In Brief

* PLOT – The Canadian opposition united to oust Prime Minister Paul Martin’s scandal-tainted minority government and set off a frosty election campaign that will last through the Christmas holiday.

* CONTACT – The US State Department sought to play down plans for the highest-level contact with Iran in decades, saying it would focus on Iraq and have little impact on ruptured bilateral ties. * SANCTIONS – EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini threatened sanctions for any EU nation found to have allowed secret CIA prison camps to operate on their soil.* CLIMATE – Envoys from more than 180 nations held crucial talks here on the UN Kyoto Protocol on curbing greenhouse gases, amid warnings from scientists and environmentalists that climate change could have profound consequences.* TOXIC – Toxic benzene spilled into a river by an explosion at a chemical factory in China has entered Russian territory where tests show levels of the poison are higher than normal, Russian environmental officials said.* DEAL – Spain signed an arms deal with Venezuela to supply military transport aircraft and patrol boats to Caracas, as both governments dismissed objections by the United States.* SUMMIT – Europe agreed a pact on fighting terrorism with its mostly Muslim southern neighbours but clear tensions remained after a Euro-Mediterranean summit clouded by the absence of most Arab leaders.* QUAKE – Millions of earthquake survivors in mountainous Kashmir faced further misery as persistent rain and the first winter snows cut off roads and disrupted relief operations.Nampa-AFP* SANCTIONS – EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini threatened sanctions for any EU nation found to have allowed secret CIA prison camps to operate on their soil.* CLIMATE – Envoys from more than 180 nations held crucial talks here on the UN Kyoto Protocol on curbing greenhouse gases, amid warnings from scientists and environmentalists that climate change could have profound consequences.* TOXIC – Toxic benzene spilled into a river by an explosion at a chemical factory in China has entered Russian territory where tests show levels of the poison are higher than normal, Russian environmental officials said.* DEAL – Spain signed an arms deal with Venezuela to supply military transport aircraft and patrol boats to Caracas, as both governments dismissed objections by the United States.* SUMMIT – Europe agreed a pact on fighting terrorism with its mostly Muslim southern neighbours but clear tensions remained after a Euro-Mediterranean summit clouded by the absence of most Arab leaders.* QUAKE – Millions of earthquake survivors in mountainous Kashmir faced further misery as persistent rain and the first winter snows cut off roads and disrupted relief operations.Nampa-AFP