TERRA.WIRE
Winter weather death toll nears 100 in Poland
 WARSAW (AFP) Jan 06, 2006
 Ten people have died of exposure to cold in Poland since the start of the year, bringing to 95 the number who have fallen victim to freezing weather this winter, a police spokesman said Friday.

Nearly half of the victims were homeless people, said police spokesman Marcin Szyndler, and the vast majority were men between the age of 35 and 50 under the influence of alcohol.

The weather bureau has forecast temperatures as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius (five degrees Fahrenheit) for the weekend.

Last winter, some 180 people died of cold in Poland, according to police statistics.