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Friends of an American missionary killed while illegally visiting a remote tribe didn’t stop him because “that’s what God is calling him to do”
For at least two years, John Chau, 26, had been telling his friends about his plan to travel to the Andaman Islands in India to try to teach the remote Sentinelese tribe about Jesus Christ.
Last week, Chau arrived on North Sentinel Island. Tribe members, who remain completely disconnected from the outside world, then shot him with arrows and killed him.
According to someone who knew him well, Chau knew the tribe were isolated and that previous attempts at contact over the years had resulted in them attacking whoever approached with spears and arrows. He also knew it was illegal to go there.
Here’s how his friend put it: “He was very well aware of the dangers and the fact that it is illegal.”
Here’s a guide to spotting fake Amazon reviews
Yes, there are absolutely people trying to trick you today. We put together a handy guide to avoiding fake reviews on Amazon.
As more consumers prefer to shop online, you should know that retailers are trying to get you to visit their physical stores this weekend.
And by the way: We are tracking all the best Black Friday deals on the internet for you. This page will update throughout the day.
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A teen wrote an award-winning essay about gun violence. Then a stray bullet killed her in her home. “We live in a state of chaos,” wrote 13-year-old Sandra Parks two years ago in an essay that won third place in a contest honoring Martin Luther King Jr. On Monday evening, Sandra was shot dead while watching TV in her bedroom in Milwaukee.
Trump said he’s thankful for himself this Thanksgiving, then went to a golf course. The president said he’s grateful for his “great family” and the “tremendous impact” he says he has had on the country.
The man who allegedly pulled a gun on black Muslim teens at a McDonald’s has been arrested. Lloyd Edward Johnson, 55, was taken into custody after a cellphone video of him allegedly brandishing the weapon at a group of Somali teens went viral on Twitter.
A FedEx driver won’t be charged after the man he punched for yelling racist remarks at him later died. Joseph Magnuson, 55, died after being struck by Timothy Warren, but prosecutors determined Warren was within his rights to defend himself.
It was absolutely freezing cold for everyone at the Thanksgiving parade this year, except Kelly Clarkson. As the record-low temperatures hit the parade, many artists chose to lip-synch. Clarkson, however, refused. She told parade officials that she had brought her entire band — including a horn section — because “I sing live.”
These jewelry store employees fought off a gang of would-be robbers with swords. The four suspects in Mississauga, Ontario, exited a car and began bashing in a shop window using hammers. Then, in a wild video, the three workers can be seen wielding swords and running at the suspects as they climb over the broken glass.
The live-action Lion King teaser is finally here and it is glorious. The film will star Beyoncé and Donald Glover, and all I can say is wow.
Because you need a minute for yourself, away from your family
Here are some longreads to facilitate your escape.
What Amazon Reviews Reveal About Humanity. Yes, you read Amazon reviews to understand the product before you buy it. But there’s also something else going on. Jen Doll wrote a thoughtful piece about the joy of reading reviews. Here’s a taste: “In these reviews, more than products or quirky purchasing behaviors or even words, I see people. They are hard not to love, even if I don’t agree with their coffee habits or how they decorate or what they’re going to be for Halloween. That’s just fine.”
Why Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Instagram Is So Good. The congresswoman-elect is good at social media. Like, really good. Katherine Miller reflects on her Instagram presence and what makes people interested in following her closely: “Even if it’s driving you nuts, that this socialist is subsuming the energy directed at her into ever-expanding power, it’s sort of…fun. It’s like one of us is joining Congress.”
What Is It About Costco? Don’t lie, browsing Costco is sacred to you. I know this because it’s sacred to everyone. Emily Mester looks at the devotion the stores inspire. From her essay: “The endless, the bottomless, the lifetime guarantee — these promises are not to be underestimated, because their flipside is terrifying. To want a boundless supply means also to acknowledge a boundless need. We tend to hunger.”
My Relationship With Food Is A Mess And That’s Fine. Food is complicated. Maybe it makes sense that our relationship with it isn’t straightforward either. Katie Okamoto explores this idea in a powerful essay from earlier this year. From the piece: “Our eating habits follow the same ideology as our culture in general, which is to say, self-improvement and optimization at all times, no excuses. No matter what your flavor — wellness or hedonism or well-hedonism — there is a best way to eat, and you’d better be striving.”