Coromandel International Ltd. has won an appeal to quash an order to recover Rs 589.2 crore, including penalty and interest, from the company. The original order, filed by the additional commissioner of central tax from the Visakhapatnam Central GST Commissionerate, was contested successfully by the company. The Office of the Commissioner (Appeals), Central Tax and Customs, Guntur, ruled in Coromandel's favor on January 20, 2025. In a related matter, the fertilizer manufacturer

In a move to enhance efficiency, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has revised its procedures to allow for quicker profile updates for its 70 million subscribers. With the new system, members who have their Universal Account Number (UAN) validated through Aadhaar can now update their details such as name, gender, marital status, and more, without uploading any supporting documents. The change aims to reduce delays and human intervention, allowing almost 45% of

Apple has agreed to pay $95 million in cash to resolve a class action lawsuit accusing its voice assistant Siri of privacy violations. The lawsuit alleged that Siri recorded users' private conversations without their consent and shared this data with third parties, including advertisers. This reportedly began when Apple introduced the "Hey, Siri" command function. Though Apple denied any wrongdoing, the company chose to settle the case, which was filed in federal court

The National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) is set to begin its recruitment process for various positions in 2024, targeting 518 vacancies across two complexes—S&P Complex in Angul and M&R Complex in Damanjodi. Interested and eligible candidates can apply through the official website, mudira.nalcoindia.co.in, starting from tomorrow. The last date to submit the online application is January 21, 2025. Vacancies are available in diverse roles such as Fitter, Electrical

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made a significant change to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system by enabling UPI payments between verified digital wallets, also known as Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs), and third-party UPI applications. This new directive will allow users of digital wallets to make and receive UPI payments via any third-party UPI app, rather than being limited to the wallet’s own mobile application. The move is aimed at enhancing interoperability within t

Apple is reportedly developing a new smart doorbell camera with advanced features, including Face ID for unlocking doors. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the doorbell could be released by the end of next year. The device is expected to function similarly to an iPhone, where the door automatically unlocks when you look at the camera, thanks to the integration of Apple’s Secure Enclave chip. The new smart doorbell will compete with Amazon's Ring and will work seaml

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has called an urgent meeting of its Apex Council to appoint former Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti as the electoral officer for upcoming elections to fill the positions of secretary and treasurer. These posts were vacated by Jay Shah and Ashish Shelar, who assumed new roles in December. According to the BCCI constitution, the Board must call a Special General Meeting and appoint an electoral officer at least four weeks before the

Andhra Pradesh Environment Management Corporation Limited (APEMCL) is expanding its operations to tackle new waste management challenges in the state. As part of its ongoing efforts to ensure environmental sustainability, APEMCL will now focus on monitoring and controlling biomedical waste, battery waste, and e-waste generation. The announcement was made by APEMCL chairman Polamreddy Dinesh Reddy, who was inspecting the Coastal Waste Management Plant in Nellore. Along with local MLA Kurugondl

Governor Challenges State Government's Search Committee: On Wednesday, Governor R N Ravi took a bold step by canceling the search committee formed by the Tamil Nadu State Higher Education Department for appointing a new Vice-Chancellor at Annamalai University. The Governor's office stated that the state’s committee excluded the UGC Chairman’s nominee, violating the Supreme Court’s interpretation of UGC re

At Chennai Airport, an Air India cabin crew member was arrested for helping a passenger smuggle 1.7 kg of gold. The incident occurred when the flight from Dubai landed on Sunday. Customs officials intercepted the passenger and the crew member after the passenger admitted to handing over the gold during the flight. Upon searching the crew member, officials found the gold concealed in the undergarments, l

US President-elect Donald Trump has selected Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host and political fundraiser, as the next ambassador to Greece. Guilfoyle, who has been engaged to Donald Trump Jr. since December 2020, has been described as a "close friend and ally" of Trump but her relationship with his son was not mentioned in the official announcement. Trump praised her for her leadership and experience in law, media, and politics, stating she was well-suited to strengthen rela

Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Nara Lokesh has proposed several strategies to address the growing drug abuse problem in the state. Speaking at a meeting of the ministers' sub-committee on narcotics, Lokesh suggested that a chapter about the dangers of drug addiction should be included in the school curriculum to educate youth. He also recommended the use of drones to identify and destroy ganja plantations and the creation of anti-narcotics committees across schools, colleges,

Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan, who is also overseeing the Panchayat Raj and Forestry Departments, has raised concerns over the whereabouts of two luxury BMW cars that were seized during a sandalwood trafficking bust. The vehicles were confiscated during the TDP government's tenure (2014-2019) following a major sandalwood smuggling operation. After their seizure, the high-end BMW cars were allocated to officers within the Forestry Department—one to the Special

The government of Andhra Pradesh, under the leadership of the NDA camp, is addressing pressing issues left by the previous administration, including the growing loan app culture. These loan apps are increasingly becoming a threat to the public, with many individuals falling victim to their deceptive practices. In a significant statement in the Assembly, Home Minister Anitha spoke out about the severe consequences of loan apps, which initially attract users by offering easy loans wit

Apple has officially phased out one of its long-standing accessories—the 3.5mm Lightning to Headphone Jack Adapter—by listing it as “sold out” on its online stores in the US and most other countries. This move signals the end of an era for users who relied on the adapter to connect their wired headphones to newer iPhones that lack the traditional headphone jack. The adapter, which was introduced in 2016 after Apple removed the 3.5mm headphone port from the iP

In a surprising move, YSR Congress chief and Pulivendula MLA YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to completely avoid participating in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly sessions, opting instead to hold press conferences to question the government. This decision has caused quite a stir in political circles, with many speculating about its legal implications, particularly whether Jagan’s MLA seat could be nullified if he refuses to attend the sessions for an extended period. The issue has

In a significant shift in the dynamics of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, the ruling party, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YCP), is noticeably absent from the sessions, leaving a vacuum in the typical opposition role. Traditionally, the ruling party is on the offensive in the Assembly, while the opposition is tasked with questioning the government and holding it accountable. However, with YCP's boycott of the session, this expected dynamic is absent, and a few TDP MLAs ar

In a significant operation in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, the local police successfully identified and destroyed five acres of illegal ganja cultivation in Degalarayi village, located in the G Madugula mandal. The operation was carried out with the help of advanced drone technology, a cutting-edge tool now being increasingly utilized by law enforcement in Andhra Pradesh. The use of drones allowed the police to detect the illegal crop cultivation in the thick forested area of the

Apple is planning to open four additional flagship stores in India, following a record-breaking quarter for iPhone sales. CEO Tim Cook highlighted the increasing enthusiasm for Apple products in the Indian market, which contributed to Apple's all-time high revenue from the country. During Apple’s recent earnings call, Cook revealed that iPhone sales had grown across all regions, setting new records worldwide. India, however, stood out significantly, with Apple achieving re

The political scene in Andhra Pradesh is heating up with the emergence of the term “Big Expose,” as both the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YCP) engage in a fierce battle to undermine each other's credibility. TDP has made headlines by unveiling exclusive letters between YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his sister YS Sharmila, highlighting their ongoing legal conflict over family property. Sharmila's claims that Jagan is attempting to recla