Israel at The Hague: “This is no genocide”

Plus, inside the Sanctioned Suicide forum, the top shows to watch in 2024 and why the “man cold” isn’t just in your head [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. Eagle-eyed readers might have noted an incorrect link in yesterday’s edition intended to direct to live updates from Israel’s defence against genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice — so that’s where we’ll start today. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Remko De Waal/AFP/Getty Images Israel-Hamas War [Israel rejects South Africa’s genocide allegations, pointing instead to Hamas’ culpability]( Israel’s legal team defended the ongoing military operation in Gaza in a highly anticipated hearing in The Hague on Friday. “Genocide is distinguished by intent,” British lawyer Malcolm Shaw argued. “There is no genocidal intent here. This is no genocide.” Marco Chown Oved reports that Israel’s representatives insisted the country is doing its best to limit civilian casualties. [Read the full recap of yesterday’s proceedings](. Kim Prosser/Melanie Saville/David Parfett/Dreamstime/Toronto Star illustration INVESTIGATION [Inside the Sanctioned Suicide community, where despite intense scrutiny members still counsel each other on self-harm]( After being punted from Reddit, some members of Sanctioned Suicide view the forum as an essential gathering place for those advocating for the “right to die,” Omar Mosleh reports. Others, including surviving family members of the deceased, assert it allows predators to prey on the vulnerable. Now facing over a dozen murder charges, [it’s clear why Canada’s Kenneth Law still looms large in the community](. Nick Lachance/For the Toronto Star EDUCATION [As community divides deepen over Israel-Palestine, TMU’s law school faces a “Herculean” path forward]( Fallout from a pro-Palestine petition circulated by students in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack continues to compound at Toronto Metropolitan University’s fledgling law school. Signatories are facing online harassment and possible sanctions while major donors have threatened to pull crucial endowments, Rachel Mendleson reports. Here’s how the law school has devolved into [in-fighting, allegations of antisemitism and deep feelings of betrayal](. Richard Lautens/Toronto Star Labour [After securing some of Unifor’s greatest deals, top boss Lana Payne hopes to change the union itself]( As the national president of Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, Lana Payne has already registered big wins on behalf of autoworkers and grocery store clerks, and is taking aim at Amazon, too, Ghada Alsharif reports. Owing to her early success and relative outsider status within the union leadership’s old boys’ club, Payne is positioned for an even greater fight: [transforming Unifor from the inside out](. Dreamstime Health [Long ridiculed as exaggeration, the “man cold” might not only be in our heads after all]( With “girl dinner” and “girl math” entering the lexicon, men have viral phenomena to call our own: “man colds” and “man flus.” However, men aren’t necessarily afflicted solely by a propensity to exaggerate minor illnesses. As experts tell Kevin Jiang, there is mounting scientific evidence that men really do experience more severe flu symptoms. [Here’s how these factors can impact medical care](. WATCH THIS HBO While several critical hits like “Succession” and “Ted Lasso” wrapped up in 2023, and others like “The White Lotus” and “The Last of Us” won’t be back until 2025, this is going to be a huge year for new television, Debra Yeo writes. [These are 12 shows worth keeping an eye on in 2024](. Thanks for reading. 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_207071), and I will see you back here tomorrow. Get unlimited access to the Star Limited time offer: Only $4 for your first 8 weeks [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](