HARRISBURG — A bill extending unemployment benefits in Pennsylvania by seven weeks is nearing a state Senate vote after Democrats accused Republicans of bottling up the measure.

The Senate Labor and Industry voted unanimously Monday to pass the bill out of committee.

However, the committee amended the bill so that thousands of people who have already exhausted their 72 weeks of benefits earlier this month will also be eligible for the additional seven weeks.

A full Senate vote is expected Wednesday, although the Senate's amendment means another House vote is necessary before Gov. Ed Rendell can sign it.

The House passed the bill July 7.

The federal government would cover the extension for people who lost jobs in the private sector. Local governments would be required to cover the extension for their ex-employees.

NEW YORK — Viacom's second-quarter profit tumbled 32 percent as revenue fell amid a weak advertising market, slower video game sales and fewer movie releases.The media conglomerate controlled by billionaire Sumner Redstone earned $277 million, or 46 cents per share, compared with $407 million, or 65 cents per share, in the same quarter last year.Excluding 3 cents per share in severance charges, adjusted earnings were 49 cents in the latest quarter.Revenue slipped 14 percent to $3.3 billion.

LONDON — BP PLC, Europe's second largest oil company, said today that lower world oil prices drove second-quarter profit down by 53 percent compared with a year earlier and saw little sign of growing demand in the months ahead.Net profit for the period was $4.39 billion, down from $9.36 billion in the second quarter of last year but better than market forecasts. It was better than the $2.56 billion profit reported in the first quarter, when oil prices were in a deep slump.Oil prices rose off those lows during the second quarter, with Brent Blend oil averaging $59.13 a barrel in the second quarter compared to $44.46 in the first quarter — and $121.18 in the second quarter of 2008.