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BERLIN (AP) — The Islamic State extremist group is claiming responsibility for the truck attack on a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 people and left nearly 50 injured. The group's news agency calls the attacker "a soldier of the Islamic State." German police are still hunting for the driver of the truck, which slammed into the downtown Christmas market last night. Germany is not involved in anti-Islamic State combat operations. But it does have Tornado jets and a refueling plane stationed in Turkey in support of the coalition fighting militants in Syria.
BERLIN (AP) — The evidence wasn't strong enough -- so German authorities have had to free a man they had arrested after yesterday's truck attack on a crowded Christmas market in Berlin. The man had denied involvement, and investigators found no forensic evidence proving he was in the cab of the truck during the rampage. The Pakistani citizen, who came to Germany last year seeking asylum, had fit the description of a man who jumped out of the truck and fled after the attack, which killed 12 people and wounded 48 others. But no witnesses had followed him from the scene to the spot where he was picked up.
BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel -- who had been criticized for allowing huge numbers of migrants into Germany last year -- says it would be "sickening" if it turns out that an asylum-seeker was responsible for yesterday's attack. A spokesman for Berlin's office for refugee affairs says police conducted a broad search overnight at a large shelter for asylum-seekers. Four men were questioned, but no one was arrested.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Volkswagen has reached a deal with U.S. regulators and attorneys for car owners for the remaining 80,000 diesel vehicles caught in the company's emissions cheating scandal. A federal judge in San Francisco says it will include the option of a buyback for at least 20,000 vehicles and will give all the car owners substantial compensation on top of any repairs or a buyback. He didn't disclose any numbers and said the parties still have more work to do. Volkswagen previously reached a deal for 475,000 2-liter diesel cars that also were programmed to cheat on emissions tests.
LOMA LINDA, Calif. (AP) — A Marine has been struck and killed by a car on a Southern California highway, after stopping to help a driver in a rollover crash. Enrico Rojo was driving his family to the airport yesterday when he stopped because a woman's car had flipped onto its roof. A fire official tells the San Bernardino Sun that Rojo had told his family he had to try to help the woman. A short time later, he was struck by another car, which stayed at the scene. As for the driver of the car that overturned, she was arrested for investigation of driving under the influence.
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