It used to be joked that the main qualifications for attendance at its ministerial bashes were the ability to speak English, and a fondness for golf, karaoke and durian, a pungent fruit.

ECONOMIST: Banyan

The revised AS-level, replacing the Advanced Supplementary exam, was one of the main recommendations arising from Lord Dearing's review of qualifications for 16 to 19 year olds.

BBC: Exam expert says 'too much testing'

In Russia the main intrigue is why Ms Vasilyeva, who got her legal qualifications only in 2009 after working as a cook (among other jobs), chose to spill the beans.

ECONOMIST: The Khodorkovsky case