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The deposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty to drugs, weapons and narco-terrorism charges on Monday, two days after his capture by US special forces in an operation ordered by Donald Trump that sent shockwaves around the world, The Guardian reported. 

The brevity and formality of the arraignment hearing in federal court in Manhattan – barely 30 minutes during which Maduro was asked to confirm his name and that he understood the four charges against him – belied the far-reaching consequences of the US action.

As Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores addressed the court in lower Manhattan, the UN security council held an emergency meeting just a few miles to the north, where a dozen countries condemned the US “crime of aggression” and secretary general António Guterres suggested the operation constituted a breach of international law, according to The Guardian. 

The District Administration Office, Parsa, has issued a curfew order in Birgunj, with effect from 6 pm today to 8 am tomorrow.

After protests continued despite the prohibitory order issued from 1 pm today, Parsa Chief District Officer Bhola Dahal issued the curfew order.

He said that the curfew order was issued to maintain law and order in view of the potential risk between the two communities.

The local administration has stated that no gatherings, processions or sit-ins will be allowed in the Bus Park area in the east, Sirsiapul in the west, Powerhouse Chowk in the north and Shankaracharya Gate in the south.

The administration has stated that essential service vehicles will be allowed to ply during the curfew period. The administration had issued the prohibitory order prohibiting any gatherings, meetings, processions or demonstrations in the Birgunj metropolitan area from 1 pm today until further notice.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 28. 73 points to close at 2, 639. 37 points on Monday. 

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 3. 84 points to close at 454. 92 points.

A total of 12,459,951-unit shares of 335 companies were traded for Rs 1. 50 billion.

Meanwhile, Sagar Distillery Limited (SAGAR), SY Panel Nepal Limited (SYPNL), Shreenagar Agritech Industries Limited (SAIL), Bandipur Cablecar and Tourism Limited (BANDIPUR) and Ru Ru Jalbidhyut Pariyojana Limited (RURU) were the top gainers today, with their price surging by 10. 00 percent. 

Likewise, 10.30% Standard Chartered Bank Limited Debenture (SCBD) was the top loser as its price fell by 2. 49 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 43 trillion.

The District Administration Office, Parsa has issued a prohibitory order in the city area of Birgunj metropolis after the protest against the vandalism of a mosque in Dhanusha turned violent.

The prohibitory order will be effective from 1 pm today.

According to the prohibitory order issued by Chief District Officer Bhola Dahal, no gathering, assembly, procession or demonstration of any kind will be allowed in designated areas of Birgunj Metropolitan City.

The administration has also warned that anyone violating the order will be taken into custody and taken stringent action as per the law.

Prohibitory order has been issued in the eastern area of ​​Bus Park, the western area of ​​Sirsia Bridge, the northern area of ​​Power House Chowk, and the southern area of ​​Shankaracharya Gate.

Earlier on January 4, the Muslim community had staged a protest in Birgunj following the vandalism of a mosque in Dhanusha.

A group of unidentified persons vandalized a mosque at a Muslim Tole in Sakhuwa Maran, Dhanukamala Municipality-6, Dhanusha, and burned a copy of the Quran, according to an information circulated on social media.

The demonstrators burnt tires on the streets and shouted slogans in various places including Ghantaghar in Birgunj and Murali among others.

A minor clash also broke out between protesters and police at Idgah Chowk in Chhapakaiya.

Police even fired five rounds of tear gas shells to control the situation.

A police man sustained minor injuries in the incident.

The protesters have demanded immediate arrest and action against those who entered and vandalized the mosque, the holiest place for Muslims, and burnt the religious book, Quran.

A total of Rs 133.5 million has been collected so far in a government fund established to restore physical properties damaged in arson and vandalism occurred during the September 8–9 Gen Z movement.

According to the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance, Tanka Prasad Pandeya, as of this morning, Rs 133,565,000 has been deposited in the Fund.

Siddhartha Premier Insurance Limited today contributed Rs 10.1 million to the fund under its Institutional Social Responsibility initiative. 

Last week, insurance company MetLife Nepal deposited Rs 2.5 million, while earlier the Oriental Insurance had chipped in Rs 2 million.

The fund was established in the aftermath of the Gen Z movement, calling on the public, private sector, non-resident Nepalis, development partners, and donor agencies for their assistance. 

The government has also provided provisions allowing contributors to deduct or claim expenses while calculating their taxable income for the current fiscal year.

Anyone wishing to chip in the fund can deposit the amount in the Rastriya Banijya Bank account number 1960100102070004.

An American military operation in Venezuela killed 32 Cuban officers over the weekend, the Cuban government said Sunday in the first official death count provided of the American strikes in the South American nation, Associated Press reported. 

The Cuban military and police officers were on a mission the Caribbean country’s military was carrying out at the request of Venezuela’s government, according to a statement read on Cuban state TV on Sunday night.

What the Cubans were working on in the South American nation was unclear, but Cuba is a close ally of Venezuela’s government and has sent military and police forces to assist in operations for years. Rumors of the deaths circulated on the island over the weekend, according to Associated Press. 

Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was due to appear in a U.S. court on Monday after his weekend capture by American forces, with U.S. President Donald Trump leaving open the possibility of another incursion if the United States doesn't get its way with Venezuela's interim government, Reuters reported. 

Trump told reporters on Sunday that he could order another strike if Venezuela does not cooperate with U.S. efforts to open up its oil industry and stop drug trafficking. He also threatened military action in Colombia and Mexico and said Cuba's communist regime "looks like it's ready to fall" on its own.

The Colombian and Mexican embassies in Washington did not immediately return requests for comment, according to Reuters. 

Temperature in different places of the country including Kathmandu Valley has gone down today.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the mercury in Kathmandu Valley dropped to 3.5 degree Celsius today. It was 4 degree Celsius on Sunday.

Meteorologist Binu Maharjan said the Kathmandu Valley recorded its coldest day of the year today and the temperature will decrease gradually in the month of January. 

The mercury has started decreasing across the country from mid-December 2025. 

The temperature of Kathmandu Valley dropped to 4.9 degree Celsius on December 23, 4.8 degree Celsius on December 30, 4.6 degree Celsius on January 1 and 4.5 degree Celsius on January 3.

As per the details prepared by the Department, Jumla recorded the lowest temperature of minus 6.3 degree Celsius today. The temperature was minus 4.9 degree Celsius yesterday. 

The maximum temperature is below 22 degree Celsius in the country. 

The weather service further said the Tarai region of the country has been blanketed with fog and haze, while snowfall is occurring at some places of the mountainous areas.