A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Tsvangirai to demand right to march
HARARE -Zimbabwe's main opposition leader has vowed to demand the right to stage marches to press for political reform before parliamentary and presidential elections due in March, despite a court ban.
Just hours after being released by police following five hours of questioning, Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, told a rally yesterday he would apply to the authorities to march through the capital, Harare.
Earlier a court upheld a police ban on the party's application to march yesterday, but allowed it to hold a rally. - (Reuters)
Firm plans to sell first cannabis pill
AMSTERDAM- Drug firm Echo Pharmaceuticals expects to sell the world's first cannabis pill within five years, targeting a €4 billion global market, its chief executive said.
A spokesman said studies showed that cannabis-based drugs may be effective for Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and migraine and could also help patients with Alzheimer's. - (Reuters)
Turkey moves to lift headscarf ban
ANKARA -Turkey's government is pressing ahead with plans to lift a ban on the Islamic headscarf in universities, setting the stage for a potential clash with the secular elite.
The headscarf issue pits the Islamist-rooted AK Party government against secular figures such as judges and army generals who see it as a threat to the separation of state and religion. - (Reuters)
Spears fails in bid for access to sons
LOS ANGELES -Britney Spears failed yesterday in her latest bid to regain the right to see her two sons after again failing to attend a hearing on the issue, court officials said. - (Reuters)