The U.S. will not resume food aid to North Korea unless there is a guarantee that the food will be distributed properly among North Koreans who need it. U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Wednesday, “We currently have no plans to provide additional food to North Korea. Any additional food aid would have to have assurances that it would be appropriately used.”

“We remain very concerned about the well-being of the North Korean people, but we are very concerned because we need to have adequate program management in place, monitoring and access provisions, and we don’t have that right now,” he added.

Kelly said North Korea rejected U.S. food aid in March, expressing regret that Pyongyang threw out all NGO food monitors by the end of March.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme said there has been no single donation for the food aid program for the North since its nuclear test in May, and the program has been downsized to one-third of the original plan.

A survey finds that most North Korean people are not aware of the fact that their nation is receiving food aid from other countries.

The survey was conducted by the Peterson Institute for International Economics last November on 300 North Korean escapees living in South Korea.

According to the survey, 56 percent of the respondents did not know Pyongyang was getting outside provisions.

Of the surveyed who said they did know of the outside assistance, nearly 97 percent said they believe the aid was directed to the government and military officials. Only one-point-six percent said they believed the food went to the general public.

US is playing hard ball!

Wells Fargo said it will invest $208,000 in the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC) Education Foundation for a national research study of the characteristics and interests among business owners in the six largest Asian American ethnic groups: Chinese, Asian Indian, Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese. The results will help the Foundation develop educational initiatives for Asian-American entrepreneurs and to train and develop the Foundation's leadership.

"There has never been a study focused on business practices as conducted by Asian communities within mainstream America," said Susan Au Allen, National President and CEO of the USPAACC Education Foundation. "This investment from Wells Fargo will help us better understand Asian entrepreneurs in the United States and better serve this fast-growing and dynamic community."

"For many years, Wells Fargo has enjoyed a supportive relationship with the USPAACC Education Foundation," said Patrick Yalung, regional president for the company's Washington region and national spokesperson for Wells Fargo's Asian Business Services. "This investment again shows our support for and commitment to the Asian business community across America."

Sweet! Going to get a piece of that!

Rino spoke to Peter of Pacific Rim Video about when and how she heard about the sad news. Rino was in the middle of a Michael Jackson dance tribute class. I want to see the Beat Freaks dance like Michael Jackson. Can't wait to see the videos from the actual dance class.



For more behind the scenes videos of America's Best Dance Crew teams and dancers visit www.youtube.com/user/PacificRimVideoPress

Introducing Alyssah Ali, a new girl in IMG's Development Division. Alyssah is Canadian of Indian and Spanish descent. These pictures are from Elle Sweden, March 2009 edition. Photographed by Carl Bengtsson and styled by Jenny Fredriksson. Source asianmodelsblog.blogspot.com

Look at the Wonder Girl fans in Edmonton, CA. JYP just posted this to his twitter account. Love how all those fans are non-Asian! Mass market!

It's so incredible that Kobe Bryant is worshipped more than Yao Ming in China!

One of the great curiosities in modern sports is the Chinese people’s lavish affection for Kobe Bryant. During last year’s Beijing Olympics, he was greeted with a rapturous reception and mobbed everywhere he went. He appears in commercials and on billboards, has a popular Web site and had a reality show on Chinese television. He sells more NBA jerseys there than Yao Ming.

On Tuesday in Los Angeles, the love affair will reach a new level. Not only is Mr. Bryant accepting an award from the Asia Society for his work as a “cultural ambassador,” the ceremony will be attended by Liu Peng, China’s “Minister of Sport” and a member of China’s Communist Party Central Committee.

China’s embrace is largely an appreciation of Mr. Bryant’s basketball talent—he won his fourth NBA title earlier this month with the Los Angeles Lakers. “He reminds everyone of Michael Jordan,” says Shen Zhiyu, a senior basketball writer for Titan Sports, China’s largest sports daily.

Kobe is a smart man. Lebron James has sees the potential and is trying to get a piece. Could Kobe be the first billionaire athlete?

www.wsj.com

Five-time world champion Michelle Kwan will join Kim Yu-na at Ice All Stars 2009.

IB Sports, Kim's agency, announced Thursday that the American star figure skater has confirmed her participation in the ice show, scheduled to take place from Aug. 14 to 16 in Seoul.

It will be Kwan's first action since she quit the sport due to a hip injury in 2006.

For her first visit to Korea, she has been preparing for two gala programs.

According to the agency, Kwan, a two-time Olympic medal winner, said that she is happy to skate in Kim's native country, Korea.

Kim, 18, was also delighted that Kwan would appear and said, ``Michelle Kwan has been an iconic figure since childhood. It is a big honor to perform together with her in Korea.''

www.koreatimes.co.kr

Jessica Simpson sang the National Anthem at the opening ceremonies for the pro-am AT&T National golf tournament on Wednesday in Bethesda, Md., where her football star boyfriend Tony Romo played a practice round alongside Tiger Woods.

She put on some weight but I think she looks good. She's obviously happy with her current beau.

We just got word that FM has 15 FREE tickets available from the box office for our show tonight at the ROXY! So we’ve decided to hold those tickets for the door…if you come there, ask for DIANA and tell her the secret password "FM ROCKS."

If you are one of the lucky first 15 you’ll get in FREE! We’re really excited about this…got a brand new SPACESHIP set that we’ll be unveiling…hope yall like it!

Here's the info on the show:

SHOW INFO:
 Date: July 1st, 2009 Venue: Roxy Theater
Address: 9009 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90069
ALL AGES SHOW

Doors open: 9 pm

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR THE SHOW ONLINE AT TICKETMASTER: Ticket Master

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science opened its ranks to 134 new members on Tuesday. Under academy rules, as many as 166 new members could have been admitted, but the group has been trying to keep the membership trim, at just under 6,000 voting members.

The entire technical team of Slumdog..., including director Danny Boyle, cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, editor Chris Dickens and producer Christian Colson, are among the 134 eminent personalities who have been extended the invitation this year.

Actors newly admitted are Casey Affleck, Emily Blunt, Michael Cera, James Franco, Brendan Gleeson, Taraji Henson, Emile Hirsch, Hugh Jackman (this year’s Oscar host), Melissa Leo, Jane Lynch, Eddie Marsan, James McAvoy, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Amy Ryan, Michael Shannon, Michelle Williams and Jeffrey Wright.

It just keeps getting better and better.

This is huge for an Asian act! Are Asian acts finally staking their claim on the American market? Looks like it. JYP posted this to his twitter this morning: "The Jonas brothers and their mangagement officially asked us to open for their entire US tour. And we said 'yesssirrrr!'. Isn't this crazy?!"

See their video on the Vancouver leg of the tour

Earlier we mentioned how Rino and Maryss of the Beat Freaks were all set to tour with their idol Michael Jackson on his upcoming SOLD OUT London concert series. Their dream come true!

Rino just spoke to MTV on his passing. She says, "When I first watched “Moonwalker” in my house in Okinawa, Japan, I was 10 and had never seen or felt anything like it before. Then when I went to the Dangerous tour, it changed my life forever. I knew I had to come to America. I have always loved to dance, but Michael really taught me to have more passion for music and performing."

Read the entire article here

Read our interview with Rino. See her on stage with Gwen also watch the MJ inspired video with Rino and Maryss.