All the principals expressed concerns about older students who did not fall within the 16-19 year old age range target of the government and emphasised that a clearer picutre would not emerge until the Scottish Funding Council had revealed its priorities for the reallocation of funds from regions in its budgets.

BBC: Education and Lifelong Learning Committee 2

The State Council also pointed to a big wealth gap between the urban and rural regions and vowed to provide more fiscal support for the less developed central and western regions of the country.

WSJ: China to Make State Firms Turn Over More Profits

The council has complained to Russian Prosecutor-General Yuri Chaika about increased checks carried out on NGOs in 13 regions.

BBC: Russian police raid rights group Memorial and other NGOs

The free-market Moderates who, with their coalition partners, run Stockholm's council, regard all this as a triumph, citing what they claim are shorter waiting times for treatment than other regions as their vindication.

ECONOMIST: Health: Stockholm syndrome | The