Nada Bashir (born 17 December 1995) is a British journalist and international correspondent for CNN based in London.[1] Her reporting focusses primarily on the Middle East.
Nada Bashir | |
|---|---|
 Bashir speaking at the Frontline Club in 2024 | |
| Born | 17 December 1995 Brighton, England |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Years active | 2018–present |
In 2024, Bashir was on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list.[2] She was also recognised by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences with the Emmy award for Outstanding Emerging Journalist.[3][4]
Early life and education
editBashir was born in Brighton, England to Libyan parents, her father an aircraft engineer and her mother a preschool teacher.[5] The family later moved to West Kensington, London.[6]
Bashir completed sixth form at the Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith.[7] She then went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Politics and East European Studies from University College London (UCL) in 2017.[8][9] While at UCL, Bashir was an active member of the university's official student news outlet, Pi Media. She was appointed Editor-in-Chief of PiTV in her final year.[10]
In 2020, Bashir graduated with a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Global Politics from the London School of Economics (LSE).[11][12]
Career
editBashir joined CNN in 2018 as an intern. She went on to continue working with the network as a freelance producer before being offered a staff producer position in 2020.[1]
In 2019, Bashir travelled independently to Iraq's Kurdistan region to report on the influx of refugees escaping violence in northern Syria following Turkey's military incursion into the war-torn country. The story was picked up by CNN's digital platform, Go There, and would become Bashir's first on-camera report.[5]
In 2021, Bashir embedded with Saudi-led coalition forces in Yemen alongside CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson and travelled to the frontlines of Marib to report the country's civil war.[13] She later worked with CNN Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman in Lebanon to cover anti-government protests taking place around the one-year anniversary of the Beirut port blast.[1]
In 2022, Bashir was promoted to the role of on-air Reporter and has since played a key role in CNN's international coverage, with a particular focus on the Middle East. She was later named International Correspondent in March 2024.
As International Correspondent
editIn 2023, Bashir was amongst several CNN correspondents deployed to Turkey to report on the aftermath of a deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake, spending five weeks traveling across the country to cover the story.[14] Later that year, she was also deployed to Morocco to report on a 6.9 magnitude earthquake which devastated several remote villages across the country's Atlas Mountains.[1][15]
Following the Hamas attacks of 7 October, Bashir has travelled frequently across the Middle East to report on the war in Gaza and the broader regional fallout.[1][9]
In the early months of the war, Bashir spent several weeks in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, reporting on the surge in violence against Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, as well as the humanitarian crisis inside Gaza.[16][17] She also played a key role in covering the short-lived truce between Israel and Hamas in November 2023, reporting from Ramallah on the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails as part of a hostage exchange agreement.[18]
In 2024, Bashir gained access to a field hospital established off the coast of Al-Arish in North Sinai, where she met with and interviewed wounded Palestinians recently evacuated from the Gaza Strip.[19] She later reported from Lebanon on growing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel along the country's southern border, and was one of the first international correspondents at the scene following the assassination of senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut.[20]
She has also covered ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, traveling frequently to Cairo to follow meetings between diplomatic delegations involved in the talks.[21]
Awards and recognition
edit- Emmy Award | Outstanding Emerging Journalist - September 2024[3]
- Emmy Award | Outstanding Breaking News Coverage, the Israel-Hamas war - September 2024[3]
- Forbes 30 Under 30 | Europe Media List - May 2024[2]
- Emmy Award | Outstanding Live Breaking News Coverage, Russia's invasion of Ukraine - September 2023[22]
Personal life
editBashir is of Libyan heritage, and speaks Arabic.[21]
Her father was active in campaigning for democratic reform in Libya during Muammar al-Gaddafi's rule. She has described the Arab Spring as a pivotal moment in her decision to pursue journalism as a career.[5][21]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "CNN Profiles: Nada Bashir, International correspondent - Reporter". CNN.
- ^ a b "Nada Bashir". Forbes.
- ^ a b c "News 2024 Nominees - The Emmys". The Emmys. 25 July 2024.
- ^ Thomas, Carly (26 September 2024). "ABC, CNN and National Geographic Among Top Winners at 2024 News Emmys". Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ a b c Sigee, Rachael (20 May 2024). "CNN's Nada Bashir On Wearing The Hijab on TV, Frontline Reporting and Her Arab Roots". Harper's Bazaar Arabia.
- ^ "Youth Parliament 2012: Meet the Candidates". H&F Buzz. Hammersmith & Fulham Council. 6 February 2012. p. 27. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ "Sixth Form". Godolphin and Latymer.
- ^ "UCL alumni recognised in Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe". UCL. 15 April 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Speaker: Nada Bashir". Cascade PBS Ideas Festival.
- ^ "Arts Commendation" (PDF). UCLU Arts Colours 2017. Students' Union UCL. 2017.
- ^ "Student Careers Panel & Reception". LSE. October 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ Science, London School of Economics and Political. "LSE alumni lead the way in Forbes 30 under 30". London School of Economics and Political Science.
- ^ "CNN goes to front line of Yemen's key battleground". CNN World. 23 April 2021.
- ^ "Earthquake survivors describe life in temporary shelters". CNN World. 27 February 2023.
- ^ "Hope runs out for those trapped in Morocco's rubble". CNN World. 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Increased violence in the West Bank forces Palestinians out of their homes". CNN World. 3 November 2023.
- ^ Rind, David; Soloman, Ben (24 April 2024). "Why Sanctions May Not Stop the Violence in the West Bank". Tug of War. CNN Audio.
- ^ "See the scene in the West Bank after more Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released". CNN World. 26 November 2023.
- ^ "'I want to die in Gaza': Injured Palestinian talks to CNN aboard hospital ship". CNN World. 5 January 2024.
- ^ Salman, Abeer; Bashir, Nada; Qiblawi, Tamara; John, Tara; Stapleton, AnneClaire (2 January 2024). "Senior Hamas leader killed in Beirut blast, heightening fears of wider regional conflict". CNN World.
- ^ a b c Wilkens, Kathyn (27 September 2024). "CNN's Nada Bashir on 'Unimaginable' Dangers Faced by Journalists in Gaza and How Western Media Covers The Middle East". Mediaite. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ "CNN Worldwide Wins 10 News and Documentary Emmys® Leading Night One".