Thousands gather for anti-Putin rally in Moscow

The first major protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin in three months took place on Saturday in Moscow. (photo, from bbcimg.co.uk)

Tens of thousands of opposition supporters have marched through the capital to say that December’s parliamentary elections were fraudulent and dispute Mr Putin’s re-election in March.

Wisconsin anti-union law thrown out by judge

A controversial law that has been in effect for more than a year has been thrown out by a judge in the state of Wisconsin.

US Republican Governor Scott Walker supported this law which strips most public employees of their collective bargaining rights.

Blair and Bush should face justice over Iraq war, says Desmond Tutu

Tony Blair and George Bush (photo) were branded war criminal by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who called for both men to be taken to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, for their role in the Iraq war.

Adolescent cannabis users risk irreversible IQ loss

A study of around 1,000 people in New Zealand suggests that young people who smoke cannabis for years risk a significant and irreversible reduction in their IQ.

According to the finding of the international team, those who started using cannabis below the age of 18, whose brains were still developing, suffered a drop in IQ.

Marc Dutroux’s ex-wife released from prison

Michelle Martin (photo, from bbcimg.co.uk), the jailed ex-wife of child killer Marc Dutroux has been released from prison after serving 16 years into her 30-year sentence.

Thousands protest for women’s rights in Tunisia

On Monday evening, the end of the daytime fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan marked the start of a protest in the Tunisian capital, Tunis.

Saudi women to compete in Games

Two Saudi women will compete in the London 2012 Games, said the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Sarah Attar (photo, from bbc.co.uk) will compete in the 800m and Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrakhani in the judo competition above 78kg.

Bonnie and Clyde guns could sell for $200,000 each

Nearly 80 years after the American outlaws Bonnie and Clyde’s deaths, the guns they had with them when they were killed will be up for auction in September in New Hampshire.

Two guns, a Colt .38-caliber revolver and a Colt .45-caliber pistol, could sell for between $100,000 and $200,000 each, according to Bobby Livingston, vice president of RR Auction in Amherst, New Hampshire.

US health agency approves weight-loss pill

For the first time in 13 years a weight-loss pill has been approved by US health regulators.

Named Belviq (photo, from bbc.co.uk) this pill can be used by obese or overweight adults with at least one condition.

World Bank cancels loan for Bangladesh bridge over corruption allegations

A $1.2bn loan for Bangladesh’s Padma bridge project has been cancelled by the World Bank on Friday, arguing that the government had not co-operated in investigating “high level” corruption in the project.

The bank said about the loan being cancelled immediately : “The World Bank cannot, should not, and will not turn a blind eye to evidence of corruption.”