Energy minister quits
Mexican Energy Minister Fernando Elizondo has resigned to run for a Senate seat.
Elizondo, who has been in his post for little over a year, is seeking to become a senator for the northern state of Nuevo Leon, where he was formerly governor, local media said.

His departure means the third switch at the ministry since President Vicente Fox came to power in 2000 and appointed businessman Ernesto Martens, rated a weak negotiator, as energy minister.
Martens was replaced in a 2003 reshuffle by Felipe Calderon, who quit nine months later after a row with Fox.
Heading the Energy Ministry is seen as one of the toughest jobs in Mexican politics due to stiff resistance in the opposition-dominated Congress to reforms that analysts say are vital if Mexico is to remain a major crude oil exporter.
Elizondo has used scare statistics to try and force changes – warning that without billion-dollar investments in deep-sea oil exploration, Mexico could fall from being the world’s number nine oil exporter to being a net importer in 10 years’ time.
But he still failed to convince opponents to allow private investment in the oil and gas sector, nationalised in 1938.

Chairman appointed
Nicor Inc said it appointed Russ Strobel as chairman of the board of the company and its subsidiary Nicor Gas, replacing Thomas Fisher, who will be resigning from the boards.
Strobel currently serves as chief executive of Nicor and Nicor Gas. He replaced Fisher as corporate CEO in March. The moves are effective November 1.
Strobel joined Nicor in December 2000 as senior vice-president, general counsel and secretary.
He has moved through a series of positions of increasing responsibility, becoming executive vice-president of Nicor Inc in February 2002, president of Nicor Inc and Nicor Gas in October 2002, and president and chief executive officer of Nicor Gas in November 2003.
He was appointed to the board of directors in January 2004.