Merrit Kennedy
Merrit Kennedy is a reporter for NPR's News Desk. She covers a broad range of issues, from the latest developments out of the Middle East to science research news.
Kennedy joined NPR in Washington, D.C., in December 2015, after seven years living and working in Egypt. She started her journalism career at the beginning of the Egyptian uprising in 2011 and chronicled the ousting of two presidents, eight rounds of elections, and numerous major outbreaks of violence for NPR and other news outlets. She has also worked as a reporter and television producer in Cairo for The Associated Press, covering Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan.
She grew up in Los Angeles, the Middle East, and places in between, and holds a bachelor's degree in international relations from Stanford University and a master's degree in international human rights law from The American University in Cairo.
-
Actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin are among 33 parents who paid large sums of money to cheat admissions standards at prestigious schools, federal prosecutors say.
-
U.S. authorities have identified at least six suspicious packages that were mailed to leading Democratic figures and CNN since Monday. Some of them appear to be similar.
-
Saudi officials admit the journalist died in a fight at the country's consulate in Istanbul. The announcement reverses repeated claims by the Saudis that he had not died there.
-
"Sometimes, life gives you lemons. Sometimes, it gives you bananas," says the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. "And sometimes, it gives you something you'd never expect!"
-
The National Hurricane Center says the storm's eyewall is ashore in North Carolina, where more than 20 inches of rain has fallen and storm surge has reached 10 feet in some places.
-
Moonves has been accused by at least 12 women of sexual misconduct, including forcing women to perform sex acts on him. He claims that he abided by the principle that " 'no' means 'no.' "
-
There are more than 20 reports of smoke or fire coming from the seat belts in certain Ford F-150 models. There are at least three reports of cars "totally destroyed" by fire.
-
The Justice Department says Harvard has "failed to show that it does not unlawfully discriminate against Asian-Americans." Harvard says it doesn't discriminate against any group.
-
Congressional leaders called it a "rare honor" for the Arizona Senator, who died Saturday. Fewer than three dozen people have received this honor, reserved for the nation's "most eminent citizens."
-
The shooting happened during a Madden NFL competition at a video game bar in downtown Jacksonville. A male suspect killed at least two people before taking his own life. Eleven others are injured.