Business news for Tue, 27 Nov 2007 & with word plan. 32 news.

State health and environmental officials yesterday agreed to conduct more comprehensive monitoring of soil and groundwater as they embark on a plan to treat a massive toxic plume in Bay Shore.

COMPASS Group Plc, the world's largest catering company, may say today that annual profit advanced after the company exited unprofitable contracts and pared back the number of countries it operates in. Net income rose 13 percent to 320.8 million pounds (US$664 million) in the year ended on September 30, from 285 million pounds a year earlier, the average of seven analysts' estimates compiled by Bloomberg News shows. Pretax profit gained 16 percent to 433.8 million pounds and sales fell 3.7 percent to 10.4 billion pounds, according to the average of 16 and 17 estimates, respectively. The caterer has pruned costs as part of a plan to revive earnings growth by slimming down a company that managers have said is too complex. Compass, which serves food at the Chicago Cubs baseball team's Wrigley Field, planned to exit 10 countries and save 50 million pounds by the end of the year. Increases in food prices may hamper the company's ability to reduce expenses, analysts have said.

IN Europe, Nestle SA has made Nespresso its fastest-growing brand by promoting it as sexier than George Clooney, who endorses the espresso in ads. America, where the heartthrob refuses to advertise the product, will be a harder sell. The world's largest coffee maker is stepping up expansion of its Nespresso single-serve espresso system in the United States as part of a plan to double sales of the product to two billion Swiss francs (US$1.8 billion) by 2009. Nespresso machines only function with pods of coffee made and sold by Nestle. As demonstrated by Clooney, who doesn't want his image used for any US product endorsements, according to his spokesman, Stan Rosenfeld, what works on one side of the ocean may not succeed on the other. Latte-loving Americans shell out 70 percent of their coffee spending outside the home at chains including Starbucks Corp. Senseo, a similar espresso maker from Royal Philips Electronics NV and Sara Lee Corp that was a hit in Europe, failed to meet

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Clay Chastain is heaving a desperation pass to save the light-rail plan he created, voters approved and the Kansas City Council repealed.

Costa Coffee, the coffee bar chain owned by leisure group Whitbread, has announced plans to step up its expansion into China ahead of the Olympic Games in Beijing next year.

By offering to supply Europe with natural gas via a pipeline through Turkey, Iran hopes to boost its influence. Plan B: violence

(Crain's) -- Suppress that afternoon craving for Egg McMuffins. McDonald's Corp. doesn't plan to offer all-day breakfast anytime soon. Some franchisees believed the Oak Brook-based chain would soon extend breakfast service past 11 a.m., but a McDonald's executive shot down the idea Tuesday. ...

Question: How many single people do you know?

Essar has announced a $6bn expansion plan to more than triple capacity at its refinery, while Reliance, at its site a few kilometres away, is working on plans to almost double capacity.

Tracinda, Kerkorian's investment firm, withdrew its offer for a minority stake in Tesoro, citing the oil refiner's plan for a "poison pill."

Tracinda, the investment company of the billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, withdrew its $1.4 billion tender offer for 16 percent of Tesoro, citing a stockholder-rights plan adopted by the oil refiner. The rights plan “inhibits value for all Tesoro shareholders by, among other things, restricting the ability of shareholders to vote, sell or acquire Tesoro shares freely [...]

Canada and China have come up with a plan to ensure that their consumer products are safe and to make sure problems can be dealt with more effectively when they arise.

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Tracinda Corp. said Tuesday it's withdrawing its cash tender offer of $64 a share for up to 21.875 million shares, or 16%, of Tesoro Corp. , after the oil refiner initiated a poison pill provision in its bylaws last week. "The rights plan recently adopted by the Tesoro Board of Directors inhibits value for all Tesoro shareholders by, among other things, restricting the ability of shareholders to vote, sell or acquire Tesoro shares freely without fear of triggering the draconian provisions of the rights plan," said Tracinda, the holding company for billionaire Kirk Kerkorian. The poison pill would have been triggered if any shareholder acquired more than 20% of Tesoro. It would not have applied, however, if Tracinda had followed through with its tender offer, which would have raised its total stake in the Houston firm to nearly 20%.

Irving Oil has submitted its plans to the New Brunswick government for an environmental impact assessment of its proposed second oil refinery in Saint John.

David Cameron calls for a simpler tax regime to help business and pledges to fight a capital gains tax hike.

Glaxo acquired the rights to sell a cholesterol-lowering drug without a prescription in the U.S., but may face FDA hurdles.

Several large public pension funds are reducing holdings in U.S. stocks, part of a long-term plan to fund other investments.

South African miners plan a nationwide one-day strike on 4 December in protest at poor safety in the country's mines.

A plan to distribute laptops to the developing world is being held back by cautious politicians, a spokesman says.