And if that were not bad enough, they copied it incompetently, failing to charge the full price of power, or to set up an orderly regulatory structure, or to develop capital markets to fund new investment.

ECONOMIST: At last, a market for energy

Russia and Iran are both believed to have renewed their commitment only to allow Bashar al-Assad to go as part of a balanced orderly transition that would retain much of the regime structure and state institutions.

BBC: Syria: Proxy war heats up as endgame inches closer

"Often, you find people have gone right back to basics in everything, right down to how do you structure lessons and get children around the school in an orderly fashion, " he said.

BBC: Inspectors focus on failing schools