Business briefs

CARACAS.France's Total and Venezuela will invest $25 billion to develop an oil field in the Orinoco region, part of the OPEC member's plan to greatly increase output in a decade with the help of foreign investors. Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA said in a statement that Total's investment in the Junin 10 field included the construction of an oil refinery or upgrader to turn the extra heavy crude into exportable oil.

MINNEAPOLIS.General Mills Inc., whose brands include Wheaties cereal and Yoplait yogurt, said Wednesday that its fiscal first-quarter profit surged 51 percent on strong demand for its products, handily beating expectations. The results prompted the food maker to lift its full-year earnings outlook. Shares rose $2.33, or 3.8 percent, to $63.30 in pre market trading.

BERLIN. The European Aviation Safety Agency has issued a safety warning for an air speed sensor used on Airbus A330 and A340 jets, and urged airlines to test the device. Experts have suggested the instruments, known as pitot tubes, may have contributed to the June crash of an Air France Airbus A330 that killed 228 people.

MCLEAN.Freddie Mac has named a new chief financial officer, filling a post that has been occupied on an interim basis for a year. The government controlled mortgage finance company tapped Ross Kari for the position.