* The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade said the Russian Justice Ministry had approved documents on lifting the "ring fence" from around shares in the natural gas monopoly Gazprom to allow foreigners to buy stock
* The Russian industry and energy minister said a bill on lifting the "ring fence" around Russia's natural gas monopoly Gazprom to allow foreigners to buy shares would be submitted to parliament next week
* Leaders of countries in the Asia-Pacific region started meetings Friday in the South Korean city of Busan at a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum
* A Russian diplomat said Russia would pay bail of $500,000 for a former UN official, Vladimir Kuznetsov, charged with money laundering in a scandal that has rocked the global organization
