dismissive

response from the Republicans. Adam Brooks reports from Washington.

The president said that under his new budget, government spending would be lower as a share of the economy than at any time in 50 years, and he said it would shrink the American government's enormous deficit. But Mr Obama's Republican opponents in Congress have already challenged these plans, saying they don't go nearly far enough to reduce government spending,

and it's those Republicans, who now control the House of Representatives and hold the real power when it comes to spending.

The budget always prompts a battle, but this one, which comes as America struggles out of recession and heads into a presidential election, will be more

vicious

than most.

The United States has accused the military-backed government in Burma of threatening the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and says this shows things haven't changed despite last year's election. A State Department spokesman said Burma claimed there was a new era but it was up to its old tricks. A commentary in Burma's state media said on Sunday that Aung San Suu Kyi and her party would meet what it called a "tragic end" if they

stuck to

policies including support for Western sanctions.

The United Nations Security Council has called for a permanent ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand after clashes in their disputed border area killed at least eight people earlier this month. The council also expressed support for