Jayanagar Assembly polls: Voting begins
Bengaluru: Voting began in Jayanagar Assembly constituency on Monday where the election was deferred due to the death of BJP candidate BN Vijayakumar.
A total of 216 polling stations have been set up for voting, of them, five pink booths for women have come up.
In the 216 polling stations, ten paramilitary force, 350 police personnel, 16 sector mobiles. Of 216 polling stations, 42 are considered as sensitive booths, and additional bandobast has been provided there. A total of 23 flying squads, general observer, police observer, expenditure observers are vigilant in the constituency. There are 2,03184 voters, 102668 male voters, and 100500 women voters.
There is a triangular contest between the BJP's Prahlad Babu, the Congress's Soumyareddy and the independent candidate Ravindra Reddy.
The votes will be counted on Wednesday.
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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.
