The far right’s eclipse conspiracies are no laughing matter

Plus, the legacy of Hall-of-Fame-bound Vince Carter, halal restaurant recommendations and the rise of “death cafés” [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. If you enjoy starting your morning by reading First Up, might I suggest heading Kevin Jiang’s latest piece: [don’t look directly at the sun without proper protection during tomorrow’s eclipse](. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Universal Images Group/Getty Images ECLIPSE 2024 [A far-right movement claims the eclipse is a sign of the apocalypse — but the fringe is no laughing matter]( The harbingers of end times are everywhere, the believers claim. For instance, why else would Monday’s solar eclipse pass over the unincorporated community of Rapture, Indiana? But the religious fringe is now completely enmeshed with the ascendent, far-right, conspiracy-culture-steeped wing of Conservative politics, reports Kate Allen. [Here’s why political scientists aren’t laughing about this emergent threat to democracy](. Toronto Star photo illustration FEDERAL POLITICS [Chrystia Freeland could be the future of the Liberal party — but the course she charts today could make or break it]( In time, finance minister Chrystia Freeland will be interested in vying for leadership of the federal Liberals, a source tells Alex Ballingall. Meanwhile, Justin Trudeau’s top deputy is in the middle of a political firestorm, tasked with shepherding Canada through major expenditures on housing, climate and the military, all while the economy remains inflation-battered. Facing continued attacks from Pierre Poilievre’s surging Conservative party, [the Liberals’ plan doesn’t seem to be working](. Susan Kao/Toronto Star illustration SPORTS [Vince Carter is headed to the Hall of Fame. His legacy wasn’t always smooth flying]( His ugly divorce from the Toronto Raptors two decades ago is the stuff of modern sports mythology — a prodigy carving out space for hoops in a hockey hotbed, only to become the ultimate local sports villain. Now 47, Vince Carter will headline this summer’s Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class, writes Doug Smith. [Relive the remarkable highs and painful lows of Toronto’s first bonafide basketball superstar](. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press file photo ECONOMY [Why the math shows the Bank of Canada must cut interest rates by June]( The deceleration of Canada’s year-over-year inflation in January and February caught most analysts by surprise. It shouldn’t have, writes Gustavo Indart. Based on the monthly inflation trends of the last nine months, the University of Toronto professor emeritus in economics predicts inflation will have fallen to 1.7-to-1.9 per cent in April. [That should solidify the Bank of Canada’s timeline for cutting interest rates](. Aron Visual/Unsplash HEALTH CARE [We’re all going to die. Toronto’s “death cafés” help us get comfortable with it]( At “death cafés,” people from all walks of life gather for frank discussions about life’s final inevitability. “We’ve all heard the saying that it takes a village to raise a child,” Home Hospice Association co-founder Tracey Robertson tells Christine Sismondo. “We always say that village is equally important at the end of our life as it is in the beginning.” [In western culture, where conversations about dying are often still considered taboo, this is no small thing](. [Calendar icon] Are our messages a little late for you lately? Emails from the Star are taking longer than normal to arrive to Gmail and Hotmail inboxes after we send them. That's a problem we're solving now, but we're sorry for keeping you waiting. UP CLOSE Chris Young/The Canadian Press This afternoon, Sarah Polley will read the poetry of slain writer Hiba Abu Nada at the Toronto Palestine Film Festival’s “Gaza Lives: Honouring Palestinian Artists & Writers.” Richie Assaly caught up with the Oscar-winning filmmaker to learn [why this event resonates so deeply](. EAT THIS R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star You certainly don’t need to be an adherent of Ramadan to dine at Toronto’s top halal restaurants — but with Eid-al-Fitr approaching, expect a celebratory crowd if you do stop by this week. Touting pastries, pizza, coffee and even chicken cheesesteaks, [Karon Liu recommends checking out these four spots](. Thanks for reading. If you plan on simply living forever, forward your tips to the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_211797), and we’ll see you back here Monday. 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