Arctic temperatures blanket Russia, death toll nears 40

Arctic temperatures gripping most of Russia pushed the reported death toll close to 40 today as weather forecasters warned that no significant thaw was expected in Moscow before February.

In the capital, locked in a deep freeze since late Monday, seven people died overnight, the Interfax news agency reported. That brought the toll in Moscow to 18 and nationwide to 38, but the true number is likely higher because many regions have not reported cold deaths.