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Barcelona defender and captain Ronald Araujo has been granted an indefinite leave of absence by the Spanish club upon his request, according to reports, Reuters reported. 

The Uruguayan was not part of its matchday squad during Saturday’s 3-1 La Liga home win against Alaves, with manager Hansi Flick saying he is absent due to a “stomach virus”.

Araujo’s last appearance was during Barca’s 3-0 Champions League loss against Chelsea on Tuesday last week, when he was sent off for a second yellow after a clumsy trip on Marc Cucurella a minute before the break, according to Reuters. 

FIFA said it will reveal the updated match schedule for the 2026 World Cup in a live global broadcast from Washington on Saturday, nearly 24 hours after the final draw determines the tournament’s unprecedented 12 groups of four, Reuters reported.

The show, set for 12:00 p.m. EST (1700 GMT), will confirm venues and kick-off times for all 104 matches of the expanded 48-team tournament to be staged across the U.S., Canada and Mexico next June and July, the governing body said in a statement on Monday.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino will lead the presentation alongside former players, with representatives from the 42 teams already qualified — and those still in contention — expected to be in attendance, according to Reuters.

Nepali international taekwondo referee Dipendra Dhakal has been selected to serve as a referee at the 13th Korean Ambassador International Taekwondo Championship, which is being held in Lalitpur from Dec 1 to 6.

The event is being jointly organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Nepal and the Nepal Taekwondo Association at the Taekwondo Academy building in Satdobato. The biennial championship, first held in 2003, has seen enthusiastic participation in all past editions and has been inaugurated or observed by high-level dignitaries, including the President of Nepal.

Teams from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Bhutan will join Nepal in this year’s edition following repeated requests from neighboring countries to participate. The tournament will feature 1,530 athletes competing in Gyrogi, Poomsae, and Para-Taekwondo categories across three arenas. The opening ceremony will include a taekwondo demonstration, cultural performances, and K-pop dance presentations.

Dhakal, who is affiliated with Tribhuvan Army Club, has been serving as a referee since 2014 and holds a fifth dan black belt. He is the first from the Nepali Army to become a WT international taekwondo referee and currently works as a taekwondo coach at the Army Club.

He has officiated in several major events, including the 7th Military World Games in Wuhan in 2019, and was named Best Referee at the Royal Spanish International Open Taekwondo Championship 2022. Dhakal has refereed in international tournaments across countries including Canada, China, Austria, Spain, Pakistan, Belgium, France, Germany, and Uzbekistan.

The 13th Korean Ambassador International Open Championships 2025 kicked off at the Nepal Taekwondo Association in Kathmandu on Monday.  

The event was jointly organized by the South Korean embassy in Nepal and Nepal Taekwondo Association.

In his opening remarks, Korean Ambassador to Nepal Ambassador Tae-young Park said that Taekwondo is the traditional martial art of Korea which has developed into a global sport, uniting individuals from different backgrounds through its core values of discipline, respect, and patience. 

He further committed to strengthening cooperation with Nepal particularly in the fields of sports and culture.

Praising the achievement of Nepal on Taekwondo in the world stage, Ambassador Park noted the success of Palesha Goverdhan, who made history by winning a bronze medal.

The victory was celebrated by both the countries as part of their shared sporting heritage.

This year’s championship has expanded into an international event with the participation of four neighboring countries. (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan).

Around 1,500 taekwondo athletes are competing for 103 gold medals in this year’s South Korean Ambassador open championships.

The event will conclude on December 5.