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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1:05pm

Mon April 2, 2012
The Two-Way

Clang! Three Reasons Why Many Shots May Miss Tonight

Credit Ronald Martinez / Getty Images
  • From 'Morning Edition'

Two "powerhouse" programs — Kansas and Kentucky.

Rosters full of potential NBA stars.

All the hype you would expect from an NCAA men's basketball championship.

But, alas, don't be surprised if there aren't as many "silky smooth jumpers" and other great shots as you might expect during tonight's big game, NPR's Mike Pesca reports.

Three things are working against the teams:

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12:35pm

Mon April 2, 2012
The Two-Way

Coming Up: Obama News Conference With Leaders Of Canada And Mexico

Originally published on Mon April 2, 2012 2:50 pm

"It's constitutional," President Obama declared this afternoon when asked about the 2010 health care overhaul legislation that was the subject of three days' worth of Supreme Court hearings last week.

He's confident a majority of the justices will agree, Obama added. Many Supreme Court watchers are less certain.

The president make those comments in response to a question that came up during a joint news conference at the White House with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

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11:53am

Mon April 2, 2012
The Two-Way

Palin: 'That's A Fine How Do You Do'

Credit The Today Show

The morning TV air wars get serious again Tuesday with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's guest host slot on NBC's The Today Show — opposite former CBS Evening News' anchor Katie Couric's guest slot on ABC's Good Morning America.

In the lead-in to the faceoff, there was some fun on Today today.

During a phone call with Palin, host Matt Lauer wondered "what are you doing to prepare? Are you reading some newspapers?"

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11:00am

Mon April 2, 2012
The Two-Way

'Kony 2012' Sequel Due Tuesday

Credit Facebook.com/invisiblechildren

The activist group behind the "Kony 2012" movement and Web video that went viral in March says it will release "Kony 2012, Part II" on Tuesday.

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10:15am

Mon April 2, 2012
The Two-Way

Construction Spending Dips, But Manufacturing Expands

There was a 1.1 percent decline in spending on construction in February vs. January, the Census Bureau just reported. But spending was still 5.8 percent above the level of February 2011.

According to the bureau, spending on home construction was unchanged in February from the month before. Public construction spending was down 1.7 percent.

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9:20am

Mon April 2, 2012

8:45am

Mon April 2, 2012
The Two-Way

Bin Laden's Wives, Daughters Sentenced To 45 Days Detention, Deportation

Credit Aamir Qureshi / AFP/Getty Images

"A Pakistani court on Monday convicted Osama bin Laden's three widows and two of his grown-up daughters of illegal residency, sentencing them to 45 days detention and ordering their deportation," Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reports.

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8:10am

Mon April 2, 2012
The Two-Way

Mega Millions Mystery: Who Won?

Credit Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

The wait continues to see who bought the three winning tickets in Friday's record $656 million Mega Millions lottery drawing.

If for some reason you haven't checked yet (yeah, right!) the winning numbers were 2, 4, 23, 38, 46 and the mega ball was 23.

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7:25am

Mon April 2, 2012
The Two-Way

Trayvon Martin Case: Voice Calling For Help Isn't Zimmerman's, Experts Say

Originally published on Mon April 2, 2012 7:28 am

Credit J Pat Carter / AP

Over the weekend, The Orlando Sentinel reported that two experts it consulted believe the voice heard calling for help in the background during a 911 call to police is not that of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who says he acted in self defense when he shot and killed Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26 in Sanford, Fla.

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11:40am

Fri March 30, 2012
The Two-Way

Wisconsin Recall Elections Set For June

In Wisconsin, "state elections officials ordered a set of historic recall elections Friday, making [Republican] Scott Walker the third governor in the nation to face a recall and Rebecca Kleefisch [R] the first lieutenant governor to face one," Milwaukee's Journal Sentinel reports.

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