A top lieutenant of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is in the United States conducting one of three sets of parallel talks aimed at salvaging a summit between Kim and President Donald Trump.
Kim Yong-chol is meeting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York to finalise plans for the summit, while lower-level officials have been meeting at the inter-Korean border and in Singapore for other pre-summit negotiations.
A look at what is at stake in the three sets of talks:
US talks
Kim Yong-chol is likely to convey to Mr Pompeo that Kim Jong Un is serious about the summit. The contents of a joint statement to be issued at its conclusion is also likely to be on the agenda.
Some experts say major thorny issues are still unsettled, and that is why a senior official like Kim Yong-chol has travelled to the US to narrow the gap.
Mr Trump abruptly cancelled the summit last Thursday before quickly reversing course and announcing the meeting could happen. His decision came amid widespread doubt in the US that North Korea would be willing to actually scrap a nuclear program it has struggled for decades to build.
Meanwhile, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who met Kim Jong Un last Saturday, said the North Korean leader is uncertain whether he can trust Mr Trump's promise to provide a security guarantee if North Korea abandons its nuclear weapons.
Given these basic concerns, Kim Yong-chol's talks with Mr Pompeo are likely to focus on a possible compromise between Washington's push for a speedy nuclear disarmament and North Korea's preference for more gradual steps matched by corresponding benefits from the US.
Kim Yong-chol, 72, is the most senior North Korean official to visit the US since 2000. His official title is vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party. He previously headed North Korea's military intelligence agency and was believed to be behind two attacks in 2010 that killed 50 South Koreans and a 2014 cyberattack on Sony Pictures.
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DMZ talks
US and North Korean officials started talks on the North's side of a border village on Sunday to set the agenda for the summit. The village is inside the mine-strewn 4-kilometre-wide Demilitarised Zone, a buffer created at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
The US delegation is headed by Sung Kim, the US ambassador to the Philippines who served as America's top negotiator to now-stalled six-nation talks on North Korean nuclear disarmament, and as its ambassador to Seoul. In 2008, he witnessed North Korea's destruction of the cooling tower at its main nuclear complex in a show of good faith with the US. In recent years, however, satellite photos have indicated that North Korea has restarted its plutonium reactor at the complex.
His North Korean counterpart is Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, the North's highest-ranking female diplomat. A recent statement by Ms Choe threatening to scuttle the summit and warning Washington of a nuclear showdown led Mr Trump to temporarily cancel the summit, citing "open hostility" from the North.
The two sides are believed to have exchanged their countries' views on North Korea's denuclearisation, America's security assurances and other issues. South Korean media said they wrapped up their talks on Wednesday after Kim Yong-chol's departure for New York.
Ms Choe served as an English-language interpreter during the six-party talks, while Sung Kim, a Korean-American, is fluent in Korean. Analysts say that is likely to have smoothed their talks because they could understand each other even when they were speaking their own languages at the negotiating table.
Singapore talks
This meeting is to plan protocol, security and other logistical issues and might also include determining when and where in Singapore the summit would be held.
The two countries originally planned to hold the summit in Singapore on June 12. After putting the summit back on track, Mr Trump tweeted Friday that it "will likely remain in Singapore on the same date, June 12th, and, if necessary, will be extended beyond that date."
A delegation led by another of Kim Jong Un's trusted aides, Kim Chang Son, flew to Singapore on Monday night. South Korean media reported that he began talks with Joe Hagin, the White House deputy chief of staff for operations, who is in Singapore with other US officials.
No details have emerged about the talks. Possible venues for the summit include Singapore's presidential palace, the Shangri La hotel and the Marina Bay Sands hotel.
Kim Chang Son served as Kim Jong Un's chief of staff after the 34-year-old leader took power in late 2011. His current official title is a departmental director at the State Affairs Commission, which is headed by Kim Jong Un.
Friday's schedule in Madrid
Men's quarter-finals
Novak Djokivic (1) v Marin Cilic (9) from 2pm UAE time
Roger Federer (4) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 7pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Alexander Zverev (3) from 9.30pm
Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11.30pm
Women's semi-finals
Belinda Bencic v Simona Halep (3) from 4.30pm
Sloane Stephens (8) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 10pm
Company%20profile
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England's Ashes squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
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The specs: 2018 Infiniti QX80
Price: base / as tested: Dh335,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.1L / 100km
UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
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The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
UAE Falcons
Carly Lewis (captain), Emily Fensome, Kelly Loy, Isabel Affley, Jessica Cronin, Jemma Eley, Jenna Guy, Kate Lewis, Megan Polley, Charlie Preston, Becki Quigley and Sophie Siffre. Deb Jones and Lucia Sdao – coach and assistant coach.
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
Alita: Battle Angel
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Stars: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Keean Johnson
Four stars
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
U19 World Cup in South Africa
Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies
Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE
UAE fixtures
Saturday, January 18, v Canada
Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan
Saturday, January 25, v South Africa
UAE squad
Aryan Lakra (captain), Vriitya Aravind, Deshan Chethyia, Mohammed Farazuddin, Jonathan Figy, Osama Hassan, Karthik Meiyappan, Rishabh Mukherjee, Ali Naseer, Wasi Shah, Alishan Sharafu, Sanchit Sharma, Kai Smith, Akasha Tahir, Ansh Tandon
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Company%20Profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Kibsons%20Cares
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Brief scores:
Everton 0
Leicester City 1
Vardy 58'
Race card
6.30pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
7.40pm: UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
9.50pm: Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
9.25pm: Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
