BBC news, I’m John Shay.
United Nations has warned that abrupt cuts to its funding proposed by President Trump will undermine efforts to reform the organization. The comments come after the US administration outlined budget plans that include a reduction in contributions to the UN.
The Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee say they’ve seen that no indications that Trump Tower was under surveillance by the US government during last year’s election. President Trump has said Barack Obama ordered a wiretap on the building last year. The House Committee heads have also said they don’t believe his claims.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey’s recent row with the Netherlands could imperil an agreement with the European Union over migrants. He’s made similar threats in the past.
The organization Tompkins Conservation has agreed to donate more than 400,000 hectares of lands to Chile for the creation of national parks. Together with a government donation, this will form part of a network of 17 national parks in Patagonia, covering an area the size of Switzerland.
An international commission has called for free access to Rakhine State in Myanmar for 8 workers and journalists. It was looking for ways of ending the violence between Muslims and Buddhists.
The opposition in Ghana has criticized the newly elected President Nana Akufo-Addo for appointing 110 government ministers. It’s the highest number of ministers in Ghana’s history. The minority leader in parliament described the government as an elephant that would drain the country’s limited resources.
And the head of US gymnastics has resigned following allegations that the organization was too slow to react to reports of sexual abuse. Steve Penny had faced mounting calls to quit after civil suits were brought against the US gymnastics and a former doctor, who worked for the body for almost 30 years.