The mother of Sunday Times correspondent Marie Colvin has paid tribute to her "passionate" daughter following her death in Syria.
Rosemarie Colvin said her daughter loved her job, even when it became dangerous and her safety was at risk.
The 55-year-old died alongside French photographer Remi Ochlik, 28, in a rocket attack on the besieged city of Homs.
Speaking from her home in East Norwich, New York, Mrs Colvin revealed her daughter had been ordered to leave Syria by her editor because of the increasing danger.
"She was supposed to leave," she said. "But she had to stay. She wanted to finish one more story."
The award-winning journalist was the eldest of five children and is survived by her mother, two sisters and two brothers.
Her mother told reporters: "The reason I've been talking to all you guys is that I don't want my daughter's legacy to be 'no comment'... because she wasn't a 'no comment' person.
"Her legacy is: Be passionate and be involved in what you believe in and do it as thoroughly and honestly and fearlessly as you can."
It has been claimed Syrian forces may have murdered Ms Colvin after pledging to kill "any journalist who set foot on Syrian soil".
A number of Western journalists have died in Syria since the uprising began.
French TV reporter Gilles Jacquier, 43, was killed in Homs last month, and New York Times correspondent Anthony Shadid, also 43, died of an apparent asthma attack last Thursday as he was leaving Syria.
Jim Boumelha, president of the International Federation of Journalists, warned: "The situation in Homs is becoming increasingly difficult for journalists and we are concerned about its impact on independent reporting on the conflict.
"We will hold the authorities to their international obligations to protect journalists who are in Homs and other Syrian cities."


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