In his fortnightly column MARK SEDDON reflects on the death of Major Oak and why such ancient trees matter to us
SHE had come to the West Bank village of Beita to bear peaceful witness and lend protection to the Palestinian community under constant attack there from illegal Israeli settlers.
As a Friday prayer ceremony ended and a skirmish broke out between Palestinian youths and the Israeli military, she and other observers retreated beyond the village to an olive grove. It was supposed to be a safe place.
Calm reigned for 30 minutes. Then two shots rang out, fired from a distance of 230 yards, hitting her in the head. She was Aysenur Egan Eygi, a 26-year-old US citizen. She died on the way to hospital. No-one from the Biden administration has since called her family or offered them condolences.
From terrifying the children of immigrants to pepper-spraying frogs, the US under Trump is rapidly descending into mayhem, writes Linda Pentz Gunter
ANN CZERNIK looks back over the last two years of carnage that began with the unprecedented October 7 operation and considers the rhetoric from both sides in light of the massacre carried out by Israel that has united the world in horror
Danni Perry’s flag display at the Royal Opera House sparked 182 performers to sign a solidarity letter that cancelled the Tel Aviv Tosca production, while Leonardo DiCaprio invests in Tel Aviv hotels, reports LINDA PENTZ GUNTER
Starmer’s decision to recognise Palestine only as long as Israel continues to massacre its inhabitants has been met with outrage, writes LINDA PENTZ GUNTER


