Europe still in the grip of the Big Freeze
The big freeze continued to overwhelm parts of eastern Europe today as record snowfall and harsh temperatures brought entire regions to a standstill. Serbia and Bosnia shut schools and struggled to continue public transport and rubbish collections, as authorities focused on trying to help thousands trapped in remote mountain villages. People across the continent were continuing to dig out from heavy snow after a week of bitter cold in which the death toll, mostly homeless people, continues to rise into the hundreds. Temperatures have fallen as low as minus 36 Celsius in Ukraine, the hardest-hit country. The big freeze has caused traffic chaos throughout Europe, blocking roads, and shutting down airports. But it has also offered opportunities for snowy fun: Ice skaters in the Netherlands were hopeful they could stage a race that has not happened in more than a decade; children in Rome and along the usually temperate Adriatic coast in Croatia frolicked in rare snow; and Bosnians in the capital, Sarajevo, spontaneously organised a winter "Olympics" in which they boarded down main streets and leapt out of windows into deep snow...

Drugs case woman says she was set up by 'boyfriend'
A Romanian woman who arrived in Malta allegedly carrying one kilogram of heroin hidden in the false bottom of her suitcase told police that her boyfriend had set her up. Adela Mariana Creta, 24, arrived on a flight from Brussels in August 2009. Once the drugs, worth €41,000, were found she claimed she had no knowledge of them, Police Inspector Jesmond Borg testified. She said that her boyfriend had given her the bag. She is pleading not guilty to importing the drugs and possession in circumstances which denote it was not for her exclusive use. Inspector Borg said that while under arrest she began shouting that she did not trust me. The case continues.      

Bus driver loses licence for a month after accident
A bus driver has lost his licence for a month and been condemned to a suspended jail term after his private car mounted a pavement and hit two teenagers leaving one of them seriously injured. David Attard, 21, from Qormi admitted to involuntarily causing serious injuries to Reece Debono, 13 and slightly injuring  Kurt Scicluna, 16, while driving at excessive speed. David Attard was in his Volkswagen in St Sebastian Street, Qormi, on Saturday afternoon when he lost control and veered off the road a few metres away from a zebra crossing. One of the victims was slammed against a metal door during the incident. In pleas on punishment, defence lawyer Edward Gatt argued that his client was a first time offender and asked for the minimum punishment to be meted out. Police Inspector Joseph Agius told Magistrate Giovanni Grixti that the vehicle's brake marks measured 43.8 metres and the crash took place five metres away from a zebra crossing. The youngest of the victims ended up with three broken toes and may have to have one of them amputated. Magistrate Grixti handed down a six month jail term suspended for one year and also...

Mepa: Mosta oil clean-up well underway
Mepa said this evening that most of the oil spill reported yesterday at Wied il-Ghasel Mosta, has been successfully removed. The operator of the yard which caused the spill is cooperating with the authorities and will be covering the costs of the operation. The Authority said it had worked to ensure that the  clean up operation which started yesterday, was carried out with sensitivity and successfully concluded in the shortest period of time. The spill started from an adjacent site at Wied Santa Katerina. Yesterday afternoon, Mepa officers immediately went on site following a report by the Police that an oil spill from a 45-gallon drum in an adjacent yard at Wied Santa Katerina had occurred. The Mepa officers assessed the extent of the spill and took steps to ensure that the spill was contained. They then started started to coordinat the clean up. A private company was engaged to assist in the operation. "Mepa will consider what appropriate action to take against the operator after the clean up operation within the valley is completed," the Authority said.

Flight turns back because of damaged cockpit window
An Air Malta fight from Malta to Frankfurt returned to Malta this afternoon as aprecautionary measure due to a damaged cockpit window, the airline said. The flight was uneventful and the aircraft landed normally. Following an aircraft change, flights KM 328/9 will be operated by another aircraft in order to minimise disruption and get passengers to their final destination, Air Malta said. The flight is expected to depart at 7 p.m. The original flight had left at 3.20 p.m.