a very warm welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to our viewers in north america and around the globe. my name's mike embley. our top stories. so—called islamic state says one of its militants carried out the lorry attack in berlin — which left 12 people dead. police have released the sole suspect. explosions tear through a fireworks market in mexico — at least 26 people are killed and dozens more injured. the body of the russian ambassador killed in turkey is flown back to moscow. six people are detained — as the investigation gathers pace. and — president obama bans oil offshore drilling in the arctic — for five years. it could spark a showdown with donald trump. hello.

german police now say the driver of the lorry that crashed into a christmas market in berlin on monday evening may still be at large. a man who at one stage was suspected of being the driver has been released because of a lack of evidence — but the authorities insist they are following other leads. meanwhile the so—called islamic state has claimed responsibility for the attack. twelve people were killed and nearly 50 injured — half of them seriously when the lorry drove at speed through the popular market at breitscheidplatz — near west berlin's main shopping street. our correspondentjenny hill has the latest. first light this morning and the sheer violence of this attack dawns. the lorry crashed through the christmas crowds here, shattering everything, everyone in its path. this footage was taken in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

bodies lie scattered under the twinkling lights. moments earlier, these people were eating, drinking, shopping, at one of berlin's most popular christmas markets. it's just amazing how a peaceful festive happy atmosphere just changed instantly and you have this scene of utter devastation. sara and rees may never forget what they saw. obviously there was people lying on the floor. we weren't sure if it was red wine or if it was blood but we did see — i remember there were people trying to pick up the stalls, we decided to try to lift the stall up with them and we realised, you know, other people unfortunately underneath were already passed. the lorry itself is key to the investigation. it appears to have been hijacked, it belongs to a polish firm. today, the owner identified the man who should have been at the wheel.

he was found shot dead in the passenger seat. even the police admit they still don't know who was driving. last night, they arrested a pakistani man who came to germany to seek asylum earlier this year. this evening, they released him without charge. the so—called islamic state group have claimed the attack. but tonight investigators say the individuals who did these are still at large. translation: we don't know with any certainty whether we are dealing with one perpetrator or with several. we don't know with any certainty whether he or they had any support. and now, just like nice, paris, brussels, berlin mourns. and the german chancellor must reassure her citizens. angela merkel is under pressure. just the suggestion that an asylum seeker may have been responsible has reignited a national debate over whether her refugee policy has put the country at risk. it would be particularly hard to bear, she says,

if it turned out that the person who did this was someone who sought protection and asylum in germany. it would be particularly offensive to the many germans engaged daily in the task of helping refugees. tonight, a stillness in the heart of berlin. what, after all, is there to say? another terror attack in another european capital and 2a hours later it seems no—one here knows who did this or where they are now. ansgar graw is senior political correspondent for the german national newspaper die welt and he's in washington. ba nksy

banksy time. —— thanks for your time to stop how would you describe this attack. the possibility that other suspect, possibly armed, are still at large? it brings a lot of uncertainty to germany. in a certain way, everybody had expected such terrorist attacks and it happened in a lot of european state. as you know, happened in london, brussels, paris, and everybody hoped it wouldn't happen in germany but every body thought one day it will also happen in germany. now, it happened. actually it was not the very first terror attack in germany. there were some smaller attacks over the course of the last 1.5 years. it was by far

the bloodiest, the most devastating terror attack and biggest terror attack up until now and to therefore, it changes the climb and in germany, i would state —— climate. what about the change in the political climate. just the mere suggestion that the attacker may be a asylum seeker has an impact. angela merkel said it is a hard day from germany and particularly hard if we had to learn that the perpetrator or perpetrators, if some of them are refugees migrants who came over the last 1.5 years to germany during this time. angela

merkel had an open border policy and she said we can do it, we can manage it. from the very beginning, german society was divided. part of a german society agreed with chancellor merkel and said yes, we can do it. they established the so—called refugee welcome culture that others said no, we are not able to help those migrants and refugees. we can't even document that border crossing in real time and we don't know anything about them and therefore in the end we won't be able to integrate such big numbers of people coming from other cultures and other countries, with other religions. as you know, last year we we re religions. as you know, last year we were about 1 million

religions. as you know, last year we were about1 million people who came to germany —— they were about. this year, there were at least 650,000 new asylum seekers coming to germany and that is a big number. with the big number, there is also increasing threats if you don't know who is coming. the perception, some of them could be terrorists, is increasing. thank you very much. a series of explosions has killed at least 26 people at mexico's most popular fireworks market, in the outskirts of the capital, mexico city. local police say dozens more were injured. similar incidents destroyed parts of the same market in 2005 and 2006. leonardo rocha reports. we have had new pictures coming in

just in the past few minutes, i think, showing people running away. what exactly is going on and why, as far as you know? the cause of the blast is still unknown. i saw some of the pictures in the footage that have been shown on mexican television and is now everywhere else. spectacular in a horrible way. it is an open—air market on the outskirts of mexico city. you see one explosion that then triggers a series of explosions. some of them seem to be fireworks and others seem to be last, perhaps gas canisters because people were cooking and selling food fair. it is really shocking. the amount of smoke that suddenly goes up as the explosions go through, it is a vast area. some local media say that up to 2000 people were shopping there. it is a busy time of the year with christmas and new years celebrated in most

places but in mexico certainly, with fireworks. it looks as though it would be difficult for people to escape. and there have been other insta nces escape. and there have been other instances like this before? 2005 and 2006. this location have a tradition of fireworks used in religious festivals. i heard there were five other smaller incidents in this locality in recent times because we have fireworks and lack of control, you end up having accidents. this seems to have just gotten completely out of control. it looks as though there would be no certainty over the casualties figures. the authorities said they retrieved 26 bodies from the location that many people had severe burns and taken to hospitals. up severe burns and taken to hospitals. up to 70, it was said at some stage. i think initially people didn't

realise the scale of the disaster, of the tragedy. thank you very much indeed. turkish police have detained six people after the assassination of the russian ambassador in ankara on monday. it's believed those being questioned are related to the off—duty police officer who opened fire. as the body of ambassador andrei karlov was flown back home, both the kremlin and turkish officials said the killing would not derail their negotiations about the war in syria. from ankara, mark lowen reports. a farewell to russia's ambassador, but in a way nobody could envisage. andrei karlov‘s body was flown back to moscow, the victim of an assassination. his government called him an "eternal symbol of russian— turkish friendship." his widow was barely able to watch. he was opening an exhibition in ankara last night, behind him, smartly dressed, his killer, a turkish policeman having cleared security with his police id. the gunman paces calmly, gearing up to strike, occasionally fumbling in his pocket.

suddenly, he shoots. at the russian embassy today, tight security and tributes to an ambassador who'd served here for three years as russia and turkey fell out over syria. they back opposite sides in the war, but have recently reconciled. those who knew him called mr karlov a brilliant diplomat. this is a big tragedy for all of us. for all russian people. do you understand why there is anger against russia here? ah... i think i understand, but it is difficult to talk right now. the turkey—russia relationship has always been tricky, but this murder might actually bring them closer against the common enemy of terror. in syria they're helping each other achieve their goals — russian and regime control of aleppo, turkish influence in the north and, lacking many other allies at the moment, turkey and russia need each other. andrei karlov was one of russia's

most seasoned diplomats, called softly spoken and professional. the russian embassy street here will be renamed in his honour. both countries have painted this as an attempt to derail ties. president erdogan said he and vladimir putin agreed it was a provocation. turkey's foreign minister has even suggested the gunman had links to the plotters behind the recent attempted coup. turkey's pliant press found its own conspiracies. some called it a cia operation, others a job by the west. the russian president said an investigation was under way into a treacherous murder and he urged solidarity. could the killer have been brainwashed in the police? these on line videos seem to show policemen made to chant nationalist, islamist slogans. one theory is that perhaps hatred was stirred up here. was he a lone wolf, a jihadist sympathiser? either way, a 22—year—old policeman became an assassin and russia wants answers. mark lowen, bbc news, ankara.

a couple of the other main news stories. state media injordan say police officers have been killed in clashes between suspected militants in the city of carter. —— kodak. islamic state says its fighters carried it out. petra kvitova has had surgery on her playing hand after what seems to be a random knife attack in her own home in the czech republic. she is likely to be out of action for at least three months. much more to

come for you and bbc news, including best. —— including visa. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: out of the stratosphere — and into history: we talk to the man who made a fifteen minute freefall to earth. we saw this enormous tidal wave approaching the beach, and people started to run, and suddenly it was complete chaos. united states troops have been trying to overthrow the dictatorship of general manuel noreiga. the pentagon said the operation had been 90% successful, but it's failed in its principal objective, to capture general noreiga and take him to the united states to face drugs charges. the hammer and sickle was hastily taken away. the russian flag was hoisted over what is now no longer the soviet union, but the commonwealth of independent states. day broke slowly over lockerbie, over the cockpit of the pan—am's maid of the seas, nose—down in the soft earth. you could see what happens when a plane eight storeys high, a football pitch wide, falls from 30,000 feet. christmas has returned to albania after a communist ban lasting more than 20 years.

thousands went to midnight mass in the town where there were anti—communist riots ten days ago. this is bbc news. i'm mike embley. the latest headlines: so—called islamic state says one of its militants carried out the lorry attack in berlin, which left 12 people dead. police have released the sole suspect. at least 26 people have been killed and dozens more injured after explosions tore through a fireworks market in mexico. in one of his final moves to protect the environment before leaving office, president obama has banned new offshore oil drilling in the arctic, and off much of the atlantic seaboard, for at least five years. the incoming trump administration favours more drilling and more use of fossil fuels, but mr obama invoked a 1953 law which will be difficult for the president—elect to reverse. it isa it is a provision that gives the president the power to withdraw federal waters for new oil and gas drilling. this is a joint action with canada, the prime minister,

justin trudeau, who has has made a long—term commitment to protect the arctic from drilling. president 0bama arctic from drilling. president obama has said it is the arctic‘s unique ecosystem that is really behind this decision. he says the risk of damage from a spell, the high cost of working in this remote and frigid region, as he put it, and concerns about climate change. he also added it would take decades to fully develop the infrastructure necessary to, on a large scale, drill for oil and gas in these areas. and he said this is coming at areas. and he said this is coming at a time when we need to continue to move decisively away from fossil fuels. now, this is being seen in pa rt fuels. now, this is being seen in part as president obama attempting to secure his legacy in terms of environmental policy. it can also be seen as scuppering the future president donald trump's attempts to pursue more oil and gas drilling. he made no secret of the fact that during the campaign that he wants more energy from fossil fuels. 0fficials more energy from fossil fuels. officials at the white house say they are quite confident that a

future president donald trump would not be able to undo this provision announced today by the current president, barack obama, and if he did want to go down that road, it could potentially involve years of legal action and possibly the passage of a new bill by congress. over 20 people have been killed in kinshasa, the capital of the democratic republic of congo. gunfire has also been heard in lubumbashi. there's anger after presidentjoseph kabila refused to stand down when his term ended on monday. tomas fessy is in kinshasa. they are blowing whistle to remind the president of the end of his term. these young congolese wanting to stepdown. so they are occupying this area to show their anger. translation: we will be out on the streets until he leaves. we are not afraid of him and his forces. he has

got to go. there was no election as planned this year. it has sparked a political crisis. translation: we are not here in support of the opposition either. we are here for our own rights. we have seen similar scenes around the city. people are out in the streets shouting joseph kabila, out. joseph kabila, out. and defying forces. there is no mass demonstration because of heavy security at the moment but we have seen running battles because of protesters and military forces in many parts of the city. the threat is ever present. the security forces are firing live rounds. and they are also sweeping the neighbourhood, making arrests. earlier on, one of the main opposition leaders, this 84—year—old, posted a video on

social media. translation: i launch a solemn appeal to the congolese people, do not recognise the legal and legitimate authority ofjoseph kabila, and peacefully resist his coup d'etat. protests were also recorded in other cities across the country. there were some in lubumbashi and boma were four people we re lubumbashi and boma were four people were killed. they burnt a tribunal as well. fighting broke out near kananga as well. fighting broke out near ka nanga when a as well. fighting broke out near kananga when a local militia attack the army. back in kinshasa, the newly appointed prime minister read a short declaration to the press, but he did not take any questions. translation: for the youth, but he did not take any questions. translation: forthe youth, i reiterate my commitment to respond to their expectations and aspirations for the improvement of their own being and i urge them not

to succumb to despair and manipulation. coming from the opposition, mr badibunga was expeued opposition, mr badibunga was expelled from his party five years ago. he recently signed a deal with the ruling coalition to accept that joseph kabila remain in power. the roads of the main capital were deserted for a second day. but in a city where it millions struggle to scrape together daily necessities, how long can it remained a ghost town? —— remain. bbc news, kinshasa. if you're scared of heights perhaps you should look away now. one man who isn't is alan eustace, a senior google executive, who in 2014, broke the world record for the highest parachute jump. he took a balloon more than 135,000 feet into the stratosphere and skydived back to earth. the space suit he wore is now on display at the smithsonian's national air and space museum in virginia. jane o'brien kept her feet firmly on the ground and went to take a look.

what goes up must come down, but simply reaching the earth's stratosphere was the first challenge for alan eustace. it took more than two hours to ascend 25 miles and around 15 minutes to parachute back to earth, at times travelling faster than the speed of sound. previous explorers used complicated platforms and capsules, mr eustace used a balloon and a very special suit. what was really unique about this is we tried to build a space suit that was equivalent to scuba diving, where the tanks were included so that i didn't have to disconnect from a capsule, i didn't have to have a heavy capsule to go up. all i had to do was like scuba diving. ijust went up in a suit in an environment that was capable of sustaining me during that period of time. that suit is now on display at the national air and space museum in virginia, home to many other artefacts of space exploration which in the 1960s inspired mr eustace. everyone i know dreamed of being an astronaut. kind of everybody i know dreamed of being above the atmosphere, to be able to look at the curviture

of the earth, the darkness of space, the beautiful thin atmosphere. and i guess in my case, that dream never really went away. even at 57 years old, i'm stilldreaming. remarkably, the record—breaking suit was made relatively cheaply, using exhisting technology and materials. mr eustace and his team simply discovered new ways to apply it. such as how to heat thermal underwear with the water system. the hot water just circulates around my chest and then on my legs and then goes back to be reheated. why do you need to be kept warm? because it is cold up there. the higher that you go through the troposphere, the colder it gets, and eventually, we'll get up to minus 110—120 degrees fahrenheit. mr eustace, a keen skydiver and pilot did not have to spend years at nasa learning how to be an astronaut. so, could anyone do this? could i do this? you could certainly do this.

the way we designed the system was, you know, if everything went wrong, if i was unconscious, they had to be able to get me from 135,000 feet down to the ground safely if i did nothing. so, if you are capable of doing nothing, i think you could do it. with many sights set on the moon and mars, the earth's stratosphere remains largely unexplored. but this suit, or something like it, puts it within reach of scientists and one day it might even be adapted to bring people back from the international space station. how are you doing? i am tired but healthy. jane o'brien, bbc news, virginia. just quickly. the main news. german police are saying the driver of a lorry that crashed through a christmas market in berlin may still be at large and armed. 0ne christmas market in berlin may still

be at large and armed. one man suspected of being the driver is now out of custody due to lack of evidence. brandenburg gate has been lit up in the colours of the german flag in memory of those killed. 12 people died when the truck crashed through the market. about 50 were injured. many of those seriously hurt. they are still, of course, still in hospital. hello. you have probably heard already, but as we go towards the christmas weekend, it looks as if things will turn exceptionally stormy, especially in the northern half of the british isles. i will show you why injust a second. by the weekend, we will show you a pressure chart with more isobars on it than this. a breezier day on wednesday than many of us have seen for a while. two weather fronts to deal with. a lull in proceedings. this more northerly feature will drift away out of the western side of scotland

where it will produce a bit of rain. it will weaken as it comes into the north england and england and wales and into the south—west. by the afternoon, maybe the cloud will thicken again in southern parts of england and wales to produce a really miserable end to the day. it is the shortest day, of course, and i think it will get darker awfully quickly in the afternoon given the amount of cloud we will see. temperatures are at least 10—11 degrees. something of that order. brighter skies behind. as it comes to scotland and northern ireland, cold air dominating the scene. the added strength of the wind here. wintry showers will fall to low levels. showers will keep going in northern ireland and scotland. this area will gradually move off to the near continent allowing a bright and crisp start to the day across the greater part of england and wales. another blustery one for scotland and northern ireland, wintry showers falling to a low level. it will feel very fresh indeed. eventually showers will go up

through northern and western parts of both england and wales as well. generally speaking, further south, a decent day in prospect. although not overly warm. and then it is on into friday where we bring in the second named storm of the season, this is storm barbara. and notice the number of isobars in northern and western parts especially of scotland. that is why the storm has been named and why we have the amber warning from the met office. the strength of the wind. how strong? look at this. close to the centre of the storm could see around 90 miles an hour. to the south, england and wales, the gusts could reach 70 miles an hour. that is disruptive and possibly damaging at the same time. as we move towards christmas day itself, the exact track of this storm is in doubt at the moment. that is why we are just giving an indication. it could produce some severe gales and therefore some disruption. the latest headlines from bbc news.

i'm mike embley. so—called islamic state says one of its militants carried out the lorry attack on a berlin christmas market — which left 12 people dead. german prosecutors have released a pakistani asylum seeker, who'd been detained earlier, saying they had insufficient evidence to link him to the crime. at least 26 people have been killed and dozens more injured after a series of explosions tore through a fireworks market on the outskirts of mexico city. similar incidents destroyed parts of the market in 2005 and 2006. president obama has permanently banned new oil and gas drilling in us arctic waters — and introduced significant new curbs in the atlantic. the move — one of his last major environmental protection actions — could prove difficult to reverse for the incoming trump administration. now its time for tuesday in parliament.