Berlin

• Trump wins Electoral College vote; a few electors break ranks (Reuters)
• European Stocks Head for a One-Year High (BBG)
• Japan's Central Bank Keeps Policy Unchanged, Upgrades Economic Outlook (BBG)
• Russia and Turkey vow to keep detente on track after murder (FT)
• The Political Implications of Events in Ankara and Berlin (BBG)
• Trump condemns Berlin attack, says things 'only getting worse' (Reuters)
• Merkel: "No Doubt Berlin Crash Was a Terror Attack" (BBG)
• Gunman in Zurich mosque shooting is dead (Reuters)

In the latest example of poor decision-making by the outgoing president, not to mention some truly troubling political optics, with the world on fire following three separate acts of apparent terrorism around the globe, including Ankara, Zurich and Berlin, White House pool reports showed that President Barack Obama was off to enjoy a game of golf shortly after learning of today's tragic events.

An 18 wheeler truck has plowed into a crowd of people at a Christmas market in the German capital Berlin on Monday, killing nine and injuring over 50, German media reports. The truck driver has fled the scene sparking fears of a terrorist act.

A truck plowed into a crowd at a busy Christmas market in western Berlin leaving at least nine dead according to Berlin police, and over 50 people injured.

Local media, citing police at the scene, said first indications pointed to an attack on the market, situated near the fashionable Kurfuerstendamm avenue and at the foot of the ruined Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church that was kept as a ruin after World War Two. A police spokesperson told German media that they are treating the truck incident in Berlin as a terrorist attack.

The head of the Berlin branch of Germany’s Pirate Party was arrested for “insulting a representative of a foreign state” when he quoted a line from comedian Jan Boehmermann’s satirical poem about Erdogan.