Winter weather around the world - in pictures

Al Qusayr, Syria: Men wait to buy bread in front of a bakery shop three miles southwest of Homs Photograph: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters

Kabul, Afghanistan: Refugee children wait to receive food donations during a snowstorm at a refugee camp. More than 40 people, most of them children, have frozen to death in what has been Afghanistan's coldest winter in years Photograph: Musadeq Sadeq/AP

Athens, Greece: A couple seek cover during a heavy snowfall on the mountain of Penteli. Ferry services have been canceled at three main ports, as a bout of winter weather dumps snow around the country Photograph: Thanassis Stavrakis/AP

Islamabad, Pakistan: A man helps his wife to walk on the snow next to a snow sculpture Photograph: Muhammed Muheisen/AP

Jerusalem, Israel: Two Haredi Ultra-Orthodox youngsters walk through a snowstorm at the Mea Shaarim neighborhood. For the first time in four years, heavy snowfall has hit Jerusalem and other parts of Israel and the Palestinian Territories Photograph: Abir Sultan/EPA

Tokyo, Japan: A pedestrian walks on a snow-covered street Photograph: Reuters

Gagangeri, India: A Kashmiri villager slips as he clears snow off the roof of his house, which is under construction Photograph: Dar Yasin/AP

Kfar Shuba, Lebanon: A man rides a donkey in the snow Photograph: ALI DIA/AFP/Getty Images

Beytussebap, Turkey: A young man tries to clear the snow as children play beside a snowman Photograph: AP

Jerusalem, Israel: Ultra-Orthodox men at the Western Wall Photograph: Jim Hollander/EPA

Hebron, West Bank: Palestinian youths throw snowballs as they play next to an Israeli army position Photograph: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images

Gagangeri, India: A Kashmiri villager carries vegetables on his shoulders as he walks home on a snow-covered path. Heavy snowfall across Kashmir valley has prompted authorities to issue an avalanche warning for most areas lying close to the mountains Photograph: Dar Yasin/AP

Ankara, Turkey: Soldiers clear snow before a ceremony at Anitkabir, the mausoleum of modern Turkey's founder Ataturk Photograph: Reuters

Amman, Jordan: People play in the snow after a heavy snowstorm Photograph: Muhammad Hamed/Reuters

Hebron, West Bank: Israeli soldiers patrol a street during a snow storm Photograph: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images

Tokyo, Japan: A woman strolls through trees. Heavy snowfalls affected wide areas in eastern Japan, especially in Tokyo where railway services were disrupted during the morning rush hour Photograph: Franck Robichon/EPA

Bagram, Afghanistan: Two men walk on a snow covered field Photograph: Erik De Castro/Reuters

Jerusalem, Israel: Ultra-orthodox Jewish children finish a snowman Photograph: Bernat Armangue/AP

Tokyo, Japan: A miko, or shrine maiden, walks as snow falls at Meiji Shrine Photograph: Franck Robichon/EPA

Lapland, Finland.: A male brown bear wakes up after winter hibernation at Ranua Zoo. After a short stroll he decided to continue his nap in a soft snow bank Photograph: Kaisa Siren/AP