- The scientists emphasize that air pollutants from Asia cross the Pacific Ocean and significantly degrade the air quality in North America, especially California and Canada.

- The U.S.A. scientists will conduct a research on the amount of air pollutants, their chemical reaction with and effect on the environment in North America.



- Along with Fiji and Japan, Korea was reelected for the third time in UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), as a member of the council of UNCSD in Asian-Pacific region. Among 189 UN member nations, 53 nations are elected as the member of council. Korea will be working as one the council members until May 2007.



- Tax breaks for truckers, which were introduced by France, Italy and the Netherlands following Europe-wide protests against high fuel prices in 2000, were declared as illegal state aid by European Commission.

- All EU member nations officially supported French, Italian and Dutch tax breaks, thus overruled the EU Commission's decision.

- EU Commission and environmental groups were very unhappy with this development, and claimed that the incident damaged the EU framework on green charging for transport.