QUOTES OF THE DAY

“Ireland is not a romantic dream; it is not a flag; it is 4.5 million people divided into two powerful traditions. The solution will be found not on the basis of victory for either, but on the basis of agreement and a partnership between both. The real division of Ireland is not a line drawn on the map, but in the minds and hearts of its people” - Former SDLP leader and Nobel peace prize winner John Hume, below, who has died aged 83

“I have to say on this sad day we wouldn’t have the peace that we enjoy today if it wasn’t for John Hume” - Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams pays tribute

“A number of vaccines are now in phase three clinical trials and we all hope to have a number of effective vaccines that can help prevent people from infection. However, there’s no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be” - The director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO)Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

I think we need greater openness in the decisionmaking. It sometimes seems somewhat shrouded in secrecy. And not only that, but better communication of what’s happening. Treat the public as adults” - Sir Paul Nurse, the director of the Francis Crick Institute

“Today we really made history. We are entering a new era of human spaceflight where Nasa is no longer the purchaser, owner and operator of all the hardware - we are going to be a customer” - Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine after two astronauts arrived home safely in a SpaceX spacecraft