While Iran, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and NATO’s defense expenditures dominated the discussions at the recent summit in Ankara, another significant issue went largely unreported: the rise of antisemitic rhetoric from Turkish officials.

Diplomatic tensions between Turkey and Israel are escalating, leading to an increasingly hostile exchange between the two countries.

On July 2, during an interview with CNN Türk, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that Israel has “become a burden that humanity can no longer bear,” as reported by The Jerusalem Post. He further described Israel as symbolizing “humanity’s common problems,” and urged other nations to exert pressure on the Jewish State, according to Israel National News.

In a press statement, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called Fidan’s words “a clear call for genocide. The Jewish people know very well what happens when such words are allowed to go unchallenged. The first step on the road to genocide is dehumanization.

“This is a sentence that sounds very familiar to sentences from about 100 years ago,” Sa’ar added. “To speak about a people as a ‘problem for humanity.’ What do you do with a ‘burden that you can no longer bear?’” he asked.

Sinan Ciddi, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and director of FDD’s Turkey program, told News Media that Fidan’s statement was “some of the vilest rhetoric to come out of any statesman since the Holocaust.”

Ciddi said that escalated anti-Israel rhetoric in Turkey “goes all the way back to 2008” when President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “began the process of ripping apart the bilateral relationship between Israel and Turkey. But after Oct. 7, it just went into overdrive,” he said. “I have never heard any Arab leader utter the words that Foreign Minister Fidan has said.”

Yet Erdogan has condemned antisemitism; the Turkish Minute reported that he told Turkish religious minority representatives at an Ankara dinner in March that “just as Islamophobia is a crime against humanity, antisemitism is also a crime, an evil that cannot be considered reasonable or legitimate.”

Yet despite his recent condemnation, he and other ministers have continued with their rhetoric against the Jewish state.

In June, Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ҁiftҁi said that the world would “witness the liberation of Jerusalem,” according to the Times of Israel.

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In May 2021, the Times of Israel reported that Erdoğan called Israelis “murderers,” claiming they were ‘only satisfied by sucking their [victims’] blood.” At the time, the State Department spokesperson issued a strong condemnation of Erdoğan’s “anti-Semitic comments regarding the Jewish people,” calling them “reprehensible.”

In May 2025, Erdoğan invoked similar language, accusing Israel of being “a terror state that feeds on the blood, lives and tears of the innocent,” Israel National News reported.

Anti-Israel sentiment in Turkey has infiltrated far beyond leadership. A Pew Research poll from June found that Turkey had the highest level of anti-Israel sentiment of any polled country, with 91 percent of the population holding “very unfavorable” views on Israel, 6% holding an “unfavorable” view, and just 1% expressing any favor of Israel.

In response to questions about whether the State Department plans to respond to antisemitic statements from Turkish leadership, a spokesperson told News Media that “Türkiye is a longstanding and valued NATO Ally and we continue to engage on all aspects of our important and multi-faceted relationship.”

Ciddi said there are “numerous channels” for the State Department and Trump administration to reprimand Turkey for its unchecked hatred. “The president could obviously pull aside a Turkish counterpart and demand an apology,” he explained, while the State Department could address the comments or place Turkey on a watchlist.

As the two-day NATO summit winds down in Ankara, Ciddi said that Turkey “is going to try and overshadow anything else” and “promote itself as the sort of premiere NATO ally, so we need to watch out for Turkey’s whitewashing of its human rights record.” Ciddi warned that “We cannot safeguard our allies’ democratic norms, rights and practices if we don’t hold member states like Turkey accountable for the threats that it presents.”

The Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C. did not respond to News Media’s request for comment.

A breakthrough eye implant, developed by a scientist at Stanford University, is transforming the lives of some blind individuals by enabling them to read, identify faces, and even engage in artistic expression once more.

This innovative prosthetic, named the PRIMA retinal implant system, is more diminutive than a standard contact lens and has already facilitated significant visual improvement for numerous patients participating in European clinical trials.

Specifically targeting age-related macular degeneration, this device addresses a primary cause of vision loss among older adults, impacting approximately 1 million individuals across the United States.

Stanford’s Daniel Palanker, an ophthalmologist and electrical engineer, is the visionary behind this implant, which comprises a 2-by-2-millimeter disc embedded with 370 light-sensitive pixels, strategically positioned just behind the retina through surgical intervention.

Following implantation, patients must utilize specialized augmented-reality glasses with an integrated camera to capture images, which are then projected as near-infrared light onto the implant.

The solar-powered pixels then convert that light into electrical signals that stimulate surviving retinal cells, which send information to the brain.

After months of training, 26 out of 32 patients in a clinical trial showed significant vision gains after one year, according to results published in the New England Journal of Medicine. On average, their vision improved by an average of five lines on a standard eye chart.

Many who could previously only see the top line on the chart are now able to read large print and perform daily tasks, with one participant’s vision improving by 12 lines.

Science Corp., the Alameda-based company commercializing the technology, hopes to receive European regulatory approval this summer. Approval from US Food and Drug Administration is further down the road, but the company is pursuing a humanitarian device exemption to speed the process.

Palanker, who previously developed lasers for cataract surgery, said the key innovation was using light for both power and activation rather than wires.

“Until now, people tried restoring sight and all they got were light and shapes,” he said. “We succeeded, I think, because we properly encode information and the brain understands this information as vision.”

The device is currently being adapted for other forms of blindness, including Stargardt disease, with researchers aiming for up to five times better resolution in the next generation of the PRIMA system.

For patients, the technology offers more than restored sight — it brings back independence and joy.

“It’s huge,” said Foundation Fighting Blindness CEO Jason Menzo of the breakthrough system, which adds to an expanding field of vision restoration that includes gene therapy, stem cells and other prostheses. “The field has never ever been anywhere near as advanced as it is today.

“Just knowing there’s something out there,” Menzo added, “just the promise of the technology, whether an individual even gets the device, is lifting people’s spirits.”

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The United Nations has reaffirmed its call for nations to continue funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) despite the United States urging a shift in financial support. The U.S. claims the agency has been compromised by Hamas and recommends that funds should instead back the Security Council-endorsed Board of Peace.

During UNRWA’s annual pledging meeting in early July, U.S. Ambassador Jeff Bartos criticized the participating countries’ adherence to what he views as an ineffective strategy, describing the agency as essentially a “subsidiary of Hamas.”

“Repeating the same actions while anticipating different outcomes embodies the definition of insanity,” Bartos remarked. “Yet, once more, we find ourselves at the annual pledging conference for UNRWA—a mirroring of past events, same rhetoric, same denouncements of Israel, and persistent overlooks of Hamas.”

Bartos urged governments to stop funding UNRWA schools in Gaza, which he accused of indoctrinating children in hatred of Jews and glorifying terrorism. He also cited allegations that UNRWA employees participated in the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel.

“You can choose to fund incitement, terrorism and stagnation, or you can choose to fund the Board of Peace, giving Gazans a path to peace, prosperity and real, durable change,” Bartos said.

The Board of Peace is a U.S.-led body created under President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan to oversee transitional governance, reconstruction and long-term development alongside a Palestinian technocratic administration. The administration argues it offers a better alternative to UNRWA by shifting aid away from what it says is a Hamas-infiltrated system and toward accountable governance and economic recovery.

Asked by News Media why U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres was asking countries to put additional money into UNRWA rather than support the Board of Peace, U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric defended the agency’s record and mandate.

Dujarric said Wednesday that UNRWA officials, including former Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini and acting chief Christian Saunders, had taken “strong action” when presented with facts concerning possible infiltration by people aligned with terrorist organizations.

“UNRWA doesn’t operate through a sort of immaculate conception,” Dujarric said in a press briefing. “It is there because there is a mandate given to it by the General Assembly, and we continue to fulfill that mandate. It has a very important role to play on the humanitarian front.”

Dujarric added that the Security Council resolution supporting the Board of Peace also calls on the United Nations to deliver humanitarian assistance and lead humanitarian activities in Gaza.

“UNRWA is part of that system,” he said.

The U.S. position contrasted sharply with those of several European governments.

At the same pledging event, the United Kingdom announced £23 million in support for UNRWA. 

British Ambassador James Kariuki called the agency “indispensable” to providing essential services to Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.

France also reiterated what its representative described as “full support” for the agency, saying UNRWA continues to provide indispensable assistance despite growing obstacles. France said it had provided €123 million to UNRWA since 2023 and would announce its 2026 contribution soon.

The French representative said allegations against UNRWA had been taken seriously and argued that the agency was implementing recommendations from the Colonna review intended to strengthen neutrality and transparency. France also supported an eventual, gradual transfer of UNRWA’s responsibilities to reform and strengthen Palestinian institutions as part of a broader political settlement.

UNRWA’s acting chief, Christian Saunders, said during the same debate, “I agree with the statement that we seem to be doing the same thing over and over again,” Saunders said, calling for “a just and lasting solution to the plight of the Palestinian refugees.” He also agreed that the current system risks creating “an endless cycle of dependency,” saying UNRWA must do more to promote livelihoods and economic opportunities so Palestinians can “live full and meaningful lives while waiting for a political solution.” Saunders added that the agency supports Security Council Resolution 2803, the Board of Peace and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza until authority can be transferred to the Palestinian Authority.

The funding dispute comes as UN Watch is demanding that Guterres waive any immunity enjoyed by Lazzarini, whose term has ended, so national authorities can investigate allegations that he ignored repeated warnings about Hamas infiltration.

In a June 30 letter, the Geneva-based watchdog claimed that it had provided Lazzarini and his administration with evidence involving teachers, school principals, union leaders and other employees who allegedly supported or were affiliated with Hamas and other terrorist groups. It argued that the claims create grounds for an independent criminal investigation.

Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, told News Media that his organization told Lazzarini “that there are supporters of terrorism — in some cases, actual members of Hamas — working as teachers, working as school principals,” Neuer said, “Not one bad apple, not a few rotten apples, but the problem of support for terrorism … was systematic.”

Neuer said waiving Lazzarini’s immunity would not amount to a finding of guilt but would allow prosecutors to test the evidence.

“The investigation may prove there’s no evidence, and it’s over,” Neuer said. “But at least you should waive immunity to allow an investigation. The U.N. said that if anyone was found involved, ‘we will cooperate.’ Now is the test.”

Asked whether Guterres would consider waiving Lazzarini’s immunity, Dujarric did not answer directly.

“As far as I know, UN Watch is not a judicial authority,” he said. “We have always, as a matter of principle, cooperated with investigations by national authorities.”

UN Watch’s letter argues that immunity exists to protect the interests of the United Nations rather than provide a personal benefit to an official, and that it should be waived where it would obstruct justice without harming the organization.

News Media contacted UNRWA for comment but did not receive a response.

Paris Haute Couture week became a family affair as Demi Moore attended alongside her daughter, Tallulah Willis.

The glamorous duo graced the Balenciaga fashion show on Wednesday, with 32-year-old Tallulah joining her famous mother. Both chose to make a statement with voluminous, matching silhouettes.

Their eye-catching ensembles were curated by Brad Goreski, Moore’s longtime stylist and trusted friend.

In spite of the sweltering heat, Moore dressed in an all-black outfit featuring a bubble hem reminiscent of a mermaid’s tail, complemented by an oversized button-down shirt.

She injected a burst of color into her look with two strikingly bright bands encircling her upper arm and a pair of vivid green pumps adorning her feet.

Willis got the green memo, donning a voluminous chartreuse ball skirt and oversized white tee on top. Her cream-toned heeled sandals and bag matched her top.

Both Moore and Willis shielded their eyes from the sun with a pair of dark sunglasses.

The duo were in attendance for Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli’s first couture show for Balenciaga, having just stepped into his role at the brand last summer.

Moore opted for similar volume with her final look during this year’s Cannes Film Festival — it was fittingly a custom creation from Balenciaga.

She also chose Balenciaga couture for last fall’s Glamour Women of the Year awards, with a similarly voluminous black ensemble, though she and Goreski opted for white opera-length gloves that proved slightly difficult to remove.

Voted the top dining spot in Foster City, California, this renowned restaurant is celebrated for its succulent shredded cilantro beef and its signature ‘godfather’s noodles,’ which come elegantly stacked with minced pork.

The stir began when the establishment disclosed a stern policy that has sparked a fervent online debate. The policy stands out for making parents financially accountable if their children cause disturbances or damage. One notable incident highlighted the seriousness of this policy when a family faced a steep charge of $327 after their child reportedly damaged restaurant equipment.

Chez Xue, an upscale Chinese restaurant located in the Bay Area, has recently become the talk of the town. A viral sensation online, it’s not just known for its exquisite culinary offerings but also for its firm stance on child behavior in the dining area. A snapshot of its explicit house rules is making waves across social media platforms.

The restaurant’s guidelines are clear: children must remain seated and show respect towards other patrons and the ambiance of the dining area. The statement prominently displayed urges diners to maintain decorum.

Furthermore, the establishment does not mince words about its intolerance for unruly behavior, explicitly stating that running around, shouting, and creating noise with utensils are strictly prohibited. Parents are informed that they will bear the financial burden for any damages their children may cause to the restaurant’s property.

And those who do not follow the rules will be asked to leave. 

The restaurant’s website calls out recent ‘damages’ charged to parents: The first was in early 2025, when a customer’s child dropped a credit card machine, causing the screen to shatter. The parents were billed $327.03.

Another family tacked on over $109 to their bill after a child carved designs into a table using a utensil. Most recently, a family was charged $5.47 when a customer’s child shattered a teacup in January. 

This summer, the policy went viral when it was reshared on social media, with X users sharing their thoughts on the restaurant’s decision. 

‘If your kids are smashing credit card machines and carving things into furniture, they don’t belong in restaurants,’ one wrote. ‘End of conversation.’

‘Rule of parenting: you remove your children from public spaces when they are not acting civilized,’ another chimed in. ‘Restaurant rule for children: if they are old enough to be free of high chair, they can understand they have to remain seated and not touch things.’

Some said that charging a family for a shattered teacup was ‘a bit much,’ though, noting that restaurants should expect small expenses like broken plates and glasses.

But this policy isn’t just about $5 shattered teacups. 

Restaurant owner You You Xue told People ‘the standard of behavior has kind of fallen off a cliff’ recently, defending his policy.

According to Xue, staff repeatedly noticed children running around the dining room, shouting, and, in one instance, parents changing diapers at dining tables. 

‘We don’t tolerate disruptive behavior, and we are going to hold guests responsible when their children are acting up and are deliberately destroying restaurant property,’ he said. 

‘It’s just really important that we are not only controlling guest behavior, but also creating a welcoming environment for other guests.’

He added that it’s not just about the kids and their parents but more about the other customers who are enjoying a meal in the same space. 

The owner said he doesn’t want their meal interrupted by ‘some loud screaming at the next table.’ 

According to him, disruptive incidents have dropped dramatically since the policy was introduced, and he plans to continue enforcing the rules as he expands the business. 

‘That extra reminder has really helped improve the overall environment,’ he said. ‘We’ve actually never really received a complaint on the message before, so I’m happy about that.’

Chez Xue has been a longstanding Foster City restaurant just a 15 minute drive from San Francisco International Airport. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Chez Xue for a comment.