- The government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is waging an active campaign to discredit a new global estimate of modern slavery developed by the International Labor Organization, the International Organization for Migration and the Australia based Walk Free Foundation. The recently published reports estimate that 40 million people across the globe are victims of forced labor, forced marriage and human trafficking. The research found that over 60 percent of the victims of slavery live in the Asia-Pacific region. (“U.N. Denies India Singled Out Over Slavery Estimates,” Reuters, Oct. 6, 2017; “India Slammed for Slavery, We Need to Counter: IB to Govt,” Indian Express, Oct. 4, 2017)
- Under intense pressure to end Chicago’s epidemic of violence, politicians and federal law enforcement agencies waged a new campaign against street level gun dealers. The new drive used paid informants who set up gun deals that entrapped numerous inner-city residents for selling guns. (“How Chicago Gets Its Guns,” ProPublica Illinois, Oct. 10, 2017)
- Amid the fury of recent hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, Louisiana had made substantial investments in coastal land protection. This includes developing a new coastal floodgate system of levees and locks to protect Terrebonne Parish from storm surges. It’s one of the costliest infrastructure projects made without the aid of US government funding. (“In Race against Rising Seas, Louisiana Scrambles to Save Dwindling Coast,” Christian Science Monitor, Aug. 3, 2017)
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