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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7:44am

Wed June 27, 2012
The Two-Way

On The Left, Rangel Survives; On The Right, Hatch Easily Wins

Credit Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Two high-profile, veteran lawmakers — one from the left side of the aisle and the other from the right — overcame primary challengers Tuesday. One had a much easier time than the other.

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7:07am

Wed June 27, 2012
The Two-Way

'Epic' Wildfire Sends Tens Of Thousands Scrambling For Safety In Colorado

Originally published on Wed June 27, 2012 6:17 pm

Credit Bryan Oller / AP

"A firestorm of epic proportions" continues to threaten Colorado Springs, Colo., as more than 1,000 firefighters battle flames that by midday had forced more than 26,000 people to flee their homes.

It was local Fire Chief Rich Brown who called the inferno epic Tuesday night. Today, Lt. Jeff Kramer of the El Paso County Sheriff's Office said it's an event "that is certainly unprecedented in this city," The Denver Post reports.

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2:07pm

Tue June 26, 2012

11:09am

Tue June 26, 2012
The Two-Way

If News Corp. Splits Its Businesses, Many Investors Would Be Pleased

Originally published on Wed June 27, 2012 8:15 am

With a simple statement saying that "it is considering a restructuring to separate its business into two distinct publicly traded companies," News Corp. this morning confirmed the thrust of a story reported by its own Wall Street Journal, NPR's David Folkenflik tells us.

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9:36am

Tue June 26, 2012
The Two-Way

Home Prices Tick Up, Housing Market Recovery May Be Strengthening

Originally published on Tue June 26, 2012 9:42 am

Credit Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Home prices rose in nearly all major U.S. cities in April from March, according to the latest S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices report.

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9:03am

Tue June 26, 2012
The Two-Way

Turkey Warns Syria It May Respond Militarily If Provoked; Tensions Escalate

Credit Adem Altan / AFP/Getty Images

"Any military element that approaches the Turkish border from Syria and poses a security risk and danger will be regarded as a threat and treated as a military target," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his nation today.

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8:27am

Tue June 26, 2012
The Two-Way

Orbitz Shows Mac Users Pricier Hotel Options: Big Deal Or No Brainer?

Originally published on Tue June 26, 2012 3:26 pm

Credit Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

There's lots of chatter today about The Wall Street Journal's report that:

"Orbitz Worldwide Inc. has found that people who use Apple Inc.'s Mac computers spend as much as 30% more a night on hotels, so the online travel agency is starting to show them different, and sometimes costlier, travel options than Windows visitors see."

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7:30am

Tue June 26, 2012
The Two-Way

Debby Is Really Dumping On Florida

Credit Dave Martin / AP

Debby is doing a number on folks along the Gulf Coast from Alabama to northern Florida.

The tropical storm, which has been lashing the region since the weekend, could dump another 2 feet of rain by the end of the week, forecasters warn. Residents are being warned to also watch out for tornadoes, flash floods and sinkholes.

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1:57pm

Thu June 21, 2012
The Two-Way

After Knitters Get In A Twist, USOC Apologizes For 'Cease And Desist' Letter

Originally published on Thu June 21, 2012 2:48 pm

Credit Michael Brandy / AP

It wouldn't seem to be a good idea to get 2 million people with pointy sticks angry at you, but the U.S. Olympic Committee did just that.

So it has just apologized for sending a "cease and desist" letter to a social networking site for knitters that is holding its own sort-of Olympic games.

Here's what the knotty legal dispute is about:

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11:40am

Thu June 21, 2012
The Two-Way

Commerce Secretary Bryson Resigns; Suffered Seizure Earlier This Month

Just under two weeks after suffering a seizure that led to two car accidents within minutes of each other, Commerce Secretary John Bryson has submitted his resignation.

Our former colleague David Gura (now with Marketplace) has downloaded a copy of Bryson's letter to the president and posted it here.

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11:07am

Thu June 21, 2012
The Two-Way

Supreme Court Strikes Indecency Rules, Doesn't Address Free Speech Issue

Originally published on Thu June 21, 2012 5:20 pm

By an 8-0 vote, the Supreme Court today threw out fines the Federal Communications Commission filed against Fox and ABC.

The court did not address whether the FCC rules violated anyone's First Amendment right to free speech. Instead, the justices ruled that the FCC "failed to give Fox or ABC fair notice prior to the broadcasts in question that fleeting expletives and momentary nudity could be found actionably indecent."

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9:21am

Thu June 21, 2012
The Two-Way

Bullied Bus Monitor Wants Apology, But Still Believes 'All Kids Aren't Bad'

Originally published on Thu June 21, 2012 2:46 pm

Credit youtube.com

8:39am

Thu June 21, 2012
The Two-Way

Jobless Claims Hold Steady; 387,000 Filed Last Week

There were 387,000 first-time claims for jobless benefits filed last week, down just 2,000 from the week before, the Employment and Training Administration reports.

The previous week's number, by the way, was revised up slightly — to 389,000 from the initial estimate of 386,000.

The Associated Press writes that:

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8:31am

Thu June 21, 2012
The Two-Way

Arrest Warrant Issued For Pakistan's Prime Minister Nominee

Credit Aamir Qureshi / AFP/Getty Images

"Turmoil" doesn't seem like a strong enough word anymore to describe what's happening in Pakistani politics.

Tuesday, Pakistan's highest court ruled that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was "disqualified" from remaining in office because he had refused to reopen a multi-million-dollar corruption probe aimed at President Asif Ali Zardari.

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8:08am

Thu June 21, 2012
The Two-Way

Zimmerman's Account Of Fatal Encounter With Trayvon Made Public

Originally published on Thu June 21, 2012 12:06 pm

Credit Pool / Getty Images

George Zimmerman's written, audio and video accounts of what happened when he shot and killed Trayvon Martin have been put online by his defense team. Much of what is in the materials has been previously reported, but their release offers the most detailed looks so far at his claim that he acted in self defense.

The materials, posted here, include the statement Zimmerman wrote on Feb. 26 — the day of his fatal encounter with 17-year-old Trayvon in Sanford, Fla. In it, the neighborhood watch volunteer writes:

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