Minister Khader visits family, pays compensation
Death in wall collapse at Hebbarabail
Puttur, July 08: Urban Development and Housing Minister UT Khader on Sunday visited the house at Salmara Hebbarabail where a grandmother and grandson died in wall collapse on Saturday and consoled the bereaved family members.
During his visit, the Minister handed over a cheque for compensation of Rs 11 lakh including Rs 5 lakh each for Parvathi and Dhanush and Rs 1 lakh for the damage of the house, from the Disaster Management Fund, to the family. He handed over the cheque to the mother of Dhanush. Condoling the death of the two, the Minister directed the officials to take precautionary measures to avoid such incidents during rains.
The Minister directed City Municipal Council Commissioner Roopa Shetty to serve the notice the family, above the house of Dhanush, which is responsible for the collapse of the wall and asked her to submit the action taken report.
MLA Sanjeeva Marandur, former MLA Shakuntala T Shetty, ZP president Meenakshi Shantigodu, CMC president Jayanti Balnadu, deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil, assistant commissioner HK Krishnamurthy, CMC vice president Vishwanath Gowda, PUDA president Prasad Kaushal Shetty and others were present.
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Trump unveils fast-track ‘Gold Card’ visa scheme for wealthy foreigners
Washington: President Donald Trump has introduced a new visa programme that offers wealthy foreigners an expedited path to US citizenship in exchange for a minimum payment of $1 million. Announcing the initiative on social media on Wednesday, Trump described the offering, called the Trump Gold Card, as a “direct path to citizenship for all qualified and vetted people.”
According to the scheme’s official website, the Gold Card is aimed at individuals who can demonstrate they will provide a “substantial benefit” to the United States. The programme promises residency in “record time” and requires a $1 million fee as proof of that benefit. Businesses sponsoring foreign employees will need to pay $2 million, with additional charges depending on the applicant’s circumstances. A “platinum” version with special tax incentives is expected to be introduced for $5 million.
Applicants must also pay a non-refundable $15,000 processing fee before their documents are reviewed.
BBC reported that the scheme has drawn criticism from Democrats since its first announcement earlier this year, who argue that it unfairly prioritises the wealthy. When Trump initially outlined the plan, he likened the visa to a green card but stressed that it targeted “high-level” professionals. “We want people that are productive,” he said, adding that those who can pay $5 million “are going to create jobs.”
The launch of the programme comes at a time when the administration has sharply intensified its immigration crackdown. The US has increased fees for work visas and expanded efforts to deport undocumented migrants. Immigration applications from 19 countries, mostly in Africa and the Middle East which are covered under the administration’s travel ban remain paused.
The government has also halted decisions on asylum cases and announced a review of thousands of approvals issued during President Joe Biden’s tenure. In September, Trump signed an order introducing a $100,000 fee for new applicants to the H-1B programme for skilled workers, prompting concern among international students and technology companies. The White House later clarified that the fee applies only to applicants currently living outside the United States.
