From Russia's cold to sunny Malta

Sixty-five orphaned Russian children arrived yesterday to spend the summer with families here.

The children were brought to Malta by the International Charity Society and will remain here until September.

Connie Holland, the society's spokesman, said the mayor of the Tver region in Russia accompanied the children. She said the mayor was interested in having a twinning agreement with a Maltese locality.

Ms Holland said the directors of education and social welfare as well as the head of the education department of the Tver region, together with three officials from Moscow also arrived in Malta.

They will discuss the holidays for Russian orphans. Russian children come to Malta for around four months in summer, a month at Christmas time and another month at Easter, staying with Maltese families.