Vienna - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) fell by 0.53 dollars, according to data released by OPEC on Thursday.

One barrel (159 litres) of OPEC-produced crude stood at 128.45 dollars a barrel on Wednesday, down 0.53 dollars from 128.98 dollars on the previous day.

An increase in oil output by OPEC members was not needed as the current supply level exceeds demand and spiralling prices are mainly caused by speculators, OPEC officials said Wednesday.

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 cru

Vienna - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the

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.