There was no equal pay law when I started working. I was no different to any other woman in any other job at the time.

Hair is also a problem. I remember once, when I was reporting from Beirut at the height of the civil war, someone wrote in to the BBC complaining about my appearance.

In any war, there is a concealment of certain kinds of setbacks because it's propaganda for the enemy.

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

I never desired to go into war zones. I never had any thought about it. It sort of just happened as part of the job.

If I'm in danger then it's usually my fault and it's up to me to get myself out of it. I am not in it just to get an adrenalin rush. No way!

Having had loving people who brought me up, and then I find another set of people. That really is a double blessing.