Russia’s National Guard chief challenges opposition leader Alexei Navalny to a duel

A close ally of President Vladimir Putin threatened Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny with violence on Tuesday, challenging him to a duel for making what he described as libellous and insulting corruption accusations. Viktor Zolotov, the head of Russia’s National Guard, accused the jailed opposition leader of being a puppet of Washington and said his aim…

PlayStation 12 Deals of Christmas and two-for-€30 deals go live

Whew! Thank goodness all those sales are finished with. Wasn’t it noisy? What, they aren’t? Oh no! Returning is Sony’s 12 Deals of Christmas campaign, as well as a new two-for-€30 deal where you get two PlayStation 4 games for €30, and there are some good ones too: The Last Guardian, Fallout 4, Prey, Alien:…

Spanish police shoot man dead as he tries to attack officers with knife near Barcelona

Security forces in Barcelona were on Monday investigating an attempted terrorist attack after shooting dead a man who entered a police station and shouted “Allahu Akbar” while charging at an officer with a knife. Police cordoned off streets surrounding the man’s home in Cornellá de Llobregat, a suburb of Barcelona, after he was shot by…

Thai production set to be first in race to make cave rescue film

A Thai production by director Tom Waller looks set to win the race to be the first film about the daring rescue of 12 young boys and their football coach from the flooded Tham Luang cave in July.  The nerve-wracking extraction of the football team through a submerged treacherous labyrinth gripped the world for 18 days,…

French environment minister quits live on radio, saying he was ‘alone’ on green issues in Macron’s government

President Emmanuel Macron suffered a major political blow Tuesday as his popular environment minister resigned live on radio – without informing the French leader beforehand. Nicolas Hulot, one of the most respected members of the cabinet among the French public, took even his interviewers by surprise on the France Inter radio station when announcing his…

British tourists flying to Dubai warned about drinking alcohol on flights

Travellers heading to Dubai or Abu Dhabi have been warned they could face arrest if they consume alcoholic drinks on the flight to the Middle East. The British Embassy in the United Arab Emirates posted the message about drinking in the federation on its Facebook page, weeks after a mother was detained in Dubai after…