Associate Producer, National Affairs @newshour@NewsHourUnion • alum @UF • amerchant@newshour.org

Joined August 2016
Photos and videos
Azhar Merchant retweeted
A coalition of leading cultural and architectural preservation organizations asked a federal court to stop the Trump administration from carrying through with its Kennedy Center reconstruction project. It's the latest development in an ongoing fight over the very look and architecture of the nation's capital, and a referendum on the power of the Trump presidency. @JeffreyBrown reports.
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
16 Sep 2025
Robert Redford, a screen legend, filmmaker, environmentalist and champion of independent voices in cinema, died Tuesday at the age of 89. Revered for his magnetic presence onscreen in classics like "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Sting" and "All the President’s Men," Redford’s legacy is as much about art as it is about integrity. @JeffreyBrown looks back at Redford's life and legacy.
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
8 May 2025
Billionaire Bill Gates says he will continue to make the case directly to President Trump about reversing his administration's cuts to foreign aid. "Unless we act very, very quickly to reverse this, it will mean millions of additional deaths," Gates tells @IAmAmnaNawaz.
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
25 Feb 2025
For NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, the long wait to return to Earth is almost over. They went to the International Space Station last June in a Boeing Starliner spacecraft. They were supposed to return a week later, but because of problems with the Starliner, they've stayed at the station for more than 250 days. @IAmAmnaNawaz spoke with Williams, Wilmore and crewmate Nick Hague.
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
10 Oct 2024
Communities that were hit hardest by Hurricane Helene are still struggling to recover. NASCAR driver Greg Biffle is among those making a difference. He's using his personal helicopter to deliver supplies to hard-to-reach areas of western North Carolina. to.pbs.org/3ZWvahm
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
10 Sep 2024
The detention of Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill has sparked conversations on policing in America and the treatment of Black Americans. "If Tyreek Hill wasn't who he was ... if he wasn't a celebrity, that could have been another hashtag," @10zJohnson tells @IAmAmnaNawaz.
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
27 Aug 2024
NASA's initial launch with the Boeing Starliner has not worked out well. The agency announced it has decided the two astronauts stuck at the International Space Station will come back on a SpaceX capsule next year. to.pbs.org/3Mov8GY
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
7 Jul 2024
Climate change not only threatens to destroy fragile island infrastructure but also the artifacts and documents that help define the cultural identities of the countries affected. Digitization projects are a way to preserve history and culture. @AliRogin reports.
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It was a true pleasure producing this story with the team at PBS News Weekend-- a fascinating combination of technology, climate change, and cultural preservation.
Island nations are battling some of the worse impacts of Climate Change. In our latest for @NewsHour, @AzharMerchant_ , @AliRogin , @garyezard and I look at two island nations taking steps to preserve their threatened histories for future generations. youtube.com/watch?v=3cSL2xFN…
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
22 Jun 2024
The 2024 campaign was already shaping up to be the most expensive election of all time, but now several high-profile billionaires are dumping massive amounts of money into the presidential race. to.pbs.org/3zhjCdu

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Azhar Merchant retweeted
20 Jun 2024
The pledge of 40 acres and a mule has been known as a broken promise. But a new report reveals that not only did the government grant land to hundreds of formerly enslaved people, it also took that land back and returned it to white southerners. to.pbs.org/4c605v3
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
13 Jun 2024
The trial of Hunter Biden highlighted his struggles with addiction, a struggle that resonates with millions in this country. Two-thirds of all Americans say drug addiction has either personally affected them or their families. to.pbs.org/3xmT8GA
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
23 May 2024
More than six decades after he was selected but ultimately passed over to become this country’s first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight finally made it to space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. He joined @GeoffRBennett to discuss the ride. to.pbs.org/3WQaJ48
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
18 May 2024
This has been a big week for the markets as the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and the NASDAQ all reached record highs. @GeoffRBennett discussed what it means for the economy with @robenfarzad of @FullDRadio. to.pbs.org/4bp06JY
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
5 May 2024
The African nations of Niger and Chad have both been key partners with the United States in combating terrorist groups in the region. But now that both countries are ruled by military regimes, that cooperation is in question. to.pbs.org/3WtHqnY
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
21 Apr 2024
In India, voting in the world’s largest election is underway for the next six weeks. Prime Minister Modi is favored to win a third term, but his consolidation of power and crackdown on dissent have raised questions about his commitment to democratic values.to.pbs.org/3JxE3o0
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
11 Mar 2024
The U.S. relationship with Saddam Hussein evolved dramatically across the decades. Using previously unreleased materials, author Steve Coll examines how Iraq's long-time dictator and four U.S. administrations repeatedly misinterpreted each other. to.pbs.org/49IALtV
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Azhar Merchant retweeted
26 Nov 2023
In 1929, Charles Curtis, an enrolled member of the Kaw Nation, became Herbert Hoover's vice president. @johnyangtv speaks with biographer Deb Goodrich and tribal attorney Ken Bellmard about America's first and only Native American vice president. to.pbs.org/49SLYIv
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