BREAKING: Henry Kissinger is dead at 100

Henry Kissinger, the final surviving member of ex-President Richard Nixon's Cabinet, passed away at the age of 100 on Wednesday.

"Dr. Henry Kissinger, a respected American scholar and statesman, died today at his home in Connecticut," Kissinger Associates said in a statement released late Wednesday.

Serving as both national security adviser and secretary of state simultaneously, Kissinger, a key figure in Nixon's Cabinet, played a vital role in shaping lasting alterations to 20th-century US foreign policy. His approach emphasized realism and the reduction of tensions among major global powers. He also served under Gerald Ford.

He garnered both praise and criticism, and his complex legacy continues to have an impact on relations with China, Russia, and the Middle East.

Kissinger and Le Duc Tho, the leader of North Vietnam, jointly received a Nobel Peace Prize for their negotiations that concluded US participation in the Vietnam War.

Kissinger, a Jewish refugee, escaped Nazi Germany with his family in 1938. After settling in the United States, he demonstrated academic excellence, completing his undergraduate studies at Harvard College in 1950 under the mentorship of William Yandell Elliott. He furthered his education at Harvard University, earning both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in 1951 and 1954, respectively.

Up until his death, Kissinger was considered one of the most polarizing figures in American politics.

In response to the Ukraine war, Kissinger reversed his position, advocating for Ukraine to join NATO. "Before this war, I was opposed to the membership of Ukraine in NATO because I feared that it would start the very process that we are seeing now. Now that this process has reached this level, the idea of a neutral Ukraine under these conditions no longer makes sense."

He died in his home in Connecticut.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.