The better the information it has, the better democracy works. Silence and secrecy are never good for it.

I've never been one to sit around and eat my heart out. Life's too short.

The better the information it has, the better democracy works. Silence and secrecy are never good for it.

I also read modern novels - I have just had to read 60 as I am one of the judges for the Orange Fiction Prize.

I have no time for the endless nostalgia: 'Oh gosh I used to . . . ' Life is too short; I don't have any time for sitting and saying I miss things. What's the point? Go and do something else.'

Now children as young as nine carry AK47s which can kill 30 people in seconds.

My job is to get to the heart of a story, to find out what's really going on; to get it verified and, then, to get it out to as many people as possible as fast as.