Mr. Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, like to claim that we now live in a multipolar world.

Breastbeams—wood, cast steel, angles and channels—are carefully designed, with a big overmargin of strength.

Pulse […] are, in the ordinary practice of the district, planted by women, and hoed by women and children, once, twice, and sometimes thrice; giving the crop, when the soil is sufficiently free from root weeds, a gardenly appearance; which is beautiful to the eye, in the former part of the summer […]

Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16.[…]There are no inspectors, no exams until the age of 18, no school league tables, no private tuition industry, no school uniforms. […]