News in Brief

Serbia buries Tito's widow
Afp, Elgrade

The widow of former Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito was buried with full state honours yesterday, the last symbol of the communist federation that broke up in the 1990s.
Jovanka Broz, who died of heart failure at the age of 88 on Sunday, will be buried next to her husband in the House of Flowers in Belgrade, where the communist strongman was laid to rest in 1980.
Once a symbol of elegance and adored in Yugoslavia, Broz lived the last three decades of her life as an outcast. Blamed by Tito's political friends of plotting a coup, she was placed under virtual house arrest a few years before her husband's death.

China: 253 students sickened by meal
CNN Online

At least 253 students are undergoing treatment following suspected food poisoning this week in northern China, state media reported.
Victims suffered various symptoms, including stomach ache and vomiting after eating at the same counter in the school dining hall, the news agency said Friday.
The incident occurred Thursday at a middle school in Baotou, which is in China's inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Russia approves new anti-terrorist bill
Afp, Moscow

The Russian parliament has approved a bill toughening sanctions in terrorism cases ahead of the Winter Olympic Games next February, including a controversial measure that makes families of terrorists financially accountable for the damage.
The bill makes it possible for officials to investigate the property of relatives of "a person who has committed a terrorist act" and make such people financially accountable for damage done by this person, according to parliament documents. It also makes it a criminal offence punishable by up to ten years in prison.

Ten killed in Iraq violence
Afp, Baghdad

Attacks in Iraq killed 10 people yesterday, seven of them from the same family, security and medical officials said.
More than 580 people have now been killed this month, and 5,300 since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.

YouTube readying paid music sevice
Afp, New York City

Google's video-sharing arm YouTube is preparing to launch a paid music service this year competing against other streaming outlets, with the added feature of video, media reports said Friday.
The New York Times said the service designed for mobile devices would cost around $10 a month for an ad-free service and would compete with services such as Spotify, Rdio and Rhapsody.