Mark Memmott

Credit Doby Photography / NPR

Mark Memmott is one of the hosts of NPR's "The Two-Way" news blog.

"The Two-Way," which Memmott helped to launched when he came to NPR in 2009, focuses on breaking news, analysis, and the most compelling stories being reported by NPR News and other news media.

Before joining NPR, Memmott worked for nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor at USA Today. He focused on a range of coverage from politics, foreign affairs, economics, and the media. He's reported from places across the Unites States and the world, including half a dozen trips to Afghanistan in 2002-2003.

During his time at USA Today, Memmott, helped launch and lead three USAToday.com news blogs: "On Deadline;" "The Oval;" and "On Politics," the site's 2008 presidential campaign blog.

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The Two-Way
9:54 am
Tue November 27, 2012

GOP Senators More Troubled About Benghazi After Talking With Amb. Rice

Credit Win McNamee / Getty Images
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., speaking to reporters after their meeting with U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice.

Originally published on Thu November 29, 2012 2:56 pm

After meeting with U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice this morning, three key Republican senators emerged to say they're more troubled — not less — by what they say were intelligence failures and misleading information concerning the September attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, which left four Americans dead.

One, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said it's too soon to even be speculating about promoting Rice to be secretary of state.

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The Two-Way
9:03 am
Tue November 27, 2012

Marvin Miller, Union Leader Who Brought Free Agency To Baseball, Dies

Credit / AP
Marvin Miller, who rocked baseball, in 1966.

Marvin Miller, "arguably the most significant figure in 20th century baseball" according to Morning Edition commentator Frank Deford, has died.

The former head of the Major League Baseball Players Association was 95.

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The Two-Way
8:34 am
Tue November 27, 2012

Attention Chinese Media: Kim Jong Un Is 2012's Most Interesting Man

Credit Ed Jones / AFP/Getty Images
The mysterious, most-interesting, super-sexy North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (And if you believe all that, you may be reading too many reports from Chinese media.)

Originally published on Wed November 28, 2012 6:32 am

Update at 8:15 a.m. ET, Nov. 28. And Now, It's Gone:

People's Daily Online has realized it was duped and removed its glorious account of Kim Jong Un's sexiness, NPR's Frank Langfitt tells us.

But you can still read our original post:

Shh.

Please don't tell the editors at People's Daily Online that our headline might not be true.

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The Two-Way
8:13 am
Tue November 27, 2012

Consumer Confidence Edges Up Again; Reaches Highest Point Since Early 2008

Credit Andrew Kelly / Getty Images
If they're confident, they will shop: Two women carry shopping bags down Manhattan's 34th St. last week.

There was a "moderate increase" in American consumers' confidence this month, the private Conference Board just reported.

Its widely watched consumer confidence index rose to 73.7 from 73.1 in October. The index is the highest it has been since February 2008, when the economy had just fallen into recession and was headed down.

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The Two-Way
7:39 am
Tue November 27, 2012

Home Prices Rose For Sixth Month, Survey Shows

Credit Joe Raedle / Getty Images
A sold sign at a housing development in Boca Raton, Fla., earlier this month.

The nation's housing market continues to improve, according to the latest look at home prices across the nation from the analysts who put together the

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The Two-Way
6:58 am
Tue November 27, 2012

Top Stories: Cairo Clashes; Fiscal Cliff Talks; Sandy's Huge Costs

Credit Mark Wilson / Getty Images
Ortley Beach, N.J.: The aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.
The Two-Way
6:32 am
Tue November 27, 2012

Protests, Clashes Build Again In Cairo

Credit Gianluigi Guercia / AFP/Getty Images
A cloud of tear gas surrounds a protester earlier today near Cairo's Tahrir Square.

Originally published on Tue November 27, 2012 11:43 am

As feared, the news that "Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has not given any signal that he is backing down from most of his power grab" has lead to more protests and more violence in the streets of Cairo.

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The Two-Way
6:01 am
Tue November 27, 2012

Deal Reached On Greek Debt, Markets Rise In Relief

Credit Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP/Getty Images
Nov. 7: A protester wrapped in a Greek flag stands in front of the parliament in Athens. Today's agreement may not bring an end to anti-austerity protests in Greece.
  • Teri Schultz reporting on the deal for the NPR Newscast

There's some good news this morning about the country that's come to symbolize Europe's financial problems and the efforts of leaders to shore up their common economy:

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The Two-Way
5:30 am
Tue November 27, 2012

Arafat's Grave Opened, Samples Taken To Be Tested For Poison

Credit Mohammed Abed / AFP/Getty Images
Palestinians walking in front of a mural of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Gaza City earlier today.

Originally published on Thu December 13, 2012 6:36 am

Claims that former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was poisoned with a radioactive substance before his death in 2004 are now literally being put to the test.

Arafat's grave was briefly opened today so that samples could be taken from his remains.

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The Two-Way
12:56 pm
Mon November 26, 2012

News Outlets Punk'd, Somebody Profits: Google Wi-Fi Buy Is A Hoax

Credit Google.com

This Associated Press report today wasn't true:

"Google has bought an operator of Wi-Fi hotspots in high-traffic locations such as airports, hotels and fast-food restaurants. Google Inc. is paying $400 million for ICOA Inc., a Warwick, R.I., company, as part of the search company's efforts to diversify its portfolio."

It was so wrong, in fact, that the AP later moved a "KILL BULLETIN" saying it was:

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The Two-Way
11:43 am
Mon November 26, 2012

Paying For Success: River Otters Are Being Trapped Again In Illinois

Credit Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources
Once almost gone from Illinois, river otters are now back in big numbers.

Originally published on Mon November 26, 2012 3:30 pm

  • On 'Morning Edition': Steve Inskeep speaks Illinois biologist Bob Bluett

"They're wonderful, they're great. But sometimes too much is too much."

That's the basic problem confronting Illinois and its wild river otters, state Department of Natural Resources biologist Bob Bluett said earlier today on Morning Edition.

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The Two-Way
9:03 am
Mon November 26, 2012

SEC Chief Schapiro Is Leaving

Credit Kevin Dietsch / UPI /Landov
Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro.

Originally published on Mon November 26, 2012 9:56 am

Update at 11:50 a.m. ET. Successor Chosen:

Moving quickly after the announcement that Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro is leaving on Dec. 14, the White House just said that President Obama has designated SEC Commissioner Elisse Walter to be her replacement.

In a statement, the president says:

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The Two-Way
8:17 am
Mon November 26, 2012

Supreme Court Turns Down Appeal From Former Rep. William Jefferson

Credit Molly Riley / Reuters /Landov
Former Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., in 2009.

The congressman who became known as "Dollar Bill" Jefferson appears to have run out of options in his bid to overturn a 2009 corruption conviction.

The Supreme Court just announced it will not hear an appeal from former Rep. William Jefferson, D-La. So, as The Times-Picayune says:

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The Two-Way
7:50 am
Mon November 26, 2012

VIDEO: High Dives Into 'World's Biggest Pile Of Leaves'

Credit Bangakang video.

Originally published on Mon November 26, 2012 8:49 am

The Two-Way
6:41 am
Mon November 26, 2012

Top Stories: Fiscal Cliff Compromise? Egypt's Morsi Meets With Judges

Credit Erik S. Lesser / EPA /LANDOV
It's a record: A sign in Atlanta about the $425 million jackpot in the Powerball lottery.

Originally published on Mon November 26, 2012 8:20 am

Good morning.

Earlier, we posted about:

-- Outrage, Protests In Bangladesh After Factory Fire That Killed Scores.

-- 'Cyber Monday,' 'Giving Tuesday;' Then 'Weeping Wednesday?'.

Meanwhile, here are some of the other top headlines of the morning and from over the weekend:

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The Two-Way
6:12 am
Mon November 26, 2012

Outrage, Protests In Bangladesh After Factory Fire That Killed Scores

Credit AFP/Getty Images
Inside the factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, after the blaze.

Originally published on Mon November 26, 2012 8:19 am

Horrific is a word that quickly comes to mind about the news from Bangladesh concerning a fire Saturday in a garment factory where clothes were made for retailers around the world, including some in the U.S.

Here's how The Associated Press starts its latest report:

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The Two-Way
5:36 am
Mon November 26, 2012

'Cyber Monday,' 'Giving Tuesday;' Then 'Weeping Wednesday?'

Credit Allison Joyce / Getty Images
The scene at the registers in a Braintree, Mass., Target store on Black Friday.

Originally published on Mon November 26, 2012 9:15 am

After Grey Thursday, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and No Clever Name For It Sunday, we're on to Cyb

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The Two-Way
8:54 am
Wed November 21, 2012

Does Frodo Know? There's Rumbling Near 'Mount Doom'

Credit Reuters /Landov
A massive plume of ash billows up into the sky as Mount Tongariro erupts at Tongariro National Park earlier today in New Zealand.
The Two-Way
7:50 am
Wed November 21, 2012

Boxer Hector 'Macho' Camacho Shot; 'Prognosis Is Not Good'

Credit Charles Rex Arbogast / AP
March 1, 1997: Hector "Macho" Camacho watches as "Sugar" Ray Leonard falls to the canvas during action in the fifth round of their fight.

"Former world boxing champion Hector 'Macho"' Camacho went into cardiac arrest Wednesday morning but was stabilized by doctors after being shot in the face Tuesday outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico," ESPN reports.

It adds that:

"The situation with 'Macho' is very delicate," Centro Medico director Dr. Ernesto Torres told reporters during a 7 a.m. media briefing on Wednesday. "The prognosis is not good."

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The Two-Way
7:21 am
Wed November 21, 2012

Crazy, But True: One Guy Scores 138 Points, Breaking NCAA Hoops Record

Credit Cory Hall/Grinnell College / AP
Going for the record: Grinnell College's Jack Taylor during Tuesday night's game, in which he scored 138 points.

Originally published on Wed November 21, 2012 9:20 am

We are not making this up:

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The Two-Way
6:49 am
Wed November 21, 2012

Jobless Claims Drop; But Superstorm Sandy's Effects Still Being Felt

Credit Mike Segar / Reuters /Landov
The scene at a career fair last month in New York City.

There were 410,000 first-time claims for unemployment insurance last week, down 41,000 from the level of the week before — when the number of applications soared because of the lingering effects of Superstorm Sandy.

The Employment and Training Administration just released the latest figure. At 410,000, claims were still running at a pace above the pre-Sandy range of 350,000 to 400,000 a week.

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The Two-Way
6:19 am
Wed November 21, 2012

In Congo, Rebels Take Key City

Credit Phil Moore / AFP/Getty Images
A M23 rebel in the streets of Goma.

Originally published on Wed November 21, 2012 7:29 am

After some of the worst fighting in recent years in a country where war is all-too common, rebel forces have taken control of the "strategic eastern city of Goma" in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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The Two-Way
5:14 am
Wed November 21, 2012

No Peace: Bomb Rips Apart Bus In Tel Aviv; Israel Continues Strikes On Gaza

Originally published on Sun November 25, 2012 7:58 am

After a week of bloodshed, Israel and fighters in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip agreed to "hold fire" beginning at 2 p.m. ET today, Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr announced at a joint news conference this afternoon with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Egypt had been trying to broker a truce to end the exchange of rockets and air strikes between Israel and militants in Gaza.

We'll post more on the agreement, which was announced at 12:35 p.m. ET., as the story develops.

Update at 5:55 p.m. ET. 'A Tenuous Nature':

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The Two-Way
11:40 am
Tue November 20, 2012

Time Again To Talk Turkey, And Why Frying Can Be Fatal

Credit State Farm
Don't try this at home: A fryer that was put in a garage and into which a still-frozen bird was placed. Those are two common mistakes.

Originally published on Wed November 21, 2012 6:22 am

The Two-Way
10:15 am
Tue November 20, 2012

VIDEO: Clown, Cop Trade Punches

Credit Mario Tama / Getty Images
It could be hard to run from police in these.

Originally published on Tue November 20, 2012 1:03 pm

We need a break from the day's incredibly serious news. Maybe you do too. If so, check the story from Milwaukee about a guy in a clown suit who was running in and out of traffic — and the fistfight/wrestling match he got into with a police officer.

It was all recorded by a guy with a camera phone. Reportedly, no one was hurt. The clown is said to be a local activist of some sort.

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The Two-Way
9:39 am
Tue November 20, 2012

Elmo Puppeteer Resigns; Calls Sex Allegations A 'Distraction'

Credit Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images
Puppeteer Kevin Clash and Elmo.

Originally published on Tue November 20, 2012 10:22 am

Kevin Clash, the voice and puppeteer who for 28 years has made Sesame Street's Elmo come alive for kids, has resigned because "the controversy surrounding [his] personal life has become a distraction," Sesame Workshop said this morning.

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The Two-Way
8:15 am
Tue November 20, 2012

Former Sen. Warren Rudman Dies

Credit Alex Wong / Getty Images
Former Sen. Warren Rudman, R-N.H., in 2002.

Originally published on Tue November 20, 2012 8:23 am

Former New Hampshire Sen. Warren Rudman has died. His name will always be linked to a 1980s-era effort to tame the federal budget deficit and to a pre-Sept. 11 warning about the nation's security. And he will be remembered as a "moderate" Republican who could work across party lines.

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The Two-Way
7:28 am
Tue November 20, 2012

Charges Filed Against Murdoch Editors Accused Of Paying Officials For Information

Credit Oli Scarff / Getty Images
Rebekah Brooks, who rose to the top spot at Rupert Murdoch's News International.

Originally published on Tue November 20, 2012 9:45 am

British officials today filed more charges against former top editors at some of Rupert Murdoch's newspapers in the U.K., this time for allegedly paying nearly $160,000 to a ministry of defense official to get information.

That information allegedly included the "Green Book" that lists phone numbers and other contact details for members of Britain's royal family.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service, those charged are:

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The Two-Way
6:39 am
Tue November 20, 2012

HP Takes $8.8 Billion Hit From 'Misrepresentations' By Company It Bought

Credit Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
At Hewlett-Packard headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif.

Originally published on Tue November 20, 2012 10:23 am

Saying it was a victim of "serious accounting improprieties, disclosure failures and outright misrepresentations" by a British software company it acquired last year, tech titan Hewlett-Packard just announced it erased $8.8 billion from its books last quarter to properly account for the acquisition.

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The Two-Way
6:06 am
Tue November 20, 2012

Britain Recognizes Syrian Opposition

Credit John Cantlie / AFP/Getty Images
Rubble litters the street in the main souk or market area of Maraat al-Numan, Syria.

Calling it the "sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people," British Foreign Secretary William Hague said today that the U.K. is officially recognizing the Syrian National Coalition, Reuters reports.

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