WASHINGTON -- U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday harshly criticized the White House's budget proposal for next fiscal year, saying that it is "a complete reversal" of the promises President Donald Trump made in the campaign.

"Once again, the President is showing just how little he values the good health, financial security and well-being of hard-working American families," the Democratic leader said in a statement. "The President's budget is anti-growth, does not create good-paying jobs and increases the national debt."

The White House on Monday unveiled a budget proposal for next fiscal year that would cut major domestic programs, claiming that solid economic growth would support substantial deficit reduction and lead to a balanced budget by 2035.

- - - -

MANILA -- The Philippines has officially notified the United States about the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement between Manila and Washington, Philippines's top diplomat said on Tuesday.

"The Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of the United States has received the notice of termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement. As a diplomatic courtesy there will be no further factual announcements following this self-explanatory development," Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin tweeted.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo confirmed the Philippines' move to end the military agreement that allows the U.S. forces to conduct large-scale joint military exercises with Philippine troops in the Philippines.

- - - -

BANGKOK -- Thai Army Chief Gen. Apirat Kongsompong on Tuesday apologized to the general public for the carnage done from the weekend mass shooting by a soldier in Thailand's northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima.

"I take all the blame and I promise to offer recruit to the Thai Army for the children of those killed in the shooting," said Gen. Apirat.

- - - -

ISTANBUL -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would never allow U.S. so-called "Deal of the Century" to threaten peace in the region, the state-run Anadolu agency reported Monday.

"We do not recognize this plan, which means annexation of Palestinian lands, destroys Palestine, and completely seizes Jerusalem," he was quoted as saying by Anadolu. "We never accept this attempt, which accepts a two-state solution on the surface but means legitimizing the Israeli occupation under the mandate of the American administration."

- - - -

WASHINGTON -- Low-income economies should be vigilant about debt problems, work with investors to improve transparency on debt and strike a balance between promoting investment and curbing debt vulnerability, top officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group said Monday.

"Why I worry so much about debt in low-income countries, because what it means is that if it is not proper managed, interest rates, often high, takes away precious resources from education and health and infrastructure investments," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)