Eight stories in the news today, Dec. 21, from The Canadian Press:

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FINANCE MINISTERS HASH OUT ISSUES RANGING FROM PENSION REFORM TO THE ECONOMY

Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau gets down to brass tacks today with his provincial counterparts at a meeting in Ottawa. The ministers will talk about public-pension reform, infrastructure spending and growing the economy among other topics. The meetings started last night over dinner.

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CANADA'S DEFENCE MINISTER GETTING LAY OF THE LAND IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is in the Middle East meeting with Canadian military personnel and some of his defence counterparts. He met with Iraq's defence minister on Sunday and earlier met with his Egyptian counterpart. Sajjan's visit comes days after the Islamic State launched a major offensive in Iraq, but his office says the minister's trip was planned before the attack. Sajjan will also visit the Canadian warship HMCS Winnipeg before he returns to Canada.

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CANADIANS AMONG THE INJURED IN LAS VEGAS STRIP CRASH

One person was killed and several Canadians were among the more than two dozen people injured when a car crashed into pedestrians on a sidewalk on the Las Vegas Strip. Police say a woman intentionally swerved her car onto the busy sidewalk two or three times. A University Medical Center spokeswoman says at least five Canadians were brought to its trauma centre, including one in critical condition.

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MANY FIRST NATIONS LACK ADEQUATE FIREFIGHTING RESOURCES

A federal government report says nearly half of First Nations in Canada have little or no fire protection. The report from 2011 examined insurance coverage for First Nations Communities. It found many rely too heavily on poorly trained volunteer firefighters who can't do the job and many depend on a neighbouring municipality. British Columbia and Manitoba had the highest percentage of First Nation sites with little to no fire protection.

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POLL FINDS MANY CANADIANS STILL NOT FINISHED THEIR HOLIDAY SHOPPING

Angus Reid survey done for CIBC suggests most Canadians will be spending some time over the next few days elbowing their way through crowded stores to buy that last holiday gift. The survey found that as of Dec 15, 69 per cent of respondents still hadn't finished their shopping, and 15 per cent of those who answered hadn't even started.

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B.C. TECH STARTUPS THREATEN TO DISRUPT 'DINOSAUR' INDUSTRIES

The boom in digital-technology startups in Vancouver is revolutionizing traditional industries with tech savvy. The companies are challenging old methods of doing business, and are out to "disrupt" everything from travel to agriculture to financial services.

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VIRTUAL REALITY TOOLS COULD HELP FOREIGN BUYERS SCOPE OUT CANADIAN REAL ESTATE

Overseas investors looking for Canadian real estate could soon be donning headsets and touring upcoming condo developments in virtual reality. Toronto-based Invent Dev turns floor plans of new developments into 3D, immersive mockups that can be experienced in virtual reality. And company founder David Payne says the technology could help Canadian developers tap into global markets by allowing prospective buyers to tour a space without ever having to board a plane.

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THE CANADIAN PRESS TO REVEAL NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR

Who was the top newsmaker of 2015? The Canadian Press will reveal the findings of its yearly Newsmaker of the Year survey of newspaper and website editors and radio and television news directors today.

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News from © The Canadian Press, 2015