February 13th, 2008:

With growing numbers of people choosing to go into business for themselves, there are now more sources of advice for entrepreneurs than ever before. While they range in quality and independence, whether as a friendly ear, shoulder to cry on, or as a mean to finding finance, it’s worth considering what they’ve all go to offer.

The Prince’s Trust
At 21 years old, The Prince’s Trust scheme has come of age itself. It provides financial assistance and business support throughout the UK (with the exception of Scotland which has its own scheme) and focuses on young people who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. read more

Feb. 13, 2008, 1:06PM
By KRISTEN HAYS
Houston Chronicle Copyright 2008

As hurricanes pass through the Gulf of Mexico in coming years, seven Shell Oil Co. offshore platforms will have eyes on the storms.

The U.S. arm of The Hague-based Royal Dutch Shell has joined hands with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to place sensors, transmitters and backup power systems on some of Shell’s offshore Gulf installations to gather real-time information about storms as they blow through the basin. read more

Wed 13 Feb 2008, 13:21 GMT
 
ABUJA (Reuters) – The Nigerian arm of Royal Dutch Shell has suspended a cost-cutting reorganisation to hold more talks with the Nigerian government which is worried about job losses, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Shell, which operates three different businesses in Africa’s top oil producing country, had announced on November 13 its “One Shell” plan to combine previously separate functions including production, development and projects.

“The new leadership positions under One Shell have been announced but we have suspended further appointments until we conclude discussions with the government,” said spokeswoman Caroline Wittgen. read more

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: CAT AND MOUSE: Iranians Scheme to Elude Sanctions

By FARNAZ FASSIHI in Beirut and CHIP CUMMINS in Tehran
February 13, 2008; Page A1

Tough sanctions haven’t brought Iran to its knees, but they’re rewriting how business is done in the Middle East’s second-largest economy.

After several rounds of United Nations and U.S. economic and banking restrictions, Iranian businesses are starting to feel the pain. The measures are complicating how they finance operations, pay bills and export everything from pistachio nuts to Persian carpets. read more

By Peter Marsh
Published: February 13 2008 02:00 | Last updated: February 13 2008 02:00

For hundreds of thousands of years, wood was the answer to mankind’s energy needs. Now Tom Blades is giving a 21st-century twist to the age-old fuel by using waste wood as the starting material for a novel type of biofuel.

“We have at our disposal a set of technologies that could create a huge range of possibilities to reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels, and as a result help to combat global warming,” says Mr Blades, whose black Mercedes is emblazoned with the words “SunDiesel – made by Choren”. read more

By Tara Patel

Feb. 13 (Bloomberg) — Total SA, Europe’s third-largest oil company, said fourth-quarter profit rose 64 percent after new projects in Qatar, Angola and Azerbaijan boosted production and crude approached $100 a barrel.

Net income climbed to 3.6 billion euros ($5.2 billion) from 2.2 billion euros a year earlier, the Paris-based company said today in a statement. Profit excluding one-time items, changes in inventories and the value of a stake in drugmaker Sanofi- Aventis SA beat analysts’ estimates. read more

Reuters Wednesday February 13 2008 (Adds details)

PARIS, Feb 13 (Reuters) – French oil giant Total posted a forecast-beating 14 percent rise in fourth-quarter adjusted net profit on Wednesday, saying record oil prices and slightly higher production offset increased exploration costs.

Total predicted a significant rise in production in 2008 and stuck to its long-term target of increasing oil and gas production by an average 4 percent a year between 2006 and 2010.
The fourth-biggest western oil major earned an adjusted net profit — stripping out one-off items and changes in the value of inventory — of 3.107 billion euros in the final quarter. read more

February 13, 2008
Carl Mortished: European briefing

They are overpaid and over here. Alistair Darling’s squirm is all-too visible as he juggles with the hot plates – Britain’s rampaging money-go-round economy in one hand and the nation’s angry middle classes in the other. They push up house prices in nice neighbourhoods to levels we cannot afford, these non-domiciled plutocrats. Their over-achieving kids crowd our children out of the best private schools.

No one is yet citing the third libidinous excess that was attributed to non-domiciled Yankee troops during the Second World War. Today’s non-doms are overtired, it seems, and not a threat to our manhood. read more

Supply woes might raise fuel costs

Dina O’Meara, Calgary Herald
Published: Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Problems at one of three major oil refineries in Alberta have sparked a supply shortage for Shell retail and commercial gasoline stations in Western Canada, and might exacerbate an already tight market, experts said Tuesday.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s 98,000-barrel-per-day Scotford refinery has been running at reduced rates for several days, prompting the company to ration gasoline and diesel supplies to Shell stations in Saskatchewan, Alberta and northern British Columbia. read more