I collect Soviet books and the sentence is from today's acquisition: a booklet on Uzbekistan, published by the Novosti Press Agency and aimed at English-language foreign journalists.

Pick up the nearest book, turn to p. 42, and post the second sentence:

"In the period of the Eighth Five Year Plan (1966-70) a new cotton-growing area was developed in the Karshi Steppe, southern Uzbekistan".

We should all oppose the coarsening and degradation of political discussion.

I want to tautoko the comments by Oriini Kaipara opposing the racist haka from Che Wilson. Ms Kaipara has been a consistent defender of the rights of migrants, including the Sikh community.

The colonial regime that oppressed and dispossessed Maori is exactly the same colonial regime that oppressed Indian people. Imagine how powerful solidarity would be. And imagine how destructive division is.

The neo-liberal belief in austerity as a fiscal solution is as rigidly ideological as Maoism. No amount of evidence or experience will ever change their obsession.

As one pro-Russia populist exits power in Hungary, another comes into power in Bulgaria. This one is a left wing populist, and it remains to be seen whether the new Govt tries to block EU material support for Ukraine.

One little reported result in this week's general election in Bulgaria is the evaporation in support for the far right. The fascist 'Revival' party lost almost two-thirds of its seats and more than two-thirds of their votes.

It has always fascinated me to see how very similar right wing racists and left wing racists are.

The disgusting and dangerous surge in truly vile anti-Indian racism must be opposed and stopped.

The PM wants us to focus on issues like "the cost of living". Don't worry, we are.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has officially informed Pakistan that it will not attend talks with the United States tomorrow and that its decision is final.

Vice President JD Vance has cancelled his trip to Pakistan.

The possibility exists that the war could start again in just a matter of hours.

To progressives who act as Campist/Tankie apologists for Moscow: this is part of what you are supporting.

The matter is anything but closed, Mr Luxon.

Thank goodness for that. Keep damaging your Party and your Govt, Mr Luxon.

Stuff's Glenn McConnell: "Remarkable scenes at the Beehive. The prime minister is refusing to take questions from reporters, after calling a press conference to say he survived a leadership vote which he called for himself."

Mr Penk says the whips are unchanged.

Mr Mitchell says caucus voted and the PM has the full support of caucus.

Messrs Goldsmith and Penk say the PM is still the PM.

National's caucus meeting has just concluded.

The PM is soon to speak to reporters, with every other MP except the Deputy PM remaining in the caucus room.

Honestly, I will be disappointed if the PM is ousted, for the simple reason that he is the Opposition's greatest political asset. However, the 'bump' a new leader may provide to National in the polls will be gone well before November.

The PM and Deputy PM have left the caucus meeting, which is continuing without them.

Mr Brownlee's arrival at National's caucus meeting seems significant....

#OtD 19 Apr 1943 the Warsaw ghetto uprising broke out in earnest when Jews fought back against Nazi attempts to deport them to the Treblinka extermination camp. Although defeated after 27 days it was the biggest armed Jewish rebellion of the Holocaust stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9062...

If it is true that most National MPs have lost confidence in Christopher Luxon, I doubt they will appreciate being referred to as "about 5 MPs".

I was recently called a "Starmer-loving neo-Thatcherite" for saying I intended to vote Labour.

A man to whom 100% and less than 90% are apparently the same thing.

“Those who perished fulfilled their mission to the end, until their last drop of blood which soaked into the street of the Warsaw Ghetto. We who have survived leave it to you that their memory does not perish.” - Marek Edelman

In the early hours of April 19, 1943, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising began. It was one of the earliest and largest episodes of Jewish armed resistance to the Holocaust. By April 22, fire was destroying several sections of the ghetto. The Germans began capturing and killing more and more of the ghetto inhabitants.

By May 15th, the ghetto fighters had been defeated and the Nazis blew up the Tlomacki Synagogue. Several thousand Jews were buried in debris and more than 56,000 had been captured. About 30,000 of the captured Jews were immediately shot or transported to death camps. We remember the fighters who knew victory was impossible and fought against the Nazis regardless. We honor the memory of all the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto.

Today we honor the memory of the Jews and resistance fighters of the Warsaw Ghetto who staged an uprising against the Nazis amidst impossible odds. We remember that the fight for freedom, dignity, and collective liberation endures.
#WarsawGhettoUprising #JewishHistory #WarsawGhetto