A four-day truce has begun in the Israel-Hamas war

Plus, Canadian dietitians paid by Big Sugar and a sex assault allegations against a Toronto private school founder [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on the temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, Big Sugar’s ties to dietitians and allegations of sex abuse at an Ontario summer camp. DON’T MISS Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images israel-hamas war [Israel and Hamas have begun a four-day ceasefire]( A temporary truce between Israel and Hamas is finally in motion, allowing aid to begin entering Gaza and setting the stage for the release of at least 50 hostages held by militants and 150 prisoners held by Israel, The Associated Press reports. Some 2.3 million people in Gaza have endured weeks of bombing and dwindling necessities. Despite new hope for an end to the war, Israel has said it will resume with intensity — one official was quoted saying its offensive would continue for at least two more months. [This is how the pause is going so far](. - On the home front: [Toronto is seeing a “staggering” spike in hate-crimes since Oct. 7]( the police chief says. - The public editor’s take: The death toll in the Israel-Hamas war is taking an emotional toll. [Here’s how Star readers, journalists and editors are describing it](. - Go deeper: Toronto police have charged 11 protesters with mischief after an Indigo store was vandalized. [Here’s why the bookstore has long been subject to a boycott campaign](. - Another angle: Scotiabank Giller Prize can be a life-changing sum. [Can authors accept its sponsor’s tie to an Israeli weapons producer?]( Toronto Star Photo Illustration star/ijb investigation [Big Sugar is sponsoring dietitians’ favourable social media posts — experts say Canadian regulators need to intervene ]( Canadian dietitians have caught the attention of a U.S. consumer protection agency. The Federal Trade Commission has expressed alarm at a lack of transparency in sponsored, pro-sugar social posts by two B.C. dietitians. But, as Robert Cribb, Rhythm Sachdeva and Declan Keogh report, the scope of the issue is much bigger. The Toronto Star and the Investigative Journalism Bureau have found two dozen Canadian registered dietitians who have posted pro-sugar social media messages sponsored by the country’s largest sugar producers. [Why have Canadian authorities been comparatively quiet?]( - Wait, what? “If you were a doctor and you were courting drug companies to get money on the side and give the pills to your patients, that would not fly. So why is this OK? They are essentially selling their professional credibility to the highest bidder,” said Alison Thompson, a University of Toronto bioethicist. - Another angle: “It’s not wrong to be paid to communicate an evidence-based message,” said Calgary dietitian Kristyn Hall, who has posted sponsored content for the Canadian Sugar Institute. “What if a particular brand has a kind of product that you see many of your clients using, and they want to understand more about that?” Camp Kilcoo/YouTube courts [The founder of a Toronto private school is denying allegations of sex abuse and “grooming” at an elite summer camp]( David (Lub) Latimer, the co-founder of a Toronto private school and former director of an elite Ontario summer camp, is rejecting all allegations of sexual assault made against him in two multimillion-dollar lawsuits. Two statements of claim filed in a Bracebridge court last summer allege that Latimer, then-director of Kilcoo Camp, sexually assaulted a preteen school camper in the early 1990s and a former staff member in 2009, Betsy Powell reports. [Here’s what the lawsuits detail and how Latimer has responded in statements of defence](. - Word from the camp: Kilcoo Camp is also named as a defendant in the lawsuits. It is rejecting any knowledge of any assault or inappropriate relationship and if one did occur, the camp denies any responsibility. - Word from police: Latimer is not facing any criminal charges in relation to the allegations, according to the OPP. Police would not comment, however, on whether there is an investigation. WHAT ELSE [Temperatures are dropping and homeless residents are being turned away]( while Toronto and Ottawa grapple over shelter funding — again. Pierre Poilievre claims Justin Trudeau’s Liberals are imposing a carbon tax on Ukraine. [Here’s what’s really happening](. What are the odds Toronto can [bet on gambling to fill its massive budget hole? ]( [Media is failing Canadians by giving a free pass to Pierre Poilievre](. The International Energy Agency says carbon capture won’t work. [Here’s what it calls for instead](. Ontario is one of the angriest places in Canada. [This is what’s enraging us most, according to a new poll](. A GTA doctor who touched patients’ genitals during exams for depression, migraine and pink eye has been [sentenced to nine years for sex assault](. Some Ontario cottage owners fear [Ottawa’s new short-term rental crackdown may force them to sell](. One man’s fight with Bell Canada over access to his yard is [“like an invasion I can’t stop.”]( [This is how I remember Maple Leafs legend Borje Salming]( former Maple Leafs general manager Gord Stellick writes. These 25 books on art, celebrities, pop culture, collectibles and cultural diversions are [perfect for holiday giving](. It’s about food and it isn’t. Season 2 of “Julia” [whisks up more TV deliciousness](. POV Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images [Sam Altman’s chaos with OpenAI shines a light on the madness of Silicon Valley’s cult of celebrity.]( CLOSE-UP Nick Lachance/The Star SWEETPEA’S FLORAL STUDIO: Sarah Jameson (left) and her sister Rachel Beattie (right) own an eco- and socially-responsible floral business near Roncesvalles that also pays a living wage. [Like other employers, they’re feeling the squeeze](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and 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_204321). Andrew will see you back here tomorrow. BLACK FRIDAY SALE Now only $39.99 for 1 year [Get This Offer]( If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. 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