The United States took another step to distance itself from the international community by withdrawing from UNESCO.
The United States plans to withdraw from UNESCO, citing financial reasons, as well as what it said was an anti-Israel bias at the UN's educational, cultural and science organisation.
The decision to withdraw from UNESCO, which the United States helped found, was announced on Thursday morning (Friday NZ Time) by the State Department, which said the United States would remain involved as a nonmember observer. It will take effect at the end of 2018.
It marks yet another decision by the United States to distance itself from some parts of the international community.