HONG KONG — Hong Kong's civil servants returned to work and schools were reopening today as a massive pro-democracy protest that has occupied much of the city center for the week dwindled.

Student demonstrators say they have taken early steps to begin talks with the government on their demands for wider political reforms, but actual negotiations have not started and many disagreements remain.

At the government headquarters, where some protesters agreed to remove barriers blocking roads Sunday ahead of the government's deadline to scale back their protests, the scene was orderly as government officials arrived for work. About 25 or so remaining protesters, mostly young students, looked on as a dozen police stood guard nearby.

SAN RAMON, Calif. — Chevron's Canadian subsidiary is selling its 30 percent stake in its Duvernay shale play to Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration in a $1.5 billion deal.The Duvernay shale play is in west-central Alberta, Canada.Once the deal closes, Chevron Canada will still have a 70 percent stake in Duvernay and will continue as its operator.Chevron Canada has drilled 16 wells since starting its exploration program.The deal is targeted to close in November.