Maharjan takes lead

LALITPUR: Surya Man Maharjan lead the standing after winning the completion of round of the Laliltpur District Chess Selection Tournament here on Thursday. Maharjan have three points after he defeated Megh Raj Shakya in the second and Bhawani Limbu in the third round. Robindra Shakya, Bhawani Limbu and Babu Raja Maharjan are tied for the second. The top four finishers will represent Lalitpur in the 15th National Chess Tournament scheduled

to begin here from August 16. — HNS

Taekwondo tourney

KATHMANDU: Bhaktapur District Taekwondo (ITF) Association is organising the first Greenwich Bagmati Zonal Taekwondo Tournament from July 31. In all, 50 players from eight districts will take part in the two-day event, said the event coordinator Milan Shrestha at a press meet. Players will vie for the championships in 23 categories. The winners will also earn an automatic qualification for the fifth Senior and sixth Junior Taekwondo Tournament slated to begin in Pokhara from August 23. — HNS

Blindfold Chess

LALITPUR: Keshav Shrestha and Rajendra Bajracharya share the lead after the third round of the Rambir Memorial Blindfold Chess Tournament here on Thursday. Both the players finished with 2.5 points after the two played a draw today. Shyam Shrestha and Uttam Thapa are next with two points each after Shrestha beat Prem Maharjan and Thapa overcame Saurav Pradhan. — HNS

Liverpool sign Ngog

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool signed highly-rated French striker David Ngog from Paris St Germain for an undisclosed fee on Thursday. Ngog, 19, agreed a four-year contract with the Premier League club and becomes Rafa Benitez’s fourth close-season buy after Andrea Dossena, Diego Cavalieri and Philipp Degen. Although he only netted once in 18 appearances for PSG last season, Ngog, is regarded as one of his country’s brightest young talents after scoring at every youth level for France. — AFP

IOC confirms Iraq ban

BAGHDAD: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed a ban on Iraq from competing in the Beijing Games in a major blow to seven Iraqi athletes who had hoped to travel to China this August, an IOC letter said. In its July 23 letter to the Iraqi Minister of Youth and Sports Jassim Mohammed Jaffer the IOC said it was moving ahead with a ban first imposed on Iraq’s athletes last month. “In spite of all the joint efforts of IOC and OCA, we regretfully inform you that the decision of the IOC executive board to suspend the National Olympic Committee of Iraq is confirmed,” said the letter. — AFP