Merrit Kennedy Merrit Kennedy is a reporter for the NPR News Desk.
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Merrit Kennedy

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Merrit Kennedy 2018
Allison Shelley/NPR

Merrit Kennedy

Reporter, NPR News Desk

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.

Story Archive

Monday

Thursday

Christiane Amanpour, shown in 2018, said her interview with Iran's president was canceled when she refused to wear a headscarf. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

Tuesday

Friday

Elena Mendoza, 18, on Thursday grieves in front of a cross honoring her cousin, Amerie Jo Garza, one of the victims killed in this week's elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Jae C. Hong/AP hide caption

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Jae C. Hong/AP

Thursday

A memorial to the students and faculty who died stands in front of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. It's not clear who put the memorial up and authorities have not released the names of the deceased. Stephen Lister hide caption

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Stephen Lister

Wednesday

Tuesday

Tuesday

Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff arrive before President Joe Biden speaks at an event to celebrate Black History Month in the East Room of the White House, Monday, Feb. 28, 2022, in Washington. Patrick Semansky/AP hide caption

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Patrick Semansky/AP

Monday

Britain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall speaks to members of staff as she attends the opening of the charity and community Kitchen "Nourish Hub," created to fight against social isolation and loneliness, in west London on Thursday. Geoff Pugh/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Geoff Pugh/AFP via Getty Images

Tuesday

Wednesday

Law enforcement was able to find images on social media of a person who they say appears to be Beeks and is wearing the same jacket as a man who participated in the Jan. 6 riots. U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia hide caption

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U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia

Travis McMichael (from left); his father, Gregory McMichael; and William "Roddie" Bryan have been on trial over the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was fatally shot while out for a run last year in Georgia. Sean Rayford, Octavio Jones-Pool/ Getty Images hide caption

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Sean Rayford, Octavio Jones-Pool/ Getty Images

Karim Benzema of Real Madrid CF, shown here at a match earlier this month, has been found guilty in a blackmail case. Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images hide caption

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Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Wednesday

Sunday

The Japan and Olympic flags fly as country flags are carried in during the closing ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the Summer Olympics on Sunday in Tokyo. Vincent Thian/AP hide caption

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Vincent Thian/AP

Saturday

U.S. runners (from left) Sydney McLaughlin, Dalilah Muhammad, Athing Mu and Allyson Felix celebrate winning the gold medal in the women's 4x400 meter relay at the Tokyo Olympic Games. David Ramos/Getty Images hide caption

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David Ramos/Getty Images

Gold medalist Peres Jepchirchir (left) of Kenya, stands with silver medalist and compatriot Brigid Kosgei, (center) and bronze medalist Molly Seidel (right) of the United States, after the women's marathon at the Summer Olympics in Sapporo, Japan. Eugene Hoshiko/AP hide caption

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Eugene Hoshiko/AP

Friday

Allyson Felix and Quanera Hayes celebrate with their children after placing second and first respectively in the women's 400-meter final at U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials in June in Eugene, Ore. Steph Chambers/Getty Images hide caption

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Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Thursday

U.S. beach volleyball pair April Ross (left) and Alix Klineman celebrate winning a women's beach volleyball gold medal in a match against Australia at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Felipe Dana/AP hide caption

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Felipe Dana/AP

Great Britain's Charlotte Dujardin rides Gio while competing in the Dressage Individual Grand Prix Freestyle Final on July 28 at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Julian Finney/Getty Images hide caption

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Julian Finney/Getty Images