new sanctions on russia, iran and north korea. the legislation was passed with a19 members in favour and only three against. moscow says the move would "complicate relations". president trump has criticised his attorney—general, fuelling speculation he might be on his way out. he said he was disappointed withjeff sessions‘ decision to recuse himself from the inquiry into alleged russian meddling in the election, commenting that "time would tell‘ about his future. one of the vatican's most seniorfigures, cardinal george pell, has appeared in court in australia to face multiple charges of historical sex abuse. the former archbishop of sydney and melbourne insists he's innocent. details of the charges haven't been made public. it has just it hasjust gone it has just gone to 30 a.m.. —— 2:30am.

now it's time for hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk with me, zeinab badawi. few issues are as controversial as abortion when it comes to addressing women's rights. campaigners believe that women's right to control their fertility does not extend to abortion on demand. donald trump has ended funding for organisations that promote orfund funding for organisations that promote or fund abortions. funding for organisations that promote orfund abortions. one funding for organisations that promote or fund abortions. one such organisation is the ippf, the international planned parenthood federation. my guest is the outgoing director—general, tewedros melesse, andi director—general, tewedros melesse, and i ask if it is right that they should forfeit government funding. tewed ros

tewedros melesse, welcome to hardtalk thank you. what is the loss ofa hardtalk thank you. what is the loss of a few —— us funding means you? one thing is that the us has been the greatest contributor to developmental assistance. today, donald trump is cutting down by 17 oi’ donald trump is cutting down by 17 or 18% of the funding. when it comes to sexual productive health and rights, there is a link specific. that is that it is that you cannot ta ke that is that it is that you cannot take our money and with your own money or somebody else‘s money, you cannot conduct abortion. but what does it mean in practice? is there anything that you are doing now that you won't be a will to do as a result of the loss of us funding? i

think the figures are, your annual budget is about $175 billion, —— million. and the american funding is about $35 million. in any of the previous administration, we have not used us funding to talk about abortion, or to perform abortions. never. because that was the claws of the us funding. what this administration is telling us is that evenif administration is telling us is that even if it is not with our money, if it was with somebody else's, whatever the conditions, you cannot refer a client to abortion or advocate for abortion, or do any of that was somebody else's money. but hasn't that been the case in the past with previous presidents, like ronald reagan, where he said that us money could not be given to any organisation that promotes provides abortions? that has been the case. but the difference here is that it

is extending to seek a virus and had to be aids. haditha defector zika zika virus? —— hiv —— how does it affect the zika virus. if the mother 01’ affect the zika virus. if the mother or child is good to be affected, you had to talk about abortion. if the mother once, you have to refer. so it is going to affect your work on hiv, for example? it is not going to affect the current contract, but when it ends. what is that men? it means losing 100 million over the next three years. although the programme is next three years. although the programme is seen next three years. although the programme is seen it is saving lives, it is going to be affecting 4.8 million pregnancies and 1.7 million abortions. mary stokes, the family planning organisation, says

asa family planning organisation, says as a result of donald trump osmo policy, that there will be 22,000 maternal deaths in his first term. you don't really have any idea of what the outcome would be in terms of figures like that. they are a startling, aren't they? we know it. we have lived it. can i give you some examples? a girl in uganda, she was 16. she became pregnant. she was raped, forced. and she could not tell her family. she could not go to a doctor. what happened? she took herbal medicine, and died. her mother did not know because she did not tell her. and these kinds of things, this mortality in some of the countries, this goes to over 500,500,000. the countries, this goes to over 500, 500,000. that is maternal

deaths. and that is in countries where abortions are illegal. there are more than those in which it is legal. backstreet abortions that are done? is a make—up course. but the fa ct done? is a make—up course. but the fact that you see this is an imperative to see this work done. but do you not think that there is a imperative for life? donald trump stood for office with this opinion. he is entitled to that opinion. in fa ct he is entitled to that opinion. in fact in january, mike he is entitled to that opinion. in fact injanuary, mike pence said life is winning again in america. they have their views. they are entitled to them. a respect their views, but you cannot impose them on somebody else. in a country which says it is a place of democracy and an example of democracy, it cannot impose a different view on somebody

else. but you cannot impose your view on a president who has, as part of the decision that he makes, how the tax money is used?” of the decision that he makes, how the tax money is used? i never agreed that this group is pro life. in fact, it is the opposite. because we ca re in fact, it is the opposite. because we care about the life of a woman. we ca re we care about the life of a woman. we care about the life of a girl. you know, those who are between ten and 16. there are over 34 million who are pulled out of school because of early marriage, sexual abuse, or the informed decision to have a baby. all this is that we care about the likeable woman. but it is not just that, tewedros melesse, is it? because you are encroaching on ideological territory. you have met stiff opposition from the catholic

church in peru, for example. i want to give you one example of the criticism. one person looked at programme is supported by groups that you back in latin america, and he says that these groups are using the funding to lobby politicians and change public opinion. you are lobbying, these are your advocacy groups. you are notjust involved in providing healthcare? there is a difference when lobbying and advocacy. what we do is that we work, not as, we call ourselves locally owned, globally connected. in peru, it is not our office in europe which is going there. we don't go from london. it is proving is! but they're connected to the ippf, of which you are the director—general. these are groups that are acting with your blessing.

-- it is that are acting with your blessing. —— it is peruvians. that are acting with your blessing. -- it is peruvians. yes, but a woman's prerogative, it started in europe, america, india, africa, everywhere, to tell me that it is the west that is bringing something else. it is really very... i didn't say the west. no, i meant a foreign ideology. no, i didn't say that. the ippf has about 170 countries as members and you work in party with the united nations. you are very bona fide. yes, but the question is do we fight for the rights are woman to make a choice to be informed of what is the consequence of having u nwa nted what is the consequence of having unwanted pregnancy? knowing that she can lose contraception. —— use

contraception. is it time to legislate that a woman, taking into account her personal condition, her social condition, as a free choice? but the people that have a different opinion, you might disagree with them, but the respect their point of usa, 0k, them, but the respect their point of usa, ok, donald trump, and as they might have taken this decision. we will either find might have taken this decision. we will eitherfind a might have taken this decision. we will either find a different way of doing what we want to do, but we respect your decision. the respect people who have a different point of view to you? you can respect, and you can disagree. we need to fight because there is a reason. are used to lobbying? i didn't say lobbying. advocacy and showing. what is amazing, zeinab badawi, is that in places where abortions is legal, why should this administration said no, it cannot be legal in ethiopia, or in peru, or in chile? keep your

democratic institutions and respect our work. is your american chapter, then, trying to change the mind of then, trying to change the mind of the donald trump administration? try to change, get in the alliance correct, and getting as many people to back them as they can. because this is a fight. and the fighting, there is no niceties, there, that was respect the laws of the countries. it is notjust abortions that you have issues with. you work to promote women's sexual and reproductive rights. you also campaigned against things like early marriage, which is very common in your native ethiopian. you know, the effects of the general relation. but in trying to charge these problems,

you are challenging deep conventions. —— female genital mutilation. believe me, it is not as ha rd mutilation. believe me, it is not as hard as it is. because the communities, they know. for example, in pakistan, we are working with religious groups. these are the ones who are teaching them what the rights of a woman are. how challenging it is for an early marriage. it doesn't mean there is no opposition. but there are religious leaders from the christian side also. from the catholic church. i visited in a minor street, which is run by nuns. in pakistan, you mean? no. in pakistan, the islamic scholars at teaching how to respect each other and how to respect a woman's life. so your point is you are getting some religious leaders on your site to say, look, early marriage is not good. two no. it is

not that difficult. it is the politicians who are competent in the thing and trying to gain support. they are trained to use all the political. in america, people believe in, you know, their own religion. the american constitution respect the right of the individual and the woman. that you do meet challenges along the way. in africa, resistance, a woman seeking contraception is seen as promiscuous and not accepting the will of god issues not married and having as many children as she may be able to have. i prefer to look at these positive side. there are challenges. in southern africa, and eastern africa, the prevalence rate is over 35%. if you go to the south, at this gets you 50% or 60%. this was not the case 20 years ago. to achieve the case 20 years ago. to achieve the goals, many countries have

committed their resources. they have come to the family planning summit. the ugandan government, the zimbabwean government, the ethiopian government, they have committed themselves to making family planning services available. is it enough? no. worldwide, there are millions of women who don't have access to contraceptives. note, but the trip is is there. the commitment is there by the government. there are challenges. there is the issue of accessibility, information, affordability, the training of people, the choices of individuals. so you have a positive attitude? is your attitude so positive that it ta kes you your attitude so positive that it takes you to conflict areas were you also champion women's rights, but you find yourself in an uncomfortable position. for example, in syria, you have been working with the government forces to help women with their sexual reproductive health rights and yet we hear about

the rape cases in syrian government prisons that take place. so are you not collaborating with a government, a regime, that is actually responsible for the degradation and abuse and explication of women? —— exploitation. we are not partnering with the government. we are working for those displaced in jordan, government. we are working for those displaced injordan, those in lebanon... in areas of conflict you say you want to help women in crisis, including in conflict, so you are working on government—held areas in syria. including those areas in syria. including those areas controlled by the opposition. you mean so—called islamic state? red cross has agreed with any government what it is doing but operating in a country which is in conflict. including four women who are raped, to give them counselling and therapy. you mean in areas held

by so—called islamic state?” and therapy. you mean in areas held by so-called islamic state? i don't know what our islamic state controlled areas, but rebel held groups. they might be. they might be. so you have no problem working with so—called islamic state but we know they have been selling sexual slaves... know they have been selling sexual slaves. . . we know they have been selling sexual slaves... we are not endorsing the group. what we are saying is those displaced women, girls and young boys, they need education. the torment they go through. how do you operate in practice in such areas? areas that might be controlled by is or the syrian government? difference between us and other organisations is... these people operate within the context of their country. we are not interested in providing and supporting emergency or disaster situations, but we are forced to act in sucha situations, but we are forced to act in such a situation. we are

providing for over 3 million people, just until 2016. providing for over 3 million people, just until2016. i want providing for over 3 million people, just until 2016. i want to look at another controversial area where the ippf has worked. you worked with a chinese family planning association, right through beijing's one child policy. you yourself in that visited china in 2013 and met the prime minister. did that not make you feel uncomfortable? no. a country that has a one child policy? restated clearly our position. when we met the prime minister of china, we put clearly what we called vision 2020 which put clearly the choice of the individual and the woman is very important. he endorsed that and said, we will move on forward. immediately after that we set the two child policy. that was changed in 2015. you made a statement

welcoming it. exactly. what we are saying is we are not working with all the governments that we agree with entirely. we make our position is very clear, even the fact that choice, individual rights, they are written on a placard in our clinics. we provide services to immigrant populations. but women in china have no choice. you say you went in 2013, he met the prime minister, you said you should have this one child policy, it changed in 2015, that's fine. but you know what your predecessor, the director—general, did and what she said in 2009, in china. this is what she called china's one child policy. it is very conducive to china's development in various aspects, including in the realm of health—care services. that's not a statement which is wise to make, is it, really? well, the

thing is, the chinese government have come up with that position. we have come up with that position. we have expressed that we don't agree. but she sounds like she is endorsing it. well, she is putting rather the contextual situation of the country. you know? but, for us, the choice of the woman getting the appropriate information... allegation it with them has made a transformation, a change. we have contributed to change. we have contributed to change. is it enough? is it adequate? no, we have lobbied to go. even in countries where the whole democracy is there... but you are in partnership or co—operating in a way with china, even though you say you don't agree with what they say and what they're doing with their one child policy. this is what a women's group called women's writes without

frontiers said. this is a view will stop while posturing as a champion of choice, the ippf has in fact been working hand—in—hand with a population control programme in china almost since its inception. forced abortion is not a choice. we have never... i will never agree with forced abortion. that is very clear. but, do you engage with governments with whom you disagree? yes, we do. do you agree with 160 countries around the globe? no. there are areas where we don't agree. but we protest and pack and go. i understand it is the local family planning association. and we engage with them. but forced abortions are still operating. in china, forced abortion under the two child policy is still in existence because there is a two child policy

now. well, do you want us to go into exile? no. we fight in the country where we stay. we don't go to exile because we don't agree with the government. we engage with them, we advocate, with —— we engage with health providers and government officials, the national publishing commission. for example, the national population commission... there is a change. what we forget is evenin there is a change. what we forget is even in the west... some of these women are allowed to vote in western countries. in sweden where did they start voting? the 70s. yes. so why don't they engage? so are you engaging with chinese authorities and saying, look, you have two child policy, but actually that still involves a large degree of forced abortions, so would you stop that?

because there are still going to be... included extending us state department said they were tweedy 3 million abortions in china —— 23 million abortions in china —— 23 million abortions in china —— 23 million abortions in china and we don't know how many of those were forced. so still a huge number going on. you know, the interesting thing is it is interesting, 37 countries where there is abortion is illegal, it is happening. in countries where it is happening. in countries where it is happening. in countries where it is still legal. even in those where it is legal there are a lot of abortions taking place. is it the provider's error, is it misinformation? or is it a constraint imposed on the woman? that has to be investigated and checked out. but because we have a certain attitude about china, we can't just make you

certain attitude about china, we can'tjust make you know it generalised declaration. is there any government he would work with? no, except if they impose their view on us no, except if they impose their view on us and tell us, you can't speak about this. then that's a problem. you have this passionate commitment to women's sexual reproductive health rights and yet obviously you are man. why this passion and interest? the first thing is before i became sort of conscious about these issues, i observed my grandmother who just had one daughter and my grandfather's family we re daughter and my grandfather's family were really terribly upset. she gets only one child and she gets only a girl? it was like of revolt. she was almost sent to exile over that. and my mother was almost forced to be

given for a marriage at 13. i grandmother took away and she said, i've not give to those people. she wa nted i've not give to those people. she wanted to get somebody while going to school. and she identified my father a teacher. she gave my mother for a wedding when she was 16. i observed what my mother has lived through, having seven children. when i was through, having seven children. when iwas in through, having seven children. when i was in school i was observing girls disappearing suddenly. because they were pregnant. because they can't be with their family, they can't be with their family, they can't be with their family, they can't be in school until they delivered they would be away. or they would throw away the baby and comeback. that was a very tough situation. then i came to europe and realised what it means and that is the commitment, both personal and the commitment, both personal and the passion. i like literature and

poetry, so that makes me passionate and a woman gives life. tewodros melesse, thank you very much for coming on hardtalk thank you. good morning. there's rain in the forecast for the next few days, but i think the important message is it's not going to be raining all the time. that's certainly the story for today. some wet and windy weather for a time, but not all the time. we have low pressure pushing a band of cloud in from the atlantic and that will bring some outbreaks rain eastwards through the day. with that wet weather some fairly strong and gusty winds. so we start the morning in northern ireland and western

scotland, wales and the south—west with this rain. they then move across the midlands, north—east england, east scotland, eventually rain into the south—east, but by this stage the wet weather quite light and patchy. behind the rain band things will brighten up. there will be showers across northern ireland and scotland into the afternoon. some of these will be quite heavy and the wind is still fairly blustery. notice the persistent rain holding on across the far north and east of scotland right through the afternoon. brighter skies into wales. a fairly cool and fresh feel to the weather. 19 in cardiff. similar in plymouth, with patchy cloud and sunny spells for the afternoon across the south—west of england. we come further east across hampshire, berkshire, into london, kent and east anglia there will be a fair amount of cloud through the afternoon. some outbreaks of rain, fairly light and patchy, extending through

the coast of england. in the evening the cloud and patchy rain will be chased away to the east. a lot of dry weather through the night, however, some hefty showers developing across northern ireland and western scotland. there could be the odd rumble of thunder here. temperatures overnight about 11—15 degrees. into thursday and low pressure still the dominant feature. this isn't what we expect to see on the weather charts at this point in late july. some tightly squeezed isobars, meaning there will be strong winds and some heavy showers. most frequent up to the north—west, but even further south and east we could catch the odd heavy shower and maybe a rumble of thunder. some sunny spells in between. but those temperatures no great shakes, about 16 in aberdeen, 18 in cardiff, 20 in london. another day of showers on friday. some sunny spells between the showers. then late in the day more persistent rain pushing in again across the south—west and wales. but that should move its way through on friday night and into the early hours of saturday. so the weekend is certainly not a complete washout.

there will be some spells of sunshine and some heavy showers as well. some rain in forecast, but not all the time. welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. my name is mike embley. our top stories: the us house of representatives votes overwhelmingly to impose new sanctions on russia, iran and north korea. moscow says the move would complicate relations. how long will he last? america's attorney general faces yet more public criticism from his own boss. i told you before, i'm very disappointed in the attorney general. but we will see what happens. time will tell. one of the vatican's most seniorfigures cardinal pell has appeared in court in australia to face multiple charges of sex abuse. he insists he's innocent. tales from the dark heart of the caliphate. we hear from the wives of islamic state fighters who've fled their former stronghold, raqqa. and how britain's gay culture left the shadows and became mainstream: