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Daniel Radcliffe on JK Rowling’s tweet backlash: Transgender women are women

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Daniel Radcliffe on JK Rowling’s tweet backlash: Transgender women are women

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Daniel Radcliffe on JK Rowling’s tweet backlash: Transgender women are women

 

Reacting to author JK Rowling’s controversial tweets on transgender people, “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe has argued that “transgender women are women” and it has now become more important than ever to “not cause further harm” to the community.

On June 6, Rowling drew outrage on Twitter when she criticised an opinion piece that used the phrase “people who menstruate” and posited that discussion of gender identity invalidates biological sex.

Radcliffe, who played the titular boy wizard in the film franchise based on the British author’s bestselling books for 10 years, penned his thoughts in an essay for the website of the Trevor Project, a non-profit dedicated to crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ people.

In the beginning of the article published Monday, the 30-year-old actor also acknowledged that the media may paint his statement as “in-fighting” between him and Rowling.

While he was clear that the writer was “unquestionably responsible” for the course of his life, he felt the need to speak out, he explained.

“As someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being.

I feel compelled to say something at this moment.
“
“Transgender women are women.
Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I,” Radcliffe added.

The British actor cited that 78 per cent of transgender and nonbinary youth have reported that they have been discriminated against due to their gender identity.

“It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm,” he wrote.

In her tweets, Rowling had said if sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction.

“If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.
I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.
It isn’t hate to speak the truth,” she wrote.

“The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women — ie, to male violence — ‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences — is a nonsense,” she further said.

Rowling’s tweets drew outrage from the LGBTQ community and others who were upset with her comments on social media, with many “Harry Potter” fans expressing disappointment that the author had tarnished their love for her books.

Directly addressing the fans, Radcliffe said he is “deeply sorry” for the pain these comments have caused, hoping that those words won’t too much “taint” the meaning of the “Harry Potter” books for them.

“I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you.

“If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything; if they taught you that strength is found in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred. And in my opinion nobody can touch that,” he said.

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Theft at Covid-19 Positive Family’s House in Karnal Sends Cops in Tizzy, Hunt on for Thieves

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Theft at Covid-19 Positive Family’s House in Karnal Sends Cops in Tizzy, Hunt on for Thieves

Image for Representation.

The police has swift into action as now they have to trace the thieves not only to retrieve the stolen valuables such as cash, gold ornaments and TV set, but also to ascertain whether the thieves too have contracted the virus or not.

  • News18.com Karnal

  • Last Updated: June 9, 2020, 12:18 PM IST

Amid the coronavirus crisis, a theft case in Karnal has posed as a new challenge for Haryana Police after unidentified thieves last night broke into a house whose all ten family members were currently in quarantine after five of them tested positive for Covid-19.

The police has swift into action as now they have to trace the thieves not only to retrieve the stolen valuables such as cash, gold ornaments and TV set, but also to ascertain whether the thieves too have contracted the virus or not.

The incident came to fore when a relative of the family visited the house after the incident to get some clothes for the patients.

As per a complaint filed by the family, the thieves jumped over the backyard wall and decamped with gold and silver jewellery, Rs 2 lakh cash, a laptop and TV.

Neighbours, who are already terrified due to the spread of coronavirus, have said that the police and local administration failed in providing security to the house. “The house was sealed using wooden logs but no security guard was present in the absence of the family,” said a neighbour.

Speaking on the matter, SHO in-charge Anil Kumar said, “An FIR has been lodged and investigation is underway. We have advised residents to install CCTV camera and take precautionary measures for security.”




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Karachi to get additional 1400 MW electricity by 2023: Asad Umar

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Karachi to get additional 1400 MW electricity by 2023: Asad Umar

KARACHI: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said Karachi city would receive additional 1400MW electricity by 2023.

He said this while chairing a special meeting on Monday to review the future electricity demand-supply outlook of Karachi.

The meeting deliberated upon the possible measures to supply additional electricity to Karachi through the national grid to meet the future requirements.

The meeting deliberated upon the possible measures to supply additional electricity to Karachi through the national grid to meet the future requirements.

Asad Umar directed the concerned quarters to look into the commercial aspects of various projects and to remove any bottlenecks in the construction of new grid stations.

The forum was informed that the electricity demand in Karachi was expected to rise to almost 4100 MW by 2023, and thus, would require additional 1300 MW to meet the future requirements.

The meeting was informed that to meet the future requirements of Karachi, Cabinet Committee on Energy had given the requisite approvals for the supply of 500MW from K2/K3 project. The meeting was also briefed about the commissioning of new gas plants to replace the old thermal power plants running at low efficiency.

Read More: Committee formed to probe petrol crisis, will determine cause, culprits

The meeting concluded that by FY 2023, 1400 MW of electricity could be supplied to Karachi through the construction and up gradation of grid stations at Karachi West and Bin Qasim.

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Commission approves new prolongation of Polish credit union liquidation scheme

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Commission approves new prolongation of Polish credit union liquidation scheme

The European Commission has authorized, under EU state aid rules, the tenth prolongation of the Polish credit union liquidation scheme until 15 July 2021.

The measure will continue to be available for credit unions that are member-owned entities and provide loans, savings accounts and payment services only to their membership. Credit unions fall outside the scope of the bank resolution regime in Poland. The Commission found the prolongation of the scheme to be in line with EU state aid rules, in particular its 2013 Banking Communication.

This is because it is well targeted, proportionate and limited in time and scope. The scheme, initially approved in February 2014, has been prolonged several times since then, the last time in August 2019. More information will be available on the Commission’s competition website in the public case register under the case number SA.56635 once any confidentiality issues have been resolved. 

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Cristobal to merge with new storm system after lashing South

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Cristobal to merge with new storm system after lashing South

Tropical Storm Cristobal could soon renew its strength by uniting with another storm system coming from the west to form one giant cyclone, forecasters say.

After drenching much of the South, forecasters now expect the remnants of Cristobal to bring fierce winds, heavy rain and thunderstorms to much of the Midwest by Tuesday.

A very strong storm system sweeping out from the Rocky Mountains is expected to meld with Cristobal in the next couple of days, said Greg Carbin, who oversees forecasts at the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.

“The two will eventually merge into a large cyclone,” Carbin said. “It’s a pretty fascinating interaction we’ll see over the next couple of days.”

Wind gusts of up to 45 mph are expected in Chicago by Tuesday night, the National Weather Service said. Boaters were being warned of gale-force winds on nearby Lake Michigan on Tuesday and Wednesday.

High winds could be felt from Nebraska to Wisconsin, forecasters said. In parts of Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota, the gusty winds and low humidity will bring the threat of wildfires in areas with dry grass, National Weather Service forecasters warned. Any blazes that start will spread rapidly, they said.

Cristobal weakened into a depression early Monday after inundating coastal Louisiana and ginning up dangerous weather along most of the U.S. Gulf Coast, sending waves crashing over Mississippi beaches, swamping parts of an Alabama island town and spawning a tornado in Florida.

In Louisiana, two boaters were found Monday afternoon in good condition after their boat sank in a deepwater straight near Slidell on Sunday, authorities said.

They told deputies they survived in the water by clinging to one life jacket Sunday afternoon and Sunday night before they were able to reach the shore Monday morning, St. Tammany Parish sheriff’s Sgt. Suzanne Carboni said in a statement.

The pair then swam across a marshy area and were found sitting on the porch of a camp, Carboni said.

Heavy rainfall and a storm surge continued posing a threat across a wide area of the Gulf coast after Cristobal made landfall Sunday afternoon packing 50-mph winds between the mouth of the Mississippi River and the since-evacuated barrier island resort community of Grand Isle.

At 5 p.m. EDT Monday, the storm was centered about 110 miles north of Monroe, Louisiana, with top winds of 35 mph . It was moving north at 18 mph.

Cristobal’s remnants could be a rainmaker for days. Its forecast path takes it into Arkansas and Missouri by Tuesday, then through Illinois and Wisconsin to the Great Lakes.

“It’s very efficient, very tropical rainfall,” National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham said in a Facebook video. “It rains a whole bunch real quick.”

In their last update on Cristobal from the hurricane center, forecasters said up to 15 inches of rain could fall in some areas, and could cause significant river flooding across the mid and upper Mississippi Valley.

Coastal Mississippi news outlets reported stalled cars and trucks as flood waters inundated beaches and crashed over highways. On the City of Biloxi Facebook page, officials said emergency workers helped dozens of motorists through flood waters, mostly on U.S. 90 running along the coast.

In Alabama, the bridge linking the mainland to Dauphin Island was closed much of Sunday but was being reopened Monday. Police and state transportation department vehicles led convoys of motorists to and from the island when breaks in the weather permitted.

“The storm could have been a lot worse, I’m very thankful to say. We were largely spared,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said.

Cristobal provided the state with “a good test” of overall hurricane response and preparedness, particularly combined with ongoing COVID-19 response efforts, the governor said.

President Donald Trump agreed to issue an emergency declaration for Louisiana, officials said.

In Florida, a tornado — the second in two days in the state as the storm approached — uprooted trees and downed power lines Sunday afternoon south of Lake City near Interstate 75, the weather service and authorities said. There were no reports of injuries. The storm also forced a waterlogged stretch of Interstate 10 in north Florida to close for a time Sunday.



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South Africa’s Life Healthcare hit by cyber attack

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South Africa’s Life Healthcare hit by cyber attack

(Reuters) – South Africa’s Life Healthcare said on Tuesday its southern African operation was hit by a cyber attack affecting its admissions systems, business processing systems and email servers, but is yet to determine the extent to which data has been compromised.

The hospital operator said its patient care was not impacted and an investigation into the incident is underway.

Southern Africa is Life Healthcare’s biggest market that includes Botswana.

The company said its hospitals and administrative offices continue to function with some delays, after having switched to backup systems.

“We are deeply disappointed and saddened that criminals would attack our facilities during such a time, when we are all working tirelessly and collectively to fight the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pieter Van der Westhuizen, acting group CEO said.

Life Healthcare is the third major South African company that has been targeted by hackers this year.

Nedbank in February warned that information of about 1.7 million clients were potentially affected by a data breach, and the following month chemicals and fertiliser maker Omnia Holdings said its IT infrastructure was subject to a cyberattack.

Last year, hackers shut down the cyber network of Johannesburg City Council, targeting computers of local government employees in South Africa’s economic hub.

Late last month, Life Healthcare reported a 2.2% jump in first-half normalised core profit at 2.73 billion rand ($185 million).

Reporting by Aniruddha Ghosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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The Smallest Fridge In The World: A Single Atom

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The Smallest Fridge In The World: A Single Atom

AsianScientist (Jun. 9, 2020) – Researchers in Singapore have shown that a single atom can function as either an engine or a fridge. These findings, published in npj Quantum Information, pave the way for future computers and fuel cells to control energy flows.

Engines and refrigerators are both machines described by thermodynamics, a branch of science that tells us how energy moves within a system and how we can extract useful work. A classical engine turns energy into useful work. A refrigerator does work to transfer heat, reducing the local temperature. They are, in some sense, opposites.

While previous research has shown that a single atom can act as a heat engine, the present study shows that single atoms can also act as mini refrigerators, converting energy in the opposite direction.

“Think about how your computer or laptop has a lot of things inside it that heat up. Today you cool that with a fan that blows air. In nanomachines or quantum computers, small devices that do cooling could be something useful,” said Associate Professor Dario Poletti from the Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore.

Using a single barium atom, the researchers used lasers to move one of the atom’s electrons between two energy levels as part of a cycle, causing some energy to be pushed into the atom’s vibrations. Just as a car engine consumes petrol to both move pistons and charge up its battery, the atom uses energy from lasers as fuel to increase its vibrating motion. The atom’s vibrations thus act like a battery, storing energy that can be extracted later.

By rearranging the cycle, the researchers were able to make the atom act like a fridge, removing energy from the vibrations. In either mode of operation, quantum effects showed up in correlations between the atom’s electronic states and vibrations.

“At this scale, the energy transfer between the engine and the load is a bit fuzzy. It is no longer possible to simply do work on the load, you are bound to transfer some heat,” said Poletti.

To get around the problem, the team used a barium atom from which an electron (a negative charge) is removed. This makes the atom positively charged, so it can be more easily held still inside a metal chamber by electrical fields. The atom was then zapped with lasers to move it through a four-stage cycle.

After applying several cycles, the researchers measured the atom’s vibration to determine how much vibrational energy was present at the end. They could see the vibrational energy increasing when the atom was zapped with an engine cycle, and decreasing when the zaps followed the fridge cycle.

“Loosely speaking, we’ve designed a little machine that creates entropy as it is filled up with free energy, much like kids when they are given too much sugar,” said study first author, PhD student Noah Van Horne.

The article can be found at: Van Horne et al. (2020) Single-atom Energy-conversion Device with a Quantum Load.

———

Source: National University of Singapore.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.



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Commission approves €30.5 million Lithuanian scheme to support bovine animal and milk producers affected by the #Coronavirus outbreak

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Commission approves €30.5 million Lithuanian scheme to support bovine animal and milk producers affected by the #Coronavirus outbreak

The European Commission has approved a €30.5 million Lithuanian scheme to support bovine animal and milk producers affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme was approved under the state aid Temporary Framework adopted by the Commission on 19 March 2020, as amended on 3 April 2020 and 8 May 2020.

The support will take the form of direct grants and will be accessible to farmers and companies active in the primary production of bovine animal products and milk. €12m will be available for bovine animal producers and €18.5m for milk producers. The purpose of the scheme is to support the Lithuanian agricultural sector in response to the coronavirus outbreak and to address liquidity and solvency problems caused by the outbreak, thus contributing to the preservation of the viability, production infrastructure and social stability in rural areas.

The scheme is expected to benefit approximately 28,000 producers of bovine animal products and 28,000 producers of milk. The Commission found that the Lithuanian scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the Temporary Framework. In particular, the aid does not exceed €100,000 per beneficiary. The Commission concluded that the measure is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a member state, in line with Article 107(3)(b) TFEU and the conditions set out in the Temporary Framework.

On this basis, the Commission approved the measures under EU state aid rules. More information on the Temporary Framework and other actions taken by the Commission to address the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic can be found here.

The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the case number SA.57514 in the state aid register on the Commission’s competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved. 

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Pointer Sisters Singer Bonnie Pointer Dies

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Pointer Sisters Singer Bonnie Pointer Dies

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bonnie Pointer, who in 1969 convinced three of her church-singing siblings to form the Pointer Sisters, which would become one of the biggest acts of the next two decades, died Monday.

The Grammy winner died of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles, publicist Roger Neal said. She was 69.

“It is with great sadness that I have to announce to the fans of the Pointer Sisters that my sister, Bonnie died this morning,” sister Anita Pointer said in a statement. “Our family is devastated, on behalf of my siblings and I and the entire Pointer family, we ask for your prayers at this time.”



Bonnie Pointer in 1979. The founding member of the Pointer Sisters died of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles on Monday. She was 69. 

Bonnie Pointer often sang lead and was an essential member of the group through its early hits including “Yes We Can Can” and “Fairytale.” She would leave for a short and modest solo career in 1977 as her sisters went on to have several mega-hits without her.

Ruth, Anita, Bonnie and June, born the daughters of a minister who also had two older sons, grew up singing in his church in Oakland, California.

It was Bonnie, shortly after graduating high school, who first wanted to move away from singing gospel songs into clubs to pursue a professional singing career.

“The Pointer Sisters would never have happened had it not been for Bonnie,” Anita Pointer said in her statement.

She convinced younger sister June to join her, and the two began doing gigs together as a duo in 1969. Eventually, they’d enlist their two older sisters, who were already married with children, to join them.

The quartet brought a unique fusion of funk, soul and 1940s-style jazz, scat and pop to their act, often dressing in a retro style that resembled their forerunners the Andrews Sisters.

They worked as backup singers for Taj Mahal, Boz Scaggs, Elvin Bishop and others before releasing their self-titled debut album in 1973, and the song “Yes We Can Can,” a funky anthem calling for unity and tolerance, became their breakout hit.

They followed up with “That’s A Plenty,” which featured an eclectic mix of musical styles ranging from jazz to gospel to pop.

They even delved into country. Bonnie and Anita co-wrote the song “Fairytale” about a crumbling relationship. The song earned them a groundbreaking gig performing as a rare African American act at the Grand Ole Opry, and they would win their first Grammy, for best country vocal performance by a group.

Bonnie Pointer left the group in 1977, signing a solo deal with Motown Records.

“We were devastated,” Anita Pointer told The Associated Press in 1990. “We did a show the night she left, but after that, we just stopped. We thought it wasn’t going to work without Bonnie.”

She would have only modest solo success. Her biggest hit was “Heaven Must Have Sent You,” a 1979 disco cover of an earlier Motown hit by the Elgins. It reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979.

After making three albums for Motown, she would retire from the studio, and only perform occasionally.

Her three sisters, who had nearly disbanded when she quit, instead regrouped, shed their retro image for a modern pop sound, and became one of the biggest acts of the 1980s with huge hits including “He’s So Shy,” “Jump (For My Love)” and “Neutron Dance.”

Bonnie married Motown producer Jeffrey Bowen in 1978. The two separated in 2004 and divorced in 2016.

She twice reunited with her sisters for public appearances. Once in 1994, when they received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and again in 1996 at a show in Las Vegas.

“She had always told me, mother, I want something for myself,” Bonnie’s mother Sarah Pointer told Ebony in 1974. “I want to be somebody in this world.”

June Pointer, the youngest of the sisters, died in 2006.

In addition to Ruth and Anita, Bonnie Pointer is survived by her two older brothers, Aaron and Fritz.



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Police Federation hits out at ‘inappropriate’ proposals to rebrand PSNI crest

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Police Federation hits out at ‘inappropriate’ proposals to rebrand PSNI crest

THE Police Federation has said officers are concerned at proposals to remove the words “Northern Ireland” from the crest on their uniforms.

ark Lindsay, chairman of the organisation which represents rank and file officers, said any such move would be “problematic”.

First Minister Arlene Foster said it was a “branding issue” and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the matter would be considered by the Policing Board.

They were speaking after Chief Constable Simon Byrne unveiled a proposed new logo for the PSNI.

Current imagery features the crest – including the words Northern Ireland.

In its place would be two new styles. One, including the crest with the words Northern Ireland, would be used in formal instances such as on stationery, at ceremonial events and on publications.

The other would be the one most seen by the public, under the draft proposals. It features the crest, but the outer band with the words ‘Northern Ireland’ are removed. It would be used in operational settings such as on uniforms, vehicles, for digital use and on signage.

Both new looks feature the words ‘Police Service NI’.

Mr Byrne said he recognised the proposals had sparked a “mixed reaction”.

“These proposals reflect the style and tone I set out to the Policing Board upon my appointment about being more visible and accessible. There is a journey to travel before ideas are finalised and presented to the Policing Board,” he said.

“The term PSNI is an acronym that has no basis in law and our proposals are based around retaining the crest and the name Police Service of Northern Ireland at the heart of what we do.”

The Police Federation said much of the operational proposals outlined by the PSNI “made sound sense”.

“It is important that the service modernises and has the ability to adapt to changing circumstances,” Mr Lindsay said.

“As clearly outlined by the Chief Constable, this cannot be a name change or a change in the crest as that is set in law.

“There was hard-won political consensus, and considerable internal pain, around the crest when it was introduced. That fact should not be lost.

“We accept that this is an attempt to provide more operationally practical uniforms for officers and greater visibility for vehicles. In fact, the vehicle livery is more in line with what is seen in all other parts of the United Kingdom.

“Altering the crest by removing the name from it is proving problematic. I believe this is inappropriate and it is a view that we will convey during the formal consultation and implementation phase.

“Since the unveiling of the new-look branding, the PFNI is aware of some officers who expressed concern about the removal of the name from the crest that will more frequently be seen in public.”

The Policing Board said it was briefed on the proposals at a meeting in May. It said there would be no change to the service’s crest or name and will receive a report on the consultation exercise and the associated costs. The Police Federation and Justice Minister have also been briefed.

Former PSNI assistant chief constable Alan McQuillan said the name and crest of the PSNI was enshrined in law and that could not be changed without the Justice Minister setting in process a change to the law.

“The issue of the crest was a very finely negotiated political agreement between the unionist parties then involved and the nationalist parties then involved – essentially the UUP and SDLP,” Mr McQuillan told the BBC Nolan show.

“I think there is a desire to be representative to all people and the argument, I think – this is my supposition – is that ‘Northern Ireland’ is seen by the more republican element in our society as a term they will not use, therefore ‘NI’ can be Northern Ireland or the north or Ireland and therefore it is acceptable to all.”

SDLP Policing Board member Dolores Kelly said there was “nothing to be frightened of” and the consultation responses would be fully considered.

“I think some people are messing about a bit,” she said.

“There is no politicking, PSNI, the crest is enshrined in law.”

The UUP said omitting ‘Northern Ireland’ was a mistake and pointed out the St Patrick’s cross should be red and not green.

A party spokesman added: “Any rebranding exercise would need to be very carefully explained and be supported by very good reasons indeed.”

Belfast Telegraph

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