Saudi introduces free visa for foreign scientists, experts
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia will grant visas free of charge to foreign scientists and experts, in a move that primarily aims at improving its health sector, media reports said on Sunday.
Secretary general of the Saudi Health Council Ahmed Al Aamiri praised the decision made by the cabinet last week, Xinhua reported.
Aamiri said the new visa policy was approved as part of various health initiatives suggested by the council to promote the health sector.
The new visa, which will be provided only to those who have proven their competency in different fields, is expected to attract top foreign experts who will take part in the research programmes in the kingdom.
The experts, especially health specialists, could contribute to the major steps the kingdom has been taking to implement various reforms.
Notably, they will help Saudi deal with serious medical issues, including preventing the spread of contagious diseases such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus that caused many deaths since 2012.
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Standing firmly with armed forces; time for unity, solidarity: Congress
New Delhi(PTI): This is a time for unity and solidarity and the Congress is standing firmly with the armed forces, the party said on Wednesday as Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said India's commitment to eliminating all sources of terrorism in Pakistan and PoK has necessarily to be uncompromising and always be anchored in the supreme national interest.
"This is a time for unity and solidarity. Right from the night of April 22nd, the Congress has been categorically stating that the government will have our fullest support in the nation's response to the Pahalgam terror attack," he said.
"The Congress is standing firmly with our armed forces," Ramesh said on X, using the hashtag "Operation Sindoor".
In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes early Wednesday on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base Muridke.
The military strikes were carried out under Operation Sindoor two weeks after the massacre of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
"A little while ago, the Indian armed forces launched 'Operation Sindoor' hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed," the defence ministry said in a statement at 1.44 am.
It said the actions by the Indian armed forces have been "focused, measured and non-escalatory" in nature and that no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted.
"प्रहाराय सन्निहिताः, जयाय प्रशिक्षिताः"
— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) May 6, 2025
Ready to Strike, Trained to Win.#IndianArmy pic.twitter.com/M9CA9dv1Xx
