Multiple entry Indian visa for businessmen of Saarc region

Our Correspondent, New Delhi

India is all set to issue multi-city, multiple-entry business visa to businessmen of Saarc countries beginning from April 1.
The business visa, to be called "India Business Card", is expected to be granted for a period of up to five years or for a shorter duration as per the requirement of the businessmen of member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc).
"We are planning to launch it [the business visa] by April 1," said a senior Indian home ministry official yesterday.
Pakistani entrepreneurs seeking special business visa, known as "India business card", for the Saarc nations should run an enterprise worth one crore Indian rupees and should have an annual income of at least 10 lakh Pakistani rupees to be eligible for a three-year multiple entry card.
The other condition is that one should be a member of any chamber of commerce in Pakistan that is recognised by India.
Other than Pakistan, there are no visa conditions for rest of the Saarc countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Nationals from Bhutan and Nepal do not require a visa for India.
But there are reliefs for Pakistani travellers too. Pakistanis availing the facility can travel to 15 cities for three years.

Currently, they are eligible for multiple-entry business visa for a maximum period of one year and can only travel to 10 places.
Under the new scheme, Pakistani entrepreneurs will be exempted from reporting at the local police station, a must for Pakistanis coming to India on any other visa now

Republican Sandoval withdraws as possible US Supreme Court pick

Reuters, Washington

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, a moderate Republican, took himself out of consideration for appointment to the US Supreme Court on Thursday as Senate Republicans dug in on their vow not to act on any nominee by President Barack Obama.
Asked if the White House was disappointed by Sandoval's decision, Obama spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters, "He's obviously entitled to make decisions about his own career."
Sandoval's name surfaced as a possible nominee on Wednesday, but Senate Republicans quickly said they still would not hold hearings or vote on any Obama nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the Feb. 13 death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia. Obama's appointee could pivot the court to the left for the first time in decades.
Sandoval, a Mexican-American who was Nevada's first Hispanic governor, did not offer a reason for his withdrawal.

Woman takes own life after poisoning two children

        Quarrel with Husband

Our Correspondent, Manikganj

After giving poison to her two children, a woman allegedly committed suicide by taking poison over a quarrel with her husband in Hargaj-Beparipara village of Saturia upazila on Thursday night.
The dead, Rahima Akter, 28, was the wife of Rahim Uddin.
Their daughter Taslima Akter Meghla, 8, and son Akash, 5, are fighting for their lives at Manikganj Sadar Hospital.
Locals said Rahima's husband is a construction worker. They have two kids. Rahima and her husband Rahim often quarrelled with each other over family affairs. On Wednesday night, a quarrel broke out between the two again.
Following the quarrel, Rahima first administered poison to her children around 9:00pm on Thursday, telling them that it was medicine for cough. She then took poison herself. When their neighbours noticed it, they took the three to Saturia Upazila Health Complex.
Nobody was at home during the incident, according to locals.   
On-duty doctors declared Rahima dead and referred the two kids to Manikganj Sadar Hospital as their condition was critical.

Doctor Anisur Rahman of the hospital said they found the presence of pesticides in the stomachs of the children. They were giving treatment properly, but they were not out of danger.
Rahima's husband Rahim went into hiding soon after the incident.
The body of Rahima was sent to Manikganj Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy, said Habibullah Sarker, officer-in-charge of Saturia Police Station.
A case was filed.