There can be no question now of their returning to the talks

There can be no question now of their returning to the talks.”He strongly appealed to loyalists not to retaliate, adding: “The spotlight is on the republican movement. The UVF, while no saints, have been the quietest of the loyalist paramilitary outfits and the most supportive of the peace process. Mr Hutchinson said: “The loyalist ceasefire is under threat if these attacks continue Political dialogue is not working Time is running out. I think the North Armagh brigade of the Provisional IRA are at their work.”His allegation was echoed by other Unionists, including Mr Trimble, who said: “I have no doubt that this is the work of the IRA. It is also the venue for the annual Drumcree marching confrontation in July.It is thus one of the most provocative targets that republicans could choose to bomb.

Mark Fulton, a close associate of assassinated LVF leader Billy Wright, said: “The people in Portadown are incensed. I would say loyalists will not be amused at this.”Warnings had been given and no one was injured when a large car-bomb was set off in the centre of the town, wrecking many business premises and damaging buildings over a wide area.The attack brought a warning from Billy Hutchinson, of the Progressive Unionist Party, which speaks for the Ulster Volunteer Force. A brief statement, telephoned to the Dublin newsroom of Ireland’s RTE national broadcaster, made no direct reference to the bomb but said: “We reiterate that the complete cessation of military operations, which began at midday on Sunday July 20 last year, remains intact.”Either way the bombers were clearly aiming for maximum political and communal disruption in choosing as their target the Co Armagh town of Portadown, which is sometimes called the Orange citadel.It is both the home town of the Loyalist Volunteer Force, currently the most violent of the Protestant paramilitary groups, and the central town of Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble’s Upper Bann constituency. Where a worker is victimised but not dismissed, he will be entitled to receive compensation assessed in the light of the circumstances of the case.

The consequences in the case of dismissal are currently less clear. But however the detail of the new law works out, any positive contribution to the means available to combat fraud will be welcome.John DaviesThe author is senior technical officer at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. Passing the baton: Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the IOC, hands over the Olympic flag yesterday to Deedee Corradini, Mayor of Salt Lake City, home of the next Winter Games, as Nagano’s Mayor, Tasuku Tsukada, looks on during the closing ceremony of the XVIIIth Winter Olympics in Nagano. The ceremony also featured the ride-by of a stage coach from the host city for 2002 Photographs: Ruben Sprich, Kimimasa Mayama/Reuters

Bathed in glory: Japanese dancers perform amidst falling fireworks during the closing ceremony at Nagano yesterday, Britain’s only medal was won (below) on Saturday by Sean Olsson, Dean Ward, Courtney Rumbolt and Paul Attwood in the fourman bobsleigh Photographs: Mike Blake/Reuters, Shaun Botterill/Allsport. The attack prompted warnings that an important loyalist group’s ceasefire was in danger. The bombing meant that a session of multi-party talks was once again eclipsed by events on the streets, demonstrating that groups opposed to the process are intent on using violence to sabotage it.
While Unionists immediately claimed that the IRA must have been responsible for the bombing, the authorities said they would await police reports before attributing blame Last night, the IRA indicated it was not responsible. THE STRAINS on the Northern Ireland peace process grew yesterday with another major republican bombing.

Second, he would be expected to have first raised his concerns with his employer, although this would not always be necessary where the worker had good reason to believe that such action would lead to victimisation or to the destruction of evidence.In cases of what the Bill calls “exceptionally serious failure”, which could mean cases of major fraud or a very serious threat to health and safety, the worker can report externally straight away.The protection which the new law would provide to whistle-blowers is twofold. I took class with NYCB on my second day in the city and they offered me a job.” Like Matthew Hart, he shows few symptoms of homesickness: ”It’s more of a challenge because of the huge repertoire. There is no company which feeds your hunger for ballet better.” But, just as some expats pine for Marmite and real ale, Wheeldon does miss the great story ballets. It excites him to see them in expert hands ”Dancers like Sylvie Guillem and Darcey Bussell can transform a work. I saw Sylvie do Giselle and I was amazed: she strips away all these sugary layers that are applied and makes those roles look as if it had just been choreographed.