Caught in the throes of Ohtani mania

Plus, chef-vetted foodie gifts, the U.S. blocks the U.N.’s cease-fire resolution and pitfalls of the feds’ labour trafficking plan [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. If you’re looking to fill that panto-sized hole in your holiday schedule, you could do a lot worse than the “frequently daft” [family musical romp “Chris, Mrs.]( Here’s the latest on everything else. MUST READS Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star labour [How the strategies designed to help migrant workers often end up hurting them all over again]( Advocates say the Trudeau government’s national strategy to fight labour trafficking can leave abused parties feeling exploited all over again. The 2019 plan, billed at $75 million over five years, has largely targeted intermediaries, Rachel Mendleson and Sara Mojtehedzadeh report. But as long as the source of the insatiable demand for cheap labour remains unchecked, [there will always be new middlemen to take their place](. Mark J. Terrill/The Associated Press sports [Ohtani mania has driven Blue Jays fans to a fever pitch]( Free-agent baseball phenom Shohei Ohtani’s impending decision has turned local baseball fans into internet Columbos. Blue Jays supporters have feverishly tracked the flight status of a private jet flying in from Anaheim — Ohtani’s former MLB home — and debated the meaning behind a rumoured reservation for 50 at a sushi restaurant near Rogers Centre, Gregor Chisholm writes. [Here’s the latest in the pursuit of what would be Toronto’s greatest free-agent signing](. Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo israel-hamas war [Almost all U.N. Security Council members backed a cease-fire in Gaza. The U.S. blocked it anyway]( All but one member of the United Nations’ 15-member security council voted in favour of demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza. The United Kingdom abstained from voting entirely while the United States — a permanent member of council, which wields veto power — voted against the resolution, the Associated Press reports. As civilian casualties in the Palestinian exclave continue to mount, [the decision underscores the Americans’ position of increased isolation among global powers](. Nick Lachance/Toronto Star community [Ontario’s sports orgs hope to change the game after groundbreaking coaching report]( The 2023 Ontario Coaching Report says coaches are predominantly white men, with 58 per cent lacking any training through the National Coaching Certification Program. A third never even completed a background check or signed a code of conduct, Kerry Gillespie reports. The findings have bolstered calls to make training mandatory for all levels, [even as underfunded organizations struggle to find volunteer coaches](. Dreamstime business [Why choose-your-own-adventure is the answer to the workplace productivity debate]( The pandemic revealed a divide between bosses who prefer to manage in an office setting and workers who would rather type away at home in their basketball shorts. But as Navneet Alang writes, new data paints a pretty clear picture of what everyone really wants: choice. [Companies that can offer that will reap the biggest productivity benefits](. BUY THIS Supplied Don’t be alarmed but we’re rapidly approaching the endgame of the annual holiday shopping rush. If you haven’t found the right present for the foodie in your life, Jessica Huras got Mimi Chinese’s David Schwartz to share his [chef-recommended gift ideas](. Thanks for reading. Send your questions, comments and possible Shohei Ohtani sightings 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_205177), and I 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](