Monday, February 24, 2020
WHO says coronavirus ‘absolutely’ has potential for pandemic status as Italy, Iran brace for surge
Health officials stressed on Monday that while Iran and Italy have reported a surge in coronavirus cases over the last several days and raced to cancel public events, the outbreak, which originated in China, has not yet met the criteria for a pandemic, although it “absolutely” has the potential to get there.
“Using the term pandemic now, it doesn’t fit the facts, but it may cause fear,” World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a press conference on Monday. “Now is not the time to focus on what word we use – it will not prevent a single infection or save a single life.”
Friday, August 7, 2015
I WARNED YOU CLARENCE, I TOLD YOU DON'T STEAL FROM ME.
on September 08, 2014 at 11:52 AM, updated September 08, 2014 at 12:20 PM
Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin arrived at federal prison in Texas on Monday only minutes before the noon deadline to report for the start of his 10-year sentence on corruption charges.
With a phalanx of TV camera crews lining the road across from Federal Correctional Institution Texarkana in Texarkana, Texas, Nagin pulled into the prison parking lot in his white Ford Focus, with his wife, Seletha, sons Jarin and Jeremy and teenage daughter as passengers. He arrived at a guard house at the minimum-security prison's entrance with about 10 minutes to spare.
From the vantage point of the livestream video on WDSU.com, Nagin could be seen walking to the prison entrance with his family walking beside him. On the steps of a guardhouse, Nagin was greeted by a prison official. He embraced with his wife and children, who then walked back to the parking lot.
From the vantage point of the livestream video camera on WDSU.com, Nagin could be seen raising his arms as a prison guard passed a metal detector over him. He carried no belongings with him; prison inmates are generally advised to bring nothing with them.
Nagin's family pulled out of the lot a few moments later.
Monday, November 1, 2010
HOW HE GOT HIS
Greg Meffert, former city tech chief, pleads guilty
Published: Monday, November 01, 2010, 4:15 PM Updated: Monday, November 01, 2010, 5:58 PM
Former New Orleans city technology chief Greg Meffert pleaded guilty this afternoon to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bribery and one count of filing a false income tax return.
Greg Meffert, former Mayor Ray Nagin's technology chief, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to deprive citizens of New Orleans of honest services.
His wife, Linda, has agreed to complete a pretrial diversion program. She will avoid time in prison provided she completes the program satisfactorily, prosecutors said.
As part of his plea, Meffert signed a statement admitting he steered roughly $4 million in no-bid city work to city contractor Mark St. Pierre and accepted more than $860,000 in bribes and kickbacks in return.
A grand jury had charged Meffert, his wife and St. Pierre with conspiracy, bribery and public corruption in a sweeping 63-count federal indictment just over a year ago.
Meffert entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon.
U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said the federal investigation began with a probe by the city's inspector general.
"It is a new day in New Orleans,'' inspector general Ed Quatrevaux said.
Letten said that Meffert "manipulated the procurement process to funnel millions in city funds to St. Pierre through his companies.
Meffert had "agreed to fully cooperate and provide truthful testimony when called upon.'' Letten said.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 3 and St. Pierre is still scheduled to stand trial on his own on Jan. 24.
For the first count he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. For the second count he faces a maximum of three years.
When asked by Falllon if he was pleading guilty because he was in fact guilty of the crime, Meffert said in a barely audible voice: "Yes, sir.''
The false tax return charges involves $65,818.42 of income that Meffert received and did not report to the IRS.
The bribes Meffert acknowleged included a $38,000 check, about $130,000 he charged to St. Pierre's corporate credit card, membersship dues of $7,500, personal expenses of $35,000 and about $647,000 he received from St. Pierre's company NetMethods after Meffert left his city post.
Published: Monday, November 01, 2010, 4:15 PM Updated: Monday, November 01, 2010, 5:58 PM
Former New Orleans city technology chief Greg Meffert pleaded guilty this afternoon to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bribery and one count of filing a false income tax return.
Greg Meffert, former Mayor Ray Nagin's technology chief, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to deprive citizens of New Orleans of honest services.
His wife, Linda, has agreed to complete a pretrial diversion program. She will avoid time in prison provided she completes the program satisfactorily, prosecutors said.
As part of his plea, Meffert signed a statement admitting he steered roughly $4 million in no-bid city work to city contractor Mark St. Pierre and accepted more than $860,000 in bribes and kickbacks in return.
A grand jury had charged Meffert, his wife and St. Pierre with conspiracy, bribery and public corruption in a sweeping 63-count federal indictment just over a year ago.
Meffert entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon.
U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said the federal investigation began with a probe by the city's inspector general.
"It is a new day in New Orleans,'' inspector general Ed Quatrevaux said.
Letten said that Meffert "manipulated the procurement process to funnel millions in city funds to St. Pierre through his companies.
Meffert had "agreed to fully cooperate and provide truthful testimony when called upon.'' Letten said.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 3 and St. Pierre is still scheduled to stand trial on his own on Jan. 24.
For the first count he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. For the second count he faces a maximum of three years.
When asked by Falllon if he was pleading guilty because he was in fact guilty of the crime, Meffert said in a barely audible voice: "Yes, sir.''
The false tax return charges involves $65,818.42 of income that Meffert received and did not report to the IRS.
The bribes Meffert acknowleged included a $38,000 check, about $130,000 he charged to St. Pierre's corporate credit card, membersship dues of $7,500, personal expenses of $35,000 and about $647,000 he received from St. Pierre's company NetMethods after Meffert left his city post.
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