The human toll of viral misinformation

Plus, inside the Weston-backed berry blitz, the human toll of viral misinformation and the rub on teeth grinding [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. Apologies for arriving in your inboxes later than usual, we were having technical difficulties. With a 3-1 loss at home, the Toronto Maple Leafs face the prospect that their season ends with Tuesday’s Game 5 in Boston — [with or without the illness-stricken Auston Matthews in the lineup](. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Supplied MISINFORMATION [A Laurier student from India shared guides for fellow newcomers — then came the violent, viral misinformation]( After Mehul Prajapati posted a video about saving money by getting free groceries through a program designed to aid food-insecure students at Wilfrid Laurier University, the pitchforks came out. A right-wing activist claimed Prajapati was actually a well-paid data scientist at TD Bank — which is why TD summarily fired him, others alleged. But as Ben Cohen reports, [none of the claims about Prajapati were true](. Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star FOOD [Inside the Weston-backed race to build a better berry]( In 2022, Canada imported almost $6.2 billion more fresh and frozen fruit than we exported. That’s why the Weston family (of Loblaws fame) is offering $33 million in prize money to scientists who can figure out ways to grow berries out of season and at scale within Canada, Kate Allen writes. [Here’s why some scientists are looking to the stars for their big berry breakthrough](. Justin Tang/The Canadian Press Opinion [Billionaires don't like the new capital gains runs but making Canada’s tax system fairer is exactly the point]( Blowback to the feds’ revised taxation rules — where capital gains over $250,000 for individuals, and all corporations and trusts, will be taxed at 66.7 per cent as of June 25 — is entirely unwarranted, writes David Olive. The rules won’t affect middle-class tax breaks, like RRSPs, TFSAs and tax exemptions on the sale of a principal residence. [If anything the changes make it more likely that well-to-do Canadians pay their fair share](. Cathie Coward/The Hamilton Spectator Crime [Three years earlier, he won a million-dollar jackpot. Who stole Collin McLeod’s life while he was behind bars?]( Collin McLeod emerged from a short stint at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre to devastating news: he’d been cleared out. His big lottery winnings, his motorhome, his dad’s ashes, and all but $97 dollars to his name had vanished, Nicole O’Reilly reports. [McLeod says he’s looking for answers and justice for what he believes was a set-up]( Dreamstime ODD JOBS [Popular side-hustles busy people still enjoy]( The key to being a happy side-hustler and avoiding burnout is aligning your gigs with your interests and skills. Within her own network, Lesley-Anne Scorgie often sees incredibly busy professionals carve out time for a handful of quick and easy side jobs. Something as routine as spring cleaning can still be a small source of income, [especially with yard sale season on the horizon](. UP CLOSE Supplied It was sheer luck that Nelson Lee’s role in “Civil War” was expanded and that the Canadian-raised actor became a key part of the dystopian thriller’s signature scene. But as he writes in this first-person piece, [“what kind of American are you?” is a question he’s been subjected to in real life for decades](. CHEW ON THIS Susan Kao/Toronto Star illustration/Dreamstime Toronto dentists tell Kevin Jiang they’ve noticed a sharp rise in teeth grinding in recent years, possibly due to elevated stress levels. While researchers say bruxism isn’t a serious health risk on its own, it can be indicative of deeper underlying issues. [Here’s what you need to watch out for](. Thanks for reading — you may now unclench your jaw. You can reach 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_212957), and we will see you back here Monday. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](