Morning Must Reads: December 4

This week Lev Grossman, the author of this week’s cover story about Mark Zuckerberg, “Half The World Is Not Enough,” will answer questions from TIME subscribers at 1 p.m. on Friday. You should read the story here.

Grossman, among many other things, is also the author of the Magician trilogy, a fantasy series, and the 2010 Person of the Year profile of Zuckerberg.

To ask Lev a question, please write them in the comments below or via Twitter using the #AskTime hashtag. His responses will only be available to subscribers, but it’s easy, cheap and worth it to subscribe. Just click here. You get one year for $40, including the print issues delivered to your home.

No Charges for Chokehold Cop

Wednesday’s announcement that a grand jury declined to indict a New York cop in the death of a man, by apparent chokehold, prompted protests around the city overnight and Attorney General Eric Holder to announce the opening of a federal civil-rights inquiry

Behind the Hack on Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures is the victim of an ongoing cyberattack, whose timing has led to increasing speculation that North Korea may have orchestrated it

3 Cosby Accusers Step Forward

L.A. attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing the accusers, demanded Cosby place $100 million in a fund for his alleged victims

House Passes Bill to Help Disabled Save for Living Expenses

The House overwhelmingly passed a bill on Wednesday that will help the disabled pay for a host of expenses — including education, housing, transportation and health — by cutting Medicare payments for penis pumps

Gun Battle Leaves 19 Dead in Chechen Capital

Militants attacked a checkpoint early Thursday in the capital of Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, leaving at least ten police officers and nine gunmen dead. The violence erupted hours before Vladimir Putin began his annual state of the nation address

David Beckham ‘Confident’ of Miami Soccer Team

David Beckham remains confident that he can bring a Major League Soccer franchise to Miami, despite the rejection of two proposed waterfront stadium venues by local government. “Miami is still David’s No. 1 choice, and it will happen,” said a spokesman

U.S. General Optimistic on Liberia’s Battle With Ebola

General David M. Rodriguez, the U.S. military commander for Africa, says he might be able to scale back operations in Liberia by next month. He said U.S. troops deployed there might be moved if progress reports continue to encourage optimism

Al Qaeda Threatens to Execute U.S. Hostage

Militants in Yemen have released a video threatening to execute Luke Somers, a 33-year old photojournalist and interpreter, in three days if its demands to the U.S. government are not met, according to a company that monitors terrorist groups

Jonah Hill In Talks To Star In Arms and the Dudes

Jonah Hill is in talks to star in Hangover producer Todd Phillips’ next project, a film about two arms dealers who travel to Afghanistan to execute a $300 million contract but find themselves extremely unprepared for the situation

Toyota Recalls Cars in Japan, China for Air Bags

Toyota is recalling 185,000 vehicles in Japan and 5,000 in China for possibly defective air bags supplied by Takata, the Japanese manufacturer at the center of an unfolding safety scandal. Some 14 million vehicles have been recalled worldwide over Takata air bags

Obama Issues Warning Over Xi Jinping’s Growing Power

U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday gave a stern assessment of what he called Chinese President Xi Jinping’s quick consolidation of power, expressing worries about the nation’s dubious human-rights record and insistent nationalism

AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd Scuffles With Witness

Troubled AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was detained by police on Thursday after getting into a scuffle with a witness in his pending court case but was released again on bail without facing further charges. Government prosecutors have argued that Rudd’s behavior has been erratic

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