Canada's winter so tame, festival buys fake snow

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - The usually frigid Canadian city of Winnipeg - often nicknamed Winterpeg - has been so mild and dry this winter that a popular snow-sculpting competition has been forced to truck in 200 loads of fake flakes for this year's annual event.

While Europe shivers through a severe cold snap that has killed hundreds of people, Winnipeg has enjoyed its third-mildest January in more than a century, with the average temperature a relatively balmy -10.8 Celsius (12.6 Fahrenheit).