Christopher Flavelle was an intern at ProPublica. He has written for Newsweek, Slate and The Washington Post, and produced videos for The New York Times' Web site. He is also a contributing writer for The Big Money, Slate's new business and economics site. Before studying at Columbia Universityâs School of International and Public Affairs, Christopher was chief speechwriter to the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, and an assistant editor at The Walrus magazine in Toronto. He has a bachelorâs degree in political science from McGill University.
Christopher Flavelle
Intern
Stimulus Money Paid Out Now Exceeds Money in the Pipeline
The spending of stimulus funds is finally outpacing the commitment to spend it. About $153 billion has been spent, with another $152 billion pledged but not yet spent. Another $267 billion isn’t yet allocated.
Washington to Reduce Funding for U.S. Contractors in Pakistan
The U.S. is planning to shift more of the aid money it spends in Pakistan to Pakistani NGOs and contractors, a move that has raised concerns about tracking how it's spent. Development groups say the money increases the opportunities for corruption, and note that Pakistani accounting firms, which would track the funds, have been criticized for not meeting standards.
Gitmo Detainees Coming to America; Next Steps Unclear
The U.S. said it would transfer some Guantanamo detainees to a nearly vacant maximum security prison in Illinois, part of the promise to close Guantanamo. The prisoners would be those who would face military tribunals, but how many would end up there is still unclear, as are other details.
