Gayathri Kallukaran is a Junior Journalist with Eastern Eye. She has a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from St. Paul’s College, Bengaluru, and brings over five years of experience in content creation, including two years in digital journalism. She covers stories across culture, lifestyle, travel, health, and technology, with a creative yet fact-driven approach to reporting. Known for her sensitivity towards human interest narratives, Gayathri’s storytelling often aims to inform, inspire, and empower. Her journey began as a layout designer and reporter for her college’s daily newsletter, where she also contributed short films and editorial features. Since then, she has worked with platforms like FWD Media, Pepper Content, and Petrons.com, where several of her interviews and features have gained spotlight recognition. Fluent in English, Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi, she writes in English and Malayalam, continuing to explore inclusive, people-focused storytelling in the digital space.
Sony has added Another Crab’s Treasure to its PlayStation Plus games library for free, offering the 2024 title to Extra and Premium tier subscribers. The announcement leaves PS Plus Essential users, the base-level tier of the subscription, out of the offer.
Another Crab’s Treasure is now available to download at no extra cost for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium members. Developed by Aggro Crab, the game launched on 25 April 2024 and marks the studio’s second title after Going Under in 2020.
The Soulslike action-adventure has received positive feedback, earning Metacritic scores up to 82 and a PlayStation Store user rating of 4.46 out of 5, based on nearly 3,000 reviews. In the game, players control Kril, a hermit crab who uses underwater trash as armour to survive against oversized enemies.
The official description reads: “As Kril the hermit crab, you’ll need to wear the trash around you as shells to withstand attacks from enemies many times your size. Embark on an epic treasure hunt to buy back your repossessed shell, and discover the dark secrets behind the polluted ocean.”
- YouTubeYouTube/ PlayStation
The game is expected to take between 14 and 22 hours to complete, depending on the player’s style and experience. It is only available on PS5, with no version for PS4.
The title usually sells for £24.99 but is now free for eligible PS Plus subscribers. However, Sony has not confirmed how long Another Crab’s Treasure will remain part of the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium catalogues.
This latest update forms part of Sony’s ongoing effort to offer more recent and diverse titles to its higher-tier PS Plus members. PS Plus Extra and Premium plans include a broader and regularly updated game library, while the Essential tier continues to offer a more limited monthly selection and core multiplayer access.
Players interested in trying Another Crab’s Treasure through PlayStation Plus are advised to download the game while it remains available. Further updates and listings can be found on the official PlayStation blog and PS Store.
Uber warns Home Office rules targeting illegal gig economy workers could increase takeaway delivery costs in the UK.
Undocumented migrants have historically used food delivery apps for work, exploiting limited right-to-work checks.
Companies like Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat have introduced stricter checks, including facial recognition and document verification.
Compliance and administrative costs have contributed to a fall in Uber UK profits despite rising revenues.
Government enforcement includes thousands of interviews and hundreds of arrests for suspected illegal working.
Uber’s UK accounts at Companies House welcomed the Home Office’s efforts to deter migrants and people smugglers from risking Channel crossings. However, the company cautioned that “new legislative requirements could have an adverse impact on our business, including expenses necessary to comply with such laws and regulations.”
Takeaway apps have become a source of employment for undocumented migrants, attracted by historically limited right-to-work checks. Delivery riders have sometimes sold or rented their accounts on social media to “substitutes” who may be working illegally.
Company response and compliance measures
Over the past year, Uber, Deliveroo, and Just Eat have introduced stricter “right-to-work” verification, including enhanced facial recognition and document checks. Thousands of workers who failed these checks have been removed from the platforms.
The Home Office has urged delivery companies to strengthen monitoring to prevent misuse and suspend accounts where illegal work is detected. Officials are also sharing data on asylum accommodation to help companies monitor potential illegal employment.
Impact on Uber UK’s finances
Uber’s UK revenues increased from £5.3bn in 2023 to £6.5bn in 2024, but profits fell from £29.4m to £21.6m. The company cited rising administrative and compliance costs in its food delivery division as a key factor.
In February, Uber reported blocking thousands of accounts since April 2024 after introducing tougher right-to-work checks to prevent illegal substitutions.
Government enforcement figures
In July, Home Office immigration enforcement teams spoke to 1,780 individuals, resulting in 280 arrests for suspected illegal working. The asylum status of 53 individuals is currently under review.
Significance for the UK gig economy
The crackdown reflects broader government efforts to regulate gig economy employment and prevent illegal working while highlighting the potential economic impact on consumers. Takeaway prices may rise as delivery companies adjust to stricter verification requirements and increased compliance costs.
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India's finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure would be simplified from four slabs to two, with reductions across several sectors. (Photo: Getty Images)
INDIA announced a major cut in consumption taxes on Wednesday, days after the United States imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods.
India's finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure would be simplified from four slabs to two, with reductions across several sectors. In some cases, levies have been reduced by more than half.
The tax changes will make a range of consumer goods, including soap bars and motorbikes, cheaper. However, the move could add pressure on government finances.
The announcement comes after US president Donald Trump imposed tariffs of up to 50 per cent on imports from India, raising concerns of a slowdown.
Sitharaman said the GST cuts were not linked to the tariff issue. "These reforms have been planned for a long time," she said.
India's prime minister Narendra Modi welcomed the measures. "The wide ranging reforms will improve lives of our citizens and ensure ease of doing business for all, especially small traders and businesses," his office said in a social media statement.
The revised system removes tax on insurance premiums, including life and health coverage. Levies on motorbikes and small cars have been reduced from 28 per cent to 18 per cent.
A finance ministry note also said dozens of life-saving drugs will now be tax exempt.
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Jio Platforms includes India’s largest telecom operator, Reliance Jio Infocomm, with more than 500 million users. (Photo: Reuters)
RELIANCE Industries plans to take its telecom and digital arm, Jio Platforms, public by mid-2026, chairman Mukesh Ambani said on Friday. The announcement sets a new timeline for the long-awaited IPO of a business analysts value at over $100 billion.
At its annual general meeting (AGM), Reliance also announced the launch of an artificial intelligence unit in partnership with Google and Meta.
Ambani had first indicated plans in 2019 to list Jio within five years. On Friday, he told shareholders the company is preparing to file for an IPO next year.
Reuters reported in July that Jio decided against launching an IPO in 2025. Analysts at the time valued the company at over $100 billion.
Jio Platforms includes India’s largest telecom operator, Reliance Jio Infocomm, with more than 500 million users. Backed by investors such as Meta, Google and KKR, the business is central to Ambani’s move to diversify Reliance beyond oil and chemicals into retail, consumer and technology. AI and international expansion are now key areas of growth.
Reliance is also investing $8.8 billion in its chemicals business. It expects retail to grow sales by nearly 10 per cent a year on a like-for-like basis and plans to add 2,000–3,000 new stores annually.
“Jio is not being fully valued within Reliance's broader petrochemicals and retail portfolio, and a separate listing would help unlock higher value for the telecom and digital unit,” said Saurabh Parikh, senior analyst at ICRA Ltd.
AI Unit with Meta and Google
Reliance and Meta announced a new AI joint venture with an initial investment of around $100 million. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told the AGM the venture will provide Meta’s open-source AI models to Indian businesses.
Google will partner with Reliance to deploy AI across energy, retail, telecom and financial services. It will also set up a Jamnagar Cloud region dedicated to Reliance, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said at the meeting.
The partnerships come as India-US relations face tensions following US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports in response to India’s purchase of Russian oil.
Reliance runs the world’s largest refining complex in Gujarat and is India’s biggest buyer of Russian oil.
(With inputs from agencies)
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A logo is pictured outside a Jaguar Land Rover new car show room in Tonbridge, south east England. (Photo: Getty Images)
UK VEHICLE exports to the United States rose in July after a new trade deal between London and Washington reduced tariffs, industry data showed on Thursday.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), exports increased 6.8 per cent in July to nearly 10,000 units, following three consecutive months of decline.
The SMMT had earlier reported that exports to the US dropped 55.4 per cent in May compared with the same month last year, with smaller falls recorded in April and June.
"The US remains the largest single national market for British built cars, underscoring the importance of the UK-US trade deal, and July's performance illustrates the impact of this deal," the SMMT said.
The agreement, finalised in May and effective from June 30, cut tariffs on UK car exports to 10 per cent on up to 100,000 vehicles a year.
In April, US President Donald Trump had imposed a 27.5 per cent tariff, reducing demand and forcing manufacturers, including Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Aston Martin, to scale back or suspend shipments.
Almost 80 per cent of cars made in the UK last year were exported, mainly to the European Union.
The UK auto industry is largely made up of foreign-owned brands such as Japan’s Nissan and India-owned JLR.
The US is also a major market for UK-produced luxury models from Bentley and Rolls-Royce, both owned by German groups.
ASIAN entrepreneurs Mohsin and Zuber Issa are moving the headquarters of their global forecourt company, EG Group, from Blackburn to the US in preparation for a major stock market listing in New York.
The firm confirmed that its main office will relocate to Charlotte, North Carolina, while a new base in Bolton, Greater Manchester, will handle its remaining UK operations, the Telegraph reported. The change brings an end to almost 25 years of the company being run from Blackburn.
According to the BBC, Blackburn will retain about 300 jobs, less than half of the current 700 staff.
The move is seen as a milestone for the Issa brothers, who rose from running a small family shop to building one of the world’s largest petrol station businesses.
Despite the shift overseas, the family has continued to invest in Blackburn, with projects including a mosque, luxury homes near their childhood area of Brookhouse, and plans for one of the country’s biggest cemeteries.
Quesir Mahmood, Lancashire County council’s cabinet member for economic development, said, “While this represents a change for the company, our understanding is Blackburn will remain a key base for EG Group, with around 300 staff continuing to work from the borough. This is a significant and ongoing commitment to our borough and one we greatly value.”
However, Conservative councillor Paul Marrow warned the decision could leave the modern building underused. He said, “This is a massive blow to Blackburn. EG Group has been a flagship business headquartered here for many years, and it is particularly sad to see such a reduction in its presence.”
EG Group is preparing for a $13 billion (£9.7bn) flotation on the New York Stock Exchange. The US has become its most important market, generating most of its income.
The company no longer runs any petrol stations in Britain. Last year, Zuber separated its remaining forecourts into a new venture, EG On The Move, which continues to operate from Blackburn.
At present, the brothers each own 25 per cent of EG Group, while private equity firm TDR Capital controls the remaining half. TDR is also the main backer of supermarket chain Asda, which the Issas bought into with the firm in 2021.
EG said its Bolton office would help the company “maintain roots in the north-west” while reflecting its smaller UK and European presence. It did not confirm if the shift would affect jobs.
Earlier this year, Mohsin stepped down as chief executive, handing over the role to former finance chief Russell Colaco. Both brothers are understood to still live locally and remain connected to the community.
Reports have suggested that Zuber had preferred selling the US arm, valued at around $5bn (£3.7bn), instead of pursuing a public listing.
The company, founded as Euro Garages, grew rapidly after acquiring fuel sites from brands such as Esso. A merger with the European Forecourt Retail Group in 2016, backed by TDR, helped it become a global player and later expand aggressively in the US.
That growth relied heavily on cheap borrowing during the years of low interest rates. Rising costs after the pandemic forced EG to cut back and sell assets to reduce debt.