er beating Pallace I think now we are close to securing Cha

BEIJING -- Former NBA star Dennis Rodman said Tuesday he was going on his second North Korea trip this year to have what he calls a friendly visit with the countrys authoritarian leader, Kim Jong Un. The trip by the flamboyant basketballer comes days after North Korea rejected a visit by a U.S. envoy who had hoped to bring home an American missionary jailed there, Kenneth Bae. Speaking to reporters at the Beijing airport before leaving for Pyongyang, Rodman declined to say whether he would seek Baes release. "Im not going to talk about that," he said. "I just want to meet my friend Kim, the marshal, and start a basketball league over there," Rodman said. "I have not been promised anything. I am just going there as a friendly gesture." Bae was arrested in November and sentenced to 15 years of hard labour for what Pyongyang described as hostile acts against the state. Rodman once asked on his Twitter account for Kim to "do me a solid" and release Bae. Kim has the power to grant special pardons under the Norths constitution. Rodman first met Kim -- a die-hard basketball fan -- during a visit in February to promote the sport and make a film. U.S. officials frowned on the trip for giving the young leader a propaganda boost. In the weeks that followed, after U.N. sanctions imposed in early March over Pyongyangs February nuclear test, North Korea threatened Washington and Seoul with nuclear and missile strikes and shut down an inter-Korean factory in the North. Rodman, however, suggested "basketball diplomacy" could warm relations and said that Kim wanted President Barack Obama to pick up the phone and call him. He has called Kim an "awesome guy." Rodmans trip comes as the rival Koreas pursue diplomacy meant to restart several co-operative projects that were scrapped as tensions rose in recent years, including the jointly run factory complex in the North Korean border city of Kaesong. While there is skepticism about Pyongyangs intentions, the warming ties have been welcomed in Seoul. Outside analysts have said Pyongyang is likely using Bae as bait to win diplomatic concessions in a standoff over its nuclear weapons program. North Korea denies this. Pyongyang accuses Bae of trying to establish an anti-Pyongyang base in the North. Friends say Bae was based in a Chinese border city and travelled frequently to North Korea both as a tour operator and to feed orphans. At least five other Americans have been detained in North Korea since 2009. The others were eventually allowed to leave without serving out their terms, some after clemency missions by prominent Americans, including former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. Just this past weekend, a planned trip by Robert King, the U.S. envoy for North Korean human rights, fell through after Pyongyang said it couldnt forgive the inclusion of U.S. nuclear capable bombers in recently concluded U.S.-South Korean military drills. Talks aimed at getting the North to give up whats estimated to be a small cache of nuclear devices, and involving the Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia, collapsed in early 2009. Pyongyang says its weapons are intended to protect itself from a hostile Washington. Sokratis Papastathopoulos Jersey . Brooks replaces right-hander Yordano Ventura, who left his last outing with a sore elbow. Ventura is expected to miss one start. Brooks has made one relief appearance for the Royals this season, allowing six runs in two innings in a May 3 loss to Detroit. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Arsenal Jersey . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. http://www.arsenalsoccerproshop.com/Authentic-Nacho-Monreal-Arsenal-Jersey/ . It led to his downfall on Tuesday. The Major League Soccer club fired Rennie after a second straight up-and-down season that saw the Whitecaps start strong before limping across the finish line. Nacho Monreal Jersey . A broadcast source said the deal is for five years. The agreement calls for a minimum of 17 regular-season games as well as the East and West Division finals being broadcast annually on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNEWS. Henrikh Mkhitaryan Jersey .S. Olympic hockey management team have been making what he called "ghost rosters" since August.Claudio Ranieri is still not thinking of the Premier League title even after Leicester moved eight points clear at the top with a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace. Riyad Mahrez scored the only goal of the game on Saturday as the Foxes extended their lead over second-placed Tottenham, who play Bournemouth on Sunday.But while jubilant Foxes fans sang were going to win the league after the final whistle at Selhurst Park, Ranieri insisted that a top four finish is the main focus. Leicester fans sung were were gonna win the league after beating Pallace I think now we are close to securing Champions League football, that is a great achievement, he told Sky Sports.dddddddddddd We go step by step. The title race is the same as a match: every match you dont know what happens until the end. Its the same with the title.Leicester were made to work hard for victory over out-of-form Palace and almost conceded in injury-time as Damien Delaney volleyed against the bar.Its important to have concentration and focus, Ranieri added. We had to battle. It was a tough match and we played so well. Riyad Mahrez netted the winner at Selhurst Park We deserved to win, we created three or four great chances and they created two. It was a good match and until the end you dont know what happens.The win is Leicesters fourth 1-0 victory in their last five matches and Ranieri is pleased they have been able to grind out results.We can play on the counter, in open space, against a team who closes down well, Ranieri added. But its important now to continue and let the fans dream. Also See: C Palace 0-1 Leicester Mahrez sends Foxes eight clear Leicesters remarkable stats Mahrez: Title getting closer ' ' '