INDIA’S top court, Supreme Court Thursday (14) gave clean chit to the prime minister Narendra Modi and his government on the purchase of 36 fully loaded Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault Aviation, rejecting the plea for registration of an FIR by the federal probe agency CBI for alleged commission of cognisable offence in the deal.
The apex court dismissed the pleas seeking review of the December 14, 2018 verdict in which it had said that there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets.
"We find the review petitions are without any merit," said a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph.
The rejection of review petitions is tantamount to the apex court giving the clean chit to the Modi government for the second time.
Reading out the judgement, Justice Kaul said the judges had reached the conclusion that it is not appropriate to order a roving inquiry into the allegations.
Maintaining that the review petitions have sought a registration of an FIR in connection with Rafale fighter jet deal, the bench said: "We do not consider it to be a fair submission. We do not find it appropriate to consider passing order for registration of FIR."
Justice Joseph, who wrote a separate judgement, said he agreed with the main verdict written by Justice Kaul subject to certain aspects on which he has given his own reasons.
In December last year, the apex court had dismissed the petitions seeking an investigation into alleged irregularities in the Rs 580.00 billion deal.
On May 10, the apex court reserved its decision on the pleas, including one filed by former country’s ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan, seeking a re-examination of its findings that there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets.
Besides the trio, review petitions were also filed by lawyer Vineet Dhandha and Aam Aadmi Party lawmaker Sanjay Singh.
While reserving the judgement on the review petitions, the apex court had asked the Centre searching questions on its deal with France to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets on issues like "waiver of sovereign guarantee" and the absence of technology transfer clause in the inter-governmental agreement (IGA).
The bench had referred to an earlier judgement which said an FIR is a must when information revealed commission of cognisable offence.
Attorney General K K Venugopal had told the bench that "there has to be a prima facie case, otherwise they (agencies) cannot proceed. The information must disclose commission of cognizable offence".
Justice Joseph had referred to the earlier deal and asked the Centre as to why the IGA on Rafale with the French administration does not have the clause of transfer of technology.
"The court cannot decide such technical aspects," Venugopal had said in response. On the court's question of waiver of sovereign guarantee by France in the IGA and its replacement with a letter of comfort, Venugopal said it is not an "unprecedented practice".
"It is a question of national security. No other court in the world will examine a defence deal on these kinds of arguments," he had said.
Bhushan had submitted that the December 2018 judgement did not deal with the prayer seeking a probe into the deal and decided the petition on the premise that it is seeking cancellation of IGA.
He had contended that the Centre misled the court by referring to non-existent CAG report in November, 2018 hearing when it is on record that the report came later in February this year.
Bhushan had also alleged suppression of material facts from the court by the Centre and said that as many eight critical clauses of the standard defence procurement procedure were dropped in the deal in the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security in September 2016.
One clause dealt with the aspect that the government can cancel the deal if the information of any involvement of middleman comes to the light, he had said.
Venugopal had vehemently opposed the submissions and sought dismissals of review petitions, saying the basic grounds of these pleas were the same as in the main case.
The government is under obligation to put defence material undercover, he had said, adding that "when the security of the country is involved, you do not view it as a contract to build a highway or a dam".
Microsoft has revealed its new strategy to combine Xbox and Windows for handheld gaming PCs, starting with two new ROG Xbox Ally devices developed in partnership with Asus. The devices feature a full-screen Xbox experience tailored for portable gaming, in a move designed to better compete with Valve’s SteamOS on the Steam Deck.
A new Xbox experience for handhelds
The ROG Xbox Ally devices will boot directly into a customised Xbox full-screen interface, designed to streamline the gaming experience on portable Windows devices. This marks a shift away from the traditional Windows desktop and taskbar, which are hidden by default to improve performance and reduce distractions.
Microsoft says the updated interface is centred around the Xbox app and Game Bar, but will also act as a universal launcher for PC games, including those from Steam and other third-party platforms. “We’ve reduced many notifications and pop-ups, and we will continue to listen to feedback from players to make continued improvements,” said Roanne Sones, corporate vice president of gaming devices and ecosystem at Xbox.
Built with Xbox and Windows integration
Jason Beaumont, vice president of experiences at Xbox, confirmed that the new interface is the result of collaboration between long-time Xbox OS developers and the Windows engineering team. “We were able to take people who have been working on the Xbox OS for 20 years or more and have them work directly on the Windows codebase,” he said. This joint effort led to significant improvements aimed specifically at handheld performance and usability.
This unified approach is intended to provide gamers with a seamless, console-like experienceMicrosoft
The compact version of the Xbox app now includes access to a user’s full PC games library, incorporating titles from Steam, Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Play Anywhere, and more. This unified approach is intended to provide gamers with a seamless, console-like experience on a Windows handheld.
Game Bar and system controls
The Xbox Game Bar has also been enhanced for handheld use. A short press on the Xbox button brings up a quick-access interface for toggling device settings like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, opening Asus’ Command Centre, and accessing Microsoft’s new Gaming Copilot feature. A long press on the same button activates a controller-friendly app switcher, making it easier to move between games and applications.
“These improvements were driven directly by the needs of this device,” said Brianna Potvin, principal software engineering lead at Xbox. “We’ve made significant changes — not just visually but functionally — to optimise the system.”
Performance and power efficiency improvements
One of the key goals behind the new full-screen mode is improved performance and battery life. Microsoft claims that disabling certain Windows processes, such as the desktop environment and background tasks, can free up around 2GB of RAM for gaming.
Power consumption has also been reduced. According to Potvin, when the ROG Xbox Ally is in sleep mode while running the full-screen Xbox experience, it draws just one-third the idle power compared to when running the standard Windows desktop. Microsoft has also updated the Windows lockscreen to support controller navigation and PIN entry.
Third-party integration and library support
Microsoft is working with major game stores such as Steam and the Epic Games Store to optimise their experience within the new Xbox interface. The company also plans to expand the Xbox game library to include all PC titles across platforms, creating a unified catalogue viewable within the Xbox app on any Windows 11 device.
To assist users in identifying handheld-compatible games, Microsoft is developing a new verification programme similar to Valve’s Steam Deck Verified system. This will highlight which games are optimised for devices like the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X.
Access to Xbox console titles
While most Xbox console games won’t run natively on the new handhelds unless they are part of Xbox Play Anywhere or have PC versions, Microsoft is offering support for Xbox Cloud Gaming and Remote Play. These features will allow players to access their full Xbox console library from a handheld device via streaming.
Availability and future updates
The Xbox full-screen experience will first launch on the new ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X models, with Microsoft planning to roll out the update to existing ROG Ally devices later this year. The company has also confirmed that other Windows-based handhelds will begin receiving similar updates from next year.
Valve’s SteamOS is also being made available for the ROG Ally, setting up a direct comparison between Microsoft’s Windows-based system and Valve’s Linux-based alternative. This competition may determine the future direction of software development for handheld gaming PCs.
With these updates, Microsoft is positioning Windows as a viable and optimised platform for portable gaming, addressing long-standing concerns around usability, performance, and battery life on handheld PCs.
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As part of this plan, £86bn will be directed towards 'turbo-charging our fastest growing sectors, from tech and life sciences, to advanced manufacturing and defence,' the government said in a statement. (Representational image: iStock)
THE UK government has announced plans to invest £86 billion in science, technology, and defence by 2030. The announcement comes days before it outlines its broader spending plan for the coming years.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already introduced cuts to public budgets in recent months, citing tight fiscal conditions. She has also approved more borrowing for investment, enabling a total of £113bn in investment by the end of the decade.
As part of this plan, £86bn will be directed towards "turbo-charging our fastest growing sectors, from tech and life sciences, to advanced manufacturing and defence," the government said in a statement.
According to The Times newspaper, Reeves is also expected to announce a funding increase of up to £30bn for the National Health Service on Wednesday, when she presents the government's full review of public spending.
The government said the £86bn investment will focus on "people's priorities: health, security and the economy."
The plan includes the development of "innovation clusters" across the country and will give local government leaders new powers to decide how their funding is used, it said.
Reeves aims to use this spending to boost growth, which remains slow and could be affected further by the trade war launched by US president Donald Trump.
Earlier this week, the government said the review would also include a proposal to double investment in public transport in urban areas of England to more than £15 billion by 2030.
The Ministry of Defence is expected to receive a budget increase as part of Wednesday's review. However, other departments will face more spending cuts, in addition to those announced in March.
Expected areas for cuts include support for disabled people and general government operating costs.
On Saturday, thousands of people gathered in central London to protest against the anticipated spending reductions. Many carried placards that read, "tax the rich, stop the cuts -- welfare not warfare."
(With inputs from agencies)
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Jurassic World Evolution 3 builds on the popularity of its predecessors by adding new features
Frontier Developments has officially revealed Jurassic World Evolution 3 during Summer Game Fest 2025. The third instalment of the dinosaur park management simulator will launch on 21 October 2025 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, priced at £49.99.
This latest entry introduces a key new feature, dinosaur breeding. For the first time, players can breed and care for baby dinosaurs, forming family units within their parks. The game includes over 80 dinosaur species, with 75 of them available for breeding.
As with previous titles, Jurassic World Evolution 3 lets players build and manage their own dinosaur parks, balancing the needs of visitors and the creatures themselves. The game retains its strategy-based management approach while expanding on core mechanics.
The sequel also features a globe-trotting campaign mode, with playable maps across different locations including Japan and Hawaii. Actor Jeff Goldblum returns once again as Dr Ian Malcolm, reprising his voice role from the earlier games. No other returning cast members from the film franchise have been confirmed yet.
- YouTubeYouTube/ Jurassic World Evolution 3
Customisation options have been expanded, with new terrain tools allowing players to build mountain peaks and carve canyons. Texture brushes can be used to add detailed touches to various environments, enhancing creative control over park design.
Jurassic World Evolution 3 introduces the Frontier Workshop to the series for the first time, enabling players to share their parks, dinosaur habitats, and landscape creations with others through cross-platform support.
A deluxe edition of the game will be available for £64.99 and includes four additional dinosaur species — Protoceratops, Guanlong, Thanatosdrakon, and Concavenator — along with extra scenery items and exclusive all-terrain vehicle skins.
Players who pre-order will receive the Badlands set, which includes themed scenery based on the original Jurassic Park dig site, blueprints from the Montana Badlands, and a Badlands skin for the maintenance crew’s ATV.
In addition to this release, another game titled Jurassic Park: Survival is currently in development by Saber Interactive. A new film in the franchise, Jurassic World: Rebirth, is also set to premiere in cinemas on 2 July 2025.
Jurassic World Evolution 3 builds on the popularity of its predecessors by adding new features and wider creative options, while maintaining the core experience of managing a dinosaur-themed park.
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Resident Evil Requiem was described as a "bold shift for the franchise
Capcom has officially unveiled Resident Evil 9, titled Resident Evil Requiem, during Summer Game Fest 2025. The latest entry in the long-running survival horror franchise is set for release on 27 February 2026 and will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Announced live on stage by host Geoff Keighley, Resident Evil Requiem was described as a "bold shift for the franchise both in tone and gameplay". The upcoming title will blend the series’ trademark survival horror with high-stakes cinematic action, promising a fresh experience for fans.
The debut trailer showcased imagery of a devastated Raccoon City, seemingly hinting at a return to the city that was destroyed by a nuclear missile at the end of Resident Evil 3. Scenes of ruined buildings and a dilapidated Raccoon City Police Department sparked speculation that the game may incorporate elements of open-world design.
Resident Evil Requiem - Reveal Trailer | PS5 GamesYouTube/ PlayStation
One of the most notable additions is a potential new protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, an FBI technical analyst. According to the trailer, Grace is drawn back to the location of her mother’s murder as she investigates a series of unexplained deaths. In one dramatic scene, she is seen restrained on a gurney while a mysterious figure refers to her as “the one... special one. Chosen one.” Whether Grace is the sole playable character or whether familiar faces like Leon Kennedy will return remains unconfirmed.
Capcom’s official website reveals limited details but emphasises the game’s focus on technological advancements, immersive gameplay, and a richly developed narrative. The publisher described Resident Evil Requiem as: “Requiem for the dead. Nightmare for the living.” The title is said to represent a new era for the series, aiming to deliver a heart-stopping experience grounded in the development team’s extensive experience with the franchise.
Speculation about Resident Evil 9 has been building for over a year. Capcom first teased a new instalment during its summer livestream in 2024 and followed up with another teaser while celebrating 10 million players of Resident Evil 4 Remake, which was released in 2023 to critical acclaim.
As anticipation grows, fans will be looking forward to more details in the lead-up to the 2026 launch, including confirmation of returning characters, gameplay mechanics, and how Requiem will build on the legacy of its predecessors.
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In April, Mallya lost an appeal against a London high court bankruptcy order in a case involving over ₹11,101 crore (approx. £95.7 million) debt to lenders including the State Bank of India. (Photo: Getty Images)
FUGITIVE tycoon Vijay Mallya has said he may consider returning to India if he is assured of a fair trial.
He spoke to Raj Shamani on a four-hour-long podcast released on Thursday.
When asked if his situation worsened because he didn’t return to India, Mallya said, “If I have assurance of a fair trial and a dignified existence in India, you may be right, but I don’t.” Asked if he would consider coming back if given such an assurance, he responded, “If I am assured, absolutely, I will think about it seriously.”
He added, “There are other people who the government of India is targeting for extradition from the UK back to India in whose case, they have got a judgment from the high court of appeal that Indian detention conditions are violative of article 3 of the ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights) and therefore they can’t be sent back.”
On being labelled a “fugitive”, Mallya said, “Call me a fugitive for not going to India post-March (2016). I didn’t run away, I flew out of India on a prescheduled visit… fair enough, I did not return for reasons that I consider are valid… but where is the ‘chor’ (thief) coming from… where is the ‘chori’ (theft)?”
The Indian government has not responded to Mallya’s claims.
In April, Mallya lost an appeal against a London high court bankruptcy order in a case involving over ₹11,101 crore (approx. £95.7 million) debt to lenders including the State Bank of India.
In February, he moved the Karnataka High Court seeking details of loan recoveries. His legal counsel said banks had recovered ₹14,000 crore (approx. £120.7 million) despite the original dues being ₹6,200 crore (approx. £53.4 million). The court issued notices to banks and loan recovery officers.