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Lumbini Lions have appointed Indian coach Robin Singh as the team’s mentor for the upcoming second edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), scheduled from Nov 17 to Dec 13. The 62-year-old brings over two decades of coaching experience to the Nepali franchise. Singh has previously coached Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). He has also served as the head coach and director of cricket for the UAE national team.

After retiring as a player, Singh began his coaching career with India’s U19 team. In 2004, he coached Hong Kong, helping them qualify for the Asia Cup. He later took charge of India A in 2006 and worked as the fielding coach for the Indian national team in 2007 and 2008.

In the inaugural IPL season of 2008, Singh coached Deccan Chargers and later joined Mumbai Indians as head coach in 2010, staying with the franchise for three seasons. Since Mumbai’s 2013 IPL title win, he has remained part of their coaching structure. He also managed Barbados Tridents from 2012 onwards.

In 2020, Singh became the UAE national team’s head coach and director of cricket, leading the side to the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022. More recently, he served as general manager and later head coach of MI Emirates in the International League T20 (ILT20), guiding the team to a championship title.

As a player, Singh was a dependable all-rounder for India, representing the national team in one Test and 136 One Day Internationals (ODIs), scoring over 2,000 runs and taking 69 wickets.

The Lumbini Lions believe Singh’s arrival will greatly strengthen the team for the NPL’s second season. Team president Ishwar GC said, “Bringing a world-class cricketer and coach like Robin Singh to Lumbini is not only an honor for us but also an opportunity to elevate Nepali cricket as a whole. His vast experience and strategies will inspire our players and help us achieve new heights.”

Expressing his excitement, Singh said, “I’m delighted to join Lumbini Lions for the Nepal Premier League. Cricket in Nepal is growing rapidly, and I’m eager to share my experience with young talents and build a winning culture. The Lions have great potential, and together we aim to make this season truly memorable for our fans and Nepali cricket.”

Lumbini Lions’ marquee player is Nepali national team captain Rohit Kumar Paudel. The franchise has already signed Australian all-rounder D’Arcy Short and Italian bowler Thomas Draca, with more foreign players to be announced soon.

Yuwa Sangh Nepal, the youth wing of the CPN-UML, has reached the Cyber ​​Bureau to file a complaint against Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah.

Two Nepali visitors, who were trapped in snow at Chharka Bherol along the Mustang-Dolpa border, were rescued by a helicopter this morning.

Manish GC of Parbat and Santosh Kunwar of Myagdi were rescued by an Air Dynasty helicopter in coordination with the Indrabaks Battalion of the Nepal Army.

Mustang's Chief District Officer, Bishnu Prasad Bhusal, confirmed that the two were caught in heavy snowfall and rescued this morning.

They had started their trip to Upper Mustang on October 26 and had reached Chharka via Sangta village. The rescue took place on the sixth day after they were trapped.

The trekkers lost their way in Chharka Bherol, and the local administration was alerted through a satellite phone by a local construction worker who had met them midway and later parted ways after reaching Chharka Bherol.

Players and football fans staged a protest outside the office of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) in Satdobato on Thursday, opposing ANFA’s decision to postpone the ‘A’ Division League until next year.

National team players including Anjan Bista, Bikesh Kuthu, Biraj Maharjan, and Rohit Chand also took part in the protest organized by the Nepal Football Players Association.

Football Players Association President Bikram Lama, along with other officials, players, and supporters, expressed strong objection to the ANFA’s decision to postpone the league.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Players Association had submitted a memorandum to newly appointed Minister for Youth and Sports Bablu Gupta drawing his attention to the issue.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 600 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 237, 800 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 237, 200 per tola on Wednesday.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 3, 010 per tola today.

Bhairahawa Customs Office has collected Rs 27.75 billion in revenue in the first three months of the current fiscal year.

According to Customs Officer Santosh Kumar Neupane, Rs 9.29 billion were collected in Shrawan, Rs 9.70 billion in Bhadra and Rs 9.28 billion in Ashoj.

The Customs Office, which was damaged by arson and vandalism during the Gen-Z movement, had been providing services from a tarpaulin for some time.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Development Association under the World Bank Group, and the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) are set to support disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and resilient infrastructure development in Nepal.

The three donor agencies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the next three years, the World Bank office said on Wednesday.

As per the tripartite understanding, priority will be given to climate-related risk assessment, strengthening of information systems, and climate risk management.

Stating that assistance is indispensable as Nepal is vulnerable to climate-related risks such as floods, landslides, droughts, and melting glaciers, the Office has expressed confidence that it would contribute to Nepal's economic development.

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in partnership with the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA), organized the first Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting for the Inclusive Rural Development Project (IRDP) in Bardiya. The project carries a total budget of USD 8 million.

This meeting marked the official launch and operationalization of the five-year project (2024–2029) during which the PSC formally endorsed the project’s Action Plan.

The meeting was chaired by Secretary of MoFAGA Nita Pokhrel Aryal and co-chaired by KOICA Country Director, Kong Mooheon, Mayors and representatives from all eight municipalities (Badhaiyatal, Bansgadhi, Barbardiya, Geruwa, Gulariya, Madhuwan, Rajapur and Thakurbaba) of Bardiya District, officials from Bardiya National Park, and members of the Project Management Consultant (PMC) team of Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS).

During the meeting, the PMC provided an overview of the project’s objectives and implementation strategies, along with the Korean Invitational Training Plan designed to strengthen local capacities, reads a statement issued by KOICA Nepal.

Municipal Mayors shared their Local Initiatives Projects (LIPs), reaffirming their commitment to inclusive implementation at the grassroots level in the meeting. Bardiya National Park also presented plans to promote eco-tourism as a means of enhancing community-based livelihoods and conservation.

Addressing the program, KOICA Country Director Kong Mooheon expressed deep appreciation for the continued collaboration between KOICA and the Government of Nepal. He emphasized that the project reflects a shared commitment to improving rural livelihoods through inclusive and sustainable development, according to the statement.

Highlighting project components focused on dairy production, crop farming, agricultural machinery, compost production, and fish processing, he reaffirmed KOICA’s commitment to supporting small farmers, women, and marginalized communities through enhanced productivity and employment generation. He further expressed gratitude for the strong participation and support from all stakeholders.

Addressing the event, PSC Chair and Joint Secretary Nita Pokhrel Aryal underscored the long-standing friendship between Nepal and the Republic of Korea. She acknowledged KOICA’s significant role in supporting Nepal’s development across sectors such as health, education, agriculture, and capacity building. She appreciated KOICA’s continued cooperation and expressed the Government’s commitment to further strengthening this partnership to promote resilience, prosperity, and sustainable development in rural Nepal, the statement further reads.

Likewise, the Member Secretary Praladh Karki, Under Secretary of MoFAGA expressed appreciation for Korea’s ongoing contribution to Nepal’s socio-economic progress and highlighted the endorsed Action Plan as a symbol of shared commitment and future collaboration. Mayors of the participating municipalities also commended KOICA’s support and reaffirmed their full cooperation for effective and sustainable project implementation in Bardiya District.

Prior to the formal meeting, the delegation conducted a field visit to local cooperatives, including the Kedareshwor Dairy Cooperative in Bansgadhi and Kalpabrikshya Fish Processing Cooperative in Badhaiyatal. These visits showcased successful community-driven initiatives and highlighted opportunities for cooperative-led rural economic transformation.