Naples, Italy  - Italian police Wednesday arrested at least 30 people suspected of obtaining finance for Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers rebel group.

The suspects, all Sri Lanka citizens, were picked up in raids in several cities including Naples, Rome, Genoa, Bologna and Palermo, police said.

"The suspects extorted sums from fellow Sri Lankan nationals working as housekeepers or minders for the elderly in Italy," Naples' anti-terrorism police chief, Antonio Sbordone, said.

A new study conducted by the US researchers revealed that diabetics are more prone to hearing loss than other people.

The study researchers said that it may be a good idea for diabetes patients to have a hearing test on a regular basis.

An editorial published with the study agrees, noting that "in many cases of mild to moderate hearing loss, patients are not aware of what they cannot hear."

Vienna - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) rose to 130.52 dollars on Friday, OPEC said in a statement on Monday.

One barrel (159 litres) of OPEC-produced crudes stood 0.75 dollars higher on Friday, compared with 129.77 dollars the previous day.

In the past week, the price for OPEC crude hovered slightly below the record price of 130.87 dollars set on June 9.

OPEC calculates an average basket price based on 13 important brands produced by cartel members. (dpa)

Vienna - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) continued to hover slightly below the 130-dollar mark, figures released by OPEC on Friday showed.

One barrel (159 litres) of OPEC-produced crude stood at 129.77 dollars Thursday, up 0.88 dollars from 128.89 dollars the previous day.

On Monday, the price of OPEC stood at a record-setting 130.87 dollars.

OPEC calculates an average basket price based on 13 important brands produced by cartel members. (dpa)

A new study conducted by American researchers revealed that gaining weight may be not risky for sufferers of type 1 diabetes.

The results are based on the study in which the researchers at the University of Pittsburgh monitored 655 patients with Type 1 diabetes for a period of 20 years.

The researchers discovered that those who gained weight were less likely to die, as compared to diabetics having a body mass index (BMI) in the underweight range. The overweight and obese had a lesser death risk than those in the normal range.

Vienna - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has risen, after dropping 4,89 dollars over the course of last week, OPEC said on Tuesday.

One barrel (159 litres) of OPEC-produced crude stood at 122.10 dollars on Monday, compared with 121.68 dollars the previous Friday.

OPEC calculates an average basket price based on 13 important brands produced by cartel members. (dpa)

World Health Organization officials urged India to concentrate more on the precautionary aspects of malaria than discovering the treatment of the disease.

The WHO officials stated India needs to eradicate the micro killer by following up effectual means of preventing malaria.

Until now, the fight against the mosquito threat is completely centered on disease treatment.

A new study carried out by MSD Pharmaceuticals, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck and Co Inc (USA), revealed that India is home to the largest population of diabetics in the world with over 30 million people suffering from the disease.

The study claimed, “India is considered the diabetic capital in the world, with the largest population of diabetics.”

Besides, the company has also launched 'Januvia' (Sitagliptin), an approved Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor for Type 2 Diabetes, in Kolkata on Thursday.

Vienna - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) continued its record-breaking climb towards the end of the week, OPEC said on Friday.

One barrel (159 litres) of crudes from OPEC's reference basket stood at 116.93 dollars on Thursday, up 90 cents from the previous day.

On Thursday, OPEC Secretary General Abdalla Salam el-Badri said current high prices were not connected to market fundamentals, as markets remained well supplied.

This week, TopNews Stocks editor Neeta Aurora interviewed Technical Analyst Mohinder Kumar about his view on Stock Markets trends for the next six months. Below are the excerpts from the interview.

Neeta: Indian Stock markets faced correction in late January this year. What was your recommendation to clients?

Vienna - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) continued its record-breaking climb, the Vienna-based OPEC secretariat said on Thursday.

One barrel (159 litres) of OPEC crudes stood at 116.03 dollars on Wednesday, a new all-time high. The price rose by 1.28 dollars compared with the previous day.

According to OPEC analysts JBC in Vienna, crude supply concerns should have lifted to some extent, as ExxonMobil returned to its normal production levels of around 800,000 barrels per day in Nigeria after a strike.

Vienna - The price for crudes produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) jumped to a new record high on Tuesday, the Vienna-based OPEC secretariat said on Wednesday.

One barrel (159 litres) of crude from OPEC's 13-brand reference basket stood at 114.75 dollars on Tuesday, up 3.15 dollars from the previous day. On Monday, crude prices jumped by almost five dollars.

OPEC calculates an average basket price based on 13 important brands produced by its member states. The 13-member cartel is responsible for about 40 per cent of the global crude output. (dpa)

Vienna - The price for crudes produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) rose again to close to 107 dollars by the end of the week, OPEC said on Monday.

One barrel (159 litres) from OPEC's 13-brand reference basket stood at 106.99 dollars on Friday, up 1 dollar from the previous day.

OPEC calculates an average basket price based on 13 brands produced by cartel members. (dpa)

Vienna - The price for crudes produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) dropped from its record high on Tuesday, OPEC said on Wednesday.

One barrel (159 litres) of crude produced by OPEC members stood at 109.86 dollars on Tuesday, down 1.8 dollars from the previous day.

The Vienna-based OPEC secretariat calculates an average basket price based on 13 brands produced by cartel members. (dpa)

Sana'a, Yemen  - A protester was killed in a clash between police forces and protesters trying to free detained opposition activists in the southern Yemeni province of Lahj on Tuesday, witnesses said.

They said the clash broke out after dozens of armed protesters stormed into a detention centre in the Habeel Jabre twon of Lahj, some 300 kilometres from the capital Sana'a.

Another protester and two police officers were injured in the clash, they said.

The detained activists were among dozens of people arrested after violent protests in several southern cities in the past three weeks by disgruntled youths demanding army jobs. (dpa)

Vienna - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was at a new record high at the beginning of the week, OPEC said Tuesday.

One barrel (159 litres) of crude from OPEC's reference basket of 13 crudes stood at 111.66 dollars on Monday, up 1.65 dollars from Friday.

Crude prices, already boosted by the weak US dollar, were also affected by strikes in Scotland and Nigeria as well as unrest in the African country, analysts said. (dpa)

Mumbai, Apr 29: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will announce the annual the monetary and credit policy for the year 2008-09 today.

Rising inflation could impact the policy in terms of further rate hikes.

The RBI’s key policy rates were raised nine times since October 2004, while the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), the mandatory amounts that the banks have to keep with RBI, was raised five times since December 2006.

Vienna - The price for crudes produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) continued its climb and was hovering just below the 110-dollar mark, OPEC said on Wednesday.

One barrel of crude oil from OPEC's reference basket stood at yet another record high of 109.92 dollars on Tuesday, up 99 cents from the previous day.

Hopes for OPEC to increase production in the near future were dashed as OPEC Secretary General Abdalla Salem el-Badri ruled out an extraordinary meeting until the next regular meeting, scheduled for September.

Vienna - The price for crude produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) continued its record- breaking rally on Wednesday, OPEC said on Thursday.

One barrel of crude from OPEC's 13-brand reference basket stood at 106.65 dollars on Wednesday, up from 105.73 dollars the previous day.

The bullish performance in recent days was mainly down to the weakness of the US dollar, OPEC analysts said. (dpa)

Vienna - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) remained close to last week's peak on Friday, OPEC said on Monday.

One barrel (159 litres) of crudes from OPEC's reference basket stood at 103.67 dollars on Friday, down 7 cents from Thursday's peak of 103.74 dollars.

OPEC calculates an average basket price based on 13 brands produced by cartel members. (dpa)