Lamsal set for Infrastructure Ministry

Sunil Lamsal,the general secretary of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is set to be appointed as Minister of Physical Infrastructure. 

When Balen Shah was the mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lamsal worked as an infrastructure and environment expert.

35-year-old Lamsal has experience working in the fields of infrastructure, urban planning and good governance.

Nisha Mehta assigned as Health Minister

Nisha Mehta, a health professional affiliated with the Rastriya Swatantra Party, is set to be appointed as Nepal’s Minister of Health and Population. 

In previous elections, the party had included her in its proportional representation list for Parliament, but she was not elected. The same outcome followed in the latest election cycle. Despite this, her professional background remains significant.

After completing her master’s degree in nursing from University of Gwalior in India, she returned to Nepal and worked for a year at Birat Teaching Hospital in Biratnagar, building her experience in the healthcare sector.

New government allocates key ministries

Sobita Gautan has been assigned with the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

Balen Shah, appointed as Nepal’s Prime Minister, has begun expanding his Council of Ministers, finalizing key portfolios as part of his new government formation.

Accordingly, the responsibility of the Ministry of Law has been given to Gautam.

Similarly, Sudan Gurung has been appointed as the Home Ministry, Shishir Khanal as the Foreign Ministry, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha as the Energy Ministry, Amresh Kumar Singh as the Industry Minister, and Pratibha Rawal as the General Administration Ministry.

Ram Nawami festival being observed today

The Ram Nawami festival is being celebrated today by worshipping Lord Shri Ram Chandra at various shrines across the country.

Shri Ram Chandra  is believed to have been born on the day of Chaitra Shukla Nawami as the son of King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya Devi of Ayodhya in the Treta Yuga. He is revered as the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu by Hindus. 

Theologian and Chairperson of the Nepal Calendar Determination and Development Committee, Prof Dr Ram Chandra Gautam, says that one of the importance of celebrating Ram Nawami festival is an inspiration for a dignified, disciplined and controlled state ruler like Ram.

On this occasion, Ramlila is performed in Janakpur, Nepal and Ayodhya, India. 

Today, men and women from Nepal and India flock to the Ram Janaki temple in Janakpur to celebrate a grand fair organized  to mark the occasion.

There is also a tradition of fasting, bathing in holy rivers, lakes and ponds, reciting the Ramayana and worshiping Lord Rama and singing bhajans all night long.

 

Spain to face Peru in final World Cup warm-up in Mexico

Spain will face Peru in their final World Cup warm-up match in the Mexican city of Puebla, the Royal Spanish Football Federation said on Thursday, Reuters reported. 

The June 8 friendly will be the European champions' last outing before they open their World Cup campaign against Group H opponents Cape Verde in Atlanta.

Spain will play two friendlies this month, against Serbia and Egypt, following the cancellation of the "Finalissima" against Argentina in Qatar due to the Iran war, according to Reuters. 

Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 to close in on World Cup spot

Italy moved within one win of ending their 12-year World Cup absence with a 2-0 qualification playoff semi-final victory over Northern Ireland on Thursday thanks to second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean, Reuters reported. 

The breakthrough arrived in the 56th minute when Tonali pounced on a cleared cross, letting the ball bounce once before firing into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Kean effectively ended the contest in the 80th minute, latching onto a Tonali pass and ghosting past his marker before dispatching a low strike into the net, according to Reuters. 

Mbappe inspires 10-man France to Brazil win

France started their preparations for the World Cup in convincing fashion as Kylian Mbappe inspired them to a 2-1 friendly win over Brazil despite being reduced to 10 men early in the second half on Thursday, Reuters reported. 

Captain Mbappe, showing no sign of the knee problems that had troubled him in recent weeks, opened the scoring in the first half, while Hugo Ekitike found the net after Dayot Upamecano was sent off 10 minutes into the second half.

Gleison Bremer pulled one goal back for Brazil, according to Reuters. 

Czechs book World Cup playoff final spot after penalty shootout win against Ireland

The Czech Republic clinched their place in ​a World Cup qualification playoff final after edging past Ireland on penalties on Thursday in a ‌thrilling encounter that finished 2-2 after extra time, Reuters reported. 

Jan Kliment scored the winning penalty to send the Czechs through to Tuesday's final where they will play Denmark for a place at the tournament in June-July in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

"We didn’t start ​well but we handled it as a team and we’re moving on — that’s what matters most," ​said Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar, who saved two penalties in the 4-3 shootout win, according to Reuters.