Lawyers have carried out review into bullying behavior all business reporter is. The report concludes that a commitment from the top is needed to achieve change but ethnic minority workers still account for a tiny fraction of manages 1.6 percent to be exact just 40 percent of the organizations surveyed have targets to increase the racial diversity on the board said appears there's still a lot of work to be done and the advertising watchdog has banned a tweet by Burger King which told costumers it was selling milk shake all weekend the advertising and Standards Authority decided it condoned and encouraged antisocial behavior because if it came after so because it came after several European election candidates have the drink thrown at them the chain says it was a turn in cheek reaction to recent events let's hit the sport now with Tom go on with Rush $72.00 at home to buy in Munich in the Champions League group stages for mass no one said you can average bag 4 for the Germans leaving. Just one point from their fears 2 matches no such problems for Manchester City there were venture overcame the challenge of a stubborn dynamos are grab Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden on the scoresheet maintaining their 100 percent record with a 2 nil win in the Championship Leeds it's all back to end in West Brom's unbeaten start with a one nil victory at Elland Road Stoke suffered their 8th defeat of the season they remain bottom after losing one nil to fellow strugglers holders feel Meanwhile England's lionesses will be without injured defenders Millie bright and Demi Stokes for Saturday's friendly against Brazil Adam Demille just missed out on to injury said bronze at the World Athletics Championships in Doha despite leading a half way he ended up just 0.05 seconds off the podium and dinner Ashley Smith is now the overwhelming favorite for goal in tonight's women's 200 meter final she was the quickest qualifier by some margin this is b.b.c. Radio 5 Live on digital b.b.c. Sounds smart speaker. Of the weather a cold start with patchy frost in the north it will then be a chilly but dry day for most of sunny periods of those scattered. B.b.c. I'm. With the Rugby Union. On b.b.c. Says. The political opposition. Are warning him to take one offering his cooperation. As the us attorney general Robert Barr on the Justice Department continue their inquiries into the origins of the F.B.I.'s inquiry into Russian election it's become. Washington promised the government would use what it called its best and support. Labor's Bill Shorten told the. Network that Mr Morris needs to clean up the perception that perhaps his special reception Washington was a returned for special favors done. All over Britain it's 5 past 2. Just make on charges by day guides will explain how humans lived here since $900.00 b.c. And then show the visitor walk which ends with a commanding view of the do Alex and artifacts of the present inhabitants of the. Area 5 past 7 or 8 a big part of 5 past 8 in Shreveport Louisiana 180 years ago it was Captain Henry Shreve who took it upon himself to clear a 160 miles long log jam known as the great ruffed and thereby open the Red River to navigation. If I possibly can Shakespeare a ghost just west of the continental divide on the outer edge of New Mexico they briefly mind so over here and young Billy the Kid washed dishes in the hotel 5 past 6 at a basic but free campground and Kaiser pass California the hikers who come here aren't interested in frills some of them are gone for the week alone up there in the John Muir wilderness of the high seas our news comes from c.b.s. . Day of reckoning for a former cop in the killing of a black neighborhood guilty of the murder secretary of state pale criticizes Democrats impeachment demand he calls it a bullying tactic Harvard is cleared of allegations it discriminates against Asian Americans a victory for supporters of affirmative action. The c b s world news roundup Late Edition with correspondent Jim shot of a jury in Dallas Texas today delivered a guilty verdict on murder charges against former police officer Amber Geiger who shot her black neighbor dead in his own apartment thinking it was hers and that he was a burglar Marat is an attorney for the family of victim both I'm John but I want to think this jury for taking their time hearing the evidence and getting it right we still have the sentencing phase to go but this is a huge victory correspondent Omar via Franka in an emotional 8 day trial the jury heard Giger describe that final night in her own words. Jurors also saw the sometimes gruesome body cam video from 1st responders prosecutors say Geiger did little to help John as he laid on the floor dying. Prosecutors say the former Dallas police officer was partially distracted after exchanging sexually explicit messages with her patrol partner on the night she shot John a sentencing phase of the trial will resume tomorrow she faces up to 99 years Secretary of State Mike Pompei o sent a letter to House Democratic leaders today accusing them of trying to intimate. Date and bully career officials c.b.s. Is Bill rake of the chairs of the House Foreign Affairs intelligence and Oversight Committee say that Palm Peo is intimidating witnesses in the impeachment inquiry they say that's illegal and it constitutes evidence of obstruction they also say that if Pompei o was listening in on the phone call between President Trump and Ukraine President Selenski that prompted the whistleblower complaint he's also a witness to the inquiry earlier today Pompei o objected to the committee's efforts to obtain depositions from 5 current and former State Department officials as part of that inquiry the rake off c.b.s. News Capitol Hill Harvard University's been cleared of allegations it discriminates against Asian Americans in its admissions the judge says Harvard's admission process is not perfect but there is no evidence of any racial animus whatsoever students for fair admissions argued that Asian Americans were held to a higher standard in admissions what they call an Asian penalty while black and Hispanic students with lower grades were given preference the leader of the group Edward Bluhm has orchestrated lawsuits to ban affirmative action and other schools converts that it considers race in admissions but it is only one of many factors Allison Keyes c.b.s. News on Wall Street the Dow dropping 343 points or 1.3 percent to 26573 on the same day his resignation from Congress became effective New York Republican Chris Collins went before a federal judge u.s. Attorney Jeffrey Berman who are New York congressman Christopher Collins pled guilty to insider trading at the lying to the f.b.i. In order to cover up his insider trading scheme Collins admitted to among other things illegally tipping his son while standing on the White House lawn Collins was president Trump's 1st supporter in Congress during the 2016 election the owners of the dive boat that caught fire off the coast of Southern California a month ago killing $34.00 people announced today they have suspended operations indefinitely truth aquatics faces a civil lawsuit related to the fire that burned through the 75 foot conception but so far no criminal charges have been filed the n.t.s.b. Has said that 6 crew members were asleep at the time of the fire when local regulations require someone to be on watch over night you're listening to the c.b.s. World news Rhonda. Well sit back for the next few minutes and prepares to be told a few stories as we join Peter Boyce in Los Angeles Hello Peter hello rods How we doing Welcome to a well evening in Los Angeles said nothing happy about the weather to start with and it's just a gorgeous day today it's autumn has hit it's beautifully coup and this is the best time in California. It must be on account of the Eastern War Army evening and we've had a few of those in the weeks that just preceded this one there are a lot of crickets and cicadas even then the trees do have a noises and in the evening in Los Angeles Well actually I think I remember a few months ago I played you some of the noises and exactly as you described the crickets that emerge usually sort of April May time when the weather is beginning to warm up here so that's the noise that the orchestra if you like it the further you get out of the city of course it's easier to hear these things but right in the middle of Hollywood at the moment all I can hear is traffic on Sunset Boulevard have ambulances some judges are. Well thank goodness for soundproof studios I leave it to you to introduce your guests I don't want to take any time away from them but all excellent Well thank you very much as you well know Rod We are going through quite a momentous times at the moment Breck's it of course is his trundling on there will be a u.k. Election we assume sometime soon there's an impeachment investigation into the president of the United States and for journalists covering these stories these are the kinds of events that can become career defining deployments and I mention that because our guest for the next hour has spent his entire career covering some of the most momentous memorable news events of our times the release from prison of Nelson Mandela the fall of the burden wall the Gulf Wars the troubles in Northern Ireland $911.00 and so it goes on Robert Penfold has just retired from his Rome bureau chief us correspondent for strangers Channel 9 television and he has as you suggest he has some wonderful stories to tell Robert it's great to see you. Welcome to 5 Live and let me just explain how you and I know each other we are sitting at the moment in the office is the studios of Channel 9 television and the b.b.c. So we've shared this suite of offices in Hollywood I think as far as we're concerned for about the past 12 years this has been your home now for 20 plus years 22 years this time around although I was back here in Los Angeles back in 85 and 86 as well so I've had quite a time here and of course in between that I had a lovely time living in London really been covering the world well I'm going to talk about that and we're going to talk about all the hugely memorable stories that you've been involved in in covering including an impeachment investigation under indeed appear in impeachment trial that quite a few years ago I was Bill Clinton so you've got a perspective on what's happening right now you've also met and interviewed Donald Trump but I want to talk to. Actually 1st of all it seems relevant because Australia has been in the news these past 24 hours relating to when it gets quite complicated so actually hoping you can help explain this it's relating to the Russia investigation into possible meddling in the 2016 election that led to the Mulla investigation Australia is in the news because it has at least. The attorney general has been talking to world leaders and leading officials President Trump has been talking to the prime minister of Australia asking for help with an investigation into how the inquiry into Russia started well you know it goes way back to the fact of course for the let's go back to the Hillary Clinton emails and this is where it all started it all started would you believe with an Australian with our Alexandra Downer who was the high commissioner in London at the time and he met George Peppard office apparently had a very big knot on the booze together Papadopoulos loves to chat as you've probably seen on television started to spill the beans about the fact that he knew that the those Russians out there people other people out there had copies of Hillary Clinton's emails and they were being handed around well Alexander Downer thought that he should do something with that information he reported it back in the end firstly to the Americans and then to the Australians and that's where it all started it was quite amazing and of course now of course. Well as you can imagine Donald Trump is pretty unhappy about the fact that it was an it started with an Australian calling at all fake news although you know the fact is that they did have those emails and they all passed on so you know but Trump's now asking that the Australian Government now of course when he was when he was that was a life of government but now that he's now asking the Australians can you help me a little bit well with some information and back in Australia they were getting a hold on a minute. What sort of information does he want and how much have we already given him as well so the Aussies are back right in the middle of all of this big mess and is this big news in Australia I know from my perspective it's it is quite perplexing to people around the world the detail of the fine detail as to what's happening right now yesterday it was the biggest story in Australia and it is again today and you can imagine of people laughing a little bit about the fact that Alexander Downer is now seen as a spy as he's been accused of in the White House he's anything but a spy he's very very conservative politician who was our foreign minister for many years like there's a lot of send up going about Alexander there because he doesn't look like this but he does not look like the 7 like to tell you that I mentioned that you have covered an impeachment inquiry before Bill Clinton was the president you've interviewed Donald Trump of course before he became president what's your perspective maybe from a standing mock a little bit as to what's happening right now well I look at them as 2 very different cases of course Bill Clinton decided to try to lie his way out of the fact that he had the affair with Monica Lewinsky and there were other some other bits and pieces there all the Republicans were trying to get him to pin him down on other things but that compared to what we're seeing now certainly seems a lot more serious to me and what Donald Trump's been accused of and but yet again the bitterness that we're seeing coming out of Washington at the moment is very similar to what I saw with Bill Clinton impeachment as well so it's just that the Republicans now are claiming that this has to be investigated whereas in the past of course it was the Republicans saying then of course it has to be investigated now they're being asked and certainly and there we're actually seeing replays of the Republicans then and now and it's a very different story that both of them till now has a very different president is it a different personality and we live in a different age the digital world social media which the president uses and I think he's tweeted or retreated more than a 100 or so times over the last few days you've met Donald. Trump you know what it's like that's rather an insight into his personal isn't the question I get asked all the time was what was he like then is it like now and I said identical identical This man has not changed one bit we want to do a story on him because our network Channel 900 bought the rights to The Apprentice and so that gave me an into getting to Donald Trump's office and invited to stop there and we spent all morning with him and well what that big a guy that you see on television a little less in the last couple days of course but that biggie that you see now was very much apparent to me then we walked into the office and he walked around he said Look at all this and I look at these walls were covered in awards and then the then they're lined up 3 and 4 deep for every building awards. The developer of the you know the developers the building companies everybody giving him awards over the years of course because one of the buy into his business but he said Look at that I mean awards I have to haven't even got any wall space anymore I have to line them all up on the floor here and then I I did ask him I said you know there's a lot of people think that you might make a good president because you know I'm pretty busy at the moment but you know you know if you saw the Clinton is. You know I could see that he really liked the idea of yeah well I want to talk to you about your career and it has been an extraordinary career before we do that let me just introduce you to right Robert hello it's a pleasure to me it's really fun. I was saved by Donald Trump's a office up there and Trump Tower they take you to the apartment the one that we see all the pictures of you know that that's right up there on the top with all the go with all of the gold and you know he didn't he he actually just we were in the office with him but you know what he did either need to do says to his son who then said he said he's going to take you around and show you all the buildings that we then had a tour of some of the developments around around town but certainly Donald Trump. Senior was the certainly the one to meet but sadly no I didn't I didn't see the gold Lama a. Dressing down etc I believe that up to. It was a very lean operation that he ran there wasn't that I mean there weren't that many people in the Trump organization and in trouble that's right everything went on everything went through dad at the time and he ticked off everyone and you could say that he had a few papers on his desk really clean looking day so I think he just pulled the ideas out of his head at the time I asked him of course about all the bankruptcies as well and he always had a good line for that saying oh I was never I was never bankrupted a few businesses got in the in the way of the people involved with me but he was never really any use the line I was never never personally bankrupted but if you look at the record of the Trump Organization bankruptcies all over the place. Xstrata and I was listening to to what you're saying about the difference between the Clinton impeachment and and this one I mean if this one ever gets off the ground they always used to say about the about Clinton and Nixon you know the cover up was worse than the try you know the cover up was worse than the Watergate burglary Well they attempted Watergate Broadway and of course they you know what happened between Clinton and Monica Lewinsky paled before Clinton lying under oath but but here crime is quite interesting isn't it really is even that she admitted to it as well I thought it was interesting last week that he said yes that he did say those things and all of that so it's all out there and but of course the Republicans at the moment are still running cover for him and people are just waiting now here in the United States to see who will be the 1st Republican to start to turn a few of the Republicans about 4 or 5 who are actually not running next year because they see the writing on the wall but some of them are starting to raise doubts about. Supporting him but at this stage the Republicans are standing firm be interesting to see how long that can go on and it's also interesting I think that it actually technically doesn't have to be a crime pesetas it it just has to be Well the allegation in this case is that it's an abuse of power but it may not be a crime that could be prosecuted that well you know the impeachment knowing Trump Not that I know him that well but certainly having met him and just watching him the this would be the ultimate embarrassment for him even though he may well be impeached by the Democrats we know pretty much now at this stage that it's never going to get he'll never be eventually kicked out as president because it won't get through the Senate because they have to have I think what 2 thirds 2 thirds majority that's not going to happen but the impeachment would be the ultimate embarrassment for him as well and it will infuriate him to the point of I just can't even imagine what we might see in in the month. To come. Well let's talk about go ahead rock Oh no listen I've my question I should say all right I are Ok thank you thank you thank you let's let's talk about your career and I think it is fascinating especially for maybe people wanting to go into journalism today very very different world that you entered as a young journalist in Australia how did you get into the business yes I started back in well in not in 72 and I started as a cadet journalist on a local newspaper a country newspaper just outside of city in a town called Campbell Town and he 10 to 15000 people when we 1st moved there in the fifty's it started to develop it's part of the us the spread of Sydney now but I started off again as a kid at journalism my 1st job was to go down to the local swimming pool and write about the weather for the week that was passed it was a weekly newspaper and it was wonderful time we did the sport you did the football you did the cricket you did the courts you did the council did it all and I think was a great opportunity I still often find you know young journalists want to decide I said Get it get out in the country find a country a newspaper a country ready a t.v. Station because you can make all your mistakes out there very forgiving and people just the locals just love the fact that you're interested enough to actually be a reporter and let them know what's going on in their own little area but you very quickly moved into the with the glamorous world of television I did but you know we were still shooting black and white film in those days straight it was a bit like getting into color so you know I started in the black and white film is that we would shoot a story I eventually moved to a country t.v. Station for a short time someone spotted me out there and thankfully got me a job in Sydney and yeah so we would shoot the stories and then I would get all have a black bag out take the film out of the camera put it in a can and hand it to a motorbike man in the mud pie guy would take out drive it up to the studio and it would all be priced. And then we'd all go back and write our stories and cut them all up and I used to cut all the film with razor blades and all of that stick it all together and it would do the news and then. The roll the pictures and in those days we were still catching up with. Abbas had previously worked for a short time at i.t.n. In London and he came back with these great ideas about reporters should be doing all the stories not just news readers reading stories and so we came back and we would all line up in the broadcast booth and run all the film through for all the different stories and we just all jumped in and out of the booth when our story came up and read it live on. The pictures as we went away to say it's so beautifully romantic when you when you describe a lot I lot of fun you know but I mean can you imagine how things have changed in terms of the speed that you're able to do a story now compared with what you had to go through that mechanical process new function the razor blades which reminds me of cutting audiotapes starting in radio that it is changed beyond all recognition that has indeed it's extraordinary Now the expectations to as a news reporter now compared to then we would do one story for the 6 O'clock news that was it an adult will die because had to cut the film it's at or well these days quite literally. And you couple weeks ago I was out on the story because I'm still doing some part time work so they asked you to at the Emmys the other day I did 7 live shots 7 large shots in 3 hours back to Australian television morning shows and all of that then we had a in the 11th they want to live in 30 news packages and they wanted to 6 o'clock news packages and then they wanted me someone called up about 7 o'clock and said Could you write 300 words for online as well. This is not unfamiliar to me I'm glad I'm at the end of my career Well the beginning of this is what they're asking young journalists to do this day yeah yeah and you worked for all of the big television stations in Australia if I did it before coming to Channel $90.00 Yeah I walked around out I got off of the job and 7 and I went down to meld. For a while where worked in Melbourne and then. Would you believe I. For a couple of years I actually tripes them away from Melbourne where I was a reporter I went to as all these do I went I went to visit we went to Europe my wife now my now wife and I this is not in 74 and I couldn't get a job in journalism so I ended up working to Harrods as a pheasant plucker. I hadn't expected I didn't. Know that I was in the poultry Department will never leave Paris I've been over the Christmas period she was working in costume jewelry and that was quite an experience I got to see the shifts in the and the you know all the servants coming in buying this beautiful poultry that I couldn't afford myself to take home to all the lovely mentions in lovely homes in Knightsbridge for to be cooking up for dinner and little did you know that a few years later you'll be back in London talking to the queen That's right yes well what happened was I many I came here worked for went back to Australia to continue as a German submit eventually got posted to London they didn't have we didn't have a bureau in those days in London so they said look he worked a bit in the bureau I had worked for a year or 2 here in Los Angeles this is in the mid eighties they said how about going to London now and working there so yes I went to London and had a wonderful opportunity 11 time to go out to Windsor Castle and spend all morning with the queen and another couple of weeks a couple of days later we actually were in Number 10 Downing Street with Margaret Thatcher when I just let me just ask you about the Queen because you didn't know in interviews the Queen said What got you that yes so what it was was it was Australia's bicentenary was about to come up and the Queen had agreed to do a message to Australia so we went there and we set up the prompt and all of that and we're all standing there very nervously in our best suits and the cameraman and sound recordist everyone's wearing their best suit and some of the government actually had to go and buy a. The Aussie boys but then I said to the to some of her staff I said well how do we know when the queen is coming we're in this beautiful room in Windsor Castle he said look had a big smile on his face and he said That way you would definitely know when the Queen's about to come I go Ok All right so I waited and he said By the way any 2 people are allowed to shake hands with the queen and you don't say she will be wearing gloves and she'll have a handbag but I checked that heard it so anyway I said Mr Penn for your one whatever. Went out so anyway so we were waiting in 10 minutes goes past 15 minutes goes past and then we heat tick and I think what is that we looked at the door then we looked down we saw 3 Coke is coming to the door. And you knew when you when you he was coming yeah I would say she was lovely she was fantastic she was wonderful as you would expect and she was very excited to be able to send its message to Australia as well as was Margaret Thatcher if you guys like that she was great but Margaret Thatcher was the queen was very good she said Ok way to us it was very and said there I read that good yes that's it when with Margaret Thatcher she said right I don't like the camera there I don't like the light there move here do this she was the boss the queen was happy to do whatever we'd set up Margaret Thatcher took control not surprisingly there was a reason why they called her the I'm late Absolutely yeah. Well more serious a minute Robert thank you for big Our guests were looking forward to it Top us to. Come digital b.b.c. Sense Spiegelman this is b.b.c. Radio 5 live with the news here's Liam Smedley Boris Johnson will set out details of a final offer to the e.u. For brakes it till later he'll address the Conservative Party conference before submitting the proposals to e.u. Leaders the Telegraph reports their link loop the creation of 2 borders on the island of Ireland for 4 years the Duchess of suspects is suing the Mail on Sunday over claims it unlawfully published one of Megan's private letters to her estranged father the paper says it stands by the story it published and will be defending the case vigorously to Pan's prime minister Shinzo Arbor Day has condemned North Korea for test firing what he says were 2 ballistic missiles Tokyo says one came down in waters inside Japan's exclusive economic zone and a tweet by Burger King telling customers it was selling milkshakes all weekend has been banned the Advertising Standards Authority says the chain was condoning and encouraging anti social behavior at a time when a number of European election candidates had the drinks thrown at them let's get the sport now with where it was a humiliating night for Spears in the Champions League here is going to operate he's looking for a 4th be sure it was the true Gypsy abuse was featured chanting she was told she was should be here on their own and yet despite opening the scoring through. No side ended their group match being cheered off by fans at full time following the heaviest home defeat in European competition Manchester City have to wait until the 66 minute before they broke the deadlock at home to dynamos are grab 2nd half so raw and staling got the goal and then set up Phil Foden lights on to complete the tune Elwyn with a teenager on the scoresheet Pep Guardiola was inevitable. Asked about his lack of game time I know my friend who deserves to play I want to give you minutes of it and don't play completely in front of him I'm sorry but his skill in the brain there is good and there is that he too has been out of his worries I'm so sorry this whole depression I know the best way to grow up peace play minutes and minutes elsewhere 13 time champions Real Madrid had to battle back from to nail down to draw to war with club in the sky but championship leads of replace West Brom at the top after winning backlash one nil Allan road in the other end of the table and 19 match wait for a win is over find a one nil victory away at Stoke to remain bottom on just 2 points and the manager Phil Neville is lost defenders Millie Bryant and Demi Stokes who enjoy ahead of Saturday's friendly against Brazil some good news for the line Ses though is that they are set to play in front of a wreck or domestic crowd for a women's match with more than 75000 expected for their friendly against Germany at Wembley next month. At the World Athletics Championships in Doha Adam Jim Aly finished 4th in the 200 meters just 0.05 seconds off a medal as American Noah Lyles took victory and 19.83 seconds but a disappointment for Jimmy Lee who also missed out on Rio Olympics bronze by 3 Thousands of a 2nd and just guide I just had it I had it and I just gave everything I lost all my bouncer the end I just had nothing left or a lie such you know much of it was I'm so sorry I don't need 2 of us don't apologize budge for I have let so many people down after silver in the 100 meters the Russia Smith his favorite for 200 mi to go to 22.16 seconds was the quickest at the 3 semifinals following the ritual Jamaica's Elim pick champion Elena Thomson American sprinting great Michael Johnson feels this is an event Ashley Smith cannot lose she knows that with all of these great athletes who have dropped out of this mess that has continued to happen its continued to place her as the overwhelming favorite now and only puts on more pressure so she is absolutely focused because she would go like hey if I don't win this then it's going to be a failure I was opposed to having run against the other athletes maybe now winning it wouldn't be a problem and after hosting it fish event in $1879.00 toast the racecourse has been Pearman and Lee closed the course went into administration with debts of more than 1300000 pounds last year and that she b.b.c. Sport. Should prove this. She was. Just a credible job through guys here this week and she will try to shake her she was always trying to be just like you and I. Think secretly I tried to get reaction and analysis from the Russian grocery truthfully extract good Flag Code costs download in subscribers. Oh. Yes. Is b.b.c. Radio 5 Live the fate of the on the b.b.c. Sounds like what's right sharp right well when we left Robert Penfold of Australia's NY news he and his crew were being bossed around 10 Downing Street by Margaret Thatcher let's return to the fray though with Robert and Peter Boortz thank you very much we would I think I'd like to talk to you about your globetrotting and a husband always been fun and games you've been in some pretty tough areas you've covered wars you covered the Gulf wars you covered the war in Slovenia which. Resulted I think on one day you being held at gunpoint there was a good soldier he had to take to the hospital and I know I've heard this story before and it is one of those moments I think that foreign correspondents have to confront a make that crucial decision do I chase the story or do I act as a human being and respond to the situation in front of me that's right with this one became really became very much part of the story as well an interesting Lee the other person involved in the story is not in Bell from b.b.c. Both Martin and his crew and myself and I were in Slovenia we found a group of Yugoslav soldiers who were trapped and in basically on a freeway they couldn't get in they couldn't get out and they'd been there for 2 days and some of them were very badly wounded. We probably made what I think now is probably a silly decision to go down close to where they were we heard they were there so any way we did get close to them and we had vehicles we had a we had a vehicle inside of the b.b.c. At the time and within minutes of us being there I could see the young left tenant sort of looked at us and said obviously he started hatching a plan which we didn't know about but we did start shooting vision vision and getting some good pictures of what was happening down there and how they were trapped as the start very start of the war which eventually rolled all the way through Yugoslavia and within minutes maybe in there and getting out of the car so I could hear him going who belongs to this car and he spoke very good English as well this Yugoslav officer and I sort of edged up on the set me and I've seen you had a weapon in his hand and he said I want you to take my wounded soldiers to hospital and that other car over there is that and I said I'm not too sure they venture they found Martin and his crew and they forced both of us more or less I loaded these wounded soldiers whether we liked it or not into the onto the back seat of our vehicles and I said Now get out of here and go at at gunpoint. So it's not as if we haven had a choice not to go this young kid was sitting in the car so I'm away we went and when I saw the you know way through the bush land trying to find a hospital I want to play a clip from Tunnel mine actually recently had a retrospective program looking at your Korea and focused on this particular incident and what happened next that's where the hospital. The soldier told me his name was it was 21 years old and despite his ordeal was resting comfortably. He was shot by the gods manning the right Bob just a little further on the right I still say that we showed up in the Army. And track no. More sounding amazingly calm under what must be intense pressure it was at the time but of course I thought well we haven't got any choice and then I said to the young cameraman who sitting next to me looking rather stunned and somewhat shocked I said Hey guess what the story's in the car start shooting so you can hear me speaking there that's because I'm looking around at the young soldier and seeing if he is a guy and also more or less encouraging the cameraman to shoot the video we have mentioned he did get out of there I was I started to think of the predicament we were in which was really bad because we were driving back into what obviously was enemy territory with a young guy slumped in the back of the car in jungle greens and we could have obviously been mistaken for somebody who held hostage and but anyway we went to the hospital I got up there and correctly you could hear was me trying to look at a a paper map in those days to get mobile phones no such thing so we haven't got to the hospital we followed we followed the b.b.c. Cow they seemed they had a local the local interpreter with them who got them to the hospital and both of us as we got to the hospital I wiped out lots of white paper out the window. I couldn't find a white cloth or of or a white shirt so the white paper did but we edged their way out but they but the guards at the hospital were very edgy and they were heavily armed and I were like I mean the guns they could see what was in the back but they luckily didn't shoot and were you frightened I was after it was all over I was taken caught up in the moment at the time as I have many times during war coverage afterwards I start to think what was I thinking because you said just now it might have been a silly decision to actually go into that area in the 1st place and what you describe is the kind of scenario that reporters are trying to assess dangers and I don't go to many war zones to in the job that I do in Los Angeles but a lot of my colleagues do and there is a there's a certain protocol is as far as you can prepare for anything like this but I guess that in that moment you're making a split decision and you just have to go with your gut to some extent yes I do and often the best thing about it was that Shar my wife. Didn't often know about all of this it was only when eventually the stories was shown back in Australia that then people would call her and say What's Robert doing and like that was really dangerous and she said I don't know what you're talking about because we didn't have that much contact once or in those wars items but a similar situation. The start of the 1st Gulf War as well we were all in Saudi Arabia with all the media as well and then of course the invasion started the American tanks started to go in of course the British were involved as well with it tonight I thought as well and we pleaded with and eventually were given the approval to go with again a lovely British friends we played it like we're members of the Commonwealth because they had some the British p.r. Military guys were there representing the British military and they agreed to tight the Australians with them as well as the British media so when the tanks rolled in we followed up the road into Kuwait and again once I was on that ride because we ran into tanks blown up we. Tanks with their lives blown away. Many dead soldiers Iraqis along the way the roads were blown up zigzag route all the way into Kuwait City quite frightening along the way but boy we ended up with a great story and you mentioned your wife not always knowing it and clearly it was a different time in terms of communications not always knowing what he was doing you have I know you've given a lot of thought to what it's like for families and friends back at home still being at the other end of the story and the not knowing and the worrying about a loved one such as yourself how does that affect you well you know again because on the way you are involved very much in the story whether it was the gulf wars or down in Africa or also in Somalia of course when the invasion of the Marines coming to try to regain some control in in there and we just flew in a light plane and landed on a grass strip and walked into the middle of it ended up again with some great. Henri's as well that's often afterwards probably as I go to ground a bit older I was to think I would never do that sort of thing again you know here I am a father with 3 children. My wife sitting and I'm not knowing what's going on in our home in Wandsworth Common in London pretty unaware of all of this and as a center she gets these phone calls but. Yeah these days you go you do very differently these days if you go into a war zone you have security with you you have advice and people can tell you one way or another because their experience often x. Former say yes guys who will come with us and keep an eye on us as I did in the 2nd Gulf War But all those previous wars we just sort of went in and as foreign correspondents do in looking for the story when you didn't have security there or where the story is better. Probably I think because we took more chances at the time you know I don't want to sound like I'm this cowboy crazy reporter you guys are no danger zones because I was always a way to that I had often young cameramen with me the cameraman that worked with us in London where young kids more of us that we picked up there than out of any being 23 or 24 years old and they're on the they're away from Australia holiday and they have to be a good cameraman so I would regard them at the same time and I was aware that they had parents and brothers and sisters and things like that so I was somewhat. Careful about where we went but dangerous situations just happened yeah yeah quite different really I mean I know you're close relations with the b.b.c. When you think about the b.b.c. Cameramen they were very often even more experienced than the correspondent I mean I'm not talking about Martin particularly or or you know Katie O'Brien barrenness some of the people that I know you've worked with but slightly younger correspondent see no who are really good we know they were very good you know they're they're 30 ish but they're cameramen were so experience they really had been run the block and that's a great bonus isn't it when you have somebody like that to work with very much so I think that you know we always look to b.b.c. And i.t.v. And crews we worked hand in hand in those days with i.t.n. So we would hang pretty close to them and they had some very experienced reporters and cameraman in those days as well so Jeremy Thompson I used to be often around as Jeremy Thompson on on reports particularly on South Africans for Africa when he was the correspondent there for i.t.n. . So we would hang close with them and take their advice as well and that's eventually how we did get into Somalia by taking the advice of r.t. And how to get a plane how to get there and they were quite pretty convinced that we could land on those grass trips outside of Mogadishu and get in and find a truck drivers in as we did and it all worked out well but in once we got into the town I could see you know if you've ever seen Blackhawk Down Well I was going to ask you that were you there in the immediate aftermath and I. Mean we we were there yes around about that period we were there Blackhawk Down happened a little time after that after we had left but because that was what about $93.00 something like that yes that was when when the Americans again were trying to think well they could go in and try to get control of that part of Africa at least and so they put in the Marines but of course the would go to. That the Marines were coming so the Brits and us and and the American it's all we came in through the back door and actually beat the mean so we're all standing on the beach when the Marines decided to eventually made their. Rather dramatic beach landing as you would see in a movie but we were all standing on the beach sort of shooting them with t.v. Lights and all of that and of course once again with the Marines were pretty unimpressed with us and a colonel came up and said You guys you're lucky you know did. I go oh goodness sake so you were in you're in the for the 1st Gulf War was not the boss who rode by the way that you're talking about when you were going as I was that exact habit because I was was a terrific site again I mean that was the that was the making of a young correspondent called Stephen Sackur who's who's now very well known a b.b.c. Correspondent Well he has a program called Hard Talk on the b.b.c. World News Channel but but his supporting a flat was strongly because of the the horror of it really that was the thing wasn't it. There was a point you know because it was most of the deaths were created by the the Us Air Force and the British tornadoes coming down it was what you had was a jam the biggest traffic jam as I described it in the story is the biggest jet traffic jam in the world what had happened of course was that once the once the invasion started by the Americans the Iraqis were basically turned into a rabble and started heading back for the ball back to the border and they stole cars they stole trucks they stole tractors they stole anything to get out and I took lots of televisions and computers with them along the way but eventually they were all stuck on that road to Vassar and one by one of course I went when the The Tonight as in the American Air Force started to attack them that disciple in the vehicles at the very front of the of the pack of the Eccles So then they started to drive around them and they were getting bogged in the desert and it was basically I think as the Americans adventure they decided they said we have to pull away from this because this is just like a turkey shoot and I know that the British pilots at the time a very supportive of the I decided this has to stop because this is on a grand scale and we got there soon after that and I can tell you it was. One of the I think you could describe it is a great news story was the coverage of the Berlin Wall coming down and you were the you were covering the politics of the situation I think Specter didn't quite expect the wall to come down in that moment but it did that's right we were there the night before we were doing a story on the up evil the iron is Germany and what was going on over there in East Berlin with particularly and I'd done a story and I stood by the wall and I said you know even if I walk from here to there are you know it's a dangerous thing I could get arrested because I'm here on the west side. And and in fact the day before that I actually walked into East Berlin as Australians were on an Australian possible we could go into East Germany where as the Brits and the Americans couldn't hold it was Germans so it was quite interesting to have seen the other side of it and yes I went to bed that night as the with the and the cameraman he was in another room we had another reporter with this is well from New Zealand and phoned my phone starts to ring around about 2 in the morning and it's the Sydney newsroom and they're going Wow Isn't it amazing you know there isn't it incredible what are you seeing I'm going I'm saying what do you see. Her being a little boy has got to bluff a little bit you always know what's going on here a reporter. Perhaps. So anyway they say always seeing people run everywhere they're actually even starting to smash down the wall and I was a Keep in mind this is pre so fun times 9 I've often so I actually I've been the curtains of my hotel and I could see people running in the streets and I thought that where you were on to it just had the idea to get out of course we were there too to be an eyewitness to history to be at the most extraordinary story probably the greatest and happy a story of my life well let's have a listen from the moments you talking I think it to some East but Innes What is the feeling of the day when you heard yesterday that the gates were going to be I've been. Clean and you can. Believe if you get. The general feeling in Berlin was absolutely euphoric people couldn't believe it was happening. Thanks in ham as they started the demolition job themselves. Then down to the moment so many of these people have waited for nearly 30 so down it came and what did you do next well what I did then was I said to the cameraman said you know what look at all those guys and girls up on top of that wall let's get up there as well so we did and we climbed up on top of the wall and it was interesting to watch because I was looking down and you could see the young East German soldiers ole these you know these kids had been thrown into the army like it or not and I was just up there looking at is going well should we shoot them or what So they ended up getting big fire hoses and just try to hoses on which didn't work and then they eventually gave up but I stood up on the wall and I said to the camera and go down a bit further than just let's do one of these big wide shots and it was just in a rather painful National 9 News on the Berlin Wall and I think and Ruth that is what being a foreign reporter is all about you were a witness to history it was it was a great event to be and it was. Amazing and people often ask you what's the holiday that's certainly one of them it's because it was so positive Some any good thoughts about it that people were happy on both sides in as the East Berlin is it was one of those great good news stories that we really get today and just like the release of Nelson Mandela That's right yeah of course I was in London at the time and of course the word came out that he was going to be released so again the fine rings quick go for it so he jumped on a plane very quickly when we were down there able to get down he was released and eventually came out in Capetown of course a day or 2 later he was up in he was brought up into Johannesburg and we were out there in sweat when we stood out in front with so many other reporters in the thousands and thousands of the locals black and white people everybody real mixed had got out there by then standing in front of his house in some way there waiting for him to come home and it was just an extraordinary feeling to the excitement and while they're all waiting as took out was before he was always coming but he never quite got there never quite got there and there were these just hundreds of well dressed they were in got there is really were a clothes on and they had they had this beers in there and they and all their equipment and they're going around and around the block doing those amazing African dances along the way waiting for him to come and of course eventually he turned up and yeah great time to be there and the next few days of course we eventually were able to go to a news conference with him as well where he spoke about it all and where he waited around we all got our one little one or 2 questions in he was an extraordinary man and gave us plenty of time it was great to watch as the years went on that eventually you know he was able to do a lot more good for South Africa out of prison rather than in and just getting to know that country I was there exactly a year after those events the 1st anniversary of his release and just getting to know the people of that country is the memory that stays with me a wonderful at that time a wonderful sort of optimism Yes that's right. I've been back many times and because I've been there for his release I went back to cover his funeral as well and again there was a there's a feeling of sadness but there was also a feeling of pride amongst the Africans there in the South Africans again on sides about you know what he brought to the country and the good that he'd done and it was a celebration rather than a funeral. And in between times you spent a lot of time here in Hollywood covering the goings on of Tinseltown and covering the Oscars and as you say just the Emmys just a couple of weeks ago here are you still doing a bit of coverage that's such a different world isn't it but it's one that you enjoy I do yeah I enjoy it I think America to me is a fascinating country have lived enough 22 years and our children ended up all growing up here that we had to born in London and one bone here in America proud of that and I d 5 so they're British citizens they're American citizens they're Australian citizen level so that they are indeed but so they went to school here so we met wonderful people through the school you know happened to my daughter was in the same classes and they can is daughter and Jack Nicholson's daughter so I got to live the Hollywood dream to a degree as a even as a dad out at school that time you know and then there's been the Reagans and the time when I was and there is the Sadly the the school massacres which is the things that really break me these days. You know that's the one thing in retiring I want this at all of course and I feel you know I probably. Done as many as I could start it was starting really to get to me I think it's tough for anyone covering this choosing the same soulful and I do remember one of your pieces your payoff line just reflecting on the fact that it's one of those terrible shootings if this doesn't change anything nothing will you know and that was many many shootings ago and that's right yeah that's the 1st thing that I usually when I'm going back live to Australia or on radio as I often do or on television and I say surely Robert this time the laws were changed and I said sadly I don't think it's going to happen and you know as a citizen of America Now I don't see it happening in any time in the near future at all you said you won't miss it all and you're referring to these awful stories will you miss that I know you're doing it still part time but do you already miss the job the adrenalin the drive to the airport I do a bit yeah it's actually you know when some of the big stories were breaking particularly when those the big when the when the hurricanes were coming back through down there and it was down through through Florida recently I woke up in the morning I said gee I don't have to worry about this anymore so that's a bit of a 1st but you know it's been a great job of love to the whole and we've had some my family have also been along for the ride as well and I know that they all love the idea of it even though I have one story to tell about life I was done in them inspiring covering the death of an Australian mafia boss down there and without warning Well I suppose I'm warning that my wife said maybe you shouldn't go because the baby is almost you well I did go anyway because she said no because she's always been very encouraging my wife shot to get out and did the job. But she went into labor before I actually before I could get back so by the time I got back from my trip down into Spain I was father of another son so I went to the Wellington Hospital out there and met the new boy show again was very welcoming very forgiving the wife of a good journalist. The Good Wife of a journalist let's put it that way her girlfriends around the bed were not as understanding really the husbands probably want journalists and Doc looks Yeah Ok so is travel still in your future than the other player I mean the must be places clearly you haven't been to as a journalist you'd like to go yes I would I'd like to see more South America and like it or not I'm going back to Australia fairly soon as well money because being part time they can call me and asked me to occasionally to do the jobs and so I only 2 weeks from now I'm going to go on a nonstop test flight would you believe from New York to Sydney 19 and a half hours in the plane flying probably 22 hours by the time we get out quarters is testing these long distance flights and they've got 42 people on a brand new plan they said Robert would you like to go along and do a story about it so I'm still travelling a good bit a bit to Australia but also I love traveling to Europe and also going back to London of course to visit all our friends there in ones with great bunch of pals and we always have great dinner parties every time we go back they will come back together for us well it sounds I mean that sounds like a wonderful assignment had to go study and interestingly you know I tell Australians about it and I go wow that sounds fantastic because they used to doing 14 hour flights to get to London or get to year I talked to nearly every American without doubt guys oh my gosh I couldn't think of anything worse. Oh it sounds thrilling to me I think 5 hours is a long time on Iran. So there you do well as but our pleasure really thank you very much for being our guest tonight and telling us all these stories just as promised a fight you loved completely up here Bill like. Thanks Rob thank you and thank you Peter. Because guest of us was Robert Penfold possibly of still your best known t.v. Foreign correspondent and you're listening to All I hear on b.b.c. Radio 5 Live. And playing for anyone else. C.b.c. Radio. At 3 o'clock an hour with the b.b.c. News. The main news on 5 Live the prime minister prepares to post his final offer to the new and in sports Spears and Paris by Bryan and the Champions League. Is b.b.c. . Boris Johnson is expected to outline details of his final negotiating offer to the e.u. To get a break that deal the prime minister will address the Conservative Party conference before submitting proposals to the the Telegraph reports the government will suggest 2 bodies for 4 yes' on the island violent until 202520 Conley is you're president for the Irish state broadcaster I mean there are complete ripping up of the buck stop replacing it with something that is just a completely different creature but it also requires the e.u. To accept major exemptions of its customs rules that single market rules which frankly you simply is not going to. The details of so 6 has been going legal action against the Mail on Sunday over claim it'll. Lawfully published one of her private letters in a statement Prince Harry refers to what he calls relentless propaganda against his wife and says he's not prepared to see have victimized by the press as his mother was our royal correspondent is Nicholas Witchell it is remarkably outspoken It is nothing less than a stinging attack on the British tabloid media are now at the center of this legal case is a letter written by the Duchess to her estranged father Thomas at his home in Mexico portions of which were quoted in The Mail on Sunday earlier this year well the Mail on Sunday says it stands by the story published and will defended the case vigorously a government bill to tackle domestic abuse 1st instance used by treason is government returns to parliament later the domestic abuse bill looks up pursuing offenders and making sure victims and their children are placed in secure accommodation Charlotte Nia is a survivor of domestic abuse and now runs a refuge in the south of England some years ago my husband was very abusive towards me and up going to prison for the things that he'd done to me and other women and I know how important it is to have a safe place to go without somewhere like this both from Jay in age 26 both in jeans from way since questioned whether Geiger who is a white officer would have shore thought boresome Gene had he not been black family's lawyer said it was a victory for black people. They just want to thank this community and one think the people of Dallas County they want to think this jury for taking their time hearing the evidence and getting it right we still have the sentencing phase to go but this is a huge victory not only for the family of both but as his mother Alison told me a moment ago this is a victory for black people in America it's a signal that the tide is going to change here police officers are going to begin to be held accountable for their actions and we believe that that will begin to change bill.