Inside the worsening hunger crisis in Gaza

Plus, Ottawa's immigration targets and Toronto's first bald eagle nest [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. “Oppenheimer” won best picture at the Oscars, while Emma Stone bested perceived front-runner Lily Gladstone in the best actress category. [Here’s how movie critic Peter Howell reacted to the 96th Academy Awards](. Here’s the latest on hunger in Gaza, Ottawa’s immigration plans and a bald eagle nest in Toronto. DON’T MISS Hatem Ali/AP Photo world [War’s silent killer is threatening a new disaster in Gaza and beyond]( Dr. John Kahler has treated hunger in Haiti, battled starvation in Yemen and Syria, and cared for undernourished patients from Myanmar and Venezuela. None of it has compared to what’s unfolding in Gaza, Allan Woods reports. “The kicker to this, as opposed to everywhere else I’ve been, is that there’s no place to go.” Although it’s a violation of the Geneva Conventions, restricting food has served as a powerful tactic used throughout history by combatants seeking an upper hand on the enemy. [Here’s how hunger is affecting Gaza, as well as Haiti and Sudan](. - Go deeper: Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attack included cutting off clean water and blocking food shipments to Gaza. Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of deliberately depriving Gazans of food, but Israel denies allegations that it is starving Gazans. - One expert’s take: [Air dropping food in Gaza is a woefully inadequate response to a humanitarian crisis]( Chris Houston writes. - The latest: “You don’t see anyone with joy in their eyes.” [Palestinians in Gaza are beginning Ramadan with hunger worsening and no end in sight to the war](. Canadian Press File Photo star exclusive [The Liberals had the option to add one million permanent residents to Canada in a single year]( Before landing on a plan to welcome about 400,000 permanent residents to the country each year, the Liberal cabinet considered — and rejected — a proposal to raise the immigration rate to one million per year, internal government documents show. A plan drafted by a deputy minister in 2020 lays out the options for how many permanent residents Canada could accept in 2023, along with the pros and cons of each option, Nicholas Keung reports. [Here’s what else the internal documents say](. - More: “The proposed immigration levels plan aims to protect and enhance Canada’s immigration advantage, leverage it to welcome a growing number of newcomers who will contribute to short-term recovery and long-term growth, and seize the opportunity to help shape and support a future vision for our country,” the document said. - Go deeper: The report said consultations with provinces indicated British Columbia and Alberta advocated for a pause in immigration growth while others, including Ontario, pushed for “modest, incremental, stable and managed” increases. John Nishikawa/TRCA environment [Why Toronto’s first bald eagle nest in recorded history is a sign of hope]( A pair of bald eagles are nesting in Toronto for the first time in documented history — a positive sign for the city’s environment and for Indigenous communities. Historically threatened by hunting and harmful pesticides throughout North America, the birds were listed under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act as being of “special concern” until just last year. Now, Toronto’s conservation authority is celebrating the nest as a sign that protection and restoration efforts are working. The development is also significant for Indigenous communities, who have been honouring bald eagles since time immemorial, elder Duke Redbird told me. [Here’s what we know about the eagles — and the long road to seeing them in the city](. - More: The TRCA is choosing not to disclose the location of the bald eagles, and asking that people don’t disturb them. They are believed to be incubating eggs, making them particularly sensitive. - Go deeper: Bald eagles are a symbol of reconciliation as well as “everything that is good and kind and charitable,” Redbird said. WHAT ELSE Has Ottawa gone too far in tackling hate speech? [Experts are concerned about legislation meant to address dangerous content on social media](. Pierre Poilievre’s “Axe the Tax” rally drew thousands of supporters to Toronto Congress Centre. [Here’s what they had to say]( An anguished father and lone survivor [shows compassion for the accused killer in the Ottawa mass murder](. A Mississauga family wanted a detached house for less than $900,000. [They found it in an affordable haven to the east](. Teacher unions don’t like the Ford government. [So how did the province land deals with all four of them?]( [A woman gave birth on an Air Canada flight]( from St. Lucia to Toronto with help from two doctors on board. News agencies have retracted the first photo of Kate Middleton since her surgery [because the image appears manipulated](. Missed your train? Catch the next one — [Metrolinx will add hundreds of new weekly rail trips in late April](. On the seventh anniversary of the viral “BBC dad” interview, [Robert E. Kelly shares a heartwarming update](. [These are the 10 most memorable moments from the Academy Awards]( Joshua Chong writes. POV Canadian Press/Christopher Katsarov [Amid cronyism and patronage, why Attorney General Ian Scott created a new system of appointing judges in 1988.]( CLOSE-UP Mike Coppola/Getty Images BEVERLY HILLS: Best Supporting Actress winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph was among the stars rocking sequins at the Academy Awards on Sunday. [Here’s a look at the best dressed of the night](. 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_210317). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. 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. 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