- A Chinese media take on the latest North Korean test. (Thanks Malcolm.)
- Gripping piece about the appalling treatment of pregnant women in India.
- The role Microsoft Excel played in the woes of the global finance industry.
- Here's one for Stephen Grenville: Misplaced concerns about central bank independence.
- 18 complicated scientific ideas explained simply. (Thanks Samantha.)
- Bill Gates did a Reddit interview. He likes Pinker's Better Angels of Our Nature and the Nordic countries:
Q. What is something that needs to be changed in the world, but money wont help?
BG: It would be nice if all governments were as rational as the Nordic governments - reaching compromise and providing services broadly. The Economist had a nice special section on this last week. Africa governments have often been weak but you can't write a check to change that. Fortunately the average quality is going up. Mo Ibrahim tracks this in a great way.