January 10, 2002	Thursday	Shawwal 25, 1422

MOSCOW, Jan 9: Three hundred people have died from the effects of cold weather in Moscow since the beginning of winter, city officials said on Wednesday cited by RIA-Novosti. Three more people have died in the last 24 hours and 29 have been admitted to hospital, they told the news agency.

Temperatures in Moscow have dropped to minus 27 degrees Celsius and heavy snowfalls have been recorded.

Most of the victims are homeless people who fall asleep in the open after drinking large quantities of alcohol, the officials said.

WARMER WINTER: Much of the Middle East may have been blanketed in heavy snow this week but the southern Gulf is enjoying an even warmer than average winter with balmy temperatures brushing 30 Celsius.

The freezing air which has brought misery to much of Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories and Syria has pushed warmer air into the southern region, Dubai Met Office duty forecaster Clive Stevens said.

“December 2001 was exceptional,” Stevens told AFP. “Highs and lows were a good three degrees above average in Dubai,” Stevens said.

Dubai recorded 28C on Tuesday and the maximum was expected to stay the same Wednesday.—AFP