RizKhan.com / Photo

This is my mum and dad getting married. 1959, I think. My mother was only 19, and my father a couple of years older. It's amazing to see this part of my mother's life, before I even existed!

I was terrified of my father - he wasn't the kindest man. My mother looks so sad in this picture, from about early1964. This, like the other black and white baby pictures, was taken in Aden, South Yemen, where I was born. It was still a British colony, but the troubles leading to independence were beginning.

Okay, even my younger brother, Kamran, would be embarrassed to see this. I must have been heavily coerced into giving him a kiss, and Kamran - being a baby - has that "What can I do about it?" look on his face. Maybe I'm just smelling his hair ?

Believe me it was cool to have long hair at 18. As you can see, it's very wavy as it gets longer. I presume what's left of it would still do the same! In this picture, I was working at the Odeon Cinema, in Hounslow West, near Heathrow Airport in England. It was my weekend, and holiday job to help pay my way through university. Incidentally, the uniform shirt was pink, and the tie was purple. Aren't you glad this picture is black and white?!

I developed an interest in drums in my late teens, as I couldn't afford piano lessons. I found it cost nothing to get a pair of sticks and beat pillows in time to music. This was taken at a high school music concert, where I was concentrating intensely on keeping time. My friends kit seemed far more intimidating than pillows.

The hair... the goatee... the earring (hidden behind the hair). Nowadays, a look like this would get me banned from flying on commercial planes, and strip-searched at airports. My first girlfriend soon changed this look to something a little less... er... hairy.

In April 1985 I was sent on "attachment" from my post-graduate college course in Radio Journalism, to Radio Lancashire, in Blackburn, northern England. It was an important time of learning how to do radio reporting - and here, I'm editing 1/4-inch audio tape. The patience and kindness of the people at this radio station made a huge difference to the progress I made. I'm still good friends with many of them.

This is from January 1997 at the waterside in Tel Aviv, with former Israeli Prime Minister, Shimon Peres. It was part of filming for a series tentatively called, "Gurus of Peace", featuring some of the leading Nobel Peace Laureates, talking about the philosophy of non-violence. Mr. Peres was a very gracious, and incredibly articulate interviewee. He was also a genuine gentleman.

This was January 1997, during the first leg of the Gurus of Peace filming. The drive from the Indian capital, New Delhi, to the Dalai Lama's residence and offices in Dharamsala, at the foot of the Himalayas, took 21 hours. It was supposed to be only 14 (!), but there was terrible fog, which caused a 7 hour traffic jam. I'm told His Holiness does that drive regularly. It helps me to understand Bhuddism's concepts of "suffering" ! His Holiness was, in every way, delightful.

This is the set of World News, where for six years I broadcast international news to the world. Though the background has gone through subtle changes, people around the world can switch on their televisions and quickly recognize CNN. When I travel overseas, I often look to see who I know in the newsroom.

The Q&A set was designed after much thought, to allow for not only guests to sit opposite me, but also to make the best use of the large flat screen monitor which often featured guests via satellite. It would be hard to list all the celebrities who joined me for this show. You can view a partial Guest List in my Biography.