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Gaza polio vaccination drive resumes as Israel continues attacks

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Gaza polio vaccination drive resumes as Israel continues attacks

WHO says six people, including four children, injured in strike on polio vaccination centre in northern Gaza.

United Nations agencies have begun a new phase of a polio vaccination campaign for children in northern Gaza amid concerns that Israeli attacks and access constraints could make it impossible to reach some areas.

The UN’s agency for children (UNICEF) reported on Saturday that the vaccination campaign against the virus – which can paralyse or even kill children – resumed in northern Gaza after multiple delays “despite extremely harsh conditions”.

The first phase began in September and reached more than 560,000 children aged over one day old and under 10. Authorities are now trying to administer a second and final dose of the oral vaccine.

“This polio campaign is critical, but while we protect children with vaccines, they will continue to die and suffer each day until there is a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, which is needed more urgently than ever,” said UNRWA, the agency for Palestinian refugees.

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The UN said the aim of the second-round campaign in the north is to inoculate an estimated 119,000 children, but “achieving this target is now unlikely due to access constraints”.

UN agencies said 216 teams are now working across 106 fixed sites to offer the vaccine, including to Palestinians who have been newly displaced as a result of the expanding ground invasion of Israel in northern Gaza.

The situation in parts of northern Gaza has been described as “apocalyptic” by the UN as Israel continues to block humanitarian aid and continues to launch attacks from the ground, air and sea.

Multiple air strikes were reported in the north on Saturday, with one of the latest in the afternoon killing at least two people in Jabalia’s Naza area.

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More than 43,200 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, with more than 101,800 people wounded, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Strike hits vaccination centre

Later on Saturday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said four children were injured in a strike on a polio vaccination centre in Gaza City.

“The Sheikh Radwan primary health care centre in northern Gaza was struck today while parents were bringing their children to the life-saving polio vaccination in an area where a humanitarian pause was agreed to allow vaccination to proceed,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said in a post on X, without saying who had launched the strike.

“Six people, including four children, were injured,” he added.

Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary, reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, said the centre was targeted with a sound bomb by an Israeli quadcopter.

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“We know that when the Israelis fire sound bombs, or even live ammunition or bullets, there are a lot of fragments that fall after these attacks. At least three children were injured in this attack,” she said.

Khoudary said thousands of children are expected to miss out on the vaccine as Israeli attacks and troops are hindering authorities from reaching some areas in the north. Those include Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoon, which have borne the brunt of the Israeli siege that has killed more than a thousand people in the past month.

Polio had been eradicated in Gaza 25 years ago, but the destruction of the healthcare system in the enclave as a result of Israeli attacks triggered multiple health crises, which saw the virus spreading again.

A 10-month-old Palestinian baby was partly paralysed as a result of the virus earlier this year, prompting the rollout of the campaign.

But the campaign will not only benefit those inside the enclave, as authorities are also trying to prevent spread to neighbouring countries, including Israel.

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‘A Complete Unknown’ First Reactions Praise ‘Shockingly Moving’ Bob Dylan Biopic: Timothée Chalamet’s Performance Is a ‘True Tour De Force’

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‘A Complete Unknown’ First Reactions Praise ‘Shockingly Moving’ Bob Dylan Biopic: Timothée Chalamet’s Performance Is a ‘True Tour De Force’

The first reactions to Timothée Chalamet‘s “A Complete Unknown” have started rolling in on social media ahead of the Bob Dylan biopic’s Christmas release date, with members of the press praising Chalamet, Monica Barbaro and more for their performances in the film.

“Timothée Chalamet slides into Bob Dylan with an effortless yet focused determination. Fearless in some hypnotic moments,” Variety‘s senior awards editor Clayton Davis wrote on X. “For me, it’s Monica Barbaro and Elle Fanning that anchor the story of an illusive, mysterious man that remains in that sphere. James Mangold helms with confidence, with gorgeous sets and costumes. Much respect to one of the best to do it.”

Film critic Scott Menzel said Chalamet “delivers the performance of the year,” adding: “A true tour-de-force where Chalamet is never seen. Chalamet’s performance is not just about the voice and look but rather all of the little nuances and mannerisms that he perfectly brings to his life in his portrayal of Bob Dylan. Great supporting performances too from Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez and Edward Norton as Pete Seeger.”

While the reactions to “A Complete Unknown” have been mostly positive so far, the biopic received some negative responses, including Los Angeles film critic Ryan Swen, who used some Dylan lyrics to describe his reaction: “It’s vile and deceitful — it’s cruel and it’s mean. Ugliest thing that you have ever seen.”

The Playlist’s Gregory Ellwood, meanwhile, called the film “superb” and “shockingly moving,” adding: “Chalamet is fantastic. Monica Barbaro is incredible. We need a Joan Baez spin off movie.”

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From Searchlight Pictures and director James Mangold (“Walk the Line”), “A Complete Unknown” follows a young Dylan as he arrives in New York in the early 1960s. The film tracks the music legend as he becomes a fixture in the Greenwich Village folk scene and befriends people like Joan Baez (played by Barbaro) and Pete Seeger (Edward Norton). The film ends after Dylan straps on an electric guitar at Newport Folk Festival in 1965, playing “Like a Rolling Stone” and revolutionizing the genre.

Speaking to Variety back in July, when the first trailer for the film was released, a dozen Dylan experts expressed cautious optimism toward “A Complete Unknown,” praising Chalamet’s performance of “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.”

“A Complete Unknown” is written by Mangold and Jay Cocks, and based on Elijah Wald’s 2015 book “Dylan Goes Electric!” The rest of the cast includes Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash, P. J. Byrne as Harold Leventhal, Scoot McNairy as Woody Guthrie, Dan Fogler as Albert Grossman and Will Harrison as Bob Neuwirth, among others. The film is produced by Fred Berger, Alex Heineman, Peter Jaysen, Bob Bookman, Alan Gasmer, Jeff Rosen, Chalamet and Mangold.

Check out more first reactions below.

“Wow, #ACompleteUnknown. Timothée Chalamet’s performance in this is superior. James Mangold and his entire team pull off a technical feat from sound, editing, costume, cinematography to production design, down to the subtleties of makeup and hair. Loved it.” — Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt)

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“#ACompleteUnknown is absolutely incredible. Clocks in at nearly 2.5 hrs but flies by. The musical performances are perfectly placed, the story is captivating. Timothée Chalamet, Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning, and Edward Norton all deliver unforgettable performances. I’m in awe.” — Tessa Smith (@MamasGeeky)

“A COMPLETE UNKNOWN looks and sounds great, a standard biopic that truly comes alive when its iconic characters make passionate music together. Timothée Chalamet is well-cast but Monica Barbaro and Edward Norton steal the show as Joan Baez and Pete Seeger.” — Abe Friedtanzer (@movieswithabe)

“A Complete Unknown manages to maintain tell us everything about Bob Dylan while telling us almost nothing about Bob Dylan. Some would say that was the target. The movie is ultimately about the power of the individual and talent and how what we all want can turn on a dime, repeatedly. Chalamet brings enormous power to this portrait of a man who just keeps leaving but then also keeps delivering surprises. Edward Norton’s turn is perfectly true to Seeger. Monica Barbero delivers a Baez of many facets, from fire to ice. And Elle Fanning is destined to be underrated in a complex turn as “the first NY girlfriend.” I really need to see it again to fully negotiate all that is there and all that is not there by design.” — David Poland (@DavidPoland)

“A COMPLETE UNKNOWN is a solid biopic, showing Bob Dylan as a deeply talented individual with a lack of social intelligence. Timothee Chalamet is excellent & Monica Barbaro is captivating as Joan Baez. Oscar nominatons for Best Picture, Cinematography, Sound, Costumes are possible” — Tim Gerber (@ZurrieSkate)

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Russia launched intercontinental ballistic missile toward Ukraine, air force says

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Russia launched intercontinental ballistic missile toward Ukraine, air force says

Russian troops launched various missiles, reportedly including an intercontinental ballistic missile from the Astrakhan region, in an early morning attack on Ukraine on Thursday.

Ukraine’s Air Force said on its Telegram account that it destroyed six Kh-101 cruise missiles using anti-aircraft combat.

The Russian attack hit critical infrastructure in the central-eastern city of Dnipro, according to the air force.

US EMBASSY IN KYIV CLOSED WEDNESDAY AS ‘POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANT AIR ATTACK’ LOOMS

A Ukrainian chaplain from the city of Dnipro Leonid conducts an evacuation from a frontline village, as local residents are urged to leave due to shelling on November 19, 2024 in the direction of Kurakhovo, Ukraine.  ((Photo by Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images))

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This comes after Ukraine fired American-supplied long-range missiles into Russia on Tuesday, marking the first time for Kyiv to do so in the 1,000 days of war – a move that was authorized by President Biden on Sunday.

UKRAINE FIRES FIRST BARRAGE OF US-MADE LONG-RANGE MISSILES INTO RUSSIA, KREMLIN SAYS

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Moscow-appointed head of Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, Yevgeny Balitsky during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

There are currently no reports on injuries or fatalities.

If the attack did involve an ICBM, it would mark a major escalation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the first time such a weapon has been used.

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This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

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Are users deserting Elon Musk’s X en masse and where are they heading?

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Are users deserting Elon Musk’s X en masse and where are they heading?

The limited data on X user numbers makes measuring the full extent of the reported exodus from the platform almost impossible.

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Hundreds of thousands of dissatisfied users have reportedly fled Elon Musk’s X, previously known as Twitter, following Donald Trump’s re-election, with an estimated 115,000 accounts deactivated in the US alone on the day after the ballot.

Celebrities and prominent brands ditching the platform cite mounting concerns over the unchecked spread of misinformation, conspiracy theories and hate speech, as well as what they consider to be Musk’s role in facilitating Trump’s return to power.

“X is a toxic media platform and (…) its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse,” news media The Guardian said in a statement announcing it would no longer be posting on the platform.

But, determining the exact number of users leaving X is challenging, as the platform does not regularly release global user data.

The Euroverify team takes a look at what we know about the number of users deserting X and the platforms to which they are migrating.

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How many people are on X and how many are leaving?

Estimates of X’s monthly global user base vary widely. The most generous estimates — used by research agencies and prominent business media — place the number of users at 611 million in April of this year, with a 6% drop to 588 million by September.

While many experts contest these figures, there has been a trend of declining user numbers on the platform since the 2022 Musk takeover, driven by departures in Western democracies. 

X is legally obliged to disclose its user numbers in the EU under the requirements of the bloc’s digital rulebook, the Digital Services Act (DSA).

Its reports show that the average number of EU monthly users fell from 111.4 million in the six months leading up to January 2024 to 106 million in the six months leading up to July.

Although it doesn’t reflect user numbers in other regions of the world, it is the only official data provided by X that shows a trend of decline in users.

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An analysis by Financial Times analysts also suggests X user numbers have fallen by almost a third in the UK and almost a fifth in the US in the year leading up to September 2024.

A closer look at the data shows that user numbers have fallen in 25 of 27 EU member states over the past year, with only Germany and Finland seeing an uptick in numbers.

The drop in user numbers has coincided with a decline in financial prospects, with some estimating the company has lost 75% of its value since it was bought by Musk.

Where are they migrating?

Bluesky, a platform developed by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, is a popular destination for emigrating X users.

Its CEO Jay Graber revealed earlier this week that users had hit 20 million after averaging 1 million new users per day over a five-day period. Its user numbers have more than tripled since late August. 

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Mastodon, developed by a German non-profit, is also welcoming users from X. Its app downloads are up 47% on iOS and 17% on Android this month according to its creator Eugen Rochko.

But Meta’s Threads, rolled out last year, remains the direct competitor with most active users, estimated at around 275 million.

Could Bluesky be the next big thing?

Given its proximity to the original Twitter interface and its emphasis on content moderation, Bluesky is being widely tipped as the biggest threat to X.

“It certainly seems like an inflection point. Bluesky’s growth over the past couple of years has tended to be directly correlated with Elon Musk’s actions,” David Karpf, associate professor at the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, told Euronews.

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He believes Musk’s use of the platform to propel Donald Trump’s campaign has played a significant role in convincing more users to leave the platform.

“It’s all been a trickle (of users leaving) up until the past month or two,” he explained. “But it seems like what happened during the election (means that) an awful lot of people who were using X decided, this is not for me.”

Bluesky operates independently to ensure big corporations do not influence its decisions, and users are able to select and fine-tune the algorithm that decides the content they are exposed to through custom feeds.

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It has introduced new “anti-toxicity features”, such as the ability to detach your own post from a “quote post” made by another user. Replies to posts can also be hidden.

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It also has strong blocking features, often described as a “nuclear block”, designed to stamp out harassment and abuse.

But there are concerns that if politics becomes the motive for the exodus from X to Bluesky, the platforms could splinter into two echo chambers, split along political and ideological lines.

For American writer and media critic Parer Molloy, concerns about Bluesky becoming an ideological ‘bubble’ are unfounded: “It’s not about avoiding disagreement — it’s about fostering an environment where disagreements can actually happen productively,” she wrote this week.

“On platforms like X, the problem isn’t just opposing views — it’s the sheer volume of hate, harassment, and dehumanising rhetoric that gets amplified by algorithms.”

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