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The partner of a US-Turkish citizen shot dead by Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank last week has said her death was "no accident".
Aysenur Eygi, 26, was killed on Friday during a protest in the village of Beita near Nablus while volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).
"An activist and volunteer, Aysenur was peacefully standing for justice as an international observer and witness to Palestinian suffering," her partner Hamid Ali wrote in a statement released on social media. She had been attending a protest against Israeli operations in the area, such as building settlements considered illegal under international law, the ISM said in a separate statement.
"She was fatally shot in the head by a bullet that came from an Israeli sniper positioned 200 metres away. This was no accident and her killers must be held accountable," Mr Ali said.
On Tuesday, the Israeli army said it was "highly likely" Ms Eygi had been "unintentionally" shot by an Israeli soldier.
“The inquiry found that it is highly likely that she was hit indirectly and unintentionally by IDF fire which was not aimed at her but aimed at the key instigator of the riot,” an Israeli military statement summarising an initial inquiry read.
Ms Eygi's family has demanded an independent US investigation into her killing – a request supported by some members of Congress, including Chuy Garcia, who said she was an American citizen killed while, "protesting illegal Israeli occupation" in the West Bank. "I support her family’s call for an independent investigation into her death," he wrote in a statement on X.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel has “serious issues” to be dealt with over Ms Eygi's death. At a press conference in the UK with Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy, he said initial investigations had confirmed her killing was “unprovoked and unjustified”.
“No one should be shot and killed for attending a protest,” he said. "In my judgment, Israeli security forces need to make some fundamental changes in the way they operate in the West Bank, including changes in their rules of engagement. We have seen excessive force by Israeli security forces against Palestinians. It is not acceptable."
Washington has said it will not be carrying out an inquiry into Ms Eygi's death. “We are working closely to ascertain the facts, but there is not a State Department-led investigation that is going on,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said on Monday.
A recent graduate of Washington University, Ms Eygi had been volunteering with the pro-Palestine International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in the West Bank at the time of her death. The Israeli army said the shooting took place “during a violent riot in which dozens of Palestinian suspects burnt tyres and hurled rocks towards security forces”.
In a statement, the ISM refuted claims that its volunteers had thrown rocks. “Aysenur was more than 200 metres away from where the Israeli soldiers were, and there were no confrontations there at all in the minutes before she was shot,” it said.
The army said Israel has sent a request to carry out an autopsy. It is unclear if this request will be granted before her body is returned to Turkey, where she will be buried in the Aydin district on the country’s Aegean coast. Turkish officials are still working on repatriating the body of Ms Eygi, who has relatives in Turkey but had been living in Seattle. The date and time of burial are unclear.
The incident is likely to further strain the tense relationship between Israel and Ankara. Turkey’s Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc told state media that his government would pursue Israel in international courts over Ms Eygi's killing.
“As Turkey, we will of course follow up on her rights and we will defend her rights to the end, in the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, and through our own legal work,” the minister told the TRT news channel. He did not elaborate on how Turkey would proceed with a possible legal case against Israel.
Ms Aysenur's killing has prompted responses from senior Turkish officials and business leaders, including the chairman of Baykar, the country's leading manufacturer of military drones, Selcuk Bayraktar, who wrote on X that she was, "martyred by the treacherous bullets of the terror state of Israel."
Ms Eygi is not the first American citizen to be shot dead by Israeli security forces. The parents of Rachel Corrie, another American activist killed by the Israeli army in 2003, called on the US to hold the Israeli government accountable for Ms Eygi's killing.
“In the cases of other Americans killed by the Israeli military, including in our daughter Rachel's case, the US government has been unable, or unwilling, to hold those responsible to account," the parents said. "We need to do better this time.”
Memorial services are being held for Ms Eygi in the US and the occupied West Bank. Friends and fellow activists circulated a poster for a memorial in Seattle taking place on Wednesday, while local authorities in Beitna village have also planned a vigil.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
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Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Price: From Dh149,900
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Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog:
From: Wimbledon, London, UK
Education: Medical doctor
Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures
Favourite animals: All of them
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Canada
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Squads
Australia: Finch (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Carey, Coulter-Nile, Lynn, McDermott, Maxwell, Short, Stanlake, Stoinis, Tye, Zampa
India: Kohli (c), Khaleel, Bumrah, Chahal, Dhawan, Shreyas, Karthik, Kuldeep, Bhuvneshwar, Pandey, Krunal, Pant, Rahul, Sundar, Umesh
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Director: Michael Bay
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco
2.5 / 5 stars
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BlacKkKlansman
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Five stars
Specs
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Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
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'Moonshot'
Director: Chris Winterbauer
Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
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Price: From Dh117,059
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
