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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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. -
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Russian leader says he's pushing back a constitutional referendum that could pave the way for him to remain in power until 2036. -
The U.N. human rights chief says authorities should look for ways to release people in detention who are especially vulnerable to the disease, such as those who are elderly or who have health issues. -
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. -
Officials say there are simply too many people still on the streets with no justification. The country just registered its largest death toll in a single day since the start of the outbreak. -
The agreement is similar to one announced earlier this week to partially close the U.S. border with Canada. Both will go into effect on Saturday, Trump administration officials said. -
"All taxpayers and businesses will have this additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday. -
Right now just over 2,000 members of the National Guard are assisting governors in 27 states, but the head of the National Guard Bureau said that number could double by this weekend.
