U.N. secretary-general pushes for a cease-fire in Gaza

Plus, new rules for international students in Canada and a freedom-of-information revelations about Ontario hospitals [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on the desperation in Gaza, a new cap for international students and haunting stories from Ontario hospitals. DON’T MISS Joshua A. Bickel/AP Photo Israel-hamas war [The UN secretary-general has invoked a rarely exercised power to push for a Gaza cease-fire]( This week, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99 — which says the secretary-general may inform the council of matters he believes threaten international peace and security — to warn of a looming disaster in Gaza. “Amid constant bombardment by the Israeli Defense Forces and without shelter or essentials to survive, I expect public order to completely break down soon due to the desperate conditions, rendering even limited humanitarian assistance impossible,” he wrote. [Here’s what would likely stand in the way of a cease-fire](. - Go deeper: [A senior U.N. official says there is no safe place in Gaza for civilians]( — not even U.N. shelters and so-called “safe zones.” - On the ground: [This is the bloodshed, fear, hunger and desperation that Palestinians face]( as they try to survive. - More: Photos and videos show at least 100 Palestinian men stripped to their underwear, sitting in rows on the street, guarded by Israeli troops. [A news outlet said its reporter was among those detained and taken to an unknown location](. - In the West Bank: [Six Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli military’s latest raid]( health officials say. - On the home front: Mélanie Joly is [condemning Hamas rapes of Israeli women after weeks of pressure](. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press immigration [Canada to limit study permits for international students, raise financial requirement]( In an attempt to tackle fraud and abuse of Canada’s international student program, the federal government will be “significantly” limiting the number of study permits it issues, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced Thursday. He also said the government would raise the financial commitment required of international students and restrict the number of hours they can work in a week, Nicholas Keung reports. [Take a closer look at the details](. - By the numbers: Study permit holders in Canada have tripled in the past decade, from 300,000 in 2013 to 900,000 this year. By spending money and paying tuition, international students contribute $22 billion to the economy and support 200,000 jobs. - ICYMI: The affordability crisis has made it more difficult for some international students to find work and housing, and afford food. [These students shared that food banks helped save them](. - Wait, what? “Caps on work hours make international students more likely to be exploited,” said the director of advocacy of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations. “If you’re hungry and need to eat and you need to pay the bills, you are going to try to find some way to do it.” Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press The patient files [Ontario hospitals asked patients about the care they received. Results were kept secret — and pleas for change went ignored]( A legislatively mandated system in the province requires hospitals to seek feedback from patients to help identify problems, spur solutions and hold the institutions accountable. Amid growing concerns about the conditions of Ontario hospitals, the Star and Investigative Journalism Bureau (IJB) waged a lengthy freedom-of-information battle to obtain up to six years’ worth of survey data from more than 50 hospitals and health networks. [These are some of the haunting testimonials from across the province](. - By the numbers: At least 21 hospitals had in-patient units or emergency departments that consistently scored low on patient experience — raising questions about whether they worked to address problems identified by patients or had the resources to do so. - Go deeper: Among the testimonies, some patients or family members alleged injuries, and even deaths, due to premature discharges, misdiagnoses, delays in care, and neglect, among other issues. WHAT ELSE The Trudeau government is [softening its targets for the oil and gas industry in a long-awaited emissions cap](. Manitoba regional chief Cindy Woodhouse has been [elected Assembly of First Nations' national chief](. Police say a sophisticated vehicle theft ring with connections to ServiceOntario databases is being dismantled. [Why the link between the two is “extremely alarming.]( How much does the logging industry contribute to the climate crisis? [MPs are urging the government to get serious about tracking](. Dominica police have released [new details in the murder of Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand](. [A cellphone ban could be coming to TDSB schools](. Here’s why. [A Toronto police officer has been charged in the alleged assault of a woman]( and suspended. [These six TTC stations will be out of service]( and without shuttle buses over the weekend. [Donald Trump 2.0 would be darker and more dangerous]( Andrew Phillips writes. “Rizz” is Oxford’s 2023 word of the year. [Here’s what it is — and how to know if you have it](. ICYMI Ramon Ferreira/Toronto Star illustration [Four years after the first COVID case, science is providing new clues to the pandemic’s origins](. CLOSE-UP Nick Lachance/Toronto Star COLLEGE ST.: Judy Perly, on stairs, is the owner of Free Times Café. The beloved Toronto restaurant has been serving weekly Jewish brunch buffet for nearly 30 years — [but that’s not all it’s known for](. 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_205090). Andrew will see you back here tomorrow. HOLIDAY 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. 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](