the houthis in yemen — gets past israel's advanced air defences — injuring more than a dozen. the us avoids a christmas government shut down after lawmakers vote in favour of a budget deal for three months. and in sport — yet another defeat for english champions manchester city — they lose two —one against aston villa german police a nine—year—old is among the five people killed in a christmas attack in the town of magdeburg. along with those five do city officials say 200 people have been injured, many seriously. people have come to lay flowers on the scene. we can now named the suspect as taleb al—abdulmohsen. he's a 50—year—old doctor from saudi arabia. officials say he

appears to have been motivated by resentment of the treatment of refugees in germany than religion. they believe he was acting alone. chancellor olaf scholz has been on the scene and called what happened in magdeburg a terrible act. there are questions about security after it emerged the suspect drove through in entrance reserve for ambulances and official vehicles. reserve for ambulances and officialvehicles. let's reserve for ambulances and official vehicles. let's go to my colleague who is in magdeburg now. my colleague who is in maaadebur now. ., , magdeburg now. there are still a lot of peeple _ magdeburg now. there are still a lot of people coming - magdeburg now. there are still a lot of people coming out - magdeburg now. there are still a lot of people coming out into| a lot of people coming out into the center of the city tonight. they've been here all day in various numbers in the bitterly cold, in the rain sometimes. as you can seejulia flowers and candles. a small patch earlier today and you can see how it's grown over the last few hours. a little like the one outside the church on the other side of the church on the other side of the market square, which is turned into a realfocus the market square, which is turned into a real focus for people to come to have some quiet moments to contemplate

and think about what happened here 2a hours ago. if you look into the market square you can really see the contrast. imagine this time of the last few nights, this place had been packed full of people who up it's had families, people coming out to eat and drink and to celebrate and to feel festive. and look at it tonight for the empty. you can see still on the floor some of the plastic gloves that have been used to treat people, blankets used to treat people, blankets used to treat people, blankets used to keep some of the injured warm last night. all we've seen moving through this part of the market today instead of those usual crowds of people celebrating have been police officers who have been here in very large numbers today, starting that investigation. really having a presence to try and make people here feel safer after what happened yesterday evening. it is been a 2k hours which is really change the city forever.

flickering candles have replaced the twinkling christmas lights. here in magdeburg, there's shock, disbelief and questions about how something like this could happen. 2a hours ago, this market was packed with people, but the laughter and celebration was cut devastatingly short when a car sped through the crowds, killing five people and injuring 200 more. translation: thecar, sped past us and the police ran after it. other emergency services arrived, evacuated people and diverted traffic. people were still panicking and screaming. we now know it used the rescue entrance to get into the square, a gap deliberately left for ambulances to have access. police say the deadly rampage lasted three minutes. armed police quickly arrested a man, a doctor originally from saudi arabia but living

here for nearly 20 years. his motive is still under question. translation: as things stand at the moment, i it looks as if the background to the crime could have been disgruntlement with the way saudi arabian refugees are treated in germany. but what exactly is behind it is still under investigation. emotions are running high here. alongside the sadness there's an undercurrent of anger against politicians who some feel didn't make this place safe enough. the german chancellor, olaf scholz, came to lay a white rose and promised an investigation. as specialist police continue their investigations just a few metres away, the collection of flowers and candles here just keeps on growing. this bitter december wind is not keeping people away. they want to be here. they want to be together and to remember the friends that they've lost. christmas feels very different here now. the stalls won't be reopening. the focus turned

instead on remembering the victims, helping the survivors and making sure a tragedy like this can't happen again. this evening police have been talking about that investigation and taleb al—abdulmohsen the suspect arrested yesterday evening, just around the corner from here and who has been questioned by police today. they say they have carried out physical checks, psychological checks on him. they say their investigation is not quite complete. they are looking into possible motives, why somebody would do this, why somebody would do this, why somebody would attack an area like this packed full of families just a few days before christmas. they've been looking at some of his online records, they been investigating some of his views for example, the german interior ministry said earlier today that they were looking at possible is normal phobia as a motive. we heard on bbc news

earlierfrom james jackson. earlier from james jackson. he's a journalist that says he actually contacted by taleb al—abdulmohsen. he said he sent him a message expressing anti—muslim views. it was quite a shock to me, to be honest. as first reports were coming out about this particular individual, the suspect, i went to look and he sort of followed me. i saw that he is also message me in august. my report was on a story about police misbehavior in berlin. then he sent me his message, this video which is made to look as if it's elon musk talking about the case of the suspect, his grievances and even talked about some politicians that i'm in contact with, arabic politicians in germany, some left—wing and other ex—muslims and he was saying it is all the conspiracy look it is all the conspiracy.

the far left and the muslims are working together and they are even under minding the ex—muslim community. some clear indications of a paranoid conspiratorial worldview in my view for that which is also something that leading german politicians have commented on. speaking of german politicians, the chancellor olaf scholz was here earlier today. he's been at the city cathedral for a service that's been happening, a vigil happening this evening. he also was on the other side of this market square for the p was laying flowers, he talked about the investigation that would be happening. there was also some discontent, there was some booing around there as well, people concerned about the security of these christmas markets, which we've seen attacked before for example in berlin in 2016 for the people feeling they should've been more secure than they were. also issues about what to do next year. olaf scholz call for unity and there has been a good deal of unity on display here throughout the day for the

people coming out, standing together but also strong political views for that we heard from. political views for that we heard from batoul nayouf, lives in magdeburg and is a member of the city's syrian—german cultural association. she says this attack will be used to create a bigger division within german society. let's put this clear, of course with everything that is going on right now politically, notjust in germany but specifically germany with the early election next year. and with the rise of popularity that we're witnessing now to the far right wing here in germany. such events of course are going to be used to create more and bigger gaps inside the german communities. but we hope and we have faith in the german community that we're part of it. that people are aware of such political games. people are aware that our fears are mutual.

and ourfuture is only guaranteed in solidarity with each other. we hope that such incidents will not be used to cause more harm and damage to the local communities and the immigrant communities. this, only time will tell theirs. but we can see it from now that a lot of political speeches or maybe let's say, some people are already started to polarize against immigrants, which is deeply concerning, to be honest with you. we still have faith that with a legaljustice system in germany that what happened yesterday will not hopefully happen again. and the person responsible for that

will eventually take what they deserve. we know that the man who is being questioned, the man who police suspect that the center was originally from saudi arabia. a doctor, 50 years old, came back doing a care in 20s sex. they do anticipate charging him over the deaths of those five people who were killed here yesterday in the next few days no doubt we will hear more about potential motivation as well. but while this christmas market is packed away now it will not be reopening, it will slowly be dismantled i think in the next few hours and days will start to hear more about the victims in the center of this. we will start to hear their names, see the faces of those who were killed yesterday. 200 injured as well. it was a three minute rampage police say is that cart moved

around this area. 15 hospitals are still treating the injured. no doubt we will hear more of their stories in the next few days. anna, thank you very much. anna foster in magdeburg in germany. let's speak to former security minister, baroness pauline neville—jones. thank you for talking to us. your thoughts of the 20th for our events? pm your thoughts of the 20th for our events?— your thoughts of the 20th for our events? �* . , , ., , our events? an appalling story. m heart our events? an appalling story. my heart goes _ our events? an appalling story. my heart goes out _ our events? an appalling story. my heart goes out to _ our events? an appalling story. my heart goes out to everybody who is been affected by this. a lot of very injured people. it's very peculiar incident. here is an individual who came from saudi arabia, who appears to have turned against the region of his country and indeed his own birth. it is in effect campaigning against it.

there have been reports of the language he uses he is using campaigning against islam and against german liberalism in respect of islamic practice and indeed leading large numbers of muslims into the country. i think we're looking at something which is very unusual. and not the sort of thing that normal security authorities would expect to have to deal with. but clearly he was public about his views and his beliefs. they should have had him on their radarfor them it's also said that the saudi authorities warned the german authorities. the background, it is relevant that germany with its nazi past is very liberal in the sense of

its desire not to pry into peoples lives. and therefore the legislation and indeed the way in which the security in the are organized. i think it is not very tough, not very demanding. in addition to which germany has in place some fairly tough legislation on hate speech. which is one of the things that he was railing against. you have a backdrop where all of the emphasis and effort is on maintaining a civilized society and giving people maximum freedoms and preventing the regrowth of extreme and particularly right wing views. you could say it was a political construct where treating and dealing with

security issues is particularly difficult for the authorities. for history and society... yes. given what — for history and society... yes. given what you _ for history and society... yes. given what you say, _ for history and society... yes. given what you say, to - for history and society... yes. given what you say, to what . given what you say, to what extent the suspects ideology was in this case as opposed to previous christmas market attacks in europe, germany, to what extent does that present a new challenge for the authorities, for security services? i authorities, for security services?— authorities, for security services? 4m , , . , services? i think any security authority _ services? i think any security authority in _ services? i think any security authority in europe _ services? i think any security authority in europe has - services? i think any security authority in europe has to . services? i think any security i authority in europe has to take precautions on public gatherings. it does look as if the germans had. it said they buy the car came through the only entrance open to vehicles to police and ambulance. he must�*ve prospected the site. i think it is not the case on the

face of it that there were no precautions being taken. whether or not policeman on duty, all of the saints, could theyin duty, all of the saints, could they in effect have prevented his attack? think without severely restricting the freedom of movement on visitors that might�*ve been quite difficult. ithink that might�*ve been quite difficult. i think one is throwback to the question of, should they have been taking his conduct more seriously than they have? we will see because it will come out. the extent to which they were taking an interest in him.— which they were taking an interest in him. former british security minister. _ interest in him. former british security minister. thank- interest in him. former british security minister. thank you i security minister. thank you very much for speaking with us. you can follow all the developments from magdeburg on the bbc news website or app. being updated all the time with the latest developments and what we know about what happened in the tragic attack

just over 2a hours ago in germany. just over 2a hours ago in germany. here in the uk pensioners have until the end of today to apply online for a key benefit to help them qualify for the winter fuel payment. the deadline to claim pension credit is just before midnight. hundreds of extra government staff have been on duty today to help deal with the claims. here's marc ashdown. gary applied for pension credit back in september, but as the cold weather takes hold, he's still waiting for it to be processed, leaving him out of pocket. at the moment, it's costing me £190 a month in lost revenue which i'm having to make up from my own savings accounts. because the total benefit that i was receiving before reaching my 66th birthday, some of those benefits have now ended and i applied for pension credit to make up the difference. worth around £4,000 a year itself, the pension credit is also a gateway to receiving

the winter fuel payment. last winter, 10.8 million pensioners received between £200 and £300, depending on their age, to help towards paying their energy bills. but in september, the government won a vote in parliament to restrict the payment to those receiving certain benefits, like pension credit. at the time, department for work and pensions analysis showed 780,000 pensioners who could qualify for the benefit weren't expected to actually apply for it. since the end ofjuly, it has received 150,000 fresh applications. so far, 42,500 additional claimants are receiving pension credit. the department said it's drafted in 500 extra staff to help process a growing backlog and there's a help line open until 3:15 this afternoon to offer advice to anyone yet to apply. applicants need details like their national insurance number, income and savings information and their bank account details. charities, however, are warning pensioners to be wary of scams.

i'm aware that there are lots of scammers out there either cold calling people, pretending to be from the dwp or sending people text messages and, really, they're trying to get people's personal details. and the dwp would never cold call anybody or contact anybody — they don't chase people to apply for pension credit by phone. so, if anyone does receive any messages like that, then it's likely be a scam and it's either best ignored or if you're in doubt, then contact a local age uk or the age uk advice line to check. the government said over a million pensioners will still receive the winter fuel payment and it's urging anyone who thinks they might qualify for pension credit to act now, before the deadline at the end of today. marc ashdown, bbc news. weather warnings for strong winds have come into force in parts of the uk as millions of people travel ahead of christmas. there's been some disruption at heathrow airport who say "a small number

of flights have been cancelled" today. they add that this is to "ensure that most passengers can still travel as planned." with the details — here's fiona trott. the effect of the yellow wind warning is being felt 1537 00:1