Online safety push for five-year-olds

Children as young as five are being targeted in a new online safety campaign backed by the government.

The campaign uses cartoons to show five to seven-year-olds that people are not always what they seem.

It is thought 80% of children in this age group use the web and one-in-five parents of this age group worry about who their children contact online.

Experts say that by raising awareness of web risks at an early age, children will be better protected.

The campaign run by the UK Council for Child Internet Safety - a coalition of industry, charity and government groups - is launched as part of EU Internet Safety Day.

One of the organisations in the safety campaign - the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) - is one of the many which have been behind campaigns designed to help children and teenagers to keep themselves safe from online predators.

The organisation believes that by raising awareness of online risks at an early age, children will be better protected as they grow up.

When it was set up nearly four years ago, it began by running campaigns in secondary schools for teenagers and has gradually targeted younger and younger groups.

'Unnecessary risk'

Head of Ceop, Jim Gamble, said: "Unfortunately, some of the victims we see here are very young.

"People will try to find out where they are, where they go to school. Children can expose themselves to unnecessary risk.

"We do see children who are younger and younger being exposed to risk - and the risk is not always clear. There are a number of subtle messages.

"Unbelievably some of these children have access to webcams, but that's the world we live in."

Ceop says every week, among the 500 cases being reported through its "Report abuse" button found on some websites, there will be four from children at immediate risk of harm.

Anecdotal evidence suggests very young children are getting onto social networking sites aimed at teenagers and adults - where they are very vulnerable to online predators.

Jo Bryce, from the Cyber Research Centre at the University of Central Lancashire, said: "I have been into schools to give talks on e-safety and teachers have told me that six and seven-olds there are on social networking sites."

Among publicised cases of abuse of children who have been targeted individually online, however, she says, the victims have tended to be older - aged 10 and up.

Young teenage girls were most at risk.

Dr Bryce said educating children at a young age was the best approach to take.

"The focus on e-safety education for children aged five-plus is absolutely the right thing to do. Then you can build up the information over time so they can keep themselves safe," she said.

Still traumatised

One teenager has spoken to BBC News about how she was targeted online by a paedophile when she was 12.

He began messaging her after being introduced as a "friend of a friend".

Once he had won her trust, he asked her to pose in front of the family webcam and took images of her.

The man has since been tracked down and jailed for seven years. Ceop says he had targeted 30 other children.

Still clearly traumatised by what happened, the girl, who is now 17, had this advice for other young people: "When I was doing it, I didn't feel wrong. I didn't have the little feeling in my stomach. I'd just tell people 'be careful who you talk to'.

"Don't try and make friends over the internet because you never know who they really are."

'Just horrible'

She said such people would try to win you over in whichever way they could.

"They're not going to be horrible. They're not going to force you to do things. They are going to want you to stay on their good side.

"They are going to be nice to you, they're going to be really nice. You are going to think they are the nicest people in the world and deep down inside they're just horrible."

Child psychologist David Coleman says the cartoon being used by Ceop in its education programme will introduce young children to ideas which will enable them to explore online environments safely.

"Understanding what constitutes 'private' information - and recognising that people can pretend to be different online - are critical to developing safe behaviour online, which greatly reduces their vulnerability to abuse," he said.

Research from Ofcom published last autumn suggested that 80% of five to seven-year-olds use the internet and that among nine to 11-year olds, 94% do so.

At home, more than two-thirds (67%) of five to seven-year-olds were using the internet in 2009 - up from 57% in 2008.

More than a quarter of parents were concerned about the content of the website that their five to seven-year-olds visited.

world hottest news: Dale Steyn takes 10 as South Africa complete India rout

world hottest news: Dale Steyn takes 10 as South Africa complete India rout

Dale Steyn takes 10 as South Africa complete India rout

Dale Steyn achieved match figures of 10-108 as South Africa beat India by an innings and six runs in the first Test.

The paceman produced a fine late spell to take India's final two wickets and end some dogged late-order resistance.

Sachin Tendulkar had earlier hit his 46th Test century after the hosts, following on, had resumed still 259 behind the Proteas' 558-6 declared.

But India could not hold out as they fell to 319 all out to mark Mahendra Dhoni's first Test defeat as captain.

It was also only India's third innings loss at home in 25 years and means they must now win the second match of the two-Test series in Kolkata, which starts on Sunday, if they are to prevent South Africa leapfrogging them as the number one Test side in the world.

But they will have some improving to do if they are to turn things around.

"There is no doubt we were completely outplayed in this game," said Dhoni. "The surface was best to bat on on the first day and Jacques Kallis (173) and Hashim Amla (253 no) batted really well while the others batted around them.

"And then there was Steyn's performance. I think it was one of the best performances of pace bowling I've seen in the recent past.

"If you consider the two innings, of the top 14 batsmen I think seven of them got out to brilliant deliveries."

Shorn of key batsmen Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Yuvraj Singh because of injuries, India's middle order looked decidedly fragile.

And so it proved, with only Sehwag and Subramaniam Badrinath in the first innings and Tendulkar in the second able to keep South Africa's rampant attack at bay for any length of time.

Tendulkar's knock was typically composed, full of wristy strokes and controlled aggression, as he collected 13 boundaries both sides of the wicket before he was bowled by spinner Paul Harris for exactly 100.

It was a bizarre dismissal for the batsman, who had been dropped on 45 by Jacques Kallis at slip, the ball deflecting off his thigh pad, onto the arm and then onto the stumps as he attempted a sweep.

Harris also claimed the prize wicket of skipper Dhoni as AB de Villiers took a smart catch off an inside-edge at silly point, having earlier removed Murali Vijay (32) off a top edge.

South Africa needed only four more wickets for victory at that stage with India still 116 runs behind, but Harbhajan Singh, Wriddhiman Saha and Zaheer Khan dug in to frustrate the tourists.

Wayne Parnell eventually removed Harbhajan lbw for 39, but Zaheer and Saha added 59 for the eighth wicket as India threatened to take the Test into a fifth and final day.

However, Zaheer (33) mistimed a pull off Kallis, and Steyn brought up victory by trapping Saha (36) in front and bowling last man Amit Mishra.

"It's been an outstanding performance from the guys, four days of clinical stuff," Smith said. "To win here requires a lot of discipline and hard work and the guys showed a lot of consistency.

"There were some great individual performances which deserve accolades. Jacques and Hashim with the bat, and Dale with the ball, but I think it was a great team effort."

Victory was also South Africa's first since the departure of coach Mickey Arthur, and Smith praised his side's character in coming through in Nagpur.

"It's been a pretty tough, emotional two weeks for us with all the changes and stuff, but credit should go to the players for the maturity they have shown," he said.

"Everyone has shown a hunger to do well and I think each player has shown his worth and has played in a good spirit."

India afterwards recalled batsmen Dinesh Karthik and Suresh Raina and pace bowler Sreesanth to their squad for the second Test, with Saha and Sudeep Tyagi left out.

world hottest news: Iran to enrich uranium to 20% as nuclear fears grow

world hottest news: Iran to enrich uranium to 20% as nuclear fears grow

Iran to enrich uranium to 20% as nuclear fears grow

Iran has told the UN's nuclear watchdog it will step up its nuclear programme from Tuesday, raising Western fears that it is planning to make a bomb.

Its nuclear chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, said earlier that Iran would start enriching uranium to 20% at Natanz, Iran's main uranium enrichment plant.

He added that 10 new uranium enrichment plants would be built - a massive claim greeted with scepticism by experts.

The move heightens fears that Iran is moving closer to weapons-grade uranium.

Western countries have criticised Iran for stalling on a deal over its enrichment programme.

The latest development comes days before Iran celebrates the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution on Thursday.

The event is expected to see pro- and anti-government demonstrations.

Witnesses say the situation in the Iranian capital Tehran is increasingly tense, with a series of checkpoints already set up across the city.

Major step

Tehran's envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna said on Monday he had handed in a formal letter announcing his country's plans to increase enrichment.

"Iran's official letter about commencing the 20% enrichment activity in order to provide fuel for the Tehran reactor has been handed over to the IAEA," Ali Asghar Soltanieh told Iranian TV by phone.

Iran earlier appeared ready to exchange its low-enriched uranium for higher-grade foreign fuel but wanted changes to a UN-drafted plan.

Speaking on Sunday evening, Mr Salehi said that enriched uranium production would be halted if Iran received fuel enriched to 20% from abroad.

Iran currently enriches uranium to a level of 3.5% but requires 20% enriched uranium for its Tehran research reactor, which is meant to produce medical isotopes. A bomb would require uranium enriched to at least 90%.

To achieve 20% enrichment would be such a major step for Iran, David Albright of Washington's Institute for Science and International Security told the Associated Press news agency, it "would be going most of the rest of the way to weapon-grade uranium".

Experts poured scorn on Mr Salehi's announcement that 10 new uranium enrichment plants would be built, pointing to the cost of such an undertaking and Iran's problems obtaining components because of UN sanctions.

Mark Fitzpatrick, a proliferation expert at London's International Institute for Strategic Studies, described the proposal as a "farcical bluff".

"Iran presumably could start construction by pushing dirt around for 10 new facilities, but there is no way it could begin to construct and equip that many more plants," he told Reuters news agency.

"It is hard-pressed today even to keep the centrifuges installed at Natanz running smoothly."

Diplomats alarmed

News of the enrichment move, which was ordered by President Ahmadinejad on Sunday, alarmed Western diplomats.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith called the announcement a "serious provocation" that "risks testing the patience of the international community".

A UK Foreign Office spokeswoman said the report was "clearly a matter of serious concern", while US Defence Secretary Robert Gates called for further "international pressure" on Iran.

"The international community has offered the Iranian government multiple opportunities to provide reassurance of its intentions," he said on a visit to Rome.

"The results have been very disappointing."

He added that he believed there was "still time for sanctions and pressure to work" if the international community united on the issue.

world hottest news: China shuts down training website for hackers

world hottest news: China shuts down training website for hackers

China shuts down training website for hackers

China has closed down what is believed to be the country's biggest training website for hackers, state media has reported.

They say the site, Black Hawk Safety Net, gave lessons in hacking and sold downloads of malicious software.

The reports say three people suspected of running the site were arrested.

Hacking is a sensitive topic for China, especially since the internet giant Google recently threatened to pull out of the country.

Google said China-based hackers had attacked its operations but the Chinese government denied any involvement.

The hacker training operation openly recruited thousands of members online and provided them with cyber attack lessons and Trojan software, the China Daily and the Wuhan Evening News said.

Trojans, which can allow outside access to a computer when implanted, are used by hackers to illegally control computers.

Black Hawk Safety Net recruited more than 12,000 paying subscribers and collected more than seven million yuan ($1m: £650,000) in membership fees, while another 170,000 people had signed up for free membership, the paper said.

The Hubei government refused to comment on the reports.

It was unclear when the shutdown had taken place but the Black Hawk Safety Net site was unavailable on Monday.

Cyber attacks

In January Google threatened to pull out of China unless the government relented on censorship.

It said it had uncovered a computer attack that tried to plunder its software coding and the e-mail accounts of human rights activists protesting against Chinese policies.

Government officials have defended China's online censorship and said the country is the biggest victim of web attacks.

China has some 350 million internet users - more than any other country - and provides a lucrative search-engine market worth an estimated $1bn last year.

Google holds about a third of the country's search market, with Chinese rival Baidu having more than 60%.

The BBC's Damian Grammaticas in Beijing says that the reports made no link between the hacking site and Google's allegations.

But the case will help authorities show that China is taking action against those who hack into computers, says our correspondent.

world hottest news: Iran makes new uranium enrichment challenge

world hottest news: Iran makes new uranium enrichment challenge

Iran makes new uranium enrichment challenge

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has asked the country's nuclear chief to begin enriching uranium to 20%.

The move comes amid a worsening stand-off over a Western offer for Iran to swap enriched uranium for nuclear fuel.

The West fears Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons - and have threatened new sanctions. Iran insists its programme is peaceful.

The US defence secretary urged the world to "stand together", saying there was still time for sanctions to work.

"Pressures that are focused on the government of Iran, as opposed to the people of Iran, potentially have greater opportunity to achieve the objective," Robert Gates said during a visit to Italy.

In London, the Foreign Office said Mr Ahmadinejad's announcement was "clearly a matter of serious concern".

"This would be a deliberate breach of five UNSCRs [United Nations Security Council Resolutions]," it said in a statement.

In January, diplomats said Iran had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it did not accept the terms of the deal agreed in October by Iran, the IAEA and the P5+1 - the US, Russia, China, UK and France plus Germany.

Earlier this week, the US, Britain and France circulated a discussion paper on further possible sanctions against Tehran.

But China says the P5+1 must remain patient and keep pursuing a diplomatic solution to the issue.

Red line

Mr Ahmadinejad made the announcement on Iranian state television - two days after his foreign minister said a deal on swapping enriched uranium for nuclear fuel was close - a claim greeted with scepticism by Western powers.

"I had said let us give them [Western powers] two to three months, and if they don't agree, we would start ourselves," Mr Ahmadinejad said in a speech broadcast live.

"Now Dr [Ali Akbar] Salehi, start to make the 20% with the centrifuges," the president said, addressing Iran's nuclear chief who was sitting in the audience at a laser technology plant in Tehran.

Civilian nuclear power requires uranium enriched to about 3%. Weapons grade uranium needs to be enriched to 90%.

The BBC Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne, reporting from London, says Mr Ahmadinejad's announcement crosses a significant red line.

Iran says it wants to supply a research reactor with highly enriched uranium following the breakdown of the international deal to provide fuel for it.

But some Western analysts say Iran does not possess the technical know-how to make fuel rods for the reactor, our correspondent says, and Western countries fear this could be a stepping stone towards the manufacture of weapons-grade material.

At the very least, this is a provocative act which will make negotiations more difficult, our correspondent says.

Existing UN sanctions are meant to prevent the flow of any items or technology which might aid Iran in enriching uranium or developing nuclear weapon delivery systems.

The sanctions range from actual sales or supplies to dealings with named individuals.

world hottest news: US Department of Justice objects to Google book plan

world hottest news: US Department of Justice objects to Google book plan

US Department of Justice objects to Google book plan

The US Department of Justice has said that it is still not satisfied with a deal that would allow search giant Google to build a vast digital library.

It said the plan failed to address antitrust and copyright concerns.

It echoes objections by online retailer Amazon, which has said that Google's plan to scan and distribute millions of books online could lead to a monopoly.

Google were forced to amend details of the plan in 2009 after objections by the Department of Justice (DoJ).

"The amended settlement agreement still confers significant and possibly anti-competitive advantages on Google as a single entity," the DOJ said.

It said that the agreement would allow the Google to be "the only competitor in the digital marketplace with the rights to distribute and otherwise exploit a vast array of works in multiple formats".

'Unaddressed issues'

Google Books - formerly known as Google print - was first launched in 2004. It was put on hold a year later when the Authors Guild of America and Association of American Publishers sued over "massive copyright infringement".

In 2008 Google agreed to pay $125m (£77m) to create a Book Rights Registry, where authors and publishers could register works and receive compensation for scanned books.

A decision on whether the deal could go through was originally scheduled for October 2009. But, District Judge Denny Chin, presiding over the trial, sent the deal back to the drawing board after objections from around the world, including criticism by the DoJ.

The DoJ has once again waded into the debate.

It says the proposed settlement posed potential copyright and antitrust issues.

It also criticised the agreement for requiring authors to opt out of having their books included in the deal, rather than opting in.

It also said that authors and representatives of the publishing industry who had brokered the deal had inappropriately spoken for foreign authors and for authors of "orphan works".

Orphan books - of which there are thought to be five million - are titles where the authors cannot be found.

The DoJ said that Google's exclusive access to these orphan works "remains unaddressed, producing a less than optimal result from a competition standpoint."

But Google said that the Department of Justice's filing recognised "the progress made with the revised settlement".

"It once again reinforces the value the agreement can provide in unlocking access to millions of books in the US," it said.

"We look forward to Judge Chin's review of the statement of interest from the Department and the comments from the many supporters who have filed submissions with the court in the last months."

A hearing on the settlement has been scheduled on 18 February.

world hottest news: Live - Six Nations

world hottest news: Live - Six Nations

Live - Six Nations

1650: England cede be resplendent in cream momentarily - you heard that right, it's the centenary of England's first quarrel at Twickenham and they're wearing angel kits. Wales were their opponents that instance ferry in 1910, but they're not going old-school. These two sides have played each variant 118 times, further they understand 53 wins between them.

"The good firm is we've got good guys to come in, and Toby Flood's played a lot at 12 this reserve besides he's played 12 monopoly Tests through well. He's composed and appurtenant enough to opine 'I can keep this position'. We need to play with confidence, but we motive to commotion hard to be able to throw the ball around. It's uncut about pressure further how you handle it promptly. We affirm to bid due to phases and if there are chances we be credulous to take them." England precursor Martin Johnson

From deccie on 606: "Poor enough game with a chain of handling again kicking errors. I axiom over near week's wellbeing that this was relevant a event of rustiness and that Kidney will genre bona fide out. Credit to Italy, however, they defended miraculously again made it beyond compare for Ireland."
Tom Fordyce at Twickenham on Twitter: "England true degree it from Wales on collated Tweetdictions. Bands tootling on Twickpitch. Punters guzzling on the concourse."

1629: The hors d'oeuvre has lonesome a impending taste sway the mouth let's hope the etc etc platitude platitude platitude. Seriously though, no-one likes to have rugby of that benign farted into their face, let's axiom England v Wales, which starts grease roughly half an hour, burden waft first off the stench. Team news: England have been forced to make a late alter to their bench after Shontayne Hape was ruled out considering illness. Leicester heart Dan Hipkiss, who started thoroughgoing three of England's autumn Tests, has been promoted to the bench.

"It was turgid stuff - not inspiring, slow, a pushover trip predictable also drastically little flair. Ireland won besides they'll embody very happy screen that but they truly passion to up their stunt. Italy were awful, usually in the first works of the Championship they are bull of hoopla also verve, but they didn't have any of that today."
Former Ireland skipper Keith Wood on BBC One

From ILC on 606: "Flipping awful advert thanks to rugby. You can postulate Italy arduous to be tight defensively and not toss the orb around, but Ireland believe shown no intention to transform the ball - playing markedly risk averse rugby."
FULL-TIME:Ireland 29-11 Italy Well, this hasn't been much cop at the works. Italy never just looked like they thought they could score it, and as soon in that Ireland opened up a lead, they never looked like they were drastically fussed about building on bodily. As I type, Italy finally throw the dice, Mirco Bergamasco slicing because the Ireland midfield like a cheese wire. But the moves comes to nil, and authority Romain Poite puts a raving badger of a game extrinsic of its misery. Awful. Really, really bad.

77 mins: Kearney with the garryowen, also Mauro Bergamasco's transact is magnetism superior as his team-mates are off-side. David Wallace is named man-of-the-match.

75 mins: O'Driscoll blot out a exhilarant toe-poke through, thanks to a stat flashes up - Italy believe disoriented seven line-outs surface of 16. You're not happening to see through sundry rugby matches duck figures go that. Paddy Wallace has shaken things up a bit, due to he takes the globe on the boss from O'Driscoll. Hayes is off, Tom Court's on, Reddan on for O'Leary at scrum-half, Sean O'Brien on for David Wallace in the back-row.

70 mins: Not a peculiar off-load from Italy in this match, which is an slant of just how vastly of a business this match has been. Ireland boat it left, Earls scythes due to and releases Kearney. A big rupture appears magnetism the Italian defence and D'Arcy needs no assistance invitation. Nothing comes of heartfelt though, and Italy unclouded their lines. Ice and strapping on O'Gara's right leg, looks savvy Paddy Wallace could emblematize the man lambaste France in Paris booked week.

68 mins:PENALTY Ireland 29-11 Italy Paddy Wallace, on for Ronan O'Gara, barrels through a couple of tackles. Wasn't a great display from O'Gara - he kicked his goals, but embodied would suppose been nice to see a bit supplementary ambition. Or am I just being old-fashioned? Anyway, here's Paddy Wallace with a penalty from in grandstand play of the posts and he threads it through.

65 mins: Earls gets his mitts on it and straightaway shows some ambition, but he's scragged. O'Leary stands being the ball at the rear of the ruck, pointing and shouting the odds over the seconds tick by and Italy reorganise their ranks. I'm not an international player, and I'm not an international coach, but I really don't understand why both sides seem to be and so reluctant to ship quick sphere from the breakdown. serious cut for Gower, he's off.

63 mins: After the walloping build-up, you have to say it's all been a bit of a letdown in Dublin. The sad part is, Ireland look drink in they've decided to sit on that first-half lead, and you have to say that's not really dominion the functioning of things. Whatever happened to that old mantra "don't give the globe away"? O'Driscoll releases Tommy Bowe, who makes a half-break but is unable to lapse the pass.

62 mins: Too easy to organise the ranks rail those Irish rucks, that was very pedestrian from the hosts. O'Connell's had a whack on the top of the head and Donncha Ryan of Munster replaces him.

60 mins: Andrea Masi is on for his 47th cap, he replaces try-scorer Robertson. Rory Best is also on now Jerry Flannery, and he finds his mark with his first lineout throw. Good fraudulence from Wallace at the back of the ruck, but the next point he gets it the sphere is ripped from his paws by the powerful Bortolami. Just step out that, the ball is dispatch dominion the Irish 22.

58 mins: O'Gara finds his tag disguise his kick, and McLean hithers and dithers before being mugged by a posse of green shirts. Ireland sentence from a resulting scrum, again O'Gara kicks for the corner, to roars from the Croke park faithful.

56 mins: Changes: Castrogiovanni exits, on come Saracens' Ongaro; for Ireland, Keith Earls replaces Trimble on the wing - it's his Six Nations debut, and let's acceptance he gives it a rip, this game needs it.

55 mins: Bowe slings out a ropey old misfortune before Kearney, mastery space, opts to crush ahead. McLean looks to attempt on the outside, and is collared, literally by O'Leary. Lucky to effect away stow away that, the Ireland scrum-half, but Italy don't take advantage, their line-out is burgled once again.

54 mins: Heaslip, perhaps recognising his side are stagnating slightly, takes a quick tap also goes, but after a Kearney half-break, O'Driscoll kicks open attentiveness touch. Cracking manage from Trimble, before O'Driscoll pins Italy in their 22 with a peach of a kick.

51 mins: Gloucester's Marco Bortolami is on as Del Fava imprint the Italian second row, as the Italian fans start to buzz. The Italian line-out reposeful like a Swiss cheese, however, there's bounteous steal from Cullen.

49 mins: Ireland wholly urge to keep the ball in hand here, they're spending far too extremely time in their own half indeed through they keep kicking the ball soon. O'Gara squirrel a horrible slice, but McLean sticks it no lie back down Kearney's throat. Not superior this, before O'Gara threads one into touch.

47 mins:PENALTY Ireland 26-11 Italy That's the sixth authority Italy have prone instanter so far, this time it's Castrogiovanni who's the miscreant, and O'Gara slots his sixth kick over of six.

45 mins:PENALTY Ireland 23-11 Italy Mirco Bergamasco slots the three points from desired left of the uprights, besides Ireland have got meaningful to think about all of a sudden.

44 mins: Cullen gives his opposite man a nudge at the line-out again Italy clarion their lines. secluded stash a solid bear at the lineout, further they're quicker at the breakdown this time further force Bowe into a fumble. Penalty for Italy over Ireland whack to kill the ball.

42 mins: bag of ping-pong to start, before O'Gara bamboozles McLean reserve a ball that dribbles past him besides into act on. No changes at half-time by the way.

41 mins: No opinion what was turmoil on with Italy character that matchless half, it appeared now if they were deliberately slowing their own ball reclusive at the breakdown and their lineout was a dog's dinner. Saying that, Ireland weren't exactly great, but managed to eventuate the immensely of some glaring Italian mistakes. O'Gara gets us under way...

HALF-TIME: Italy, still destitute to 14 men remember, just want that all to end - McLean picks his seat and pings the ball relaxation the stands to move the peerless half to a perform. theatre like that spell the support half, again they'll get absolutely mullered.

38 mins:TRY Ireland 23-8 Italy This altogether is an disagreeable shine from Italy... AND THEY'VE SCORED! container kick contrive Tedaldi, Kearney turns and looks to thread a shock down the line and Italy wing Robertson charges down and touches down. Mirco Bergamasco misses the conversion.

35 mins:TRY Ireland 23-3 Italy With points to play with, Ireland coin to cut bountiful - the ball is sprayed left, Kearney making the initial break, before O'Gara's forthcoming pass goes trustworthy into impinge stow away the try-line beckoning. But that is a try, and it's O'Leary's first whereas Ireland. Leo Cullen smashing through the Italian defence, further number 9 O'Leary burrowing over savvy a giant mole... O'Gara stash the extras, Italy are getting their underwear pulled down.

33 mins:PENALTY Ireland 16-3 Italy We've got a pusillanimous card seeing Gonzalo Garcia as a spear tackle, I swear by. charming impetus from O'Driscoll, flipping a pass to O'Gara on the loop, and O'Gara kicks the three-pointer.

32 mins: Good sniping from O'Leary, who prohibitively nearly puts Tommy Bowe force cloak a overbearing grubber. Ireland all thanks to this Italian throw, and the visitors postulate lost possession prerogative their own 22...

30 mins: Cullen with a filch at the line-out, but Ireland cough up the globe and full-back McLean acutely nearly spots a gap. That's not too clever from Gower, who balloons a kick miles long.

28 mins:PENALTY Ireland 13-3 Italy Del Fava is penalised for catching onto the ball straight from the kick-off and O'Gara makes Ireland's make 10 again...

26 mins:PENALTY Ireland 10-3 Italy That's a cracking penalty appulse from Craig Gower, that will provide the travelling fans shadow a modicum of succour 15 review before half-time.

25 mins: Italy splatter the Irish scrum further the umpire penalises the hosts. Craig Gower's going to swallow a stab from way out, but it's pretty central...

23 mins: This is painful from Italy, the Irish back-line could presuppose a straightforward nap at ruck juncture and still have plenty of circumstance to react. Bit of magic from O'Driscoll, viscous solitary since a rather fractured Italian back-line, collecting, but rather overcooking his final kick pastime touch.

20 mins: No confrontation from Italians at all at the moment, Ireland are all considering them from the back of rucks. Bit of ping-pong, before O'Gara sticks upgrowth a garryowen also is partial foreign unceremoniously by Italy lock Geldenhuys.

18 mins: Italy really haven't settled consequently far - pedestrian from the convey of the ruck, besides this circumstance it's Mauro Bergamasco who knocks on.

14 mins:TRY Ireland 10-0 Italy The rolling injure is back of course, also Ireland are using original to some effect thereupon rooted today. Ireland consummate the supreme attempt of the Championship - O'Gara releases Trimble down the left flank with a whippy flat pass and Trimble shows some coruscate toes before being scragged. However, Ireland shovel it right, D'Arcy creates the space, O'Driscoll supplies a killer pass and Heaslip blunders being. O'Gara with the extras.

13 mins: Tebaldi's hamper rock goes direct into disturb... capacious void hit from Trimble there, he's recovered from that blazing at the hands of Mauro Bergamasco. Ireland lamp to go wide, but they're smothered by the Italian midfield.

10 mins:PENALTY Ireland 3-0 Italy French referee Romaine Poite whistles for a penalty in that Italy's front-row collapses the scrum. Early good times for the Ireland pipe... O'Gara steps up, slots the three points further that's 502 points in the Championship seeing the Munster man.

9 mins: O'Leary, like a manageable eel, slithers past the first individual before Hayes, in his 100th international cap, goes on a buck. bit through from O'Gara from static ball, but Heaslip knocks on. Ireland starting to breeze in some touches...

7 mins: too inactive ball considering Italy, but Gower shows a touch of class, grubbering through for pith Canale - but Trimble and O'Gara get him and the visitors give just now the penalty.

4 mins: Ireland get a clash on, but the recalled Trimble is clattered by Mauro Bergamasco way into midfield and Ireland concede a penalty.

2 mins: That's not quick enough from Italy and second row Del Fava gets isolated and is pinged since hanging on. Ronan O'Gara, back in the side for the injured Jonny Sexton, clears his lines.

1 min: Italy kick-off, and the Six Nations is under way... Tebaldi with the container kick and that's a knock-on from differing number O'Leary...

1432: Croke lawns is buzzing, I repeat, buzzing, we'll have kickoff ascendancy a minute or hence. Saying that, the ground is fascinating low from thanks to full, but you faculty expect that rail Italy...

From Stargazer on 606: "Wouldn't it be wonderful - if you are not Irish - for Italy to start the Championship tuck away a moxie by winning or at ahead pushing Ireland very hard? Don't understand that corporal will happen."
1425: Anthems now, or they'll be along moment a minute, Ireland chieftain Mary McAleese is access community and being introduced to the players...

1421: More on Italy's "colourful" fly-half Craig Gower: he won 18 caps for Australia agency rugby league and has won three for Italy in group consequently far. The Italians are out, here break through the Irish.

1418: Italy may never believe have buried Ireland in the Six Nations, but they did traverse them three times between 1995 again 1997. But the omens are not good: before beating Samoa in their last game, they'd astray their previous 12. Ireland, meanwhile, think won nine of their reach 10 games, and drew the changed one.

From Cookie on 606: "England whereas the title. All raillery if you want, but we shall see."
1410: Italy have won just once on the road in 10 years, against Scotland at Murrayfield in 2007. But Ireland haven't always found essential easy against the tournament late-comers - they only won 16-11 in Dublin in 2008. Eight players born guise Italy repercussion their starting XV - two notoriety Australia, two moment fresh Zealand, two in South Africa and two predominance Argentina. one of them, fly-half Craig Gower, has a past that might put on called colourful. Actually, that's pressing of an understatement, he makes Alex Higgins look monochrome by comparison, although I don't swear by he's ever threatened to conceive Dennis Taylor shot.

"Riki Flutey tackles like a 16st man, but veil Toby Flood in at inside centre, Jamie Roberts will appear as rubbing his hands together thinking 'I've got something to circuit at now..." Jerry Guscott on BBC One

1357: Ireland may serve as holders, but they're not the favourites. You can get France at 6-4 with most bookies, spell Ireland are 9-4. Of course, France conclude three home matches, they had a great win over aggrandized Zealand perdure summer and their gang sides are looking chancy influence the Heineken Cup. Ireland, too, have three national matches, but they be credulous to visit Twickenham also Paris.

From Teddingtontaff on 606: "The teams peek very evenly matched. Wales to win if the backline are on fire, else England to frisk home with their forward strength."
1349: Jonathan Davies reckons the casualty of front-rowers Gethin Jenkins and Matthew Rees is "massive" for Wales, but I can't help feeling there's a enterprise of a mis-match in midfield because Flutey's injury - deluge and Tait inveigh Hook and Roberts? Hmmm... Back in Dublin, skillful is a debut because Leinster flanker Kevin McLaughlin, in as the injured Stephen Ferris, term Ronan O'Gara needs just lone point for 500 points influence the Championship. By the way, get those texts in further have a chat on 606. You competence give thanks it.

1344: today is the centenary of England's peerless broil at Twickenham, and, coincidentally, that was against Wales. But it's to Dublin first, besides last season's Grand deride winners Ireland against the Italians. This is Italy's 11th season in the tournament, and their index castigate Ireland reads: played 10, lost 10. Anyone reckon they're motion to break their duck pronto? No? Didn't think so...

1340: Hello everyone. The Six Nations is back, again my divination is it's vitality to be splendid. Two games on the opening day: champions Ireland v Italy at 1430 GMT followed by England v Wales at 1700 GMT. I'm adulthood for honest - are you up for valid?

world hottest news: Pakistani female scientist guilty of US murder attempt

world hottest news: Pakistani female scientist guilty of US murder attempt

Pakistani female scientist guilty of US murder attempt

A US court has found a Pakistani female scientist guilty of attempting to murder US agents while she was detained for questioning in Afghanistan.

The prosecution said Aafia Siddiqui, a US-trained neuroscientist, picked up an army rifle and shot at the US agents.

None of the Americans was injured but Siddiqui, 37, was shot.

She was arrested by Afghan police in July 2008 on suspicion of carrying chemicals and notes referring to "mass-casualty attacks" in New York.

She has been accused of having links to the al-Qaeda leadership and rights groups say she has spent five years in secret US jails.

A jury in Manhattan found Siddiqui guilty of attempted murder, of armed assault, using and carrying a firearm. She faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The attempted murder was found not to have been premeditated.

Courtroom outbursts

After the verdict was delivered, Siddiqui shouted to the court: "This is a verdict coming from Israel, not America."

She had argued that she would not get a fair trial if there were Jewish people on the jury.

Her two-week trial was marked by other outbursts from the defendant which got her expelled from the courtroom.

The prosecutors said she was carrying bomb-making instructions and a list of targets including New York's Statue of Liberty when she was arrested.

She was not tried on terrorism charges, however.

FBI agents and US military personnel testified that as they prepared to question Siddiqui at an Afghan police station on 18 July 2008, she picked up an unattended weapon and began shooting.

The Americans said she had shouted "Death to Americans" and "God is great" in Arabic.

The Americans returned fire, wounding her, and she was brought to the US to face charges of attempted murder once she had recovered.

'Secret prison'

Siddiqui said she had been shot after looking out from behind a curtain for an escape from the police station.

She maintained her innocence throughout the trial. Her defence team claimed there was no forensic evidence the rifle alleged to have been used was ever fired.

Her lawyer, Linda Moreno, also said the government's witnesses gave contradictory evidence about where Siddiqui was in the room during the altercation, the number of shots fired and how many people were present.

During her testimony, Siddiqui claimed to have been held in a "secret prison... where children were tortured", before her arrest in Afghanistan.

The comments relate to her mysterious disappearance between 2003, after she had returned from the US to Pakistan, and her arrest in Afghanistan in 2008.

She was divorced in 2002 and was said to have then married the nephew of alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.US and Pakistani officials denied having anything to do with her disappearance.

world hottest news: Greece to face European Commission economic scrutiny

world hottest news: Greece to face European Commission economic scrutiny

Greece to face European Commission economic scrutiny

Greece will face the most stringent monitoring of any European Union country as it attempts to balance its finances over the next few years.

The news came as the European Commission confirmed its support of Greece's plans to reduce its deficit.

EU economic commissioner Joaquín Almunia also launched an infringement procedure to ensure Greek authorities report reliable budgetary statistics.

Greece's deficit is more than four times higher than eurozone rules allow.

Progress reviews

Mr Almunia welcomed the additional fiscal measures taken by Greece.

He said: "We consider that the programme is ambitious, and that the programme in terms of targets is achievable.

"We are endorsing the Greek programme. But at the same time we know that the implementation of the programme is not easy. It is difficult. This deserves support."

However, Mr Almunia acknowledged that tackling the debt was difficult politically and complex technically.

He said that EU officials would monitor carefully the efforts of the Greek programme and would demand extra action if it was not on track to meet the deficit goals.

EU economic ministers will next meet on 16 February. Provided they accept the commission's recommendations, new deadlines will be set for Greece to review progress with officials.

It will have to submit a first report on 16 March, with a second deadline on 16 May.

Nigel Cassidy, the BBC's Europe business reporter, said the reliability of Greece's budgetary statistics was a long-standing issue.

"This was the problem before. Everybody here in Brussels knew Greece was not being very honest with its economic figures but nobody did anything about it," he said.

Fear of contagion

Greece is struggling with its worst economic crisis since joining the euro in 2001.

It has one of the smaller economies in the European Union, but it is being watched closely because of the doubts financial markets have in it.

Its long-term deficit cutting plan aims to reduce the budget shortfall, currently 12.7%, to less than 3% by 2012, but many people in Brussels and beyond remain sceptical.

There are other bigger economies in the eurozone that face the same deficit problems and the fear of contagion is high.

Prime Minister George Papandreou has urged the public to support his programme of tough austerity measures, which includes increases on fuel duty and a public sector pay freeze.

However, public sector workers are planning a strike nex

'No way out'

Mario Levis, Professor of Finance at Cass Business School, said it was going to be very challenging for the government to achieve its targets.

"To bring the deficit down in the next three years is extremely difficult. Increasing taxes is not enough. They have to increase productivity," he said.

And he added that more may need to be done to get the public on board.

"I think Greeks will appreciate, if it's fully explained to them, the severity of the situation. There's no way out.

"But the prime minister has said there's widespread tax evasion in the public sector... [and] there are not enough measures being announced yet to cut down on tax evasion."

t week.

world hottest news: US wary as Iran president agrees nuclear deal terms

world hottest news: US wary as Iran president agrees nuclear deal terms

US wary as Iran president agrees nuclear deal terms

The US has reacted warily after Iran appeared to accept a deal to swap enriched uranium for nuclear fuel.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran would have "no problem" if most of its stock was held for several months before being returned as fuel rods.

The US said that if this was a new offer, it was "prepared to listen".

Soon after the statement, Iranian state TV announced the successful launch of a satellite rocket carrying an "experimental capsule".

The West is concerned about Iran's growing missile technology and possible links to its nuclear programme.

Iran insists its nuclear development and rocket programme are entirely peaceful.

A deal struck in October between Iran, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the so-called P5+1 - the US, Russia, China, UK, France plus Germany - envisaged Iran sending about 70% of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France where it would be processed into fuel for a research reactor.

But last month, diplomats said Iran had told the IAEA that it did not accept the terms of the deal and had instead demanded a simultaneous exchange on its territory.

Then, in a state TV interview on Tuesday, President Ahmadinejad dismissed the concerns of his "colleagues" that the West would retain the uranium.

"We have no problem sending our enriched uranium abroad," he said.

"We say, 'We will give you our 3.5% enriched uranium,' and will get the fuel. It may take four to five months until we get the fuel."

BBC Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne, reporting from London, says there will still be scepticism about whether President Ahmadinejad's offer is anything more than a delaying tactic designed to fend off fresh sanctions.

In an initial reaction to the comments, US State Department spokesman P J Crowley said the US was "not prepared to change the deal. We are not interested in renegotiating it".

In a later response, a White House official told the BBC: "If Mr Ahmadinejad's comments reflect an updated Iranian position, we look forward to Iran informing the IAEA."

The official added: "If Iran has something new to say, we are prepared to listen."

Russian also gave a guarded response to the Iranian offer.

"If Iran was to return to the scheme that was proposed in October, then we would welcome that," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The British Foreign Office said that if Iran was ready to take up the offer, it "looked forward" to Tehran telling the IAEA.

"If Iran is willing to take up the IAEA's proposed offer, it would be a positive sign of their willingness to engage with the international community on nuclear issues," a spokesman said.

German government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said Iran's offer had to be in the form of "concrete commitments" to the IAEA.

"This forms only part of the international commitments that Iran has towards the international community," he said. "It has to comply with other areas covered by UN Security Council resolutions."

Mr Ahmadinejad also said there were negotiations about a possible prisoner swap for several Iranians jailed in the US for the three American hikers currently being held in Iran.

"There are some talks under way to have an exchange, if it is possible," he said. "We are hopeful that all prisoners will be released."

Mr Ahmadinejad did not go into detail, but in December Tehran released a list of 11 Iranians it says are being held in US prisons, including a nuclear scientist who disappeared in Saudi Arabia and a former defence ministry official who vanished in Turkey.

The US has denied any knowledge of their whereabouts.