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fromThe Atlantic
1 week agoAn Unexpected Type of Beach Read
Reading thrilling nonfiction about disasters can be an enjoyable escape, even in relaxing settings like a pool.
On Nov. 6, 1860, former Illinois congressman Abraham Lincoln of the Republican Party was elected president of the United States as he defeated John Breckinridge, John Bell and Stephen Douglas. Also on this date: In 1861, an unopposed Jefferson Davis was elected to a six-year term as president of the Confederate States of America, after serving much of the year as its provisional president.
In 1857, the S.S. Central America (also known as the Ship of Gold) sank off the coast of South Carolina after sailing into a hurricane in one of the worst maritime disasters in American history; 425 people were killed and thousands of pounds of gold sank with the ship to the bottom of the ocean. In 1940, the Lascaux cave paintings, estimated to be 17,000 years old, were discovered in southwestern France.
Large parts of Asia are experiencing extreme rainfall, with significant impacts observed in Hong Kong, northern India, and Japan. Hong Kong issued multiple black rainstorm warnings, marking a record for a single week. The rainfall in Uttarakhand caused flash floods and landslides, leading to one fatality and numerous missing persons. Japan saw record-level rainfall in Kanazawa, resulting in disruptions to transportation and infrastructure, as an area of low pressure contributed to intense weather. Heavy precipitation is expected to continue across the region, impacting South Korea as well.