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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United's CEO says the change was a top request from customers. Delta and American followed suit after United's announcement. Airlines are trying to coax wary customers to return amid the pandemic. -
So far, 71 players have tested positive for the coronavirus, the MLB said on Friday. "I'm actually kind of pleased it's as low as that," the league's medical director says. -
The Byzantine-era architectural marvel has been used as a museum since 1934 and is widely regarded as a symbol of peaceful religious coexistence. A court ruling Friday revoked its museum status. -
"There's no light switch here. It's more like a dimmer," Gavin Newsom said Tuesday. "That dimmer is this toggling back and forth between more restrictive and less restrictive measures." -
Sub-Saharan Africa is home to some of the world's fastest-growing economies. But the World Bank projects its economies could pull back as much as 5.1% this year, driven by the coronavirus pandemic. -
The number of coronavirus cases in New York is doubling every four days — a marked decrease from early on in the outbreak, when it was doubling every 2 1/2 days. -
It's not clear how long the measures, which affect foreigners holding valid visas and residence permits, will remain in place. Exemptions will be made for diplomats and plane crews. -
Boris Johnson has ordered that people stay in their homes, aside from four exemptions. Only essential businesses will be allowed to stay open and the police will be empowered to enforce the measures. -
The top leaders of the U.S. organization say postponement from the planned July 24 opening is best, and international officials should ensure that conditions are safe and fair for all competitors. -
The department expects about 1,000 U.S. citizens and permanent residents to leave Morocco using the chartered flights. The country had imposed sudden, sweeping restrictions on travel.
