20/01/2012 BBC News at Six

Guilty, a dissident republican is jailed for life for murdering two

soldiers in Northern Ireland. Brian Shivers was convicted over an

attack claimed by the Real IRA three years ago. Patrick Azimkar

and Mark Quinsey were shot dead outside their barracks, the last

soldiers to be killed in Northern Ireland.

Another accused, Colin Duffy, walked free. Today the soldiers'

families said their quest for justice goes on. We know there are

more people involved and we want to see them sentenced. My world has

been torn apart. I can't change that. But please help the police

before these people destroy more families.

Also tonight: The Belfast hospital where a third baby has died after

an infection in the neonatal unit. Fears for the Costa Concordia

search operation as the vessel continues to shift under water.

In the first case of its kind, three men are found guilty of

trying to incite hatred against gay people.

Millions of hits a day, but one of the biggest file-sharing websites

is shut down in a battle over online piracy.

Coming up in sport: The fight goes on - we hear from Amir Khan as the

fall-out from his December defeat Good evening. Welcome to the BBC

News at Six. A dissident republican has been jailed for life for the

murder of two soldiers outside a barracks in Northern Ireland. 46-

year-old Brian Shivers was found guilty over the killing three years

ago when Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey were gunned down

hours before they were due to be sent to Afghanistan. Another man,

44-year-old Colin Duffy, was cleared of taking part in the

ambush. Today the soldiers' families said they believed more

people were involved in the murders and appealed for information that

would help the police. This report contains flash

photography. The moments before the murders of

the two young soldiers were caught on CCTV. Dressed in their army

uniforms, five soldiers came out of their base to collect a pizza

delivery. Sapper Patrick Azimkar was in front, his colleague, Mark

Quinsey, was in the middle. Seconds later, they came under attack. 63

shots were fired at them in less than a minute. A security guard

It was too late. The gunmen had gone. 21-year-old Patrick Azimkar

from London and 23-year-old Mark Quinsey from Birmingham were dead.

Two men later went on trial charged with the murders, Colin Duffy from

Lurgan and Brian Shivers from Magherafelt. Their trial was told

their DNA was discovered inside the getaway car found near the murder

scene. One police officer described it as a forensic gold mine. Brian

Shivers, who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, was today

found guilty of the murders. But his co-accused, Colin Duffy, seen

here in the beard, was acquitted and walked free from court. The

judge said the case against him had not been proved beyond reasonable

doubt. REPORTER: What is your reaction?

A small crowd of loyalists heckled him, but the police intervened to

stop any clashes. It's not the first time Colin Duffy has been

cleared on a murder charge. He was jailed for the killing of a soldier

in 1993 but the conviction was later overturned. Two years later,

he was accused of the murder of two police officers but the charges

were later dropped. Colin Duffy insisted he had nothing to do with

the killings at Massereene Barracks three years ago. The deaths

devastated the families of the young soldiers who died. My world

has been torn apart, I can't change that. But please help the police

before these people destroy more families. My brother loved his life,

but it was stolen away from him at such an early age. The families of

both soldiers came from England to hear today's verdicts. Patrick was

21, full of life and promise and good-humour. And it is hard to come

to terms with the senselessness of the attack and the waste of

Patrick's precious life. dissident republican splinter group

the Real IRA said it killed the two soldiers. The police believe up to

six people were involved. This investigation is not over. We will

continue to pursue all of those involved in these evil murders.

threat from dissidents remains. Last night, two bombs went off in

the centre of Londonderry, no-one was injured but it was another

reminder of the dangers facing the peace process. The police say every

means possible will be used to find all the killers of Patrick Azimkar

and Mark Quinsey and to try to prevent further attacks.

Let's join Mark live outside the barracks where the soldiers died.

What do you think today's verdict means for the dissident republican

movement then? Well, they are still armed, they are still active, they

are still dangerous, they are still unpredictable. Perhaps it is worth

reflecting tonight that they failed to achieve what they wanted to

achieve with those murders here, they thought they could re-start

the Troubles. What happened in the end was it brought people and

politicians closer together and three years on, the power-sharing

executive has never been more stable. The peace process goes on,

but that will be very little comfort tonight to the families of

those two young soldiers. Thank you. In Belfast, a third baby has died

in a hospital neonatal unit after an outbreak of infection. All other

babies in the unit have been swabbed for signs of the bacteria

and the premises are being deep- cleaned.

Hard to eradicate and potentially deadly, Pseudomonas is one of the

most common types of hospital- acquired infections, targeting the

most vulnerable. At Belfast's Royal Maternity Hospital it's already

claimed the lives of three tiny babies. Staff are preparing to

deep-clean the unit to ensure no- one else becomes infected. The

strain is affecting all of those involved. We have spent the last

couple of days trying to support the parents who are in this

situation because this is a very difficult and stressful time for

them, as it is for the staff in the unit. Every baby has been screened.

That means they have had swabs taken of their skin. So what is

Pseudomonas? Well, it is a common but tough type of bacterial

infection that has little effect on healthy people, in severe cases it

can cause blood poisoning. There were more than 3,800 incidents

reported last year. The bacteria can prove catastrophic for tiny

babies. It can cause pneumonia and lead to urinary tract infections.

This bacteria likes warm environments. Because of the nature

of the conditions that these babies have, we are often ventilating them

and they require warm air through the ventilator, so it is an ideal

breeding ground. Three families have suffered a devastating loss as

a result of this bacterial outbreak. These are desperately anxious times

for more than 20 other families whose children were being treated

in the same unit. They must wait to see if their children are also

infected. Gary Maguire knows what the parents may be going through.

His daughter was infected with Pseudomonas last year, but

recovered after being treated with antibiotics. My heart went out to

the parents because I know how we felt when our kiddie was in

intensive care. I'm deeply concerned that the Health Service

is putting children through this. The immediate task now is to

isolate and eradicate the source of this Pseudomonas outbreak. Longer

term, questions will have to be asked about how it could have been

prevented in the first place. The search operation on the Costa

Concordia has been hampered again today after the ship shifted on the

ledge of rock beneath it. It is now almost a week since the disaster.

21 people are still missing and more relatives have been gathering

on the Italian island of Giglio. The families of those still missing

came to Giglio today, a chance to see for themselves the wreck that

still holds their loved ones. Some were taken out by boat to lay a

wreath near the carcass of the ship, a poignant moment after a week of

waiting. It may be that some passengers did not make it out of

the ship because they were given a false sense of security. Footage

filmed by a passenger the night of the accident shows how a crew

member tried to calm passengers There was some activity on the ship

today, albeit on deck. Below the waterline had been deemed too

dangerous for divers to resume their search because the ship had

moved prompting fears she could sink further. But yesterday divers

were allowed into the vessel and they came across this - the ship's

bell - a symbol of the once-proud Costa Concordia. As she reflects on

the events of a week ago, this woman told me how she, her friends

and family helped to pull people out of the water.

TRANSLATION: I still can't believe it. I swear, seeing it like that, I

ask myself if it is real and then I go down to the port and say, "Yes,

it's real." When I go home, I remember the crying children, the

desperate people and the people looking for their relatives. Today

Captain Schettino said that if he has made mistakes he is ready to

accept responsibility. As the investigation continues into his

actions, he claims that he informed Costa management in a phone call as

soon as he had hit the rocks. The company deny exerting pressure on

him to delay before declaring the ship should be abandoned. It is

clear there are still many questions about what exactly

happened on the Costa Concordia a week ago tonight.

France has suspended military operations in Afghanistan in

response to the killing of four of its troops by an Afghan soldier. At

least 15 other soldiers were wounded which happened in the

north-eastern province of Kapisa. President Sarkozy said he would

consider ordering the early withdrawal of all French soldiers

from Afghanistan if security didn't improve.

It is one of the most controversial reforms planned by the Government,

the overhaul of the multi-billion pound British welfare system. With

another political battle in the House of Lords expected on Monday,

the Minister in charge, Iain Duncan Smith, has denied that people are

suffering as a result of benefit cuts. He told the BBC a proposed

cap on benefits would help make families more independent.

Should there be a cap on how much benefits anyone can claim providing

they are capable of work? The Government says yes and the figure

should be �26,000 per family per year. The Government estimates that

50,000 households will have their benefits reduced by a cap, losing

around �93 a week. Welfare is about changing your life, it is about

taking you from dependency and moving you to independence and if

that means saying there is a limit to what the state is prepared to

pay, I think taxpayers on marginal and low incomes want to know there

is a limit. The Government are keen to talk about their idea of putting

a cap on benefits of �26,000 a year. They know frankly it is pretty

popular. What their critics say is they are trying to distract

attention from other much more serious benefit cuts which affect

many more people. Sandra won't be affected by the benefits cap, but

nevertheless she is packing up to move out of the flat she shares

with her five-year-old son. She will soon be officially homeless.

The reason? Cuts which have already been made to housing benefit.

one goes up, the benefit goes down. You can't find the money to pay the

extra bits. That means you have to pack your boxes and get out?

leave the area, leave the church, the school, everything. She doesn't

want to leave a community where she chairs the local residents'

association and was one of those named "Londoner of the Year". What

will you say to somebody who says it is a flies flat, a nice area, it

is tough, but the country can't afford to pay for it? Well, when I

moved here, it was not very expensive in here. Things change.

Cuts already made not just to housing benefit but to other

benefits are causing more and more people real concern. But the

Minister in charge of welfare reform is confident the public is

on his side. It appeals to taxpayers, what they don't like

hearing about is the many thousands of people who are now really

It does two things. It means bigger bills for taxpayers and it means

your life and your children's lives will be blighted by being dependent

on the Secretary of State to give you the money to live. On Monday

the House of Lords will debate proposals to exclude child benefit

from the new cap. Listening its impact on large families. The Lords

have defeated the government before and this time a bishop is leading

the opposition. There's a very real risk that these reforms in the Bill

will cause suffering to the most vulnerable in society. What we are

hoping to do on Monday is a lesson that suffering for children in

families where parents are unemployed. Her that would

undermine the whole point, says the minister, who says he will fight to

reverse any change in the Commons. Next week the parliamentary battle

might be about the benefits cap, but the war is about something much

bigger. Our top story tonight:

A dissident Republican is jailed for life for murdering two soldiers

in Northern Ireland. Coming up:

How the Christmas rush and some big discounts gave some shops an end of

Coming up in sport, it is last- chance saloon in the Heineken Cup

with one final shot at a place in In America, there's been more

tension between the Republican politicians vying to challenge

Barack Obama in this year's US Presidential elections. Newt

Gingrich has reacted angrily to allegations from an ex-wife about

their relationship. And the man considered the front-runner, Mitt

Romney, has faced more awkward questions about his wealth, as our

Washington correspondent, Ian These men want to take on Barack

Obama for the Presidency. It was private lives not policies that set

this debate alight. I am appalled that you would begin a Presidential

debate on a topic like this. the topic new age grinned rich

cities outraged by his an interview with his ex-wife and reservations

about what happened when they were married.

I said to him, we have been married a long time. He said, yes, but you

want me all to yourself. What was he saying to you? He was asking to

have an open marriage and I refused. He wanted an open marriage? Yes.

And I accept the fact he had somebody else in his life. And you

said? No. No. It would have been a killer blow for lesser candidates,

but just watch this for a masterclass in damage limitation.

let me be clear. The story is false, every personal friend I had says

the story is false. We asked ADC to prove it is false. I am tired of

the media protecting Barack Obama. It is the kind of red meat

Republicans devour. Newt Gingrich has performed well and his poll

ratings are up. More bad news for Mitt Romney, the man who has led

the field so far. The multi- millionaire struggling to answer

questions about his own finances. will take a look at what our

documents are. In an election dominated by the economy, he was

still prepared to explain where his money came from, where it is kept

and how much tax he pays. Tomorrow will be the third vote in this

contest and Newt Gingrich could squeeze into first place. The race

has just got a little tighter and certainly more interesting. But

Mitt Romney is still the man to beat and the Republican most likely

to stand against Barack Obama later this year.

In the first prosecution of its kind, three men who handed out

leaflets calling for gay people to face the death penalty have been

convicted. Ihjaz Ali, Kabir Ahmed and Razwan Javed were found guilty

at a court in Derby of trying to stir up hatred on the grounds of

sexual orientation. Chris Buckler Surrounded by friends, the men

convicted of stirring up hatred against homosexuals left court.

comment. They had insisted they were simply expressing their

religious views, but a jury found Kabir Ahmed, Ihjaz Ali and Razwan

Javed guilty, the first men to be convicted of inciting hate on the

grounds of sexual orientation. The leaflet was handed out after

prayers outside his mosque in Derby, although it is claimed the men

don't worship here. It says homosexuals will be published by

execution in an Islamic state and while we can't show you the leaflet,

it pictured a noose around a mannequin's neck. The leaflets were

put through it for letterboxes of houses and one of the men told the

court he even gave one to a passing policeman asking him if everything

was OK and telling him that he did not mean to offend anyone. But some

people did take offence, including this gay man who felt threatened.

thought there was somebody out there with a real hatred possibly

have me. I didn't know at that point it wasn't me. It sounds

dramatic, fire bombs being thrown through the window. In the streets

near the mosque, any support of the prosecution? Fire Muslim as well,

but I am against them. What they're doing is wrong. But a small number

refused to condemn the distribution of the leaflet. I don't think there

is anything wrong with it. I read it, I didn't find anything wrong

with it. Do not understand how somebody gay could find it

offensive? Yeah, but that's life. You just have to live with it.

to apologise? The content of the leaflet was criminal and the judges

warned the men convicted that when they are sentenced, they will face

time in prison. The Sunday Times has dropped its

legal challenge to a court order requiring it to hand over evidence

relating to a speeding case involving the Energy Secretary,

Chris Huhne. A Crown Court judge told the newspaper in October that

it must give the evidence to Essex Police. A 51-year-old man has been

arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after driving an oil tanker

into a bungalow in Dorset. Emergency services were called to a

fire this morning. The woman who lives in the property is reported

to be safe and well. Heavy discounts and a last minute

Christmas rush helped shops to a good performance at the end of last

year. Figures out today showed clothing chains and department

stores did well, but other retailers still face a bleak

outlook. Our business correspondent Emma Simpson is on Oxford Street in

London with the details. What do you think these figures

reveal? Well, we had one of the final pieces of evidence today

about what happened on our high streets this Christmas. The Office

for National Statistics reported a 2.6% increase in sales in December

compared with the previous Christmas. Of course these figures

are flattered by the fact that the previous Christmas, retailers had a

terrible time with all that snow and there are indications that many

of these sales were secured through the massive discounting that took

place. The question is, is this sustainable? As ever with retail,

it is a mixed picture. There were winners, like John Lewis and House

of Fraser, and losers, like HMV. For HMV, there was a piece of good

news today. It has secured some breathing space from its banks as

it has secured a deal from suppliers so it gives it more of a

fighting chance. Also indications about hour online shopping habits?

Yes. One thing really stands out. It is the ever increasing rise of

online sales, up by 10% compared to last Christmas. We can really see

the internet having an impact on the high street. The fact is, we

just don't really need as many stores as we once did and 2012

expects to see accelerated store closures thanks to technology and

cash-strapped consumers reining back. Thank you.

The rhythm and blues singer Etta James has died at the age of 73.

She had been suffering from leukaemia and dementia.

# At last... Her raw, passionate vocals anchored many hits and made

her ballad "At Last" an enduring anthem for weddings, commercials

and even President Barack Obama. One of the biggest online sites for

sharing music and film, with an estimated 50 million hits a day,

has been shut down by the US authorities and its founders

arrested in New Zealand. Megaupload.com is accused of making

millions from copyright theft. Today, hackers angry at the move

turned their fire on US government sites. Our technology correspondent,

It was a thriving business with high-profile musicians apparently

happy to promote it as the place to share files on the internet. Now,

megaupload.com has been closed and its executives have appeared in a

New Zealand court with the US authorities accusing them of

facilitating millions of illegal downloads in a criminal conspiracy.

Homes belonging to the site's German-born founder have been

seized with police seizing cars and cash. But hackers retaliated,

shutting down some American government websites for a while to

protest against the closure. It was one of the most popular sites on

the internet with 150 million people using it upload material.

Perfectly legal according to the company. And to download movies,

music and other files. It earned the founder, Tim .com, �27 million

last year. But the FBI says it cost copyright holders half a billion

dollars, over �300 million, in lost The battle over online piracy is

hotting up. This band says it isn't a victimless crime. Sales of their

latest album have been dwarfed by People have given up on paying for

music. We don't want to be rich, we just want to make a living so we

can produce another album. If we don't get any revenue, how can we

produce another album? But where freedom campaigners warned against

an over-reaction. It is important to remember that file hosts are

really important and legitimate services, they are not all havens

for copyright infringement. They are useful for all internet users

and businesses. We need to make sure we don't throw the baby up

with the bath water. Megaupload.com, based in Hong Kong, may have been

put out of business, but a site promising something similar has

It is time to look at the weekend weather forecast.

A little bit of sunshine for everybody this weekend, but there

will be a few common themes as well and one of those will be the wind.

A very windy weekend, making it feel colder than temperatures would

suggest. The Sharif, windy story will hold tonight. We do clever way

some of the more persistent rain across northern and eastern areas,

but we are left with a lot of cloud, a strengthening wind and outbreaks

of rain and drizzle. Clearer conditions to the north-east where

temperatures will drop low enough for some ice, but generally mild

elsewhere. The cloudy, damp and windy start to the weekend across

the board. Light rain and drizzle, nothing to substantial. Skies will

brighten from the north. During the afternoon, as guys Brighton, the

wind will strengthen. The windy day up throughout in Scotland, possibly

60 to 70 mph in the north-east by the end of the day. 60 mph in

Northern Ireland and northern England. It should be a dry and

sunny afternoon, though. 50 mph possible further south, but the

further south the breaks in the cloud are harder to find and the

southern coastal areas could stay cloudy and fairly damp all day.

Temperatures of seven to 11 degrees, but feeling colder in the wind.

Watch how this weather front turns north through the night. A mild and

windy night again and as this weather system sweeps through, we

start Sunday with heavy rain and snow in Scotland and northern

England. That clears quickly and compared to Saturday, it brightens

up a little bit quicker. More sunshine in southern and eastern