____ (2023-04-09). PLA Eastern Theater Command launches patrol, military exercises around Taiwan Island. ecns.cn The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Saturday launched combat readiness patrol and military exercises around the Taiwan Island, which will last from April 8 to 10 Beijing time as scheduled.

Sondoss Al Asaad (2023-04-09). Bahrain's Alternative Penal Code, an alternative form of slavery. thealtworld.com "The alternative punishment system was not a solution yesterday, let alone today. Likewise, the open prison system is not the solution. The solution is to free all prisoners of conscience." | A small group of prisoners of conscience, who served at least half their arbitrary sentences, has been transferred to Manama's open prisons under the so-called 'alternative penal code,' which allows courts to replace prison sentences with "community service" and "rehabilitation courses" for selected prisoners who "do not pose any public security risk" under minimal supervision. | A constrained "freedom": | Manama has…

____ (2023-04-08). U.S. theft of secrets is the biggest threat to global cybersecurity: Chinese FM spokeswoman. ecns.cn Asked what her comment is, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning pointed out that the latest revelation once again proves that the U.S.'s theft of secrets is the biggest threat to global cybersecurity.

Ayndrila Banerjee (2023-04-08). 'Keeping a constant watch': India confronts Myanmar about Chinese military base in Coco Islands. firstpost.com

Jim McMahan (2023-04-08). Antiwar forces march on Boeing. workers.org Seattle — University of Washington students, supporters and youths of oppressed nationalities targeted by U.S. imperialism marched on the Seattle Boeing plant on March 26. The march by 150 chanting demonstrators protested on the 20-year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Boeing is the Pentagon's second largest war contractor. . . . |

____ (2023-04-08). Greater Bay Area moves toward further alignment. ecns.cn The Guangdong provincial government on Thursday unveiled 20 examples in which efforts have been made to further align rules and systems in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in a bid to advance market integration.

____ (2023-04-08). Happy Songkran Festival celebrated in HK. ecns.cn The Happy Songkran Festival is celebrated at D2 Place One in Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong, from April 5 to 10. The event showcases Thai culture and features a Thai-themed market, dance performance, prayer ceremony, and water-splashing activities.

ProPublica (2023-04-08). Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire. juancole.com By Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott and Alex Mierjeski ( ProPublica) — In late June 2019, right after the U.S. Supreme Court released its final opinion of the term, Justice Clarence Thomas boarded a large private jet headed to Indonesia. He and his wife were going on vacation: nine days of island-hopping in a volcanic archipelago …

FP Staff (2023-04-08). North Korea claims to have tested underwater strategic weapon system test. firstpost.com

____ (2023-04-08). People related to chained mother of eight sentenced. ecns.cn Dong Zhimin, the husband in a high-profile case of a woman being trafficked, tortured and giving birth to eight children, was sentenced to 9 years for abuse and illegal detention.

FP Staff (2023-04-08). Pakistan High Commission issues over 2,000 visas to Sikh pilgrims ahead of Baisakhi celebrations. firstpost.com

FP Staff (2023-04-08). Pakistan declares full-scale anti-terror campaign against banned outfits. firstpost.com

____ (2023-04-08). PLA Eastern Theater Command launches patrol, military exercises around Taiwan Island. ecns.cn The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Saturday launched combat readiness patrol and military exercises around the Taiwan Island, which will last from April 8 to 10 Beijing time as scheduled.

Gururaj Arakeri, Vishal Rao US, Shekar Patil, Peter A Brennan (2023-04-08). [Correspondence] Unsuccessful ban on gutkha and need for tobacco control in India. thelancet.com In India, the use of smokeless tobacco, including gutkha, is a prevalent and dangerous practice that poses serious health risks, especially for oral cancer. Despite being banned by Indian states since 2012, gutkha remains widely used and available.1 Gutkha is a mixture of areca nuts, slaked lime, catechu, tobacco, added flavourings, and sweeteners.2 The ban on gutkha aimed to control addiction rates and adverse effects on the oral mucosa. However, companies producing gutkha have found ways to circumvent the ban by producing pan masala (a non-tobacco product containing areca nuts, slaked lime, catechu, and seasoni…