Headlines from December 5, 2014

Loretta Lynch to lead inquiry into Eric Garner’s death while Republican Senators vet her for attorney general.
Two weeks after the death of Tamir Rice, Justice Department finds pattern of excessive force by Cleveland Police.
De Blasio announces three-day retraining course for 22,000 New York City cops.
Of note: Car thief attempts to escape police with skateboard.
China decried for lack of internet freedom, but other countries are increasingly following its lead.
See also: Europe and North America tend to write their own Wikipedia entries.
Gambian activists hope Western outrage over LGBT persecution will lead to greater scrutiny of dictator’s abuses.
Town Not Ready for Sushi. Earth-shattering local news stories from the UK in 2014.
Related: Matthew Baldwin’s round-up of the best board games of the year.
In pursuit of the War on Terror, we lost the War on Drugs in Afghanistan. #longreads
Obama’s executive action on immigration still leaves millions of undocumented people—primarily women—with too few options. #opinions
Putin delivers his state-of-the-union address and blames troubles on the West.
Eric Garner’s asthma correlated with racism: minorities breathe worse air than whites.
Alicia Keys releases protest anthem she recorded at home, plans to hit the streets despite her pregnancy.
British fashion vlogger becomes UK’s best-selling UK debut novelist ever, with the best-selling hardcover title for 2014.
Seven writers, many with books published, explain why they still need day jobs.
These surfaces are occupied predominantly by our friends. Researchers prove that public restrooms aren’t any dirtier than other spaces.
Your weekend consideration: Whether or not to blanket your horse for winter.