IN BRIEF (Page 16)

BP says Q3 profit declined by 29%

BP Plc, Europe's second-biggest oil company, said profit declined 29 percent in the third quarter because of lower refining earnings and natural-gas prices.

Crude up amid Mideast tension

Crude oil rose for the first day in three on tensions in the oil-rich Middle East, as Iran signaled a tougher stance in nuclear program talks and Turkey considered military action in Iraq.

Business International

Stakes rise in the drive to reach zero

Much talked-about US efforts to build a coal-fired power plant with near zero emissions are now concentrated in a single project, as the costs and difficulties of the endeavor have mounted and the stakes have risen.

Report predicts grim future for global oil supplies

Global oil supplies will drop more than half by 2030 after peaking last year, an independent scientific group said in an energy report published on Monday.

IN BRIEF (Page 16)

Business International

Indian harvest may have global impact

Farmers in India, the world's third-biggest wheat importer, are forecast to plant a record crop, helping cap world prices that have soared 64 percent this year.

Will Coles be the scene of next Norman conquest?

Archie Norman, the man credited with reviving UK retailer Asda Group Plc, joined Wesfarmers Ltd as an advisor for its A$19.7 billion ($17.4 billion) takeover of Coles Group Ltd.

Nestle nourished by pet food, ice cream

Nestle SA, the world's largest food company, increased third-quarter revenue by 10 percent after raising prices for Dreyer's ice cream and Purina pet food.

Firms dig deeper for good causes

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the Indian Ocean tsunami brought such a surge in corporate philanthropy that a sharp decline seemed likely to follow.