCL) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Oriental Hotels Limited (OHL) the top loser as its price fell by 4. 71 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 64 trillion.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 400 per tola in the domestic market on Thursday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 199, 400 per tola today.  It was traded at Rs 199, 000 per tola on Wednesday.

Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 10 and is being traded at Rs 2, 355 per tola today.

The Hindu women across the country are observing the Rishi Panchami festival today as per the rituals. The festival, the concluding day of the Teej, is observed on the fifth day of the bright half-moon of the month of Bhadra.

Hindu women reaching their menstruation period observe this festival with due respect and importance by fasting and paying homage to the Saptarshis (seven powerful saints as per the Hindu mythology) with a belief that they will be blessed and forgiven for all sins they believed to have committed during the menstrual cycle.

On the day, those observing the festival wake up early in the morning, go to nearby rivers, streams, ponds and lakes and take bath with established rituals. They clean their body with 365 stems of Apamarga, a medicinal plant; take bath with cow dung and soil collected from sacred places and ash.

The fasting ritual requires the devotee to take bath in the morning and carry out prayers after which the person is required to eat grains, vegetables, wild fruits, Kandamul, guava for a single meal and fast again.

On this day, women devotees throng the Shrisheshwar Temple in Teku of the capital city, Kathmandu, and other Rishi Temples across the nation for homage and worship.

The Department of Health Services has reported that the number of people being infected with Japanese encephalitis is increasing in the country.

So far, 103 people have been confirmed to be infected with Japanese encephalitis, and of them 20 have died, said Chief of Child Health and Vaccination Unit Dr Abhiyan Gautam.

He also said that Japanese encephalitis infections have been mostly found in people who have not been vaccinated.

People from Jhapa, Morang, Tehrathum, Bara, Sindhuli, Arghakhanchi, Pyuthan, Dang, Bardiya, Kailali, Rautahat, Nawalparasi East, Chitwan and Nawalparasi West have died from the infection.

According to health workers, Japanese encephalitis is caused by the bite of mosquitoes, especially of the Culex species.

It causes serious brain infections, leading to even death in some serious conditions.

Four persons died on the spot when a jeep they were travelling in met with an accident in Dadeldhura on Thursday.

The four-wheeler (Se 1 Ja 738) was heading towards Dadeldhura from Chama when the incident occurred at Ukallikande, Nawadurga Rural Municipality-5, Dadeldhura at around 8 am today.

The deceased have been identified as Suresh Saud, Suresh Parki (23), Tara Awasthi (40) and Kalawati Saud (72) of Nawadurga Rural Municipality-5, Inspector Dambar Bista of the District Police Office, Dadeldhura informed.

Six persons were injured in the accident. They have been identified as Sushila BK (18), Pratika Karki (4), Chandra Bahadur Saud (48), driver Ram Bahadur Saud (35), Ganesh Bahadur Saud (42) and Prakash BK (44) of Nawadurga Rural Municipality-5.

They are undergoing treatment at the Dadeldhura Hospital, police said.

The jeep fell some 400 meters down the road. The reason behind the accident is yet to be ascertained.