PYEONGCHANG, South Korea: In a stunning turn of events, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s younger sister arrived in South Korea on Friday to be her brother’s special envoy to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Kim Yo Jong, who is probably Kim’s closest confidant and is a senior cadre in North Korea’s ruling party, is the first member of the Kim dynasty to visit South Korea, though her grandfather, Kim Il Sung, traveled to areas occupied by his troops south of what is now the Demilitarized Zone during the 1950-53 Korean War.
The trip has the potential to become something of a coming out party — certainly for Kim Yo Jong, but also for her deeply isolated country.
Kim Jong Un hasn’t set foot outside North Korea or met a single head of state since he assumed power upon the death of their father, Kim Jong Il, in late 2011. His single-minded pursuit of a nuclear arsenal to counter what he sees as the threat of invasion by the US has ratcheted up tensions not only with his rivals but also with primary trading partner China and with Russia, once a key benefactor.
The arrival was broadcast live on South Korean television. Looking confident and relaxed, she had a brief meeting with South Korean officials, including Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, before being whisked away in a black limousine and catching the high-speed train to Pyeongchang.
Kim Yo Jong, who is believed to be about 30, has been rapidly rising within the North’s power structure and is believed to be in charge of shaping her brother’s public persona. But she has generally remained safely cloaked in her brother’s shadow. This is her first high-profile international appearance at center stage, though she is technically just a member of a delegation headed by the North’s aging senior statesman, 90-year-old Kim Yong Nam.
For security reasons, few details of Kim’s three-day itinerary have been made public.
After arriving on Kim Jong Un’s personal jet at the South’s ultramodern Incheon International Airport— the North’s flagship airline is subject to sanctions — she traveled to Pyeongchang to attend the games’ opening ceremony, where the North and South Korean athletes will march together behind a blue-and-white “unification” flag.
That promised to be an emotionally charged moment.
The two Koreas, which remain technically at war, have cycled through countless periods of chill and thaw since their division 70 years ago. North Korea boycotted the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul and blew up a South Korean commercial airliner the year before. The past year has been particularly acrimonious as the North has accelerated its nuclear weapons development and test launches of missiles that are now believed to be able to reach most or all of the US, South Korea’s most important ally.
The delegation’s most substantive event may come outside of the Olympic ambit on Saturday.
Along with the rest of the North’s senior delegation, Kim is to have lunch with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the presidential Blue House. The meeting could turn out to be just a lunch, a photo op or a nicety. But it is so unprecedented, and its announcement on Thursday was so sudden, that rumors are already swirling it could open the door to much more — perhaps even an offer for Moon to travel to Pyongyang.
The North and South held summits in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, both hosted by Kim Jong Il.
Caution is in order here: Considering the depth and complexity of the very real problems that keep the Koreas apart, it’s highly unlikely a luncheon would lead to an immediate breakthrough on something like the North’s nuclear weapons development. Vice President Mike Pence is also here to attend the opening ceremony for the US, and he has publicly and repeatedly warned South Korea not to let down its guard to a North Korean charm offensive.
Even so, just holding such a meeting seemed unimaginable only a few months ago.
During the rest of her stay, Kim will have ample opportunity to play up the feel-good side of her country’s participation in the games.
The first hockey match featuring the joint North-South women’s ice hockey will also be held on Saturday — they play Switzerland — and that would be an event she might want to see. The North has also sent a several-hundred women strong cheering squad, an orchestra with singers and dancers and a demonstration taekwondo martial arts team that will perform in Seoul and places near the Olympic venues.
If her schedule permits, Kim might be able to take in a musical performance by her compatriots in Seoul on Sunday.
Security for anything involving the North Koreans has been exceptionally tight.
A small but persistent group of right-wing protesters have shown up at several venues to burn North Korean flags and tear up portraits of Kim’s brother. The group is fringe, but their demonstrations have generated irate reactions in North Korea’s state-run media and could potentially spin out into a major incident if they ever manage to get closer to the North Koreans themselves — or especially Kim and her entourage.
So far, police have kept the two at a safe distance.
Kim Jong Un’s sister begins unprecedented South Korea visit for Winter Olympics
Kim Jong Un’s sister begins unprecedented South Korea visit for Winter Olympics
Dembélé scores last-gasp winner as PSG wins Champions Trophy
- The match was played at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar, with PSG owned by Qatar-based QSI since 2011
PARIS: Ousmane Dembélé scored a stoppage-time winner as Paris Saint-Germain beat Monaco 1-0 to win the Champions Trophy on Sunday.
The France winger was unmarked at the back post to meet a low cross from the left by Fabian Ruiz in the second minute of added time.
PSG won the trophy, also known as the super cup, for the third straight time and a record-extending 13th overall. PSG won the league and cup double last season, with Monaco finishing second in the league.
The match was played at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar, with PSG owned by Qatar-based QSI since 2011.
Désiré Doué hit the crossbar early on for PSG and Monaco goalkeeper Philipp Köhn made several saves.
Monaco improved after the break and hit the post through Eliesse Ben Seghir and Brazilian defender Vanderson.
Although Köhn made a fine save to deny Achraf Hakimi in the 74th minute, he failed to properly read Ruiz’s cross and Monaco missed out on winning the trophy for the first time since 2000.
Later Sunday, Marseille looked to strengthen its grip on second place in Ligue 1 with a home win against lowly Le Havre.
French league
Marseille looks to strengthen its grip on second place in Ligue 1 with a home win against lowly Le Havre later Sunday.
Toulouse climbed up to eighth place with a 1-0 win at seventh-place Lens, which leads Toulouse on goal difference.
Striker Zakaria Aboukhlal scored a penalty in the 73rd.
The goal came shortly after Lens midfielder David Pereira da Costa was shown a second yellow card following a video review and was sent off.
Angers beat Brest 2-0, and Strasbourg rallied to win 3-1 at home to Auxerre and move into 10th spot.
Esteban Lepaul scored early on for Angers and fellow striker Ibrahima Niane, who replaced Lepaul in the 75th, wrapped up the win in stoppage time.
Strasbourg’s goals came from captain Habib Diarra, Félix Lemarechal and forward Emanuel Emegha, after Hamed Traore gave Burgundy side Auxerre an early lead in Alsace.
Gauff inspires Team USA to United Cup triumph
- Gauff opened with a statement 6-4, 6-4 win over Swiatek in 1hr 51min of hard-hitting tennis to fire a warning shot ahead of the Australian Open
SYDNEY: Coco Gauff roared past Iga Swiatek to inspire Team USA on Sunday before Taylor Fritz sealed the United Cup title with victory over Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in Sydney.
Gauff opened with a statement 6-4, 6-4 win over Swiatek in 1hr 51min of hard-hitting tennis to fire a warning shot ahead of the Australian Open.
Big-serving Fritz then battled through against Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7/4) to spark wild celebrations as the Americans won the mixed-teams cup for the second time in three years after winning the inaugural event in 2023.
For Poland it meant falling at the final hurdle again after losing to Germany 12 months ago.
Gauff set the ball rolling with a second victory in a row over Swiatek after beating the former world No. 1 at the WTA Finals in Riyadh on her way to the title.
Gauff had won all six of her previous singles and doubles matches this week and continued her streak when Swiatek double-faulted on match point at 4-5, 30-40 in the second set. “I have the belief that I am one of the best players in the world, and when I play good tennis, it’s hard for me to be beaten,” said Gauff, who won the award as player of the tournament.
The 20-year-old will go into the first Grand Slam of the year next Sunday unbeaten in singles since losing to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Wuhan semifinals in October, and brimming with confidence. “Today I think I played great tennis, and I’m happy to get a point,” she said. “It was tough today. I’m not gonna lie.”
Gauff’s victory left the US one win away from lifting the title for the second time, and Fritz delivered after edging a third-set tiebreak to seal a tense encounter.
“It’s been a great week,” said Fritz. “They’re an incredibly tough team and the margins are very small,” he added after a serve-dominated match that featured 30 aces and just three break points.
“I feel like it could have always gone either way. Just want to say thanks to my whole team.”
Earlier, Swiatek took a medical timeout at 5-4 down in the second set to have strapping put on her niggling left thigh which has bothered her all week in Sydney.
After losing to Gauff, Swiatek left the court in tears, walking gingerly, but returned laughing and joking during the trophy presentations.
Red-hot Gauff, who did not drop a set in five singles matches, goes into the Australian Open as world number three.
She enjoyed United Cup singles wins over Leylah Fernandez, Donna Vekic, Zhang Shuai, Karolina Muchova and Swiatek.
Fritz, who is at career-best number four in the rankings, dropped his opening United Cup match to Felix Auger-Aliassime but then won four straight.
Dakar Rally defending champion Sainz flips in dunes, is an hour off lead
- Sainz was within five minutes of the leaders after more than 200 kilometers, but his Ford Raptor turned upside down in the dunes at 327 kilometers
BISHA, Saudi Arabia: Defending champion Carlos Sainz was nearly an hour off the pace in the Dakar Rally after his car flipped in the Saudi Arabia dunes on Sunday.
Local driver Yazeed Al Rajhi led the race at the mandatory evening rest stop north of Bisha on the nearly 1,000-kilometer second stage, which started early Sunday and finishes late Monday.
But his lead was only 79 seconds over five-time champion Nasser Al-Attiyah.
Sainz was within five minutes of the leaders after more than 200 kilometers, but his Ford Raptor turned upside down in the dunes at 327 kilometers. Teammate Mitch Guthrie helped Sainz right the car after 20 minutes but broken rear parts were left behind and Sainz limped to the rest area at 620 kilometers, more than 59 minutes behind.
Another title contender who suffered was Sebastien Loeb, who won this stage last year. The Frenchman broke down with fan issues at 409 kilometers and arrived more than 32 minutes back.
Al-Attiyah led Al Rajhi by four minutes in the early going but Al Rajhi turned the tables about 350 kilometers in and held on.
Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom was running third, nine minutes back. He was the only driver within 10 minutes of Al Rajhi.
First stage winner Seth Quintero was 48 minutes back.
Australian rider Daniel Sanders continued to set the pace in the motorbike class, even after starting at the back from winning the first stage.
Racing a different course to the cars, Sanders was only 40 seconds ahead of American titleholder Ricky Brabec.
Ross Branch, second last year, lost some time but was still third.
The 48-hour chrono stage was introduced last year, sending racers into the desert overnight with minimal team help. What organizers call “the quintessential rally-raid experience” was the stage in which Al Rajhi’s car somersaulted and he was forced to abandon the 2024 race.
The stage resumes at dawn on Monday.
Manchester United hold Liverpool in Premier League thriller to end losing streak
- United broke their six-year goal drought at Anfield to open the scoring in spectacular fashion through Lisandro Martinez
- Liverpool boss Slot warned that United were “much better” than their shocking league position suggested
LIVERPOOL: Manchester United rallied to snap a four-game losing streak and halt Liverpool’s romp toward the Premier League title in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.
Liverpool move six points clear at the top of the table, with a game in hand to come, over second-placed Arsenal.
But this was an opportunity lost for Arne Slot’s men after they came from behind to lead 2-1 through Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah’s penalty.
United broke their six-year goal drought at Anfield to open the scoring in spectacular fashion through Lisandro Martinez and got the point a much-improved performance deserved when Amad Diallo levelled on 80 minutes.
A point edges the Red Devils up to 13th in the table and seven clear of the relegation zone.
Liverpool boss Slot warned that United were “much better” than their shocking league position suggested ahead of the game and so it proved.
United had been carved open at will by Newcastle in a dismal 2-0 defeat on Monday that left manager Ruben Amorim declaring they were in a relegation battle.
Amorim’s hand was strengthened by the return of captain Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte from suspension, while Kobbie Mainoo also returned to the starting line-up.
The Portuguese’s plan to frustrate Liverpool worked but the home side did have the chances early on to make the breakthrough.
Gakpo prodded past the far post from Ryan Gravenberch’s through ball.
Moments later Salah picked out Alexis Mac Allister with a sumptuous pass that the Argentine caught flush and forced Andre Onana into a fine save with his feet.
United took time to begin to impose themselves as an attacking threat but should have been in front before the break.
Diallo miscued his header with the goal gaping from Diogo Dalot’s cross.
Rasmus Hojlund then had the best chance of the first half when he raced in behind the Liverpool defense but could not beat Alisson Becker.
However, confidence was suddenly coursing back into United players who have looked bereft in recent weeks.
The visitors’ breakthrough came from an unlikely source as Martinez showed his strikers how to finish with a blistering hit in off the underside of the bar for just his second goal for the club.
The Anfield crowd were beginning to get restless as the league leaders were briefly at sixes and sevens.
However, Liverpool’s position at the top of the table owes much to the depth of firepower they possess.
Even on a quiet day for Salah, they had an in-form forward to come up with the moment of magic required to turn the game.
Gakpo turned inside his Dutch international colleague Matthijs de Ligt and blasted high past Onana for his 10th goal in 15 games on the hour mark.
Despite the equalizer Slot immediately made two offensive changes, as Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez were introduced, and got his reward.
MacAllister’s header flicked off De Ligt’s outstretched arm inside the penalty area and a VAR review resulted in the awarding of a spot-kick.
Salah smashed low and hard beyond Onana for his 18th Premier League goal in 19 games.
However, United’s spirited display got the point it merited to halt an alarming losing streak for Amorim so early in his reign.
Alejandro Garnacho’s attitude has been questioned by his new boss but the Argentine came off the bench to make the equalizer as his low cross was turned in by Diallo.
And it should have been even better for United when Harry Maguire spooned Joshua Zirkzee’s pass over the bar with the goal gaping deep into stoppage time.
Inter Milan eye historic Italian Super Cup triumph in Riyadh showdown with rivals AC Milan
- Both sides aiming to secure early-season silverware
RIYADH: Inter Milan and AC Milan meet on Monday in the Italian Super Cup final at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, with both sides aiming to secure early-season silverware in what promises to be a competitive Milan derby.
Inter head into the match looking to extend their recent dominance in the competition, having won the past three Super Cups, including two in Riyadh.
Victory would see them claim a record fourth consecutive title. AC Milan, however, are seeking to end their own trophy drought and derail Inter’s impressive run.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Sunday, Inter captain Lautaro Martinez highlighted the significance of playing in Saudi Arabia, where he scored in both of his team’s previous Super Cup finals in Riyadh.
He said: “For us, playing here has been important in the past finals because we won the trophy and because I scored.
“This is a derby and a final, and we all know how important it is. The goal is to win and bring the trophy home.”
Inter secured their place in the final with a 2-0 victory over Atalanta on Thursday, thanks to two goals from Denzel Dumfries.
Manager Simone Inzaghi, who has overseen all of Inter’s recent Super Cup wins, acknowledged the challenge of competing in a derby final.
He said: “It would be very special to win the Super Cup for the fourth time with Inter.
“We face a strong opponent with the same hunger to win. We need to stay focused and deliver a strong performance.”
AC Milan earned their spot in the final by defeating Juventus 2-1 in their semifinal. New manager Sergio Conceicao, who took charge only last week, faces a significant test in his second match with the club.
He said: “The match will be difficult, but we have to focus on ourselves.
“My goal is to prepare the team as best as possible and ensure we approach the game with ambition and hunger to win.”
Conceicao’s plans could hinge on the fitness of key forward Rafael Leao, who is being assessed after missing the semifinal.
Midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, who joined the club in the summer, is eager to seize the opportunity to win his first trophy.
He said: “It’s a great chance for us as a group to win something. We have to play with confidence and take this opportunity.”
Monday’s match marks the fifth time the Italian Super Cup has been staged in Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh hosting for the fourth time.
Inter’s previous successes in Riyadh have given them an edge in the tournament, but AC will be determined to change the narrative and claim their first Super Cup since 2016.
