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In Short

>> In a non-binding report, the European Parliament has given more time to car manufacturers for reducing CO2 emissions from tailpipes. Manufacturers should reduce the emissions to 125 grammes per km by 2015, rather than to 120 grammes by 2012 as proposed by the commission in December, 2007.

>> Two sites in Korea have been added to the Ramsar list of Wetlands of International Importance. The sites are important habitats of endangered species like the Korean golden frog, narrowmouth Boreal digging frog, tiger lizards and various other plants, birds and amphibians.

>> Japanese banks have announced they will set up environmental funds aimed at investing in projects to cut greenhouse gas emissions in Asia. The funds, which could go beyond US $2 billion, will target projects to clean the air at coal-fired power plants and recover heat generated by steel plants.

>> More than 210,000 people in the Gaza Strip are in urgent need of food aid, following the closure of its Karni border crossing Israel in June 2006, says a recent study by the UN World Food Programme. UN officials have repeatedly appealed for the re-opening of the crossing.

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