Vienna  - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) rose above the 130 dollar mark again on Thursday, an OPEC statement said Friday.

Sydney  - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has reiterated his opposition to nuclear power after luminaries from within his own Labor Party described it as an essential bridge to a non-carbon fu

Wellington  - New Zealand's economy shrank by 0.3 per cent in the first quarter, according to official figures released Friday, confirming analysts' fears that the country is heading into recession

Singapore  - Record petrol prices have hit budget car sales the hardest, with monthly pump prices beginning to match loan instalment payments for some models, published trade figures said Friday.

Kathmandu - A day-long general strike called by four fringe parties Thursday crippled normal life in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu.

New Delhi  - India is all set to sign an agreement on a 7.5-billion-dollar gas pipeline with Iran and Pakistan in the coming weeks, even as there are no signs of progress on its nuclear deal with U