Turkish forces have neutralized 124 PKK terrorists amid ongoing operations in northern Iraq, Turkey's national defense minister said on Sunday.

Turkey launched Operations Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildirim last month in the Metina and Avasin-Basyan regions in northern Iraq.

In 2021, a total of 1,107 terrorists have been neutralized so far, Hulusi Akar said in an address at the Sedef shipyard in Istanbul.

"Turkish forces continue to destroy lairs of the terrorists. Turkish soldiers are checking all the caves, streams, and hills there, one by one," Akar added.

The terrorist group PKK often uses bases in northern Iraq, just across Turkey's southern border, to hide out and plot terror attacks in Turkey.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

Peaceful resolution with int'l law

Speaking about the current issues in the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, as well as Cyprus, Akar said: "We're in favor of the peaceful resolution of these problems within the framework of international law and good neighborly relations by talking and negotiating with our Greek neighbors."

However, he added, "Our Greek neighbors are doing their best to sabotage the positive state of affairs with their actions and discourse."

It would be impossible for the two sides to make any progress with these "provocations," Akar noted./aa

Hundreds of vaccinated citizens passed through Kuwait International Airport (KIA), from several countries, and they exited the airport after completing the entry procedures without any arrangements for quarantine, which was previously a requirement for those entering Kuwait, Al Qabas reported. This was due to a decision by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and other concerned authorities, on Saturday to exempt vaccinated citizens coming to the country and those recovering from the coronavirus infection from the quarantine decision.

DGCA stated that the Cabinet’s decision on preventing non-Kuwaiti passengers from entering the country is still in effect until further notice.

It also highlighted the need for all travelers arriving at Kuwait International Airport to present a 72-hour PCR test certificate proving they tested negative for the coronavirus infection, whether the passenger was inoculated with the vaccine or not yet vaccinated.

The approved vaccines against the Coronavirus inside or outside the State of Kuwait are Pfizer Bionic vaccine, AstraZeneca – Oxford vaccine, Moderna vaccine, and Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Meanwhile, citizens and their companions of first-degree relatives (husband, wife and children) and domestic workers are not permitted to travel outside Kuwait unless they have been immunized with an approved vaccine. The decision entered into effect on Saturday, May 22, 2021.

The following categories are excluded from the circular:

1- Citizens who obtained a certificate approved by the Ministry of Health stating they were unable to obtain the vaccine due to health reasons.

2- Pregnant citizens, with a certificate of proof of pregnancy, issued and approved by the Ministry of Health.

3 – Age groups not subject to vaccination.

4- Kuwaiti students studying abroad, provided the student has been vaccinated with at least one dose, and there is proof of pursuing education abroad and receiving the vaccine.

5- Members of diplomatic corps accredited to the State of Kuwait.

Kuwaiti travelers coming to Kuwait will not be forced to quarantine on the condition they pay for one PCR test through the Kuwait Traveler platform Kuwait Mosafer for the following categories:

1 – Those who have recovered from a Coronavirus infection after 90 days.

2- Those who received at least one dose of the vaccine more than two weeks ago.

Kuwait Mosafer app

No passenger would be allowed to board on flights departing from Kuwait without first registering on the Kuwait Mosafer app, and no passenger would be accepted on arrival flights to the State of Kuwait except after registering on the Kuwait Traveler platform and the Shlonik app./agencies

Two men were shot dead and eight others were wounded in downtown Minneapolis, police said early on Saturday.

"Of the 10 victims, all are adults, five male and five female. Two deceased are male and one in critical is male", Minneapolis Police said on Twitter.

"Order fully restored to the scene and surrounding areas", the statement said, adding that seven injured people were treated in local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

The shooting happened in the 300 block of N. 1st Ave., according to the police.

At least 16 people were killed and five others are missing on Sunday during a 100-kilometer (62-mile) mountain marathon cross-country race in northwest Gansu Province, China, according to media reports.

Extreme cold hit the region during the race held Saturday morning in the Yellow River Stone Forest tourist site in Jingtai County, Baiyin City, said state-run Xinhua News.

Rescue efforts to find the missing persons are underway and the race has been halted./aa

BOGOTA, Colombia

The coronavirus pandemic is worsening in Latin America and the Caribbean with more than 1 million fatalities registered as deaths and infections continue to decline in North America and Europe. 

The region recorded almost 30% of global fatalities, reports more than 31.5 million infections and 1,001,400 deaths, according to data by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

And yet, only 3% of the region's population has been immunized, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Chile and Uruguay are advancing their immunization programs but the rollout in other countries in the region remains slow.

Infections are on the rise in Brazil. President Jair Bolsonaro, who, from the beginning of the pandemic refused to adopt measures to try to control the virus, was fined Friday for breaking regulations at a public event in Maranhao state.

State Governor Flavio Dino said Bolsonaro “must comply with federal and state legislation.”

“We are living through an especially challenging phase of the pandemic. The health authorities have been working hard. And today they decided to file a case against the president for the promotion in Maranhao of gatherings with no sanitary safeguards,” said Dino. “The law is for everyone.”

Nearly 450,000 people have died from the virus in Brazil -- the second-highest total in the world after the US. The country also reports more than 16 million cases.

Thousands of Colombians have taken to the streets in three weeks of anti-government protests as that country confronts a third wave of cases that have collapsed intensive care units. It reports more than 3 million cases and 84,000 deaths. PAHO has said the country is "expecting even greater increases" due to the recent protests.

Argentina adopted a strict nine-day lockdown in the wake of a huge surge in infections during the past week.

"We must accept that we are in a critical moment," said President Alberto Fernandez on Thursday as he announced the new restrictions.

Cases have been rising in the South American country that has seen nearly 74,000 people die from the virus.

Mexico registered nearly 222,000 deaths and 2.4 million cases since the start of the pandemic.

Medical staff and hospitals are on the brink of collapse in Peru, where increased infection rates have been fueled by the presence of the Brazilian variant./aa