- Al Qaida (or what remains of it) has decided that the 9/11 attacks were a mistake.
- What's the difference between a rock and an island? It sounds like a children's riddle, but the answer could determine war and peace in the South China Sea.
- 2013, the best year in human history. (Thanks Dirk.)
- Do foreign journalists in China self-censor? TIME's Beijing correspondent answers. (Thanks Danielle.)
- Francis Fukuyama on the decay of American political institutions.
- The Washington Post answers some FAQs about the Trans Pacific Partnership.
- Barack Obama's 50-minute Q&A on Iran and US Middle East policy.
- Some smart writing on the future of intelligence from a former senior US spook:
Intelligence agencies are powerful, secret organizations in a democratic culture that is deeply hostile to power and secrecy. The only way to square this circle is to make the rules public and to demonstrate to the public that the rules are obeyed. This is a strategic proposition. Subordinating it to transient tactical advantage is foolish.