Mrs Thatcher said the absence of the Times had been "tragic and over-long"

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The Times newspaper has been published for the first time in nearly a year.

The paper's disappearance from news stands followed a dispute between management and unions over manning levels and the introduction of new technology.

After talks broke down, the Times' Canadian owners, the Thomson Organisation, suspended publication last November pending an agreement.

Production of the four other publications in the Times group, including its sister paper the Sunday Times, was also suspended.

It was the first break in the production of the Times, known affectionately to its readers as "the Thunderer", since it was founded in 1788.

The dispute is estimated to have cost the Thomson Organisation more than ?0m.

A settlement reached late last month paved the way for today's publication.

The Sunday Times is also expected to appear again this weekend.

Prime Minster Margaret Thatcher has welcomed the Times reappearance "with enthusiasm".

Mrs Thatcher said: "The absence of the Times has been tragic and over-long."

About 500,000 copies of the paper were produced for the Times' first edition on Tuesday - an extra 200,000 on its pre-suspension print run.

The personal columns carried a long string of welcome-back messages from advertisers while readers announced births and deaths spanning the period of the Times' absence.

Three special obituary supplements are also planned as well as a news review covering the months the Times was out of print.   

Nevado del Ruiz was known locally as "the Sleeping Lion"

Four towns in the Andes region are reported to have been buried when ash spewed out of the volcano, Nevado del Ruiz, causing a mudslide.

The worst-affected was Armero, the province of Tolima's second largest city, about 50 miles from the Colombian capital, Bogota.

Armero, which lay in a valley below the 16,200-foot high (4,937m) volcano, was virtually destroyed - buried by mud and rubble swept down on to it.

The fatal eruption happened during the night when most of the town's 27,000 residents were in bed.

Nevado del Ruiz, known locally as "the Sleeping Lion", had not erupted for nearly 150 years ago.

Even though it is located only 310 miles (500 km) from the equator, the volcano's summit is covered with snow.

It had given some warning of increased activity - in recent months there had been some rumblings from the crater - but the authorities had told Armero residents it was safe to remain in the city.

The initial blast began on Wednesday afternoon when ash came showering down.

An evacuation was ordered but abandoned when the volcano went quiet at about 1900 local time.

However, just after 2100 a more serious eruption began causing the summit's icecap to melt and carry mud and debris down the mountain at speeds of up to 30 miles (50 km) per hour.

The town of Armero lay in the so-called "Ring of Fire", an unstable area of the earth's crust encircling the Pacific Ocean which includes most of the world's active volcanoes.

The Colombian government has appealed to the United Nations for help.

However, rescue efforts are being hampered by fallen bridges and impassable roads.

obituary: a notice of someone's death（讣告）