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Ireland's Sinead Ryan is tackled by Valentina Schiavon of Italy during their women's Six Nations rugby match at Templeville Road in Dublin yesterday. Ireland won the match 19-0.

Photograph: Lorraine O'Sullivan/Inpho

Advances by rebels put back EU mission to Chad
The EU has postponed the deployment of advance units of its mission to Chad as reports last night suggested rebels seeking to overthrow the country's president had moved into the capital N'Djamena. Mary Fitzgerald and Jamie Smyth report.
Economic growth to halve as bank warns on building jobs
Economic growth will halve this year, according to the latest set of forecasts published by the Central Bank. Paul Tansey , Colm Keena and Laura Slattery report.
State agrees to fund girl's spinal surgery in London
The State has reversed its position and agreed to pay for a spinal operation in London for a 12-year-old Cork girl who has been on a waiting list for surgery at a Dublin hospital for 10 months, writes Eithne Donnellan , Health Correspondent

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Ireland

Sex abuse victims react angrily to legal move
Victims of clerical child sex abuse have reacted angrily to attempts by the former archbishop of Dublin Cardinal Desmond Connell to prevent legal documents from being handed over to a Government inquiry. Carl O'Brien and Genevieve Carbery report. p
FF tried to get £100,000 each from 10 donors
Fianna Fáil attempted to raise £1 million to offset their debts in 1993 by asking 10 businessmen to donate £100,000 each, the tribunal heard yesterday. Fiona Gartland reports. p
Bertie has ego massaged in Ballymena spa
Ian Paisley, once the Abominable No Man, confirms a thaw in North-South relations, writes Gerry Moriarty p
Plans for 30 new primary schools unveiled
Plans for more than 30 new primary schools - most in the rapidly-developing areas of Dublin - have been announced by Minister for Education Mary Hanafin. Seán Flynn , Education Editor, reports. p
O'Malley says he foresaw Moyross trouble
Former Limerick TD and Progressive Democrats founder Des O'Malley claims to have pleaded with city officials in Limerick 30 years ago not to build the city's Moyross housing estate, writes Kathryn Hayes. p
Busy weekend for sports and science fans
Sport and science will compete for people's attention on what promises to be a chilly weekend in Dublin. Thousands will flock to Croke Park for Ireland's opening match in the Six Nations championship against Italy today. p
UN calls for Army to raise recruiting age to 18
A United Nations body has urged the Government to raise the minimum age for the Defence Forces to 18 to prevent children from being exposed to armed conflict, writes Carl O'Brien , Social Affairs Correspondent p
Honoured writer Kilroy 'still steaming' ahead
To write a play, you must "build up a head of steam", said playwright Thomas Kilroy when asked in Dublin yesterday about his approach to writing for the stage. Catherine Foley reports. p
'Clever fraud' on breast cancer alleged
The jury in a €700,000 breast cancer insurance fraud trial has been told by the prosecuting counsel that the evidence could lead to only one conclusion: "This was a clever, elaborate and dishonest fraud." p

Finance

Microsoft makes offer to acquire Yahoo
Microsoft has made an unsolicited offer to acquire struggling internet company Yahoo in a deal that values the company at $44.6 billion (€30.1 billion). John Collins reports. p
Babcock plan to split up Eircom criticised in report
Proposals by Australian company Babcock & Brown Capital Management, the owners of Eircom, to split the telecommunications company into network and retail divisions, have been strongly criticised in a draft consultant's report commissioned by the Communications Workers' Union (CWU). Martin Wall , Industry Correspondent, reports. p
Property prices fall back more than 7% to 2006 level
Property prices plunged 7.3 per cent in 2007, but soaring rents will bring buyers back to the housing market and stabilise prices later this year, according to one of the Republic's biggest mortgage lenders. Laura Slattery reports. p

World

Tension builds as candidates face Super Tuesday
US: Republican and Democratic presidential candidates face a gruelling 72 hours of campaigning across the United States ahead of Super Tuesday, when more than 20 states hold primaries and caucuses. p
72 murdered by suicide bombers in Baghdad
IRAQ: Female suicide bombers, detonated by remote control, killed 72 people in attacks blamed on al-Qaeda at two popular Baghdad pet markets yesterday, the Iraqi capital's worst bombings in six months. p
Chad rebels reported close to capital
CHAD: Fears of further regional instability in central Africa were heightened last night amid reports that rebels had entered Chad's capital seeking to oust the country's president. p
Lawyer among 29 held over murders
TURKEY: Prosecutors claim to have unmasked a plot to engineer a coup by murdering dissidents, writes Nicholas Birch in Istanbul p

Sport

Redemption starts here
Rugby/ Six Nations Championship : Redemption time. The coach may be feeling the heat like never before and his own selection often defied current form individually and the form of this team, but it at least offers virtually all of those who take the pitch today the chance to restore their own sense of worth in green. p
FAI to get Trapattoni and Brady
International soccer: The FAI is set to appoint veteran Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni as Steve Staunton's successor. The 68-year-old is on course to reach an agreement with the association over the coming days and is likely to be in Croke Park on Wednesday night to watch the team play Brazil. p
McGrane won't be overawed by Woods
Dubai Desert Classic : It might look like one of the greatest mismatches in sport but when world number 319 Damien McGrane stands on the first tee with number one Tiger Woods at the Emirates Club at one o'clock today, no one who knows him has any doubt that the Kells native will be doing his own thing. p