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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Tehran says it will start injecting uranium gas into centrifuges, the latest in a series of breaches since President Trump's decision to abandon the nuclear deal and impose economic sanctions. -
The new law greatly expands Russia's grip on its citizens' Internet content. Rights groups are highly critical, and Internet experts say it could be difficult to actually implement. -
The paramilitary forces have "unlawfully targeted civilians because of mistaken identity, poor intelligence, or political rivalries in the locality," according to Human Rights Watch. -
John Sullivan's confirmation hearing was a window into discussions at the State Department over Ukraine relations — as impeachment testimony hearings are happening behind closed doors. -
"It is a huge honor," the Swedish activist said of the Nordic Council Environment Prize. "But the climate movement does not need any more awards." -
"I hope to have proven that anything is possible with some determination, self-belief and positivity," said climber Nirmal Purja. The previous record-holder took more than seven years longer. -
There are a lot of unanswered questions, like whether Kurdish forces are actually withdrawing from the border. The Pentagon says U.S. ground forces won't be involved in enforcing a "safe zone." -
The vice president led a delegation to try to persuade the Turkish president to stop the military push and enact a cease-fire. The Turkish foreign minister says the deal brokered is not a cease-fire. -
An American who spent four days in Egyptian jail tells the story of how he was caught at one of the government's now-infamous spot phone searches.
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The porn website has been shut down and 23 children were rescued. "You may try to hide behind technology, but we will find you and we will arrest and prosecute you," a federal official warns.
