Mark Memmott  

 

Topics by Mark Memmott

NEWS

Tragedy In Connecticut: Deadly Shooting At Elementary School


READ THE STORY
By Mark Memmott
The nation is watching in horror today as the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., unfolds. Visibly upset, President Obama said at midafternoon, "our hearts are broken."
Technology

New York's Space Shuttle Fly-By



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Carried atop a jumbo jet, the Enterprise is flying from Northern Virginia to New York City and passed low over the city's five boroughs.
U.S. News

Four Headlines From Thursday's GOP Debate



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
One news nugget almost lost in the attention paid to Newt Gingrich's angry response to a question about things an ex-wive has said about their marriage: He said her claim that he wanted an open marriage "is false."
U.S. News

Rick Perry Drops Out Of GOP Race, Endorses Gingrich



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Saying that "there is no viable path forward for me," Texas Gov. Rick Perry confirmed that he is leaving the 2012 race for the Republican presidential nomination.
World News

In Italy, Search Of Stricken Cruise Ship Suspended



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The Costa Concordia shifted slightly earlier today, forcing searchers to back off at least temporarily. So far, 11 people are known to have died. Another two dozen are still missing. The ship's captain is under house arrest.
U.S. News

John Edwards Has Life-Threatening Condition, Doctor Says



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
A cardiologist's letters helped convince a North Carolina judge to delay Edwards' trial on alleged misuse of campaign funds. It's now set to start in late March.
U.S. News

White House Chief Of Staff Daley Stepping Down



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Daley, who became chief of staff one year ago, is to be replaced by Budget Director Jack Lew. President Obama is expected to make the news official later this afternoon.
Sports

Penn State Ready To Name New Football Coach, ESPN Says



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The school has reportedly chosen New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien to be its next head football coach and the man who will try to rebuild a program that was rocked last fall by a scandal that cost coach Joe Paterno the job
U.S. News

Jobless Rate Dips To 8.5 Percent, 200,000 Jobs Added To Payrolls



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The unemployment rate is near a three-year low.
Politics

A Young Kennedy Is Lining Up To Run For Frank's House Seat



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Joseph P. Kennedy III, the son of former Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II and grandson of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, is exploring a race for Congress.
World News

Iran Test-Fires Missile, Claims To Have Made Nuclear Fuel Rod



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
As often happens with issues related to Iran's relations with the rest of the world, there's a mix of saber-rattling and diplomacy in the news.
World News

Kim Jong Un Declared To Be 'Supreme Leader' Of North Korea



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The young heir to the familial dynasty that has ruled the nation since 1948 was very publicly proclaimed to have taken his father's place. Kim Jong Il died on Dec. 17.
U.S. News

Report: Criminal Charges Being Prepared Against BP For Gulf Oil Spill



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The Wall Street Journal says Justice Department prosecutors are readying the first such charges related to the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history — a disaster that also killed 11 workers when an oil rig blew up.
News

There Will Be No Friday This Week In Samoa



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The tiny island nation in the South Pacific is moving from one side of the International Dateline to the other at midnight Thursday. So it will leap right to Saturday.
U.S. News

Lost Money: $41 Billion In Gift Cards Haven't Been Redeemed Since 2005



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
They're enormously popular — an estimated $27.8 billion worth have been given this holiday season. But many also never get fully used. What to do? Swap them. Regift them. Invest them. Or, perhaps, give them to charity.
U.S. News

Arlington Cemetery: Possible Problems With 64,230 Graves Or Records



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
A review of 259,978 gravesites and more than 510,000 records has identified 64,230 cases of potential problems that range from minor mistakes in files to errors on gravestones. It's possible more "burial errors" will be discovered.
U.S. News

Payroll Tax Cut's Last Hurdle: Getting 'Unanimous Consent'



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
As with everything happening in Congress these days, the deal reached Thursday to pass a 2-month extension of a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed isn't a "done deal" just yet.
News

NORAD's Santa Tracker Switches On Saturday



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Assuming his elves haven't come up with some sort of stealth technology to cloak his movements, it's almost time again for children of all ages to follow the jolly guy's travels thanks to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
World News

Dozens Killed, Scores Injured In Wave Of Bombings In Baghdad



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
It's been a terrible day in Baghdad. There were at least 16 explosions in 13 different locations. Most were in predominantly Shiite Muslim neighborhoods.
U.S. News

Blizzard Pounds Great Plains, Northeast May See White Christmas



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
It's winter and parts of the Great Plains have gotten walloped. Looking ahead, there's a chance for a White Christmas in the Northeast, forecasters say.
World News

Who Is Kim Jong Un? Who Really Knows?



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The "Great Successor" who is in line to succeed his father as leader of North Korea is thought to be in his late 20s and to have gone to school in Switzerland. He may speak English. But as with many things in North Korea, much is a mystery.
Arts & Living

Christopher Hitchens: 'Atheist Intellectual,' 'Noble Contrarian'



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
"The Cicero of the saloon bar" and polemicist died Thursday at the age of 62, after a long battle with cancer. Watch him on WGBH's Forum Network.
News

As Flag Is Put Away, America's Mission In Iraq Symbolically Ends



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
In a "quiet, small ceremony" at the Baghdad airport, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and others marked the occasion. After nearly nine years of war and the deaths of 4,500 U.S. military personnel, almost all troops have left the country.
U.S. News

Report: Homelessness Among Children Up 38 Percent Since 2007



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
More than 1.6 million American children were homeless at some point in 2010, the nonprofit National Center on Family Homelessness reports today.
Science

Here We Go Again: Has Misnamed 'God Particle' Finally Been Found?



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Finding the Higgs boson be "the crowning achievement of subatomic physics." An announcement about the search is due Tuesday. But rumors about its discovery have flown before.
U.S. News

Gunfire At Virginia Tech, Two Deaths Reported



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The Virginia Tech campus is reeling after the confirmation of two deaths: a Virginia Tech police officer shot during a routine traffic stop and a second victim found at the university's Cage parking lot. Authorities are looking for the gunman. 
U.S. News

Report: Hundreds Of Troops' Ashes Were Dumped In Landfill



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
"The incinerated partial remains of at least 274 American troops" were disposed of in a Virginia landfill instead of being treated with dignity as families were promised, The Washington Post reports. That's far more than first reported.
U.S. News

Pearl Harbor Attack's 70th Anniversary: Memories, Moment Of Silence



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Seventy years ago today more than 2,300 Americans died in the attack that would propel the nation into World War II. Though their numbers are dwindling, survivors are still telling their stories of that day.
News

Suicide Bomber Attacks Kabul Shrine, Dozens Dead



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
About 50 people were killed in Kabul and another four in Mazar-i-Sharif. The attacks were apparently aimed at minority Shiites who were gathered for a religious festival.
U.S. News

Post Office Lays Out More Details On Service Changes, Closings



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Dropping a first-class letter in the mail in the morning and expecting it will get to its destination by the next day would be a thing of the past under changes the U.S. Postal Service is explaining.
U.S. News

Cain To Make Announcement Saturday; Wife Leads 'Women For Cain' Effort



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Allegations of an affair and sexual harassment have embroiled his campaign. Cain has said he's done nothing wrong.
U.S. News

Some Combat Dogs Suffer Post-Traumatic Stress Too



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The U.S. military is learning now to treat PTSD in its canines. The shock of war can be just as hard on them as it is on humans. The remedies can be as simple as exercise or involve the same medications given to humans.
News

Unemployment Drops To 8.6 Percent; 120,000 Jobs Added



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The highly anticipated news brought a surprise: The unemployment rate had been expected to stay at 9 percent.
News

In U.K.: Public Servants Staging Biggest Strike In A Generation



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Angry about planned austerity measures that include cuts in their pensions, about 2 million teachers, ambulance drivers, tax collectors and others are expected to take part.
News

Police Clear Occupy Camps In Los Angeles And Philadelphia


MORE NEWS

By Mark Memmott
More than 200 protesters were arrested early today in Los Angeles. In Philadelphia, about 40 have been arrested so far. In both cities, police used overwhelming numbers to control the situation and few clashes or injuries have been reported.
News

Reports: Herman Cain 'Reassessing' Campaign



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The Associated Press and National Review report the candidate has told staff that new allegations about an affair (which he denies) have taken a toll on his family.
World News

'Rage' In Pakistan, Deep Concern In U.S. After NATO Attack



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The NATO air strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers over the weekend could "rupture" already frayed relations between the U.S. and Pakistan.
News

Holiday Sales Have Strong Start; Will The Trend Continue?



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
A good first weekend is welcome news. But after a deep recession and with unemployment still high, analysts want to wait and see.
News

Turnout High For Egyptian Elections


MORE NEWS

By Mark Memmott
Voting has begun in Egypt, where the nation's first parliamentary elections are being held since the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak's regime nine months ago. So far turnout is high and things are going well — a relief after last week's protests.
News

Death Toll Rising In Cairo After Crackdown In Tahrir Square



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
A morgue official tells The Associated Press that more than 30 people have been killed. The protests against military rule and authorities' crackdown have raised questions about whether elections will be held on time. Officials vow they will.
Sports

Baseball's Houston Astros To Switch Leagues In 2013



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The team will move from the National League to the American. Also, Major League Baseball is adding one "wild card" team to each league's playoffs.
News

At Occupy Wall Street: Some Arrests; A Chaotic 'Morning Rush'



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
As hundreds of protesters tried to clog the streets around the New York Stock Exchange, they were met by a heavy police presence.
News

Bullets Found At White House, One Struck A Window



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Authorities are looking for Oscar Ramiro Ortega, 21, who they say may have fired the shots. No one was hurt and the bullet that hit the window was stopped by ballistic glass. President Obama and the first lady were not in the White House.
News

New York Police Clear Occupy Wall Street Protesters From Park



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Those who have been camped in Zuccotti Park for two months can return after it has been cleaned. But they can't bring tents and sleeping bags. "They will have to occupy the space with the power of their arguments," says Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Home Page Top Stories

Supreme Court Will Hear Health Care Challenges



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
As expected, the nation's High Court will take up the issue of whether the overhaul is constitutional.
News

Rep. Giffords Speaks: Feels 'Pretty Good,' She Tells ABC



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The congresswoman and her husband have written a book about her recovery from being shot last January. Her interview with ABC offers the first chance for the public to hear from Giffords directly.
News

Penn State Trustees: Paterno's Firing Is In School's 'Best Interest'



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Penn State students flooded downtown State College, Pa., after football coach Joe Paterno and university President Graham Spanier were fired amid a growing furor linked to their handling of sex-abuse allegations against a former assistant football coach. 
Sports

Penn State Coach Paterno To Retire: 'I Wish I Had Done More'



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The legendary coach's decision comes amid a scandal that has rocked Penn State and college football. A former assistant coach has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing young boys.
Politics

Cain: 'I Have Never Acted Inappropriately With Anyone'



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Cain continues to deal with stories about women who accuse him of sexual harassment — charges he says are baseless.
News

Berlusconi Offers To Resign



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi offered to resign after Parliament approved a budget filled with new austerity measures.
News

New Cain Accuser Expected To Come Forward Today



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Attorney Gloria Allred says her client will be at a news conference this afternoon in New York City to speak about what the woman says was sexual harassment by the Republican presidential contender. Cain has said he never harassed anyone.
News

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords: 'I Will Return' To Congress



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
In a book she's written with her husband about being shot and her recovery, the Democratic congresswoman from Arizona also says "I will get stronger."
News

Greek Prime Minister Scraps Referendum


MORE NEWS

By Mark Memmott
Under intense pressure from the European Union, Greece's prime minister has scrapped the idea of asking the country to vote on whether to accept the terms of a bailout package.
Economy

Stunned By Greek Plan For Bailout Referendum, Markets Drop



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Prime Minister George Papandreou wants the Greek people to vote on the bailout. There have been protests and anger, though, about the austerity measures that come with the aid. A "no" vote could cause a Greek default.
News

Bank Of America Dropping Plan For $5 Monthly Debit-Card Fee



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The bank's plan to charge many customers if they use the cards to make purchases was not popular. Other institutions had decided not to follow after seeing the backlash.
News

Secretary Clinton's Mother Has Died, Dorothy Howell Rodham Was 92



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
She was "intellectually broad-minded" and instilled in her children "a pervasive sense of family and love for one another," journalist Carl Bernstein wrote of the former first lady's mother.
News

Cain Campaign Calls Harassment Report 'Baseless'



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Republican presidential contender Cain was accused of "sexually suggestive," inappropriate behavior in the 1990s, Politico reports. A campaign spokesman calls them "baseless allegations."
Around the Nation

Cities Aim To Control 'Occupy' Protests, But Oakland Clashes Loom Large



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Cities are beginning to try to control the Occupy protests. This week's violence in Oakland is something they hope to avoid.
News

European Debt Deal: Markets Rally Because It Could Have Been Worse


MORE NEWS

By Mark Memmott
The consensus is that the agreement buys some time, but doesn't solve the continent's underlying economic problems. Still, failure to make progress could have been disastrous.
News

Gadhafi Buried, Location Kept Secret



LIBYA COVERAGE FROM "THE WORLD"
By Mark Memmott
Libya's interim leaders don't want the site to become a shrine or to be defaced by those who hate the former dictator. He was captured and killed last Thursday.
News

WikiLeaks Suspends Operations, May Have To Close



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
"An arbitrary and unlawful financial blockade ... has destroyed 95% of our revenue," the group says.
News

GOP Contenders Hold 'Raucous' Debate In Vegas



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
On the morning after, the consensus seems to be that it was a slugfest in Sin City as the contenders went after each other. At one point, Perry and Romney ended up face-to-face in a heated exchange about immigration.
News

Anadarko To Pay BP $4 Billion, Settle Claims Related To Gulf Oil Spill



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Anadarko was a minority partner in the project to drill for oil at the Deepwater Horizon site. Eleven workers were killed when the rig exploded in April 2010, and the spill was one of the worst in U.S. history.
News

Drivers Had Safety Concerns Before Race That Took Indy Champ's Life



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The fiery 15-car pileup Sunday that killed two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon was the type of disaster that drivers had been concerned about before the race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. They worried that two many cars were on the track.
News

If You're So Inclined, Don A Black Turtleneck For 'Steve Jobs Day'



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Some folks have declared this to be "Steve Jobs Day," and are encouraging others to "Sport your black turtleneck, jeans, tennis shoes, and glasses and snap a pic!"
News

Danvers Family Lost In Corn Maze Dials 911 For Help



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
It was getting dark. They had a three-week-old baby with them. They thought they were alone. So they dialed the police. Be honest: would you have done the same thing?
News

Alleged Terror Plot: 'Brazen And Bizarre'



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
If two Iranians, possibly with the support of some in Iran's government, did try to hire Mexican drug cartel members to kill Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.S., it's a bold and ominous development, analysts say.
News

Reports: Terrorist Plot Tied To Iran Disrupted



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
It's alleged that the plan was to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. and to attack the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Washington, D.C.
News

Are You Among The '99 Percent?'



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Occupy Wall Street protesters say they represent 99 percent of Americans. Even if you disagree with some of their aims, are they right about the mood of the nation?
News

Nobel Peace Prize Goes To Women Striving For Peace In Liberia And Yemen



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
Three women, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Ghobee and Tawakkul Karman are honored for their "nonviolent struggle for women's safety" in Liberia and Yemen.
News

Live Blog: Obama News Conference



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The president is taking questions at the White House. He's pushing for his jobs bill.
News

GOP Students' Race-Based Bake Sale Sparks Controversy At Berkeley



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The young Republicans are protesting affirmative action legislation by charging whites more than others. Others on campus say they're being offensive.
News

After The Execution: Relief For Victim's Mom; Anguish For Davis' Supporters



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
As protesters argued that the Georgia man's guilt was in doubt, the victim's loved ones found some closure. Davis was executed for the killing of a police officer in 1989.
News

$16 Muffins, $8 Coffees, $5 Meatballs: Justice Dept. Spending Rapped



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The department's been guilty of some "extravagant" spending at conferences in recent years, its inspector general says. Justice officials say they'll work hard to trim costs in the future.
News

Five Things To Know About Obama's Deficit Plan



MORE NEWS
By Mark Memmott
The president will say his plan would pare $4 trillion more from federal deficits over the next decade. He's adding about $3 trillion to the amount that the so-called super committee is already charged with finding.

The hits and the highlights from WGBH

Stay in the know about upcoming shows, special events, discounts, and more!
See a sample »