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.
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Travis McMichael; his father, Greg; and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan all faced nine criminal counts in Georgia state court, including felony murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment.
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NPR's team in Tokyo put together our favorite moments of the Games, where participants showed their athleticism, sportsmanship, and what motivated them to compete.
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This event pitted the world record holder against the defending gold medalist. Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad are both U.S. athletes. Both beat the previous world record.
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Biles looked happy and relieved after dismounting the balance beam, smiling and waving at the crowd to roaring applause. She's still experiencing the "twisties" but has found ways to cope.
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"We are so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam final tomorrow - Suni Lee AND Simone Biles!!" USA Gymnastics said. Biles has withdrawn from other events.
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The U.S. players had a 1-0 loss against Canada in the semifinal. They'll take bronze if they win their next game. The U.S. lost its star goalie to an injury in the first half.
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Suddenly well behind the leaders, Dutch distance runner Sifan Hassan stood up and turned on the gas. Eleven of the world's fastest runners stood between her and victory.
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This competition was initially defined by who wasn't competing. U.S. star Simone Biles, the greatest gymnast of all time and the heavy favorite to win, pulled out to take care of her mental health.
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"I tried to go out here and have fun," the U.S. superstar said, "but once I came out here, I was like, 'no, mental is not there, so I just need to let the girls do it and focus on myself.'"
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From pictogram people to a moving rendition of "Imagine," the Tokyo Olympics' opening ceremony balanced fun with the seriousness of the moment.