Zain Verjee
Encyclopedia
Zain Verjee is a Canadian journalist, who was born and raised in Kenya
prior to immigrating to Canada
. Verjee is co-anchor of CNN International
's European daytime program World One. She also serves as the international correspondent for American Morning
, the daily morning news program on CNN
US. Previously, she worked as a newsreader for The Situation Room
, as a State Department correspondent, and as a co-anchor of CNN International
's Your World Today
.
in Montreal.
Verjee joined CNN in 2000, prior to which she was a news reader on Kenya Television Network
, Nairobi
. She has covered world events such as the Agra Summit between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
of India and President Pervez Musharraf
of Pakistan
, the conflict in the Middle East
, the trial of former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milošević
, the September 11 attacks, the Hajj
and the war in Iraq. She also reports about African business news for the weekly program "Inside Africa", which offers an in-depth look into news on the continent.
In July 2006, she reported from the Korean DMZ, and in September, she conducted an exclusive interview with former Iranian president Mohammed Khatami.
Zain is a practicing Ismaili
Muslim
. In her thoughts about The Pilgrimage to Mecca, she wrote:
She recently published "Live & On the Air", a children's book exploring the experiences of a young girl who moves from rural Kenya to Nairobi to work as a broadcaster. Verjee has also produced successful radio campaigns spreading awareness of HIV
/AIDS
, Hepatitis B, and Polio.
On January 16, 2008, while taping a report on an anti-government protest in Nairobi, Verjee was hit in the back by a tear gas canister fired by police; the attack was later broadcast on CNN. She was not seriously injured.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
prior to immigrating to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Verjee is co-anchor of CNN International
CNN International
CNN International is an international English language television network that carries news, current affairs, politics, opinions, and business programming worldwide. CNN is one of the world's largest news organizations. It is owned by Time Warner, and is affiliated with CNN, which is mainly...
's European daytime program World One. She also serves as the international correspondent for American Morning
American Morning
American Morning is the morning television show on CNN. It premiered in 2001.-About the show:American Morning is hosted by Ashleigh Banfield, Zoraida Sambolin & Soledad O'Brien. Others who appear regularly are Rob Marciano with the weather, Sunny Hostin on legal news, and CNN senior medical...
, the daily morning news program on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
US. Previously, she worked as a newsreader for The Situation Room
The Situation Room
The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer is an afternoon/early evening newscast on CNN and CNN International hosted by Wolf Blitzer that first aired on August 8, 2005. The show replaces three politics and hard news programs: Judy Woodruff's Inside Politics, Crossfire and Wolf Blitzer Reports.At first,...
, as a State Department correspondent, and as a co-anchor of CNN International
CNN International
CNN International is an international English language television network that carries news, current affairs, politics, opinions, and business programming worldwide. CNN is one of the world's largest news organizations. It is owned by Time Warner, and is affiliated with CNN, which is mainly...
's Your World Today
Your World Today
Your World Today is a daily international news-magazine television series that aired on CNN International, a sister channel to CNN — both being cable-news channels.-Production and format:...
.
Career
Verjee received her undergraduate degree in English from McGill UniversityMcGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal.
Verjee joined CNN in 2000, prior to which she was a news reader on Kenya Television Network
Kenya Television Network
Kenya Television Network is the leading television station in Kenya with its headquarters at the I & M Towers in downtown Nairobi. Its headquarters will change later on in the year as it moves in with its parent company's other subsidiaries at the newly-built Standard Group Centre on Mombasa road...
, Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. She has covered world events such as the Agra Summit between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee is an Indian statesman who served as the tenth Prime Minister of India three times – first for a brief term of 13 days in 1996, and then for two terms from 1998 to 2004. After his first brief period as Prime Minister in 1996, Vajpayee headed a coalition government from...
of India and President Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, the conflict in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, the trial of former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
, the September 11 attacks, the Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
and the war in Iraq. She also reports about African business news for the weekly program "Inside Africa", which offers an in-depth look into news on the continent.
In July 2006, she reported from the Korean DMZ, and in September, she conducted an exclusive interview with former Iranian president Mohammed Khatami.
Zain is a practicing Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
. In her thoughts about The Pilgrimage to Mecca, she wrote:
"There's a saying that a Pilgrim that travels to Mecca for the Hajj should leave the Holy City quickly, so, as not to get attached to it."
She recently published "Live & On the Air", a children's book exploring the experiences of a young girl who moves from rural Kenya to Nairobi to work as a broadcaster. Verjee has also produced successful radio campaigns spreading awareness of HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, Hepatitis B, and Polio.
On January 16, 2008, while taping a report on an anti-government protest in Nairobi, Verjee was hit in the back by a tear gas canister fired by police; the attack was later broadcast on CNN. She was not seriously injured.
External links
- Official C.N.N., Biography
- Zain Verjee, anchor CNN International
- Daily Nation profile, May 20, 2001.
- Indian Express profile, August 18, 2003.
- Short profile on SAJAforum.org