Today’s picks
1. Major earthquake strikes Panama—damage and injuries are expected
A major earthquake has struck Panama, with damage and injuries expected. The event was a strike-slip rupture, a mechanism in which crustal blocks slide horizontally past one another, and strong aftershocks could follow. Details remain limited for now, and casualty and damage figures may shift as reports emerge. It is worth following as the situation and aftershock risk develop.
2. Professional sumo-wrestling comes to America
Professional sumo is trying to win over American audiences. This piece profiles the promoters and organizers betting that the United States will embrace Japan’s ancient sport, and looks at what it takes to transplant a deeply traditional competition into a new commercial market. It is a portrait of cultural export as a business — and of the believers wagering that sumo can find a lasting foothold far from home.
3. How Hurricane Isaias got so dangerously strong so fast
The Category 3 storm intensified overnight and is now headed toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. The article explains what is known about Hurricane Isaias’s rapid strengthening and what to watch next. It is worth reading for a concise look at how quickly a hurricane can turn dangerous.
4. Plot Twist newsletter: Silicon Valley is taking over your screen
In this edition of the Plot Twist newsletter, The Economist’s culture editor Alexandra Suich Bass asks whether Silicon Valley’s bad boys make for good viewing. As tech founders increasingly become screen characters, she weighs the drama they offer against the storytelling pitfalls. A short, sharp read for anyone tracking where tech culture meets entertainment.
5. Labour’s last chance? The people shaping Andy Burnham’s grand plans for Britain – podcast
This podcast looks at Andy Burnham’s grand plans for Britain and the people shaping them. It asks whether a new prime minister who vows to end 40 years of neoliberalism is really prepared to be that radical. It offers a useful guide to Labour’s last chance—and the political forces that may define or constrain it.
By publication
The Economist
- Professional sumo-wrestling comes to America
- Plot Twist newsletter: Silicon Valley is taking over your screen
Scientific American
- Major earthquake strikes Panama—damage and injuries are expected
- How Hurricane Isaias got so dangerously strong so fast