this is bbc news with the headlines. millions of women in the united states have lost the constitutional right to have an abortion. after the supreme court overturned a 50—year—old ruling that legalised the procedure nationwide. the conservative dominated court voted five — four. president biden said he was stunned by the ruling, saying it was cruel and driven by extremism that set america back to the 19th century. he pledged to help women to cross state lines around abortion and urged voters to put personal freedoms on the ballot. his predecessor

donald trump, who appointed three conservative judges, welcome to the ruling as god's work. some firms have already offered to fund employees seeking out—of—state abortions. now on bbc news, for six decades, hendry kissinger has been a diplomat and adviser to advair can presidents and ever present influence in international affairs. now in his 100 years, james has visited him and his home to talk about a life that took him from a childhood in nurse nazi germany to the doors of the over office. in an ever present influence on the international stage.

now i've come to his home in the united states to talk to this powerful and often controversial figure about a life that has taken him from nazi germany to the doors of the oval office itself and onto the oval office itself and onto the world stage. we'll talk about his new book leadership. the ideas that have shaped him. of course, about our disordered world. going up in germany, henry conditioner was a witness to the nazi era. —— henry kissinger. the family fled germany in 1938 and kissinger was draughted into the united states army in was draughted into the united states army “119113, serving was draughted into the united states army in 1943, serving in germany, one of the liberators of a concentration camp. there, he sought even more clearly when and before the cost of

war. i had not realised the depths to which human beings could be... it's the institutionalised degradation, because these camps were organised hierarchically. in a wa , organised hierarchically. in a way. that — organised hierarchically. in a way, that organisation must've been one of the most horrifying aspects of it, the fact that it was so regimented. the awfulness of the system was being perpetuated. perpetuated amonu being perpetuated. perpetuated among prisoners _ being perpetuated. perpetuated among prisoners who _ being perpetuated. perpetuated among prisoners who were - among prisoners who were fighting to survive day by day. �*s experience in army intelligence informed his

writing and teaching as an academic in the 50s, and the government called. kissinger served as an adviser tojohn f. kennedy and then forged a powerful relationship with president richard nixon, becoming national security are adviser in 1969 and secretary of state in 1973. a red baiting anti—communist in nixon wanted to heal the rift. the countries haven't talked for decades. kissinger began in secret. none of this was _ kissinger began in secret. none of this was done _ kissinger began in secret. none of this was done by _ kissinger began in secret. none of this was done by cable. - kissinger began in secret. none of this was done by cable. i - of this was done by cable. i decided, we would send her messages on unmarked favour —— our messages. without signature. they would send it through the emissary. everything took about two

weeks. it's like 19th century. until eventually, unbending autocrat and commander of the brutal and bloody cultural revolution of the 60s, all powerful and to the west, a figure of mystery of as well as fascination, kissinger had to try to understand him. i had five meetings _ try to understand him. i had five meetings with - try to understand him. i had five meetings with him. - try to understand him. i had i five meetings with him. first, he was primarily interested... and he'd give me advice how to keepjapan and the combinations. as time went on, he wanted us in an open alliance. my view was that we

should always be closer to china and russia than they would to each other. that's the consistent _ would to each other. that's the consistent theme _ would to each other. that's the consistent theme which - would to each other. that's the | consistent theme which persists in your mind to today? yes. the expedition _ in your mind to today? yes. the expedition to — in your mind to today? yes. the expedition to china _ in your mind to today? 133 the expedition to china was high drama, but it was the war in vietnam that became the defining policy issue of nixon's presidency. by the time he into office, the conflict had poisoned america. nixon promised he would end it. peace with honour, he said. kissinger won the nobel peace prize, but after the united states withdrew its troops, the north overran the south. looking back now, can you really call it peace with honour?- now, can you really call it peace with honour? yes, in the sense that _ peace with honour? yes, in the sense that we _ peace with honour? yes, in the sense that we stated _ peace with honour? yes, in the sense that we stated at - peace with honour? yes, in the sense that we stated at the - sense that we stated at the very beginning, and every

statement, that are definition of piece of honour that the people who had risked their lives for decades of their freedom would not be abandoned by american action. the demand we had was the vietnamese agreed to the principle of self—determination that would give the south vietnamese people an opportunity to express and achieve it. the penalty was the american politics have become so divisive and the people who were opposed to this, so

entrenched that the price paid domestically for it was huge. for kissinger�*s critics, it was a bombing of cambodia that was kept secret that was his most controversial act. kissinger though sees it still is justified because for a country mired in war, it could be necessary. mired in war, it could be necessary-— mired in war, it could be necessa . ., ., necessary. the war in vietnam presented _ necessary. the war in vietnam presented itself _ necessary. the war in vietnam presented itself to _ necessary. the war in vietnam presented itself to nixon - necessary. the war in vietnam presented itself to nixon as i presented itself to nixon as 500,000 american troops already being in place and 50,000 in the pipeline when it became president. 30,000 casualties having already been suffered.

and the debate in america had become so embittered that presidentjohnson couldn't appear in public except on military bases. a significant part of the american elite have become convinced that the defeat was better for the american soul than a continuation of the war. you can hold of you like that out of government, but when you are in government, how do you withdraw 150,000 people when they are 80,000 enemy? and an equal number of allies who will become enemies.—

become enemies. one of the consequences _ become enemies. one of the consequences of _ become enemies. one of the consequences of that - become enemies. one of the consequences of that was - become enemies. one of the l consequences of that was that the administration felt it couldn't tell congress about what was going on across the border in cambodia. do you regret that now?— regret that now? definitely recret regret that now? definitely regret it- — regret that now? definitely regret it. they _ regret that now? definitely regret it. they should - regret that now? definitely regret it. they should have been told _ regret it. they should have been told was _ regret it. they should have been told was yellow - regret it. they should have been told was yellow the i been told was yellow the reaction would've been the same. it reaction would've been the same. . . . reaction would've been the same, ., , ., ., reaction would've been the same. ., , ., ., , same. it was naive to believe that ou same. it was naive to believe that you could _ same. it was naive to believe that you could conduct - same. it was naive to believe that you could conduct a - that you could conduct a clandestine nine military operation. in clandestine nine military operation-— clandestine nine military operation. clandestine nine military oeration. , ., operation. in the midst of it all, operation. in the midst of it all. nixon — operation. in the midst of it all, nixon himself, - operation. in the midst of it all, nixon himself, the - all, nixon himself, the president who spent his life on a heroic struggle with himself, by 1973, a heroic struggle with himself, by1973, his a heroic struggle with himself, by 1973, his dark side have plunged him into watergate, the third rate that mushroomed into a scandal about secrecy, lawbreaking and the abuse of

power. nixon had to write his formal letter of resignation 1974, the only such letter ever written. kissinger watched as the presidency came apart. i soul every day what he was going through. he almost never raise these issues. —— i saw every day. except in a description of what he was going through. from an unlikely background, raising himself with fantastic willpower against his own president. always fearing that something,

some destiny was awaiting him. how did your relationship with him and your view of him developed after you left office in 1974? ., in 1974? -- after he left. i would have _ in 1974? -- after he left. i would have to _ in 1974? -- after he left. i would have to say - in 1974? -- after he left. i would have to say he - in 1974? -- after he left. i would have to say he was| in 1974? -- after he left. i| would have to say he was a likeable person in the normal sense, because he was always defending himself, protecting himself. over the years, defending himself, protecting himself. overthe years, i developed a feeling of warmth for him, and as i look back on his presidency, he taught or tried to teach america an important lesson, mainly that

one had not struck international relation. and that unfolds over a long period. that unfolds over a long eriod. �* . . �* . period. all kissinger's thinking _ period. all kissinger's thinking about - period. all kissinger's i thinking about american period. all kissinger's - thinking about american policy wasn't challenged by the arrival of a president in donald trump with no obvious interest in history or international relations. nato sceptic. a tycoon for whom foreign policy was more deal—making. yet still, the call came from the oval office. donald trump, when i first came to new york, then i lost all contact with him. but it had

never occurred to me that he would become president. i think it's riaht would become president. i think it's right to _ would become president. i think it's right to say _ would become president. i think it's right to say that _ would become president. i think it's right to say that you - it's right to say that you talked to him before his summit with putin. he talked to him before his summit with putin-— with putin. he certainly knew m view with putin. he certainly knew my view of... _ with putin. he certainly knew my view of... well, - with putin. he certainly knew my view of... well, his - with putin. he certainly knew my view of... well, his viewl my view of... well, his view would be totally different from my approach. his view would be the strength of his personal relationship with putin would play a big role in his success. and he had established conservative views that there was a strong adversary. my view would've been that personal relations with someone

important cannot be decided. it brings us to putin himself. you've known him for a long time. i you've known him for a long time. ., , time. i met putin when he was deu time. i met putin when he was deputy mayor _ time. i met putin when he was deputy mayor of _ time. i met putin when he was deputy mayor of st. _ time. i met putin when he was i deputy mayor of st. petersburg. i met him at a luncheon where, because somebody had failed to produce... we could talk to him and to each other. produce. .. we could talk to him and to each other.— and to each other. what do you make of him — and to each other. what do you make of him as _ and to each other. what do you make of him as a man? - and to each other. what do you make of him as a man? and . and to each other. what do you | make of him as a man? and as a leader? , �* , leader? intelligent. driven. by a kind of mystic _ leader? intelligent. driven. by a kind of mystic view. - leader? intelligent. driven. by a kind of mystic view. an - a kind of mystic view. an ideological view if others

could share, but of russia's unique... across many time zones and many enemies around him. by the face of the russian people in themselves. but what had been taken away from russia through the collapse of the soviet union. so, it was a hit larry in view —— hitlerian, but a very firm view about the absence of reality. for example, ukraine. it was not

just a successor state. half of the russian entity. of course, the irony here is by his invasion, putin has created exactly the kind of national consciousness through president zelensky, who's been able to express it. he insisted that not existed before. it express it. he insisted that not existed before. it makes it inconceivable _ not existed before. it makes it inconceivable that _ not existed before. it makes it inconceivable that his - not existed before. it makes it inconceivable that his originall inconceivable that his original origin of returning ukraine to a state of dependence on russia can ever come out of this war, except by a military victory. i believe that putin would be

very precarious and probably not maintainable over a substantial period of time. i think that most european leaders that i know, in my opinion, agreed with what i said. putin cannot say he got away with anything if it's objective to the ukraine has been defeated, europe in unison. ukraine has been established. it's a viable european state. northern europe has been unified insight nato

and the argument about whether ukraine should be part of nato has been practically resolved because there's no way of going back to that petition. in because there's no way of going back to that petition.— back to that petition. in that sense, back to that petition. in that sense. you _ back to that petition. in that sense, you are _ back to that petition. in that sense, you are suggesting l back to that petition. in that i sense, you are suggesting that it has been all but settled. no, i think if the war ended on the present line, and therefore, most of donbas and much of the area remains russian. but in the end, it will be perceived as a russian success. so i would consider that a defeat. i would think if that a defeat. i would think if that happened, the new dividing line is that the limit of the current direction of advance,

that would be very unfortunate. so they need to be pushed back further? , ., ., , , , further? they have to be pushed back to the _ further? they have to be pushed back to the borders. _ further? they have to be pushed back to the borders. they - further? they have to be pushed back to the borders. they had i back to the borders. they had before. but that would be a defeat for russia. it would've been diminished. but the key, and my mind, would then be now and my mind, would then be now a dialogue between europe, nato and russia. it might except sable system. i5 and russia. it might except sable system.— and russia. it might except sable system. is that possible with putin _ sable system. is that possible with putin in _ sable system. is that possible with putin in power? - sable system. is that possible with putin in power? i - sable system. is that possible with putin in power? i don't i with putin in power? i don't believe he _ with putin in power? i don't believe he will _ with putin in power? i don't believe he will be _ with putin in power? i don't believe he will be in - with putin in power? i don't believe he will be in powerl believe he will be in power when they lose, partly because of longevity in office. this is the objective. even if putin were in power. but it's not what i would prefer. to look at

another problem _ what i would prefer. to look at another problem which - what i would prefer. to look at another problem which is - what i would prefer. to look at another problem which is not l another problem which is not burning at the moment, but is it smoldering, we go back to china. and taiwan. what lies ahead for taiwan, and your view? , , . ., ., ., view? the essence of the taiwan relationship. _ view? the essence of the taiwan relationship, for _ view? the essence of the taiwan relationship, for chinese, - relationship, for chinese, taiwan is part of the chinese system. so, when re—re— establish relationships, on the one hand, we accepted the concept of china, and on the other hand, the chinese accepted the long period of

evolution. described as even 100 years. how to answer this period? in my opinion, it is not the accepted opinion. tonnes of confrontations over taiwan have the exact opposite effect because the more we affirm taiwan as a second china and the more the chinese feel they have to reply to that and they have to reply to that and the more armed forces that build up, the more tense the situation becomes. neither country should be asked to give up country should be asked to give up its basic principle explicitly. and so, america has

made clear that a violent attack on taiwan would need significant american reaction. it would mean war? to answer the question. _ it would mean war? to answer the question, it _ it would mean war? to answer the question, it was _ the question, it was publicly... it's exactly what may produce the situation. until, if one could cool their rhetoric and watch the actions, if military action takes place, then we have a decision to make, which must be overwhelmingly influenced by what has gone on. but if taiwan becomes a subject of domestic

intents interest in both countries, explicitly, the tension can only get worse. it's clear kissinger feels the west isn't yet engaged with the long—term challenge china represents. i asked long—term challenge china represents. iasked him how long—term challenge china represents. i asked him how the west should confront him. we would have — west should confront him. - would have to develop a concept of dealing with china that can be maintained over an indefinite period of time. it can change with every administration. i think it is not a task for the west. just as all american _ not a task for the west. just as all american presidents used to summon the evangelist billy graham for a public show of spiritual contemplation, so kissinger plays that role in foreign affairs. it means that evenin foreign affairs. it means that even in his 100th year, he's writing and talking and being

listened to. above all, about the danger as he sees it's of a world in which alliances and understandings give way to a narrow definition of self interest. with potential consequences that have never been more threatening. the confrontation _ been more threatening. the confrontation that _ been more threatening. the confrontation that i - been more threatening. iie: confrontation that i expect been more threatening. "iie: confrontation that i expect of international affairs, which is prerequisite to the ability of do —— to do anything else, has become inconceivably dangerous and in some respects, out of control, even of leaders. one needs a conceptual approach. you would have a serious

dialogue, a new mentality has to be created. not between those who want peace and others want more, —— want war, but those who are prepared to defend and also prepared to accommodate within the limits of their values. that's very hard to achieve because it means that within each country, need enough confidence in each other so that you can live with decisions because you have confidence that... over a long period of time, it's this idea

we're altogether.— we're altogether. thank you very much _ we're altogether. thank you very much indeed. - showers have been moving through the night with the odd rumble of thunder, but it's warm out there as we head into friday. we gotan we got an area of rain in the west, so good spells of sunshine. the showers will get going in the west, but they will develop just about anywhere. the breeze is picking up anywhere. the breeze is picking up in the west to deliver more persistent rain for northern ireland. pressure from those,

but still 25-26 ireland. pressure from those, but still 25—26 in the east. for some, but still 25—26 in the east. forsome, notably but still 25—26 in the east. for some, notably cooler. but still 25—26 in the east. forsome, notably cooler. good spells of sunshine, but the low pressure to the west will be dominant all weekend, so bringing pressure wins and it'll feel somewhat cooler with the scattering of showers, heavy showers as well, but these as of sunshine.

this is bbc news. i'm simon pusey. our top stories: the us supreme court overturns the landmark roe v wade ruling, ending the constitutional right to an abortion that dates back nearly 50 years. the historicjudgement will transform abortion rights in america, with individual states now able to ban or restrict the procedure. critics say the ruling is a major setback to a woman's right to choose. president biden has strongly condemned the decision. the court literally taking america back 150 years. this is a sad day for the country, in my view. but it doesn't mean the fight�*s over. but senior republicans, including former vice president

mike pence and mitch mcconnell, welcome the ruling —