Trump says he will offer ‘gold cards’ for $5 million , replacing investor visas
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he plans to offer a “gold card” visa with a path to citizenship for $5 million, replacing a 35-year-old visa for investors.
“They’ll be wealthy and they’ll be successful, and they’ll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people, and we think it’s going to be extremely successful,” Trump said in the Oval Office. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the “Trump Gold Card” would replace EB-5 visas in two weeks. EB-5s were created by Congress in 1990 to generate foreign investment and are available to people who spend about $1 million on a company that employs at least 10 people.
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Real Estate Boom: Housing prices in India’s top cities rise 10%, Delhi NCR records highest surge
Housing prices have been on a continuous upward trend for 16 consecutive quarters since 2021, according to a report by CREDAI, Colliers, and Liases Foras. While the affordable housing segment remains dominant in overall sales, demand for luxury and ultra-luxury homes is expected to gain further momentum in 2025. This growing traction in the premium segment is likely to push average housing prices higher across major residential markets in the coming quarters.
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Telangana tunnel collapse day 4: Experts from GSI, NGRI brought in to assist in rescue operations
The Telangana government has sought the expertise of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) to aid in the ongoing rescue efforts of eight individuals trapped inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, following its partial collapse on Saturday, February 22.
As the rescue operation extends into its fourth day, officials confirmed on Tuesday, February 25, that experts from both organisations are evaluating the tunnel’s stability and advising on the next course of action. Nagarkurnool District Collector B Santhosh stated that while dewatering operations continue, ensuring the structural integrity of the tunnel remains a top priority.
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How Employees’ Provident Fund works in India
The Employee Provident Fund (EPF) is a retirement savings scheme to which both the employer and the employee make equal contributions. Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) manages as per the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act (EPF & MP Act). The goal of the scheme is to provide financial security to a person for their post-retirement life.
How Does Provident Fund Work?
Here are the basics of how the EPF works
Step 1: Employee and Employer’s Contribution to EPF
As per the EPF rules, you have to contribute 12% of your salary to the PF account. This deduction is done by the employer at the time of salary disbursal. The employer also needs to contribute an equal amount to the EPF balance. Out of the employer’s contribution, 8.33% goes to the Employee Pension Scheme or EPS, while 3.67% goes towards EPF.
Step 2: Pooling of EPF FundsThe contributions by the employee and employer are pooled and earn an annual interest of 8% to 12%. The interest rate is determined by the government. This pooled amount will keep growing with compound interest and with each monthly contribution.
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What is a Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) and how it can benefit you?
A Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) is a financial tool that allows investors to withdraw a fixed amount or percentage from their mutual fund investments at regular intervals, such as monthly, quarterly, or annually. Unlike a lump-sum withdrawal, an SWP offers a structured approach to accessing your investment while keeping the remaining amount invested, thus ensuring continuous growth potential. This strategy is particularly beneficial for retirees or those seeking regular income from their investments without liquidating the entire portfolio.
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How a weak rupee affects your international vacation and ways to save
The Indian Rupee (INR) has depreciated by nearly 3.5% against the US Dollar in the last six months, recently breaching the ₹87 mark. According to a Times of India report, the US Dollar has appreciated by 5% over the past year, rising from ₹83.01 on February 10, 2024, to ₹87.45 on February 1, 2025.
So what happens when the rupee weakens?
A weaker rupee means Indians need to spend more on airfare, hotel stays, shopping, and other expenses abroad.Travel bookings in USD or other foreign currencies become costlier, putting pressure on budgets. Airline fuel costs and global inflation further compound the issue, making overseas vacations and business trips more expensive than ever.
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Space tech funding is set to skyrocket, says Adam Niewinski of OTB Ventures
Space tech is one of the most captivating sectors for venture capitalists. With investment into VC-backed space tech startups touching $6 billion in 2024, the industry is on the brink of something monumental.With investors increasingly turning their gaze to the stars, the question on everyone’s mind is, is space tech the next big bet for venture capital? To discuss this, CNBC-TV18 spoke to Adam Niewinski, Co-Founder of OTB Ventures.
The space technology sector is on the verge of a massive funding boom, according to Adam Niewinski, Co-Founder of OTB Ventures.In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Niewinski emphasised that while venture capital-backed space tech startups secured $6 billion in funding in 2024, the amount is poised to increase significantly in the near future.
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Google restructures its government affairs & public policy team in India amid expansion push
Google is restructuring its government affairs and public policy (GAPP) function in India, a move aimed at strengthening its capabilities in a market critical to its future growth strategy, particularly in the area of artificial intelligence (AI), Moneycontrol has learnt.
This move comes on the heels of the exit of Sreenivasa Reddy as the company’s public policy head after a short stint of about 16 months.”India has always been a strategically important market for Google and YouTube, and it plays an increasing role in shaping the future of technology for the world. With the rise of AI and its potential to transform key sectors of the Indian economy, it’s clear that we need to elevate our GAPP capabilities to match this dynamic landscape.” according to an email sent by Wilson White, Google’s head of government affairs and public policy, to the company’s employees on February 25. Moneycontrol has viewed a copy of the email.
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