The US is “disappointed but not surprised” at Russia’s response to its strikes on a Syrian air base suspected of storing chemical weapons. At least six people are reported to have been killed in the US missile strikes early on Friday. Syria’s ally Russia accused the US of encouraging “terrorists” with its unilateral actions. “I’m disappointed in that response,” said …

First Sweden was the country to emulate, when former education secretary Michael Gove was enthused by free schools. Then attention turned to Shanghai, and an initiative to improve the standard of maths in primary schools by bringing Chinese teachers to the UK. Now, though, we are taking a leaf out of Russia’s book as ministers seek to improve the supply …

Vast as a sea and deep as an ocean trench, Russia’s Lake Baikal is one of the world’s great natural wonders. With a surface area bigger than Belgium, it contains nearly one quarter of all the world’s freshwater, which is more than the five American Great Lakes combined. Baikal is truly a lake of superlatives. The Earth’s deepest inland body …