TODAY: News agency shut down over profanity; Ukraine’s shale gas plan may pollute Russian water; new Foreign Ministry row with U.S.; Greenpeace denies Sechin’s allegation; Rosneft in Arctic deal with PetroVietnam; Snowden finds job; Sochi price tag draws attention; Kudrin returns to inner sanctum.

A court in Moscow has shut down the 13-year-old online news agency Rosbalt for posting videos containing profane language – including a Pussy Riot clip – under the new law that bans profanity in the media.  The European Union is in talks to team up with the International Monetary Fund to provide standby financing for Ukraine in the event of economic sanctions or pressure from Russia.  Ukraine’s plan to drill for shale gas – part of a plan to reduce dependence on Russian supplies – may pollute downstream water on its neighbour’s territory, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature.  The Foreign Ministry is demanding an explanation from the U.S. after it blacklisted popular Russian singer and decorated Kremlin supporter, Grigory Lepsveridze (aka “Grigory Lips”).  The U.S. says Lepsveridze works as a money courier for a crime syndicate known as the Brothers’ Circle.  Greenpeace has denied Igor Sechin’s accusation that the protest that led to 30 arrests in September was sponsored by a competitor.  Rosneft will jointly develop offshore gas reserves in the Arctic with PetroVietnam.  Novatek and Gazprom Neft are fighting Rosneft for Italian gas assets.