USVI eyes fiscal stimulus dollars

The United States Virgin Islands is preparing to take advantage of new spending opportunities in the fiscal stimulus package passed by the US House of Representatives.
Governor John de Jongh summoned officials and advisers to an early meeting because he says the House bill has strict deadlines.
He said the package was expected to make tens of millions of dollars available to the Virgin Islands for infrastructural projects, as well as other programmes.
President Obama’s proposed $819 billion stimulus package is expected to go before the Senate next week.

At least 31 Mexicans have died from causes relating to cold weather since early October, most of them from carbon monoxide poisoning, the government health ministry said Monday.
Carbon monoxide poisoning often occurs when charcoal grills, propane gas stoves or other fires are used as heat sources inside a dwelling that is not well ventilated. Few homes in Mexico have central heating.
The deaths were recorded in eight of Mexico‘s 31 states. Chihuahua, in northern Mexico, recorded the most deaths — 10. Extreme cold led to eight deaths during the second week of January in the states of Chihuahua, Sonora and Michoacan, health officials said.
Last year, the health ministry reported 52 weather-related deaths in the October-March cold weather season.