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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8:25am

Mon May 6, 2013
The Two-Way

Joy Turns To Tragedy As Bride And 4 Others Die In Limo Fire

Originally published on Mon May 6, 2013 12:39 pm

Credit Jane Tyska/Oakland Tribune / MCT /Landov

This is one of the weekend's saddest stories.

Investigators are trying to determine what caused a horrific fire inside a limousine late Saturday night on the San Mateo Bridge over San Francisco Bay. A new bride and four of her friends — all women — died as they tried to escape. Four other women, who had also been celebrating Neriza Fojas' recent marriage, managed to escape. So did the driver.

As The San Francisco Chronicle says:

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7:27am

Mon May 6, 2013

7:04am

Mon May 6, 2013
The Two-Way

Syrian Rebels May Have Used Sarin, U.N. Investigator Says

Originally published on Mon May 6, 2013 1:07 pm

Credit Salvatore Di Nolfi / EPA /LANDOV

Update at 1:55 p.m. ET: White House Is "Highly Skeptical":

At the White House this afternoon, spokesman Jay Carney said the U.S. is "highly skeptical" of the comments made over the weekend by international prosecutor Carla del Ponte, who said there are "strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof" that rebels in Syria have used sarin gas.

We've been covering del Ponte's comments, and the reaction to them, through the day. Scroll down to see an earlier update and our original post.

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6:16am

Mon May 6, 2013
The Two-Way

Boston-Area Cemeteries Say No To Burying Bombing Suspect

Originally published on Mon May 6, 2013 7:47 am

Credit Barcroft Media / Barcroft Media /Landov
  • From the NPR Newcast: WBUR's Deborah Becker reports (with introduction from Jean Cochran)

Officials in Cambridge, Mass., have urged the family of deceased Boston Marathon bombings suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev not to ask that he be buried in a city-owned cemetery. Meanwhile, at least four private cemeteries in the area have already turned down such a request.

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12:32pm

Fri May 3, 2013

8:25am

Fri May 3, 2013
The Two-Way

165,000 Jobs Added In April, Jobless Rate Fell To 7.5 Percent

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 9:05 am

Credit Spencer Platt / Getty Images

(Most recent update: 10 a.m. ET.)

The nation's jobless rate edged down to 7.5 percent in April from 7.6 percent in March and employers added 165,000 jobs to their payrolls last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday morning.

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7:24am

Fri May 3, 2013
The Two-Way

Cocaine & Heroin May Have Played Role In Chris Kelly's Death

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 7:56 am

Credit Paras Griffin / Landov

"Former Kris Kross rapper Chris Kelly had taken a mixture of cocaine and heroin the night before his death and had a history of drug abuse, according to a police report released Thursday," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The newspaper adds that:

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6:42am

Fri May 3, 2013
The Two-Way

Reports: American Refueling Plane Crashes In Kyrgyzstan

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 7:55 am

An American military refueling plane crashed Friday in Kyrgyzstan, according to that nation's emergencies ministry.

The Associated Press says "there was no immediate word on any casualties."

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6:02am

Fri May 3, 2013
The Two-Way

Plodding Along Or Picking Up Speed? News On Job Growth Due

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 7:53 am

Credit Shannon Stapleton / Reuters /Landov

Update at 8:35 a.m. ET. Better Than Expected:

165,000 Jobs Added In April, Jobless Rate Fell To 7.5 Percent

Our original post:

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12:24pm

Thu May 2, 2013
The Two-Way

'Warren Is In The House,' Buffett Says As He Joins Twitter

Originally published on Thu May 2, 2013 12:33 pm

Credit Twitter.com/WarrenBuffett

Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor known as the "oracle of Omaha" and renowned for making lots of money for both himself and his Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, joined Twitter on Thursday.

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10:39am

Thu May 2, 2013
The Two-Way

Charges Possible In Death Of Ky. 2-Year-Old Shot By Brother

Originally published on Thu May 2, 2013 11:23 am

Credit Dylan Lovan / AP

The heartbreaking death of a 2-year-old Kentucky girl who was shot and killed Tuesday by her 5-year-old brother with a rifle he had been given as a gift might lead to criminal charges.

The Lexington Herald-Leader writes that "Kentucky State Police said Wednesday it is too early to say whether charges will be filed in the case of a 5-year-old boy who accidentally shot and killed his 2-year-old sister."

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9:31am

Thu May 2, 2013
The Two-Way

Obama Picks Major Fundraiser To Be Next Commerce Secretary

Originally published on Thu May 2, 2013 10:29 am

Credit Nancy Stone / MCT /Landov

Penny Pritzker, one of the nation's richest people and a "longtime political supporter and heavyweight fundraiser," as The Chicago Tribune writes, is President Obama's choice to be his next secretary of commerce.

The president announced the news this hour at the White House. He also said that one of his economic advisers, Michael Froman, is his choice to be the next U.S. trade representative.

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8:07am

Thu May 2, 2013
The Two-Way

Boston Bombings: A Guide To Who's Who

Originally published on Thu May 2, 2013 9:30 am

As the investigation continues into the April 15 bombings at the Boston Marathon and the crimes that followed, more names are being added to the story. Here's a guide that we'll keep updating, with links to relevant posts or stories. As always, if new information comes in that changes what is being said about anyone, we will pass that along:

THE VICTIMS

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7:54am

Thu May 2, 2013
The Two-Way

Weekly Jobless Claims Drop Again, Stay Near 5-Year Low

Originally published on Thu May 2, 2013 8:33 am

There were 324,000 first-time claims for unemployment insurance last week, down 18,000 from the previous week's 342,000, the Employment and Training Administration reports.

Claims continue to run around the lowest pace since early 2008 — they haven't been lower since a week in mid-January 2008 when they came in at 321,000.

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6:08am

Thu May 2, 2013
The Two-Way

Rapper Chris Kelly Dies, 'Jump' Was Hit For Duo Kris Kross

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 7:11 am

Credit KrisKrossVEVO
  • LISTEN: A clip from "Jump"

Update at 8:10 a.m. ET, May 3. A New Post:

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