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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18-year-old Ahmed Hafnaoui seemed stunned by the result. "I just can't accept that — it is too incredible," he said after his victory in the 400 meter freestyle event. -
It was a stunning upset. Underdog Sara Sorribes Tormo, from Spain, beat Australia's Ash Barty in straight sets. Barty won Wimbledon just two weeks ago. -
Dutch rower Finn Florijn had already raced and was scheduled to compete again on Saturday when his positive test came back. "Now it's over in an instant," he said. -
The Serbian tennis star is aiming for a "golden slam" — meaning winning all four major tournaments and an Olympic gold medal in a single year. No male tennis player has ever done it. -
From pictogram people to a moving rendition of "Imagine," the Tokyo Olympics' opening ceremony balanced fun with the seriousness of the moment. -
The fanfare and celebration unfolded in a virtually empty stadium, as Japanese protesters gathered nearby to register their discontent over the world's largest sports event. -
Eddy Alvarez, who plays baseball for the U.S. team, could become just the sixth person ever to medal in both the Winter and Summer Olympics. He took home a silver medal in Sochi for speed skating. -
In a corner of the convention center where journalists from around the world are working, volunteers diligently fold origami paper into beautiful and elaborate designs. -
It's another setback for the troubled event on the same week that the ceremony's composer was forced out. Still, the show will go on tomorrow, officially kicking off the long-postponed Tokyo Games.
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The U.S, ranked No. 1 and the reigning World Cup champions, played a familiar foe: Sweden. And unfortunately for the U.S., it was a familiar result. Sweden beat them 3-0.
