For You: Jill Biden’s White House Christmas Looks Very … Normal

Plus, Israeli Company's Spyware Is Used to Target U.S. Embassy Employees in Africa

December 5, 2021 Hello. Every day, we'll send you stories we think you'll love. Let us know what you're interested in to improve your recommendations. Choose your interests WHAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED TODAY Israeli Company's Spyware Is Used to Target U.S. Embassy Employees in Africa In the Michigan Shooting, What Is the School's Responsibility? How a Cream Cheese Shortage Is Affecting N.Y.C. Bagel Shops Public Displays of Resignation: Saying 'I Quit' Loud and Proud U.S. Intelligence Sees Russian Plan for Possible Ukraine Invasion Go to homepage FROM STYLE Vanessa Friedman Jill Biden's White House Christmas Looks Very … Normal You won't find any blood-red trees this year. Vanessa Friedman Virgil Abloh, Path-Blazing Designer, Is Dead at 41 His expansive approach to design inspired comparisons to artists including Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons. For him, clothes were totems of identity. Maureen Dowd Denzel Washington, Man on Fire The actor never leans in — he's all in. And in his latest, "Macbeth," conjured by Joel Coen, he is as sharp and deadly as a dagger. BASED ON YOUR INTERESTS Michael Corkery and Sapna Maheshwari Thefts, Always an Issue for Retailers, Become More Brazen In recent months, robberies have been more visible, with several involving large groups rushing into stores and coming out with armloads of goods. Maria Cramer Honeybees Survived for Weeks Under Volcano Ash After Canary Islands Eruption For roughly 50 days, thousands of honeybees sealed themselves in their hives, away from deadly gas, and feasted on honey. "It is a very empowering story," one entomologist said. Stephanie Nolen The Variant Hunters: Inside South Africa's Effort to Stanch Dangerous Mutations Scientists in a cutting-edge laboratory do part of the work. Local health workers on foot do the rest. Troy Closson U.S. Opens Civil Rights Investigation Into Police in New York Suburb The inquiry will focus on whether the Mount Vernon department engaged in a "pattern or practice of unlawful policing," officials said. Nelson D. Schwartz and Talmon Joseph Smith November Jobs Report Shows Weak Hiring but a Surge in the Labor Force Employers reported adding 210,000 jobs, the year's weakest showing, but there were also bright spots. The mixed picture complicated policy prospects. IMPROVE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS Science The wonders of humans and our world Books to Read Suggested reading from Times editors Health & Fitness Health news and expert advice TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT Gina Cherelus When Did Spotify Wrapped Get So Chatty? This year's data dump from the streaming music service leaned heavily on contemporary buzzwords and slang — and inspired many, many memes. Victor Mather All Women and All Alone: Monobob Leads New Events for 2022 Olympics Mixed-gender events have been added in snowboarding, speedskating and ski jumping, but bobsled's new competition is for women only. Julia Carmel Alok Vaid-Menon Finds Beauty Beyond Gender The fluid artist moves seamlessly among poetry, comedy, fashion and writing. Elizabeth Preston How Bat Moms Give Bat Pups Their Sense of Direction Scientists were surprised to discover that at least one bat species carries its young to an unsupervised drop-off point night after night. Jennifer Finney Boylan Opinion | Rudeness Is On the Rise. You Got a Problem With That? How do we respond to a culture in which the guardrails of so-called civility are gone? TAKE A BREAK, PLAY A GAME The Mini Crossword Solve this bite-sized puzzle in just a few minutes. Spelling Bee How many words can you make with 7 letters? Tiles Match visual elements and keep your chain going. See all our games THAT'S IT FOR TODAY Help us find the best stories for you. Choose your interests To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to the Times|Get the NYT app Change Your Email|Privacy Policy|Contact|Advertise|California Notices The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018