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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1:24pm

Wed May 22, 2013
The Two-Way

Male Sergeant May Have Filmed Female Cadets At West Point

Credit Greg Mathieson / MAI /Landov

A male sergeant at West Point has been accused of secretly videotaping at least a dozen female cadets, sometimes when they were showering, The New York Times reports.

Gen. John F. Campbell, the army's vice chief of staff, tells the Times that "once notified of the violation, a full investigation was launched, followed by swift action to correct the problem."

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11:25am

Wed May 22, 2013
The Two-Way

Bernanke Hints Economy Still Needs Help; Home Sales Rise

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 11:37 am

Credit Alex Wong / Getty Images

In the nearly impenetrable language that comes with his job, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress on Wednesday that even though the economy is doing better, the central bank needs to keep giving it a boost.

The key passage from his prepared testimony:

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10:50am

Wed May 22, 2013
The Two-Way

'I Have Not Done Anything Wrong,' Says Key IRS Official

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 12:11 pm

Credit Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

"I have not done anything wrong. I have not broken any laws. I have not violated any IRS rules or regulations."

That was the word Wednesday morning from Lois Lerner, the Internal Revenue Service official at the center of the political storm over the agency's targeting of some conservative groups that were given extra scrutiny from 2010 into 2012.

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9:48am

Wed May 22, 2013
The Two-Way

Man Killed By FBI In Florida Was Linked To Boston Suspect

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 11:50 am

In Orlando, Fla., early Wednesday "an FBI agent was involved in a deadly shooting connected to the Boston Marathon bombing case," NBC News is reporting. A man who was being questioned by the agent is dead. NPR's Dina Temple-Raston and Carrie Johnson have also confirmed the news.

Just how firm the man's alleged connection to the marathon case is, though, remains unclear.

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8:33am

Wed May 22, 2013
The Two-Way

Eric Garcetti Wins L.A. Mayor's Race

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 11:13 am

Credit Lucy Nicholson / Reuters /Landov

The next mayor of Los Angeles will be City Councilman Eric Garcetti.

In a race in which the two top contenders were both Democrats, the 42-year-old Garcetti has opened a 7- to 8-percentage-point lead over City Controller Wendy Greuel as Tuesday's votes are being counted.

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7:57am

Wed May 22, 2013
The Two-Way

Anthony Weiner Jumps Into Race To Be NYC Mayor

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 11:03 am

Credit Andrew Gombert / EPA /Landov

7:10am

Wed May 22, 2013
The Two-Way

In Oklahoma, Rescue Efforts Give Way To Recovery

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 8:49 pm

Credit Rick Wilking / Reuters /Landov
  • On 'Morning Edition': Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin speaks with NPR's David Greene
  • On 'Morning Edition': David Schaper reports from Moore, Okla.

(Most recent update: 8:30 p.m. ET.)

The news Wednesday from Moore, Okla., much of which was destroyed by a massive tornado Monday, begins with word that officials doubt they will find any more survivors or bodies under the hundreds of homes, businesses and other buildings that were leveled.

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12:52pm

Tue May 21, 2013
The Two-Way

VIDEO: Tears Flow As Mom Finds Son After Tornado

Credit The Oklahoman

We don't need to say much. Just watch this video from The Oklahoman of Trenda Purcell's reunion Monday with her 8-year-old son Kamden, who she found safe and sound after the tornado that swept through Moore, Okla.

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12:05pm

Tue May 21, 2013
The Two-Way

'I Was Dismayed' To Learn What Agency Did, Ex-IRS Chief Says

Facing questions for the first time about why Internal Revenue Service personnel singled out some conservative groups for inappropriate scrutiny while he was head of the agency, former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman told Congress on Tuesday that "I was dismayed and I was saddened" to learn about what had happened under his watch.

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7:11am

Tue May 21, 2013
The Two-Way

IRS Officials To Be On Hot Seat

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 11:18 am

Credit Dennis Brack / Landov

Both the former IRS commissioner who was in charge when the agency singled out some conservative groups for extra scrutiny and the man who replaced him will be appearing at a Senate Finance Committee hearing Tuesday morning.

Douglas Shulman, an appointee of President George W. Bush who left the IRS last November, and acting commissioner Steven Miller (who is losing his job because of the scandal) are due at the 10 a.m. ET hearing.

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6:33am

Tue May 21, 2013
The Two-Way

Death Toll Climbing In Oklahoma Tornado Tragedy

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 8:48 pm

Credit RIchard Rowe / Reuters /Landov

(We're following the news from Oklahoma, where a tornado devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday. Most recent update: 8:40 p.m. ET.)

A day after a monster EF-5 tornado pummeled Moore, Okla., the focus turned to the victims.

NPR's Wade Goodwyn spent the day in the city talking to survivors. Christie Parrish decided to leave her home for her sister's shelter.

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2:35pm

Mon May 20, 2013
The Two-Way

Turnabout Is Fair Play: Senators Have Many Questions For IRS

Credit Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images

The Internal Revenue Service is under fire for improperly singling out some conservative groups for extra scrutiny — putting them through months (or longer) of questions that delayed or derailed the organizations' requests for tax-exempt status.

Well, now the chairman and ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee have some questions and requests — actually dozens of them — for the IRS.

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1:46pm

Mon May 20, 2013
The Two-Way

ABC's Karl Expresses Regret, But Stands By Benghazi Story

Credit ABCNews.go.com

ABC News White House correspondent Jonathan Karl now says he regrets that some key parts of a major story he reported on May 10 were wrong.

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11:56am

Mon May 20, 2013

11:00am

Mon May 20, 2013
The Two-Way

Supreme Court Takes Case On Prayer At Government Meetings

Credit Jonathan Ernst / Reuters /Landov

A challenge to the way a western New York State town board has had prayers read before its public meetings has made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The justices announced Monday morning that they will hear oral arguments in the case of Greece, N.Y. v. Galloway, Susan.

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9:01am

Mon May 20, 2013

8:41am

Mon May 20, 2013
The Two-Way

Pledging Not To 'Screw It Up,' Yahoo Seals Deal For Tumblr

Originally published on Mon May 20, 2013 9:06 am

Credit Fred Dufour / AFP/Getty Images

The news that broke Sunday is now official.

Yahoo confirmed early Monday morning that it is buying Tumblr in a deal worth about $1.1 billion. "Per the agreement and our promise not to screw it up, Tumblr will be independently operated as a separate business," Yahoo added.

In its statement announcing the deal, Yahoo says that:

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8:08am

Mon May 20, 2013

6:52am

Mon May 20, 2013
The Two-Way

Nation's Midsection Braces For More Severe Storms

Originally published on Mon May 20, 2013 11:14 am

There's no relief today for folks in the nation's midsection.

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2:05pm

Fri May 17, 2013
The Two-Way

Aw-Inspiring Video: Sea Lion Worries When Little Girl Falls

Originally published on Sun May 19, 2013 7:28 am

Credit Live Leak

Take a break from the scandal du jour for something that's just darn nice.

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12:41pm

Fri May 17, 2013
The Two-Way

Washington Green? State Creates Logo For Legal Pot

T-shirts will surely be made:

Along with draft rules for how to become a licensed grower or seller of marijuana, the Washington State Liquor Control Board this week released the official "icon logo" that will need to be put on packages of pot and "marijuana-infused products sold at retail."

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10:41am

Fri May 17, 2013
The Two-Way

Famed Race Driver Dick Trickle Dies, Suicide Suspected

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 12:36 pm

Credit Bill Hall / Getty Images

Dick Trickle, a "short-track hero" in the '70s and '80s who moved to the NASCAR circuit later in his career, died Thursday.

According to The Charlotte Observer, the 71-year-old was killed by "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Lincoln County [N.C.] deputies said."

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8:54am

Fri May 17, 2013
The Two-Way

Gingrich Cautions GOP About 'Overreach' On Scandals

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 11:36 am

Credit Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch / MCT /Landov

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who was front-and-center during the Republican-led impeachment of President Clinton in 1998, is cautioning his GOP colleagues about the risk of appearing to be too eager as they dig into the scandals now dogging the Obama administration.

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8:02am

Fri May 17, 2013
The Two-Way

Kai The 'Hatchet Hitchhiker' Is Accused Of Murder

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 11:10 am

Credit Union County (N.J.) Prosecutor's Office / AP

7:08am

Fri May 17, 2013
The Two-Way

Reports: Russia Sends More Missiles, Has Ships Near Syria

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 11:03 am

Friday's major news about the conflict in Syria:

-- "Russia Sends More Advanced Missiles to Aid Assad in Syria."

According to The New York Times, "Russia has sent advanced antiship cruise missiles to Syria, a move that illustrates the depth of its support for the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad, American officials said Thursday."

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6:34am

Fri May 17, 2013
The Two-Way

Congress Due To Grill Ousted IRS Chief

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 12:53 pm

Credit Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images

(Most recent update: 12:50 p.m. ET.)

Saying that "foolish mistakes were made by people trying to be more efficient in their workload selection," the outgoing head of the Internal Revenue Service told Congress on Friday that he and the agency want to apologize for the targeting of some conservative groups during the 2012 campaign cycle.

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1:27pm

Thu May 16, 2013
The Two-Way

Obama: 'I Certainly Did Not Know' What The IRS Was Doing

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 7:39 pm

Credit Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images

Update at 5:38 p.m. ET. One More IRS Official To Leave

Another official is out at the embattled agency.

The Associated Press reports that Joseph Grant, commissioner of the IRS' tax exempt and government entities division, will retire June 3. The division scrutinized Tea Party groups when the applied for tax-exempt status.

Update at 4:45 p.m. ET. Obama Names New IRS Acting Chief

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11:55am

Thu May 16, 2013
The Two-Way

Almost Nerd Wars: 'Doctor Who' & 'Star Wars' Fans Have Spat

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 4:20 pm

Credit Lewis Whyld/Andrew Matthews / PA Photos/Landov

Some stories are indeed too good to be true.

This BBC headline had us punching the Two-Way control board to go to light speed in pursuit of appropriate puns:

"Star Wars and Doctor Who fans clash at Norwich convention"

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10:53am

Thu May 16, 2013
The Two-Way

Berkshire Hathaway's Credit Rating Knocked Down A Notch

Credit Donald Bowers / Getty Images for Fortune

Billionaire investment legend Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has had its credit rating lowered from AA+ to AA by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services.

In a statement, S&P says that even though Berkshire Hathaway has an "excellent business profile," the lower credit rating "better reflects our view of BRK's dependence on its core insurance operations for most of its dividend income." (S&P's statement is posted on its website, but you have to register to view it.)

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9:47am

Thu May 16, 2013
The Two-Way

Reports: Note Found In Boat Where Boston Suspect Hid

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 12:10 pm

Credit Darren McCollester / Getty Images

In a message written on a wall of the boat where he was found hiding, Boston bombings suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was motivated by anger over the Afghan and Iraq wars, sources familiar with what was found have told CBS News correspondent John Miller.

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