NORTH KOREA AID

North Korea has banned the United Nations World Food Program and other international relief organizations from providing food aid in the country despite concern that a famine is looming, reports The Wall Street Journal. North Korea said instead of such assistance it wants help to build roads and other national infrastructure. Aid workers said the government wants to have more control of food distribution as a means to assert stronger economic and political influence over its population. (A paid subscription is required to read this article.)