The department, an affiliate of the council of ministers, added the ban had been issued by the PAM director-general without authorisation.

“Distinction should be drawn between the expatriates above age of 60 who can get renewed work permits once instructions to do so are issued and those who left the country and their residency permits were cancelled. They have no right to return [to Kuwait] without new procedures,” a security source told Al Qabas.

Around 4,013 such expatriates have been forced out of the work market in Kuwait in the first six months of enforcing the decision, Al Qabas said, citing unspecified statistics.

The ban, which went into effect earlier this year, triggered an outcry among rights activists, who argued that it affects thousands of expatriates and their families who long lived in Kuwait.

Critics also said the restriction has also caused damage to many employers and destabilised the labour market, robbing it of experienced workers.

The ban was seen as an attempt to reduce numbers of migrant workers who account for majority of Kuwait’s population.

In July, the PAM issued another decision allowing expatriates above the age of 60 to renew their residency permits in return for paying annual fees of KD2,000. This move also sparked an outcry and unleashed a campaign by activists demanding cancellation of the restrictions.

Expatriates, who hold no university degree, are estimated at over 80,000 in Kuwait.

Foreigners make up nearly 3.4 million of Kuwait’s total population of 4.6 million.

The Gulf country has in recent months sought to redress its demographic imbalance amid fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic./Gulf News

The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry on Saturday voiced condemnation and denunciation of the bomb blast at a mosque in Kunduz City in Afghanistan, which reportedly killed and injured scores of worshippers. In a press statement, the ministry restated Kuwait's principled and unwavering stance based on decrying violence and terrorism with all its forms and manifestations. The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry offered sincere condolences and heartfelt commiserations to the families of the victims and wished swift recovery for those injured in the bomb blast. Kuna

A Palestinian human rights organization accused “Israel” on Saturday of isolating 19 prisoners in "extremely harsh conditions" in the Negev prison.

In a statement, the Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights said a number of prisoners were “stripped of their personal belongings in cells unfit for human use.”

It quoted one of the prisoners, Nabil Mughayer, as saying that they "suffer from extremely harsh and degrading conditions amid a collective punishment that amounts to torture."

The rights group said prisoners belonging to the Islamic Jihad group have been removed from their prison section and dispersed to other detention facilities, a move that prompted them to burn their section.

"The prisoners were placed in twos in an empty room with charred walls and floors," Mughayer continued.

He said the prisoners lack clothes, mattresses and blankets, and that the prison administration only “brings a mattress and blanket for each prisoner after midnight and takes them back before sunrise."

In terms of breaks, they are only allowed a one-hour break, one person at a time, and handcuffed, according to Mughayer.

Addameer NGO cited the detention of five prisoners in isolation cells in connection with last month’s jailbreak from the maximum-security Gilboa prison.

On Sept. 6, six Palestinian detainees successfully escaped from Gilboa prison by digging a tunnel from their cell to outside the prison. Israeli forces, however, managed to recapture them after almost a week of their prison break.

Tamim Salem, one of the five prisoners, told the NGO that they live in "difficult conditions, where the prisoners remain handcuffed and their feet chained when they go out for a break.”

Addameer NGO called on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) “to visit the prisoners, see their conditions, and to use all means to pressure (Israel) to lift the collective punishments that degrade the (prisoners’) dignity and undermines their humanity."/aa

Turkey's Justice Minister on Friday underlined the freedom of religion in the country, saying that everyone lives as they wish, regardless of their beliefs.

During his visit to the Deyrulzafaran (Mor Hananyo) Monastery in Turkey's southeastern province of Mardin, Abdulhamit Gul said: "Our aim in politics is that everyone believes, lives, and worships as they wish in Turkey, regardless of their religion, thoughts or beliefs."

Gul went on to say: "This is tradition, this is culture. Maintaining this atmosphere is our basic approach."

The minister also expressed his happiness to visit an Assyrian monastery built in the fifth century and to see its historical atmosphere.

Saliba Ozmen, the metropolitan bishop of Mardin and the neighboring Diyarbakir province, accompanied Gul during this visit.

Pointing out that different languages, religions, beliefs, and civilizations existed in Mardin, Ozmen stressed that they were very happy to be in Turkey and thanked Gul for his visit.​​​​​​​/aa

A section of the north face of the volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma collapsed early Saturday, unleashing destructive new rivers of lava.

“The new lava flow is causing tremendous amounts of destruction and hindering the movement of our teams on the ground,” said the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute (Involcan) on Twitter.

Involcan described one new flow as “unstoppable” and videos have shown it overtaking buildings and electricity lines.

Earlier in the day, residents of the towns of La Laguna and El Paso, which are in the lava’s likely path, rushed to their homes to grab their belongings and perhaps see their neighborhoods one last time.

The volcano has been erupting since Sept. 19, but most of the lava emitted this week kept flowing down the main path, limiting further destruction.

As of Friday, the volcano had destroyed 1,149 buildings and 480 hectares of land, according to data collected by the EU’s Copernicus satellite.

Recent wind shifts have been favorable for the island. After shutting down on Thursday due to falling ash, the La Palma airport reopened on Saturday and the overall air quality has improved./aa

A 2,000-year-old altar has been unearthed in northwestern Turkey near the town of Ezine in Canakkale province, archeologists said on Saturday.

A hall with a podium, temple, odium, and bathhouse were among the remains that have survived to the present day in the ancient city of Alexandria Troas, an area near the Aegean Sea.

Situated on the Dardanelles Strait, Alexandria Troas had a strong and flourishing economy between the first and fourth centuries, after it became a Roman colony seaport. With a population of nearly 100,000 during this period, the ancient city was mostly abandoned in the ninth century after its economy deteriorated.

Erhan Oztepe, a faculty member at the Department of Archeology at Ankara University in Turkey's capital, told Anadolu Agency that recent technological developments, including an underground X-ray system, contributed to the archeological studies in the region.

"One of the control drillings found the remnant structure of a possible altar," he said. "We excavated the site to see if it had the same architectural structure and characteristics as the temple," said the archeologist.

Stating that the structure possibly dates back to the first century, Oztepe said the excavations have reached seven meters (almost 23 feet) below the surface, with a deep foundation beneath.

"It mostly lost all of its coatings and architectural ornaments," he added. "It is important that a structure that we can call an altar has been unearthed in front of the temple."

Oztepe pointed out that the structure will be open to visitors once environmental protection measures are taken for their safety. "The altar, as well as the temple, will be explained to visitors," he stated.

He added that visitors will see the visuals of the altar in 3D on a transparent plate and that they will be able to access information related to the structures by scanning a QR code on their smartphones./aa

The US administration is not telling the truth while sending letters to Congress or informing its people, Turkey's foreign minister said on Saturday in response to Washington's decision to extend the national emergency executive order in Syria.

"Instead of blaming Turkey, the US should abandon its own wrong policies, and should be more honest with the American people and its Congress," Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a joint news conference with his visiting Venezuelan counterpart Felix Plasencia.

The US on Thursday extended the state of emergency decree issued in 2019 for another year, claiming that Turkey's activities in Syria pose a threat to national security.

In 2019, then President Donald Trump withdrew most of the US troops in the region from Syria before Turkey's anti-terror operation.

Cavusoglu, who described the letter as a "copy-paste," said the US administration had previously used the same sentences.

"The reason for this is the US' cooperation with the YPG terrorist organization, which the US takes very seriously," he asserted.

"We know very well that the purpose of being here is not to fight against Daesh (ISIS terror group)," he stated, emphasizing that this position is illegal under US law. "We have fought against Daesh. The only army that is fighting against it is our army in NATO and the world."

Around 4,000 terrorists have been killed as a result of this struggle, he said and added that Turkey is supporting the international efforts by taking measures against foreign terrorists.

He went on to say that the US' Syria and Iraq policies, as well as all of its policies, are discussed in Europe and NATO. All of these policies are implemented without a plan and foresight, he added.

Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

Venezuela wants to be important ally of Turkey

For his part, Plasencia commended the deep relations between the two countries. Bilateral contacts and trade engagement, he emphasized, should be strengthened.

"The size of our economies and the potential of our countries, the trade volume of $5 billion is acceptable, but this is not a limit. We must work to increase this as well,” he stressed.

Noting that both are leading countries in their respective regions, he said Venezuela wants to be an important ally of Turkey.

On the next month's regional and local elections in Venezuela, he said both mayors and governors will be elected from a field of 7,000 candidates.

He stated that the EU will deploy an election observation mission and that Turkey has also been requested to send an independent monitoring team.

He also expressed gratitude to Cavusoglu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for their support in opposing unilateral coercive measures against Venezuela, as well as for Ankara's support in combating the COVID-19 pandemic./aa

Taking a photo or shooting video in wildlife is an important tool to show people nature and raise awareness in this regard, according to a Turkish expert.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on the occasion of the World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), Emin Yogurtcuoglu, a photographer and birdwatch guide, said that the purpose of photographing for him is documentation, recording what he sees.

"Photographing is the most important tool to show people this life. A video or photograph you shoot there can show people much more than words can explain. ... I've been doing this for a long time on social media, I tell people, sometimes I make stories on wildlife. I'm trying to empathize with these species," he explained.

When a large flight passes over, it may herald the beginning or end of a season, not just an ordinary animal activity, said Yogurtcuoglu, who, for instance, spends his time accordingly, instead of modern time zones.

"I evaluate the seasons and months according to the arrival times of the birds. Some species migrate at very specific times, for example, the Rosy starling, which comes from India, always arrives in Turkey between May 19-21."

Indifference to nature harms these animals, including migratory birds, said the expert who has been observing birds for 25 years.

Eagle, stork, pelican, and crane species, he said, are certain species of migratory birds, but there are hundreds of large and small species of birds that migrate around the world.

The WMBD is a biannual awareness-raising campaign held on the second Saturdays in May and October.

"Turkey is located in the temperate zone between the north and the south, so when migratory birds pass over Turkey, they use all-natural areas, such as lakes, reeds, forests, and deltas," he said, stressing the country's high-valued habitat for migratory birds.

Yogurtcuoglu bemoaned that most people do not act responsibly when using these natural habitats which are the stations where these animals take a rest, like a willow warbler born in Finland in the north that needs to stop and feed somewhere in Turkey.

All bird species migrate in various and different ways, the expert said, highlighting the important role that "thermal air currents" play in the migration of large bird species.

"Large bird species are gliding migratory species to save energy, they migrate using the thermal areas on the land, in this way they have the opportunity to travel hundreds of kilometers. Thermal air currents are not over the sea but pass through the straits, where the land is closest to each other. So, Turkey's location is very important in this sense," he added.

Nature-human relation

On the vital role that sustainable nature plays for the healthy future of people, Yogurtcuoglu said that due to the interconnectedness of ecosystems, the adverse impact that occurs in one place can affect many areas negatively.

"If we undermine the enormous cycle in nature, eventually the chain in the order that we axed breaks, returns to us as a great whip and hits us," he warned, adding that the world has already begun to experience this situation.

The birdwatch guide urged people to get to know their nature in order not to be indifferent to what is going on around them. He also asserted that new courses should be added to the curriculum to get to know nature and wildlife.

"People harm the habitats of these animals because they do not know. For example, by opening a drainage channel in a lake, which means destroying it, or burning a reed, or leaving the deltas idle," stated Yogurtcuoglu.

Wetlands, as another example, are at the top of the areas where migratory birds stop the most, and lakes are unfortunately one of the natural areas that are most negatively affected due to human pressure, he added.

Along with raising awareness via education, he also recommended that the number of people who are in the field for conservation work should be increased.

He also pointed out the public service announcement as well as heavy fines for those who break rules on nature and tight control mechanisms by related authorities as a precaution.

"When you allow nature, it will have a positive return, nature needs to breathe a little," the wildlife expert said, mentioning that even for a short time when there were bans during the beginning of the pandemic, demoiselle crane species arrived and nested in Turkey's Amasya province for the first time after 17 years.

"My dream is to see certain areas left completely to nature, in a real sense, without any interference," he concluded./aa

An Indian ornithologist has called for effective steps to conserve the winged animals as migratory bird populations are declining in the country more than resident birds.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency coinciding the World Migratory Bird Day on Saturday, Ashwin Viswanathan, working with Bird Count India -- an informal partnership of organizations and groups working to monitor and better understand India's birds --- said due to multiple levels of threats, migratory bird populations may have declined in the country.

India is home to around 500 species of migratory birds from across the globe, according to officials.

According to the State of India’s Birds report released in 2020, more than 50% of the 867 bird species analyzed have registered a decline over the last few decades and that overall, migratory species showed steeper declines than residents.

"Unlike resident birds that only face threats in one area, migratory birds are affected by threats in their breeding areas, during migration, and in their wintering areas,” said Viswanathan.

He said while climate change in the Arctic may have a large part to play because birds are unable to adapt fast to changes like dates of ice melting, but India, which hosts them temporarily also has an important role to play in their conservation.

"Birds of prey that spend the winter in grasslands seem to be particularly affected such as Montagu's and Pallid Harrier. We do not know exactly why these declines have occurred but one reason may be that grassland areas have reduced in the country and many grasslands have been converted to plantations and forests over the years," he said.

Matinder Singh Sekhon, the president of the Chandigarh Bird Club -- a group of birdwatchers in northern India -- told Anadolu Agency that habitat destruction is the greatest cause of decreasing bird populations.

"When their breeding ground is affected, the incidence of nesting goes down leading to population decline. If the basic population decreases, it is obvious that the number of migrants will be decreased," he said.

Human encroachment

Sekhon said that human encroachment on the migration areas and uncontrolled hunting is adding to the plight of the bird population.

"Climate change is affecting every habitat, so it has a role to play. Water scarcity is the greatest issue," he said.

According to the experts, some credible steps are needed to address the decline in the migratory species.

"For shorebirds, we must prioritize and protect coastal mudflats, their wintering habitat so that birds go back stronger and can adapt better. We must also conserve mangroves to support Black-capped Kingfisher, another rapidly declining migratory species," said Viswanathan.

He said the grasslands and coastal mudflats should receive particular conservation attention, and steps are needed to investigate "raptor declines across the country".

India is also a signatory of the Convention on Migratory Species that provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of habitats necessary for migratory animals.

Action plan

But experts believe that a joint action plan is required that involved other countries as well.

"Migratory species face threats in many countries during their long journeys. Only when multiple countries work together can we generate the knowledge required to implement a joint action plan," said Viswanathan.

Sekhon said while there are enough laws and policies, their effective implantation is required. He further urged for increasing public awareness about the threats the migratory birds are facing and about their habitat destruction. He said that bird and animal surveys as well as mapping of their population, as well as movement, is another essential element to conserve the species.

"Educational institutes and researchers need to work in tandem with environmentalists to study the behaviors, breeding patterns, threat vulnerabilities to find solutions to problems," he said./aa

Yemeni Nobel laureate Tawakkol Karman has vowed to continue her struggle against internal and external counter-revolution forces that work together against her war-ravaged country.

She also called for stopping the war, dismantling all militias, and resuming the political process.

In an exclusive interview with the Anadolu Agency on the 10th anniversary of her winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Karman said Yemenis are facing a “fateful battle” against enemies who are trying to destroy and divide their country.

“Although the greed of Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to gain influence in Yemen encouraged them to commit crimes against humanity and desecrate the country, the last word in this struggle has not been said yet,” she said.

In 2011, some Yemenis described Karman as the "Iron Woman" and "Mother of the Revolution" after receiving the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. She also became the first Arab woman, and the second Muslim woman to win the prestigious global prize.

Karman and her friends celebrated the 10th anniversary of her winning the Nobel Peace Prize in Istanbul on Thursday to recall “10 Years of Work and Hope".

Referring to the motives of the Arab Spring in Yemen, Karman said: “We believed in our right to live with dignity, justice, democracy, equality, and establish a state of law. We believed in our right to change a tyrannical, failed, and corrupt regime.”

She said these demands were still valid.

“I was nothing but a model for that massive popular and social movement. When my win of the Nobel Prize was announced, every Yemeni woman saw that as a symbolic honor for herself, and those who participated in the popular revolution saw that as a global honor and recognition of their free will,” Karman added.

Karman said the revolutions are not measured by quick gains and losses. Any revolution is a historical change, driven by demands for freedom, dignity, justice, and change.

“Whoever goes out to fight for these goals does not bond success or failure to the challenges on the road,” she added.

Recognition for her non-violent struggle

Winning the prize was a recognition of her non-violent struggle for the freedom of expression rights and safety of women and participation in peace-building work in Yemen.

She said the Yemeni people will not submit to the external occupation and their local agents such as Houthi militias in Sanaa or the separatist armed groups in Aden. She described Yemen as the graveyard of invaders.

“The struggle for a secure homeland governed by law, equal citizenship, and democracy will remain as our supreme goal. Our battle with enemies is a battle of existence,” she said.

As the international community has been trying for the past seven years to establish peace in Yemen, Karman believed that it can only be achieved by putting an end to the Iranian, Saudi, and Emirati interventions.

She said that Iran and Saudi Arabia have turned Yemen into an arena for their rivalry and ambitions.

“Leaving the de-facto authority of Houthis unresolved is a continuous declaration of war against our people. The existence of the UAE guardianship over the islands of Yemen, most importantly in Socotra, Mayan, Bab al-Mandab, and Balhaf port, is a declaration of war, and there will be no peace in Yemen without lifting this guardianship,” she added.

She asked the world to put pressure on Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE to stop tampering with Yemen.

She said that Yemen needs to complete the transitional phase following the three references, and the UN Security Council resolutions that affirmed respect for Yemen and its unity, security, stability, and sovereignty.

Before winning the Nobel Prize, Karman was known as a journalist, politician, and human rights activist. She had led the group of Women Journalists Without Chains, which she co-founded in 2005. Later, she became the international public face of the 2011 Yemeni uprising that was part of the Arab Spring uprising.

Today, Karman has become the voice of Yemen around the world.

“I present the voice of my country and my people in all the international events, and all my meetings and lectures at different universities around the world. I always talk about Yemen in my meetings with governments, and events of global civil societies and organizations,” she said.

Karman Foundation aids affected

In addition, she has founded many institutions, including Tawakkol Karman Foundation and Belqis TV Channel in Istanbul.

The activities of these institutions included advocating human rights and freedom, supporting media and journalism, and providing humanitarian and charitable aid for the most affected groups in Yemen, as well as giving scholarships to promising students from various countries.

The foundation also empowers women to take the lead in their communities, in cooperation with governments, civil society organizations, the private sector, and donor communities, to serve humanity.

Karman said Yemeni people have been demanding peace, but Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are putting more oil to the fire.

“While the world is trying its best to establish peace in Yemen, Iran continues to support its Houthi militias in Sanaa and UAE still backing the Southern Transition Council (STC)’s activities against the government,” she said.

She said the instability in Yemen had consequences on the region.

“The extension of war and chaos in Yemen will have a heavy cost paid by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which did not understand the danger of tampering with Yemen,” she added.

Urges for launching reconstruction efforts

She said that the future of Yemen depends on ending the “unjust and destructive” war against Yemen, which can be achieved by “ending the de-facto authorities of the Houthi militias, departure of the Saudi-Emirati occupation, and the return of the Yemeni state”.

She urged for launching a major project for reconstruction in Yemen and the application of transitional justice law as the main parts of a comprehensive peace plan.

On Feb. 11, 2011, Yemenis revolted in most governorates against the regime of Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was later killed at the end of December 2017 by his former allies, the Houthis.

Yemen has been devastated by a conflict that escalated in March 2015 after Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized the capital of Sanaa and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee the country./agencies