TOKYO -- Japan has included a record high defense spending in its budget enacted for the fiscal year 2024 starting April, in another move that runs counter to its pacifist constitutional stance.

The defense budget reached a historical high of 7.95 trillion yen (about 52.53 billion U.S. dollars), according to the national budget approved by the Japanese parliament on Thursday for fiscal 2024, which totaled 112.57 trillion yen. (Japan-Defense Budget)

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KUALA LUMPUR -- Asia-Pacific's prosperity lies in peaceful co-existence not harmful bloc politics as championed by some seeking to use the region as part of a confrontational strategy, a Russian official said here on Friday.

Citing the need for close cooperation across the region to ensure the smooth functioning of international trade and to ensure peace and stability, Russia seeks close cooperation with partners in the region, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said in a lecture "Russia's Policy in the Asia-Pacific Region" delivered at the Asia-Europe Institute (AEI) of Universiti Malaya. (Malaysia-Russia)

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BANGKOK -- Thailand's economy continued to recover at a slow pace in February, thanks to an expansion in the service sector on the back of rising tourism revenue and inbound foreign tourists, the central bank said on Friday.

The Southeast Asian country's private investment and manufacturing production improved in some sectors last month, while private consumption remained stable as spending on services and non-durable goods was partially supported by government measures, according to the Bank of Thailand (BOT). (Thailand-Economy-BOT)

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CANBERRA -- Chris Thomas, managing director and chief winemaker of the winery of Dowie Doole in South Australia's McLaren Vale, still remembered going to a wine fair in China's Guangzhou in 2012.

"Lots of people were very interested in the wines, and since then the market has really grown for Dowie Doole," said Thomas who has spent a lot of time visiting the wine tasting rooms in various parts of China, doing wine education and tastings with Chinese people. (Australia-China-Wine Re-entry, FEATURE)

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YANGON -- Myanmar hosted a reception to celebrate the eighth anniversary of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation in its capital Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday evening.

Speaking at the event, Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Than Swe said that since the launch of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, countries have respected each other and treated each other as equals, promoting the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation to achieve fruitful results. (Myanmar-8th anniversary-LMC) Enditem

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