It’s time to hand in my body armour after 30+ years covering conflict for the BBC. How have our ways of surviving on the battlefield evolved? Here’s a bumper 🧵

UPDATE - First images of #Iran president's helicopter's area of crash landing, weather conditions unfavourable for flying, search and rescue efforts underway.

Deeply alarming developments re the #Rohingya in #Myanmar . The State not only must refrain from committing potentially genocidal acts against the #Rohingya , per the #ICJ ’s 2020 order, but must prevent such acts by others under Art I Genocide Convention.

Footage from the onboard Raisi’s helicopter before it crashed appears to show Mohammed Ali Ale-Hashem (Khamenei's representative in East Azerbaijan Province) and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (foreign minister of the Islamic Republic) on board.

Spokesperson of the Iran Red Crescent: The weather conditions at the accident site are so bad that 3 of our rescue workers are also missing.

@sarbazane_g

Gantz, joining Gallant, openly criticizes Netanyahu for acting from personal interests, and posits an ultimatum: A strategic plan by June 8, or he will quit govt. One of the demands: an 'American-European-Arab-Palestinian' admin to replace Hamas.
Sounds like a coherent plan.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter did not crash in the country of Azerbaijan, as this CNN tweet suggests. The accident happened in the Iranian province of East Azarbaijan.

According to Article 131 of #Iran 's constitution, in case of the president's death, the first vice president assumes the powers and functions of the president with the approval of the Leader.

In this case that would be Mohammad Mokhber (not exactly presidential material). 1/

Absolutely pea soup of conditions, you really have to be stupid to fly a helicopter through this in a mountainous region.

Iranian official to Reuters : Lives of President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian at risk following hellicopter crash

'We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning'

WTF!

Israeli military has reached an unprecedented level of disgust. Israel military uploaded today a list of citizens including minors claiming to be Hamas informants!

These are among the children published by the military with their personal details revealed! (1/2)

Another big lie: 'Israel continues to characterize its offensive in and around Rafah as a 'limited operation' against Hamas. But recent satellite imagery showed widening destruction and suggested that a significant incursion was already underway.' nytimes.com/2024/05/18/wor…

❗️In case anyone is still under any delusions about what the Israeli government is doing, Barak Ravid reports that Netanyahu rejected a proposal to restart hostage negotiations. A minister in the War Cabinet says Netanyahu is ready to give up the hostages.

If you’re concerned

Job alert! 2 postdoc positions in
WSL Umweltforschung to model migration of wild birds involved in dynamics of avian influenza. Part of @KAPPA-FLU with Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Erasmus MC, Linnéuniversitetet Linnaeus University, Royal Veterinary College (RVC), APHA, and #IZSVE . Apply here: apply.refline.ch/273855/1639/pu…
#vogelgriep

US relaxes regulations for labs handling bird flu samples to ease virus response

U.S. labs handling samples of highly pathogenic avian influenza now have a month to comply with regulations—up from just 7 days from time of notification. This change aims to reduce bureaucratic

Lots of talk about H5N1 influenza in dairy cows but lets not forget about the ongoing threat of COVID.

🚨In an historic milestone for global public health, State Parties today agreed in principle on a large, ground-breaking package of amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005).
Read the press release🔗bit.ly/3wwI9dx

Vaccination is crucial to prevent #measles .

In 2021, an estimated 128,000 people, mostly children under 5, died from measles globally, according to the #WHO .

From 2000 to 2022, the measles vaccine prevented 57 million deaths.

Important to get #vaccinated . #VaccinesWork

China - Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 in wild birds in Qinghai Province (MOA, May 17, 2024) flutrackers.com/forum/forum/ch… h/t Pathfinder, Miyamoto Masakazu

US - 'Overall, for the most recent week of data, CDC flu surveillance systems show no indicators of unusual flu activity in people, including avian influenza A( #H5N1 ) viruses.' flutrackers.com/forum/forum/na… h/t Pathfinder