5 things you absolutely must know today

All you need to know about the winter solstice

The National Geographic answers more that you though to ask about the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, which is tomorrow. “The Northern Hemisphere’s procession of dwindling days is about to reach its nadir. The winter solstice is the year’s shortest day, but the start of winter also launches the sun’s steady climb towards the long, warm days of summer.  The solstice occurs on Tuesday, December 22 at 4:48 UTC—that’s late Monday night across most of North America. It happens at the same moment no matter where you live, but because we’ve divided Earth into 24 times zones people around the world observe it at 24 different times of day. Why does the solstice occur anyway, and how have people observed it through history? Read on for everything you need to know about the December solstice.” [Source: National Geographic]

More than 90 missing after pile of waste collapses in China

A pile of waste and soil taken from construction sites and landscaping projects over the last two years collapsed in Shenzhen, China Monday, causing a landslide that left 91 missing and 33 buildings covered or damaged. The garbage-slide covered an area of 380,000 square metres. A government official told news sources, “The pile was too big, the pile was too steep.” Sixteen people have been sent to hospital, and no deaths have been reported. [Source: CTV News]

Sepp Blatter banned from football for eight years: FIFA

Ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been fined USD$50,000 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled him and Michel Platini violated the football club’s code of ethics in a USD$2M payout deal. In a bold move to separate itself from the conflict of interest controversy that surrounds Blatter and Platini, FIFA has banned the pair from the sport for eight years, which includes “all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) on a national and international level.” Blatter and Platini plan to appeal the ruling. [Source: Mashable]

Woman intentionally drives on busy Las Vegas sidewalk, killing one and injuring 30

A woman with a three-year-old child in her vehicle intentionally turned onto a busy sidewalk in Las Vegas Sunday night, killing one and injuring at least 30 more, according to police. Nine people remain in serious condition. The incident happened on a busy stretch of the Las Vegas Strip, across from the orchestrated water fountain in front of the Bellagio hotel. Witnesses say the woman turned onto the sidewalk, then drove further down the strip and turned back onto the sidewalk, striking through thick patches of pedestrians. [Source: National Post]

Liberals plan to make spanking illegal following report recommendations 

Trudeau is planning to make it illegal for parents to spank their kids, following the Liberal government’s promise to fulfill all the recommendations asked of them by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, according to the Globe and Mail. “Corporal punishment is a relic of a discredited past and has no place in Canadian schools or homes,” read a section of the report. The policy change, if enacted, would mean a repeal of Section 43 of the Criminal Code, a block of text allowing parents and teachers the use of reasonable force to correct behaviour. There are people who disagree with this move, as you can no doubt imagine. Among them, perhaps leading the charge, are religious groups who rely on contextual bible passages like the following for justification: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” [Source: Globe and Mail]

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