The US plans to hike the H-1B visa application fee to increase funding for the expansion of an apprentice programme, Labour Secretary Alexander Acosta has told American lawmakers, a move that would impose additional financial burden on Indian IT companies. Testifying before a Congressional committee on the annual budget of the Department of Labor for the fiscal year 2020 beginning October 1, 2019, he said that the Labour Department has…
Amazon to open first Go store that accepts cash
NEW YORK: Amazon launched its high-tech Go convenience store a year ago, where shoppers can pull items off the shelf and walk out. Now it’s adding a decidedly low-tech feature: accepting cash. Its new store opening in New York City Tuesday will be the first Amazon Go store to do so. At its other shops, customers can only enter with an app that links to a credit card or an…
Amazon Summer Sale: Check out some last-minute deals
The Amazon Summer Sale enters its last day on Tuesday and continues to offer attractive discounts on plenty of best-selling products in various categories- smartphones, electronics, home appliances, fashion, furniture, home and kitchen, among others. With less than 24 hours left before the sale ends, here are some exciting last-minute deals you should check out. Smartphones The Summer Sale’s most popular items in smartphones- One Plus 6T (8+128GB) and iPhone…
Google Pay launches gold buying, partners MMTC-PAMP India
New Delhi: Tech giant Google Thursday said it has partnered with bullion refiner MMTC-PAMP India to allow Google Pay users to buy and sell gold through the app, a service that is already offered by the likes of Paytm, Mobikwik and PhonePe. Through this partnership with India’s only LBMA accredited gold refinery, Google Pay users will be able to buy 99.99 per cent 24-karat gold, Google said in a statement….
Your smart home devices could get you hacked
A few years ago, a major part of the internet on the United States’ eastern coast faced blackout following the biggest cyberattack in the history of the internet. The reason was Mirai malware which initiated the IoT botnet attack that affected many websites including, Netflix, Amazon, Twitter, New York Times, Spotify, CNN, and PayPal. After the attacks, Cisco’s cyber threat intelligence arm–Cisco Talos found several vulnerabilities in the firmware of…
How new H-1B visa reforms will trouble IT firms
For a lot of IT firms, the H-1B visa program has been a worthy source for talent. This program gives 85,000 visas to foreign workers every year, based on a lottery system. However, this system has been facing controversy, many believe that due to these visas, jobs of American workers are replaced by foreigners. Also, it causes an administrative burden which has had a limiting effect on which companies apply….
E-invoicing may begin under GST
NEW DELHI: In what could radically transform the indirect tax administration system and the way business is conducted, India is looking at the possibility of introducing electronic invoicing under goods and services tax. If the country adopts the system, businesses will likely have to issue invoices, or bills, directly via the GST Network, and the data will be available to the authorities right away. The GST Council has set up…
Double benefit: Here are 6 tax saving investments with tax-exempt returns
Starting April 1, the tax saving season is on and both the salaried and non-salaried taxpayers would have started comparing tax saving investment options for the financial year 2018-19. As an investor, one should look for investment options that not only helps you save tax but also generate tax-free income. While choosing the right tax saver, among several other factors such as safety, liquidity and returns, make sure you understand…