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MariaD

@drmariad.bsky.social
2.3K followers 2.4K following 902 posts

Health Policy Academic Proud Irish European. Anti Fascist Still a feminist Mother/Grandmother/Friend Get Brexit Undone. I stand with Ukraine. 🇺🇦

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MariaD @drmariad.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Seems like his IQ is low enough already!
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Democracy Now! @democracynow.org · 08/10/2026
María del Carmen Abascal, better known as Maricarmen — the 87-year-old pensioner in Spain whose eviction from her lifelong home sparked nationwide protests — has died. Independent Spanish journalist María Carrión says evictions like Maricarmen's are “a daily occurrence” in Spain.
democracynow.org
“She Put Her Body on the Line”: Maricarmen, 87, Dies; Her Eviction Sparked Spain Housing Protests
The 87-year-old pensioner in Spain whose eviction from her lifelong home sparked nationwide protests has died. María del Carmen Abascal, better known as Maricarmen, died on Wednesday just hours before...
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Democracy Now! @democracynow.org · 08/10/2026
“The problem with AI is that the same AI that knows biology so well that it could invent a new medicine or a new cancer drug can't be separated from the AI that knows how to make new pathogens,” says Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology.
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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
NEW @wired.com: Elon Musk's America PAC is focusing its war chest on key Senate races this cycle -- overall spending 3 times as much on digital ads and mailers hitting Dems as defending GOP candidates amid cratering support for Trump's record www.wired.com/story/elon-m...
wired.com
Elon Musk’s America PAC Is Quietly Funding November’s Most Consequential Elections
America PAC’s approach has been unusual: for every dollar it has spent supporting GOP Senate candidates, it has spent almost three dollars attacking Democrats.
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The Canary @thecanaryuk.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Man, 44, shot dead by 'Israeli' fire during olive harvest in West Bank Ali Hassan Yasser al-Bazari was killed while harvesting olives when a group of 'Israeli' settlers tried to force farmers off of their land
thecanary.co
Man, 44, shot dead by 'Israeli' fire during olive harvest
Ali Hassan Yasser al-Bazari was killed while harvesting olives when a group of 'Israeli' settlers tried to force farmers off of their land
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
For 14yrs, the Tories cratered our economy, added thousands to our cost of living, melted down public services and brexited us into decades of eye-watering expense and lost opportunity. That’s still their plan. With tax breaks for the super rich paid for by welfare cuts. So what TF is this headline?
THE TIMES

Thursday October 8 2026 | thetimes.com | No 75158

Tories will make you better off
Badenoch vows to scrap inheritance tax on family homes and abolish Labour's levy on properties worth more than £2m
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Vincent Zimmerman @zimmermanv66.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
share.google/cel5UdyNb2HY...
share.google
Gene therapy can partly restore sight in blind people, researchers reveal
Optogenetic therapy, based on Nobel prize-winning science, involves turning nerve cells on and off using light
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Drax’s planned datacentre to burn 4.9m tonnes of wood to produce its electricity, nearly double the CO2 emissions of all flights from London Gatwick airport. Drax, a highly profitable company gets subsidies to burn wood and produce electricity How many lives will it ruin?
theguardian.com
Drax datacentre could create nearly twice the yearly emissions of all Gatwick flights
Exclusive: Campaign group’s analysis of North Yorkshire plans finds datacentre would have to burn 4.9m tonnes of wood a year
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I Am Incorrigible @imincorrigible.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
All while massively enriching themselves. Never forget that bit. #Johnson #Farage #Corruption #BrexitReality #r4today
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Wear ≥Filip Filipovich Preobrazhensky 2 respirator Do Not Follow @ff-preobrazhensky.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Or as the sainted Marina Hyde would put it about Sam I Am ... ... "fast emerging as precisely the type to appear alongside the phrase “in plain sight”. ..." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
It’s Sam Altman: the man who stole the rights from copyright. If he’s the future, can we go backwards? | Marina Hyde
His AI video generator Sora 2 has been reviled for pinching the work of others. One giant leap for Sam: for everyone else, not so much, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde
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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
And yeah, this was at the back of my mind.
reuters.com
Sam Altman's sister amends lawsuit accusing OpenAI CEO of sexual abuse
Sam Altman's sister amended her civil lawsuit accusing the OpenAI chief executive of sexually abusing her ​more than two decades ago, after the judge said ‌she could try pursuing her case under Missou...
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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The world does not consent (but Sam Altman does not believe consent is required). But the world would consent to many bad things happening to Sam Altman and OpenAI.
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East Anglia Bylines @eastangliabylines.co.uk · 07/10/2026
The Greens have built something remarkable in East Anglia: power in Norwich, control of Mid Suffolk and an MP in rural Waveney Valley. But can the same party continue to speak to such different voters?
eastangliabylines.co.uk
Can one Green Party speak to Norwich and rural Suffolk?
From Norwich to rural Suffolk, the Greens have built an extraordinary electoral coalition. Now the party’s changing politics could put it under strain
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mandascott.bsky.social @mandascott.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Because nothing says alpha male like bullying grandma
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MariaD @drmariad.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
It was truly awful, but not quite as awful as the risible second half. I hope you got the Bayeux tickets
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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Sarah Pochin raised "concerns" in parliament about the impact of second homes on rural communities. Two days later she purchased an £800,000 second home on Anglesey. Remarkable stuff. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Reform MP raises concerns about second homes – then buys one for £800,000
Sarah Pochin bought Anglesey property two days after writing to minister about impact of second homes on rural communities
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Robert Hutton @roberthutton.co.uk · 06/10/2026
Kane and Unable: my SKETCH of Kemi Badenoch's decision to conduct her broadcast interviews as a tribute to Jeffrey Archer. thecritic.co.uk/kane...

Kemi Badenoch’s broadcast interviews on Tuesday were a touching celebration of someonewhose extravagant boasts and relaxed relationship with reality won the heart of Conservative members. There was also a lot of discussion of Jeffrey Archer.

The Tory leader opened her chat with BBC Breakfast viewers by talking about the bestselling novelist messaging her only the previous day. She would reply with emojis, she said, and we got an image of a somewhat one-sided chat that allowed Archer to allude to his closeness to Top People. Or Badenoch, anyway.

Not, of course, that the Master Storyteller ever felt constrained by the truth. It was a stellar career built on an instinct for what the audience wants to hear, a gift for “inaccurate precis”, and a willingness, when necessary, to simply say things that weren’t true. Sorry, I’ve completely lost track of who I’m writing about.
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Voice4Justice @voices4justice.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️
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Bleddyn Bowen @bleddb.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
That’s both Leicester and Nottingham closing down languages then, after Lincoln closed theirs in 2024.
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MariaD @drmariad.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The point of this kind of political statement is to whip up community tensions. Cynical & extremely dangerous It is NOT TRUE! www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Tory shadow minister claims Luton has ‘no-go zones’ where ‘white people won’t go’
Blake Stephenson tells fringe meeting at Tory conference that the town is ‘a very dangerous place’ with ‘ghettoes’
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Cumbria @cumbriauk.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Our love is taken for granted, kinship carers say #Cumbria #BBCNews
bbc.co.uk
Our love is taken for granted, kinship carers say
The Reverend Paul Kerry says many are left without financial help and practical support.
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MariaD @drmariad.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
No! www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
Accept ‘bad things’ in return for benefits of AI, says Sam Altman
Boss of OpenAI calls for a regulatory light touch because of the ‘good stuff’ the technology can deliver
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Metro – Metro.co.uk: News, Sport, Showbiz, Celebrities from Met… @metro.co.uk.web.brid.gy · 04/10/2026
metro.co.uk
‘Patriots’ block ambulances at anti-migrant protest as boat carrying 120 prepares to land in UK
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to the Border Security Command compound in Dover, Kent (Picture: PA) Anti-migrant protesters filmed themselves forming a blockade trying to prevent migrants landing on the south coast. The group of patriots were seen blocking ambulances from entering Gosport docks to meet a suspected migrant dinghy carrying 120 people from France on Sunday evening. Protesters, including children, clashed with police with shouts of ‘f*** you’ and flags proclaiming ‘Stop the boats’. The dinghy is being shadowed by French coastguard and rescue vessels, and is moving towards the Channel boundary line, according to ship tracking data. > Patriots aren’t letting the ambulances through GOSPORT pic.twitter.com/zIDp10XQgi > > — Mike (@madmike3_) October 4, 2026 ## Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's **News Updates** newsletter or get **Breaking News** alerts the moment it happens. It appeared to have set off from near the Utah Beach area of Normandy on Sunday morning. HM Coastguard said it is ‘currently liaising with French authorities about a small boat within French waters of the Channel, south of the UK central south coast’. French media reported there are around 120 migrants on board. There have been six arrests so far on Sunday evening. Hampshire Police said they had powers to arrest protesters using masks or trying to leave a car park established as the protest area. A spokesman said: ‘We are currently working with partner agencies following a report of a small boat crossing in the English Channel. ‘We know how these incidents can impact local communities and are aware of a group of people gathering in Gosport. ‘We have deployed officers to the area to support our partners in the event of an emergency at sea, and to facilitate peaceful protest. ‘To ensure the safety of our local communities as well as those who may wish to protest, we are making use of a variety of police powers. ‘Failure to comply with these conditions is a criminal offence and may result in arrest.’ Activists were also seen in Normandy telling migrants waiting on the beaches they are not wanted in the UK. A group of British men were seen backing away when they were pelted with sand. Departures as far west as Normandy have been rare in recent years but it is the third such crossing in the space of a month. A Government spokesperson said: ‘The Border Security Command works around the clock to monitor the Channel and protect our border. It is vital we continue to detain, check and process every small boat arrival.’ Hampshire Reform UK councillor George Madgwick shared images of coaches and police on social media, which he said were in the Fareham area of Hampshire ready for ‘a small boat due to land locally’. In September, British rescue boats collected the passengers of a migrant dinghy which had spent around 30 hours at sea after setting off from Normandy. The 51 migrants, who refused help from the French coastguard, arrived in Dover after being transferred to Border Security Command boats. The provisional total for Channel crossings this year is 19,451. This is down 43% on this time last year and 23% below the figure at this stage in 2024. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
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Ireland against Fascism @irlagainstfascism.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
It's all kicking off in Gosport, Hampshire, England, again tonight as the 'Patriot Platform' vigilantes, along with locals and bussed in bigots try to 'stop the boats' once more. Here we go again 🙄
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Brexit Bin 🇪🇺 🇬🇧 🇩🇪 @brexitbin.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
It's interesting that the typically non-commital statement by Burnham about Brexit has nevertheless produced a tsunami of pro-Rejoin statements from businesses, organisations and leaders across Britain and Europe. If Burnham squanders that, he'll never be forgiven. #RejoinEU 🇬🇧🇪🇺
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John Gibbons 🇵🇸 🇺🇦 🇪🇺 @thinkorswim.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I visited Holland during the summer to report on their approach to food, energy & #climate, filling pieces for the Irish Times & Business Post. My latest report, for @thejournal.ie looks at a unique experiment combining urban living & sustainable food production. www.thejournal.ie/readme/john-...
thejournal.ie
What if city living also meant you could grow your own food? One Dutch community has it sussed
The Dutch experiment at Oosterwold offers a radically different model of urban living. John Gibbons visited the residents to see how it’s done.
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MariaD @drmariad.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Hmm. It’s not what Smotrich et al want either. Or the majority of Israelis
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Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
To be absolutely clear: Most of what I post is self promotion / domestic politics / stupid shit; the war is none of those things, and my posts won't make a blind bit of difference; criminalising pro-Palestine campaigners is disgusting; Nethanyahu belongs in the Hague. This motion is still bad.
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Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
passing the "zionism is racism" motion on the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street is a bit on the fucking nose isn't it
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MariaD @drmariad.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
I agree Patrick. Anti Irish racism was virulent when my family migrated to London in the 60s. I wonder how much it still mediates attitudes to Ireland and the Irish. And of course, dyslexia & Irishness must have been a hard burden to bear for you as a child. Solidarity! 🇮🇪
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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
By Suella Braverman's definition of Englishness as being "a lineage, an ancestry, a connection to the heritage of this country which dates back a few generations," I'm no longer English. So where shall I go and live when Reform comes knocking?
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I’m not English either. But then I didn’t really think of myself as that… more British European… but the Brexity lot saw to that. Demanding that we had to lose our rights and European citizenship so they didn’t have to hear polish spoken on a train. Braverman’s politics is such inadequate bullshit.
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The Conservative party Shadow Culture Secretary to speak at conference tomorrow about how to "defend press freedom", whilst her own party bans journalists whose coverage they don't like
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Alex Hall Hall @alexhh.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
It’s a badge of honour for @bylinetimes.bsky.social to be banned from Reform and Conservative conferences - like being banned by Russia or China, it says more about them, than the journalists. Also, so ironic that the parties which waffle on about freedom of speech are the most scared of it.
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MariaD @drmariad.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Me too! I keenly remember being spat at in school as a six year old Irish migrant to London. I honestly never thought to see such rancid hate & bigotry again. I was wrong. Obviously
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Patrick - Here for the craic❗️🤷🏼‍♂️😉 @paddyopatrick.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
This is exactly the foul, rancid, racism that my dad got when he arrived from Ireland in 1950’s needing to board somewhere A powerful man if he’d met Matt Goodwin spouting this vile shit he’d have knocked him out He built a sucessful biz & purposely employed blacks, asians etc to give them a break
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solomonhughes.bsky.social @solomonhughes.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
(1)The Labour Centrist strategy imo is this: can't beat Burnham in public, so keep quiet , keep Cabinet jobs, absorb Burnham good vibes. Win cutting the triple lock, win disability benefit cuts, slowly start putting pressure against social spending , regulation in name of "growth" "fiscal" etc...
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solomonhughes.bsky.social @solomonhughes.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The Majority of Labour Friends of Israel's (LFI) leadership board are NOT Labour Party members. The pro -Israel lobby group told the Electoral Commission they make sure they are not Majority-Labour led: If they were, LFI would have to reveal their donors morningstaronline.co.uk/article/frie...
morningstaronline.co.uk
Friends of Israel are not necessarily friends of Labour
IT IS a “core principle” of Labour Friends of Israel that “support for Israel is a Labour value,” according to the lobby group’s former director Michael Rubin. But, despite its name, being a member of...
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David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
History is written by the victors. Thatcher broke the power of trade unions by mass unemployment, industrial restructuring, frittered away N Sea Oil, laid the foundations for the current housing crisis, decimated local bus services, hollowed out local government and introduced the poll tax.
Simon Clarke 

Andy Burnham seems to remember a different 1970s to the rest of us. Britain in 1979 was utterly broken - ravaged by unaccountable trade union power, economically stagnant, the sick man of Europe.
The 1980s saw a remarkable national recovery based on free enterprise, the rule of law and championing Western values. And it is this that our Prime Minister rails against...
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MariaD @drmariad.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Deserved. Congratulations
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Bellingcat @bellingcat.com · 02/10/2026
We're pleased to announce that Bellingcat won three awards at the Online Journalism Awards. Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees listed here: awards.journalists.org/2026/10/02/c...
awards.journalists.org
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2026 Online Journalism Awards! - Online Journalism Awards
As the in-person celebration of the 2026 Online Journalism Awards (#OJA26) comes to a close, we congratulate the winners in the remaining 12 of 28 categories.
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
US private equity owner of Boots to sell it to a Canadian private equity firm for $9bn (£7bn). NHS prescriptions are a major money makers. Otherwise its prices are high. No UK tax levied on dividends paid by Boots to its foreign owners.
theguardian.com
Boots owner ‘closing in on sale to Canada’s Weston family for $9bn’
Deal would mark return of Canadian family to UK after it sold Selfridges department store for £4bn in 2022
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Alexander Clarkson @aphclarkson.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I'd go further and argue Euro membership is an opportunity not a threat whether in trade, financial markets, or how UK personnel could come to shape the ECB. Building a sustainable outcome for the UK in the EU has to look beyond FoM and start engaging with how to integrate in Schengen and Euro
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George Eaton @georgeeaton.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
EU free movement is an opportunity, not a threat – excellent from @johnspringford.bsky.social for Arguably. "It is strange for a country with big economic problems to reject one of the few policies that we know would raise growth and improve our fiscal position." www.arguably.uk/p/eu-free-mo...
arguably.uk
EU free movement is an opportunity, not a threat
Progressives need to rediscover the positive case for immigration
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Ting Barrow @tingb.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Never forget #ReneeGoode. Oh, and ABOLISH F*CKING #ICE!!!
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Dr Robert Bohan @robertbohan.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Am fascinated with how illiterate the media is about political movements. There’s much talk of UK Prime Minister being a ‘socialist’. This is, of course, complete nonsense. He leads a govt to the right. So let’s look at what are typical socialist policies & examine how such claims are untrue.
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Mabs A'Mabbin @mabsamabbin.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
The road to peace isn't genocide. Does this really need to be said?
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Charles Keener @charleskeener.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
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Dr. Nick Posegay @nposegay.northsky.social · 30/09/2026
I am constantly learning of new paper analogs used in south and southeast Asia and they have really destabilised my conception of European paper as the inevitable final form of writing support.
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Putri Prihatini @putriprihatini.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
The Great Pustaha is a large Batak magic book from North Sumatra. Written by nine generations of datu/priest, it contains spells and potions to destroy villages, kill enemies, inspire love, and heal. The cover has a carving of Naga Padoha, a giant primordial serpent of the underworld. #WyrdWednesday
Photograph of an open page of The Great Pustaha. The two large pages are made of agarwood barks, depicting a giant dragon-like creature extending on both pages. The creature is covered with symbols and surrounded by small human-like and animal-like figures, along with small texts.Photograph of The Great Pustaha when closed. The covers are made of black wood with a carving of Naga Padoha, tied with a twine to help opening the book. The back cover has four wooden "legs" that serve as the book stand and the "hooves" of Naga Padoha.
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