Jackie Northam

The Global Afterlife Of Your Donated Clothes

Jackie Northam — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:59:00 +0000

On a bright and warm Saturday morning, there's a steady flow of people dropping off donations at Martha's Table, a charity in downtown Washington, D.C. A mountain of plastic and paper bags stuffed with used dresses, scarves, skirts and footwear expands in one corner of the room. Volunteers sort and put clothes on hangers.

Port Of Baltimore Seeks Boost From Panama Canal Expansion

Jackie Northam — Mon, 06 May 2013 07:42:00 +0000

There is constant motion around four new supersized, Chinese-made cranes as they unload cargo from a ship at the Port of Baltimore's freshly constructed Seagirt Marine Terminal.

Control cabs whir across the cranes' broad steel beams, and thick cables spin from giant wheels. Containers packed with consumer goods — TVs, clothing and the like — are hoisted from the ship and transferred to a flatbed truck waiting 140 feet below; the truck then peels away and is immediately replaced by another.

Britain's Iron Lady, Former Prime Minister Thatcher, Dies

Jackie Northam — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:43:00 +0000

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died Monday following a stroke. She was 87. Despite many accomplishments during her 11 years in office, she was a divisive figure, and there is still much bitterness surrounding the woman who was dubbed the Iron Lady.

Thatcher's long journey to becoming one of Britain's most influential leaders began in humble surroundings. She was born on Oct. 13, 1925, in the small English town of Grantham.

Google's Eric Schmidt Heads To Another Isolated Asian Nation

Jackie Northam — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, who went to North Korea in January, is making a short visit Friday to Myanmar, also known as Burma.

Why is the senior executive of a U.S. technology powerhouse visiting some of the poorest and least wired countries in Asia?

Schmidt will be the first top U.S.

At A Pakistani Mobile Library, Kids Can Check Out Books, And Hope

Jackie Northam — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:34:00 +0000

On a cold, rainy morning, a van pulls up outside a rural elementary school on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan's capital. The fluorescent green vehicle provides a flash of color on this otherwise gray day.

Controversial Cleric Stirs Protests Upon Return To Pakistan

Jackie Northam — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 08:03:00 +0000

In Pakistan, a controversial Muslim cleric has been shaking up the political scene.

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri returned to his home country late last year, after spending eight years in Canada.

Amusement Park Planned In The Town Where Bin Laden Hid Out

Jackie Northam — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:52:00 +0000

Developers in Pakistan will soon break ground on a new amusement park and outdoor activity center, a private, $30 million project billed as a state-of-the-art facility that will bring jobs to a hard-hit area.

But there's one issue that's raising some eyebrows: the site is in Abbottabad, not far from the place where Osama Bin Laden secretly lived until American forces killed him.

This does not trouble Sheikh Kaleemuddin, the project director, who is effusive about the picturesque spot where he plans to build.

A narrow, fast-moving creek courses over a bed of flat stones running through a

Obama's Promise To Close Guantanamo Prison Falls Short

Jackie Northam — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 08:35:00 +0000

In one of his first acts as commander in chief, President Obama in 2009 signed an executive order to close the U.S. detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

It was part of a campaign promise the president made, to close the camp and "determine how to deal with those who have been held there." But four years on, the controversial prison remains open.

The president and his administration believed Guantanamo was a symbol of the contentious counterterrorism policies of his predecessor, George W.

'Algerian Style': Cooperative, To A Point

Jackie Northam — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 10:38:00 +0000

The Algerian government gave no advance notice that it was planning to launch a military operation to rescue hostages at the remote In Amenas natural gas field, despite offers of support and advice by many nations, including the U.S.

The anger and disappointment in Washington is muted, however, because the U.S. sees Algeria as a critical ally in the fight against terrorism.

Logistical Dependence

The U.S. has been nurturing relations with Algeria since the 1990s.

Future Of U.S. Troops Looms Over Afghan Leader's Visit

Jackie Northam — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:49:00 +0000

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is in Washington this week for meetings with President Obama and other senior administration officials. The talks are expected to help set the framework for U.S. involvement in Afghanistan after the bulk of American and NATO forces leave at the end of 2014. One of the key issues to be discussed is the number of American troops to remain in Afghanistan after that date.

Obama and Karzai have met several times in the past, but not always on the best of terms.

In Pakistan, Secrets Of A 3,000-Year-Old Cemetery

Jackie Northam — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 10:59:00 +0000

High on a hill overlooking Pakistan's scenic Swat Valley sits a recently excavated cemetery. Italian archaeologist Luca Maria Olivieri walks across the site and lays a sun-beaten hand on a clay slab jutting out from a high, dun-colored wall.

In Pakistan Shooting, Malala's Friends Also Bear Scars

Jackie Northam — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:01:00 +0000

On Oct. 9, in Mingora, Pakistan, in the country's picturesque Swat Valley, Kainat Riaz left her high school and climbed into the back of a small van. The bright-eyed 16-year-old sat near another schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai.

At just 15, Malala, an outspoken critic of the Taliban, had already earned a name in her country — and internationally — for her courage. Kainat says there was a lot of chatter in the six-seat van as it shuttled the girls home.

Then, in the middle of a busy road, the van suddenly stopped, and a masked gunman got into the vehicle.

"We saw a gun in his hand.

Prisoner Release Shifts Pakistan's Afghan Policy

Jackie Northam — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 08:58:00 +0000

There has been a small but potentially important breakthrough in the faltering Afghan peace process. In what is considered a good-faith gesture, Pakistan last week released at least nine Afghan Taliban prisoners. The move is seen as part of an emerging new strategy by Pakistan as it eyes the looming drawdown of U.S. and Western troops in Afghanistan.

Pakistan's decision to release the prisoners has been met with equal doses of skepticism, surprise and relief.

Blasphemy Charges On The Rise In Pakistan

Jackie Northam — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:58:00 +0000

Pakistan has had 27 blasphemy cases filed so far this year, a figure that alarms human rights groups, who say the law is frequently used to persecute religious minorities.

In a case that has drawn international attention, a judge on Tuesday dismissed blasphemy charges against a Christian girl, Rimsha Masih, ending a three-month order for her and her family.

There are many other, less publicized cases that also have had a broad impact on entir

How The Taliban Is Thwarting The War On Polio

Jackie Northam — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 21:24:00 +0000

Pakistan is one of the remaining corners of the world where polio still lingers. Last year, the government declared a national emergency, and with the help of international institutions, embarked on an aggressive vaccination campaign.

So far, the results have been promising.

Faltering Economy Threatens Pakistan's Stability

Jackie Northam — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 07:47:00 +0000

If you want to gain a good insight into Pakistan's economic situation, just look at a few of the country's newspaper headlines on any given day. The language says it all: prices soar, stocks plunge, budget deficit swells, foreign investment evaporates — and the list goes on.

Now, analysts are increasingly worried that the faltering economy could join Pakistan's pervasive insurgency and repeated political upheavals as another serious threat to the country's stability.

A recent report issued at the World Economic Forum says Pakistan ranks in the bottom 20 out of the world's economies.

Pakistani Minister Stands By Bounty For Filmmaker

Jackie Northam — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 20:30:00 +0000

Despite international condemnation, Pakistan's railways minister says he isn't backing down from his $100,000 bounty offer to anyone who kills the maker of the anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims.

Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, the slight, silver-haired minister, says he was angry when he saw the video and that he's a man of great faith, passionately devoted to the Prophet Muhammad.

Bilour says he could not tolerate any insult to Muhammad and felt he had to do something about it.

Father Of Pakistan's Nukes Enters Politics

Jackie Northam — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 07:29:00 +0000

The man known as the father of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program, Abdul Qadeer Kahn, is a national hero in Pakistan — and a villain in much of the West.

Now, the controversial scientist is trying his hand at politics at the age of 76.

In the U.S., Khan is best known for selling nuclear technology to nations such as North Korea and Iran. In 2004, at the urging of the U.S., Pakistan placed Khan under house arrest. But in 2009, he was freed.

Khurshid Zaman, Khan's chief campaign adviser, says Khan wants to end what he sees as Pakistan's downward spiral and target young voters.

On Remote Island, The Dead Are Buried Far And Wide

Jackie Northam — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 07:27:00 +0000

Grindstone Island's lone public dock is just three miles north of the U.S. mainland, a straight shot by powerboat across the St. Lawrence River from Clayton, N.Y. Part of the Thousand Islands, Grindstone Island sits in a waterway shared by the U.S. and Canada.

Ken Deedy has owned a summer cabin on the island since 1964. On a recent tour, he is joined by another summertime resident, 19-year-old Jack Grobe. Despite their age difference, the two share a deep love of the island and its history.

Japan Looks For Ways To Keep Communities Intact

Jackie Northam — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 20:34:00 +0000

Japanese officials are experimenting with ways to help people displaced by last year's earthquake and tsunami. One idea is to create parallel towns where everyone from the dog-catcher to the schoolteacher can shift to one town while their old village is being rebuilt. It's a way of keeping communities intact. But after more than a year, many of the affected communities have already scattered.

Japan's Nuclear Debate Weighs Safety, Economics

Jackie Northam — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 07:18:00 +0000

At 6 p.m. every Friday — with the kind of precision timing the Japanese live by — the protests in downtown Tokyo begin.

Thousands of Japanese — young, old, in wheelchairs and on skateboards — shout anti-nuclear slogans from behind police barricades that snake around the office of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

Russia, China Block Another U.N. Resolution On Syria

Jackie Northam — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 20:57:00 +0000

Transcript

JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE: I'm Jackie Northam in Washington. Today at the U.N., Russia and China vetoed a Western-backed draft resolution that warned of sanctions against the Syrian regime unless it complies with a peace plan.

This is the third time those two countries have used their veto power to block a resolution on Syria. Britain's U.N.

Syrian Conflict A Haunting Reminder Of Bosnia

Jackie Northam — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 11:58:00 +0000

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Turkish President Abdullah Gul says his country will take necessary action against Syria after Syrian air defense forces shot down a Turkish military plane yesterday. President Gul also says the Turkish plane may have unintentionally have violated Syrian airspace. The incident could have escalated an already-tense crisis, but both Turkey and Syria so far have downplayed the incident and they are cooperating on trying to rescue the pilots.

Once Private, US Now Publicly Criticizes Pakistan

Jackie Northam — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 15:54:00 +0000

How bad are U.S. relations with Pakistan?

Even as ties grew strained over the past few years, U.S. government and military officials generally used diplomatic language when talking about differences with Pakistan.

As Drone Strikes Grow, So Do Concerns Over Use

Jackie Northam — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 06:58:00 +0000

Without question, drones have become the U.S. weapon of choice in the fight against terrorism. Counterterrorism officials say they've come to rely on the pilotless aircraft for their surveillance capability and what officials say is precision targeting. That reliance has led to greater use in the past couple of years, especially in Pakistan and Yemen.

John Bellinger, a State Department legal adviser during the George W.

On Pakistan's 'Sesame Street,' Everything's Not A-OK

Jackie Northam — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 20:50:00 +0000

The U.S. is withdrawing millions of dollars in funding for the Pakistani version of Sesame Street. Officials say the decision stems from serious allegations of fraud directed at the Pakistani theater company that's producing the children's TV program.

Sim Sim Hamara, the Pakistani version of Sesame Street, is set in a mock-up of a typical Pakistani town.

Analysts Try To Define Romney's Foreign Policy

Jackie Northam — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 09:26:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Now, one way Mitt Romney has challenged President Obama is by going after his foreign policy record. Romney has been especially critical of the president's handling of Iran and Syria. But those attacks aside, some analysts say it's been hard to define where Romney stands on key international issues and whether he differs all that much from the president.

Here's NPR's Jackie Northam.

JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE: Till now, the presidential campaign has largely focused on the dismal economy here in the U.S.

NATO Buzzword: 'Sustainment' In Afghanistan

Jackie Northam — Sun, 20 May 2012 12:39:00 +0000

World leaders are gathered in Chicago for a two-day NATO summit starting Sunday morning. This is the third time the U.S. has hosted a NATO summit since the alliance was formed, and the first time it's being held in a city other than Washington, D.C. As NPR's Jackie Northam reports, the agenda will center on a theme: Afghanistan.

Not Your Cold War NATO: Alliance To Examine Itself

Jackie Northam — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:14:00 +0000

This weekend, about 60 heads of state and government, and thousands of others will descend on Chicago to attend a NATO summit. The gathering will focus on the alliance's involvement in Afghanistan — and ensuring a long-term commitment to the country.

But the meeting comes at a time of tension within NATO. Discussions will also include the future of NATO itself, and whether it can overcome its shortfalls.

Unilateral Action In Libya

Those shortfalls were clearly illustrated during the military operation in Libya last year.

Obama, Noda To Discuss Trade, Security Issues

Jackie Northam — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:30:00 +0000

President Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda are meeting at the White House on Monday — the first such meeting between U.S. and Japanese leaders in three years.

Political turmoil in Japan has led to a constant turnover in leadership: There have been six prime ministers in as many years.

"This will be his fourth Japanese prime minister since he [Obama] came into office in 2009," says Sheila Smith, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.