(Photo: AP Photo/ABC, Eric McCandless)

In today’s news, Jason Collins of the Washington Wizards became the first openly gay member of an NBA team; the appointment of Anthony Foxx as transportation secretary adds diversity to Obama’s cabinet; and the Congressional Black Caucus wants to end the expense of calls from prison.

Jason Collins is first openly gay NBA player. [Sports Illustrated]

Obama cabinet has the diversity of his first term. [Bloomberg]

Congressional Black Caucus wants to end expensive prison calls. [BET]

Karzai confirms accepting CIA cash monthly for 10 years. [Wall Street Journal]

South Africa’s ANC defends its filmed visit to Mandela. [BBC]

Colleges adapt online courses to ease burden for students. [NYTimes]

Darfur to host large soccer tournament. [BBC]

Michael Jordan marries ex-model. [Jet]

Hurricane Sandy dumped 11 billion gallons of sewage in waterways. [USA Today]

Harold Washington remembered 30 years after becoming mayor of Chicago. [BET]

In today’s top news, all of Urban Prep Academy’s senior class is college-bound for the fourth year, Louisville’s Kevin Ware is recovering from surgery after a gruesome leg injury and the White House is expecting 35,000 people at the 135th Easter Egg Roll.

Urban Prep Academy, an all-Black male charter school in Chicago, is sending all of its students to college for the fourth year. [Chicago Sun Times]

Louisville’s Kevin Ware is recovering from surgery after a gruesome leg injury in last night’s game against Duke. [ABCNews]

A crowd of 35,000 is expected to show up to the White House lawn for the 135th Easter Egg Roll. [NBC Washington]

Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty for James Holmes, who was accused in last year’s movie theater massacre in Colorado. [Washington Post]

Philip Banks III, an African-American, is the new highest-ranking uniformed officer in the NYPD. [The Grio]

The Supreme Court is weighing in on race as they address the affirmative action and voting rights cases. [AP]

Conservatives attack Google for using its homepage to celebrate Cesar Chavez’s birthday and not Easter. [Politico]

Elwin Wilson, a former KKK supporter who apologized for years of violent racism toward Blacks, has died at 76. [AP]

The number of female tourists arriving to India has dropped by 35 percent in the past three months since the fatal Delhi rape. [The Guardian]

An Afghan teenager killed an American soldier by stabbing him in the neck while he played with a group of local children. [USA Today]

(Photo: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin tackling same-sex marriage cases, the former office of Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll has been shut down, and Sherry West, mother of slain baby wants killers dead.

The U.S. Supreme Court will tackle an appeal of California’s ban on same-sex marriage. [CNN]

Florida’s lieutenant governor’s office has been shut down since former Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll resigned. [Miami Herald]

Sherry West, mother of the slain baby in Brunswick, Georgia, demands “a life for a life” for the infant’s killer. [WPTV]

Italy’s Supreme Court ruled Amanda Knox should be retried for the death of her ex-roommate. [ABCNews]

2.2 million troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have struggled to readjust to American life according to a new report. [NBC News]

Chicago public school students march against school closing plan. [Chicago Tribune]

Pedro Quezada, a 44-year-old New Jersey man won the $338 million lottery ticket. [NBC News]

North Korea threatens to strike U.S. mainland. [Al Jazeera]

The bullets that killed Colorado prison chief Tom Clements came from the gun found with an inmate. [CNN]

Eight suicide bombers stormed a police compound in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, killing five police officers and injuring four. [LATimes]

(Photo: Myspace via New York Post)

In today’s top news, Timothy Dluhos, an FDNY employee, was suspended after being exposed for racist tweets, the U.S. Supreme Court will take on affirmative action and the Miami Heat won their 26th consecutive game.

Timothy Dluhos, a FDNY employee, has been suspended after being exposed for racist tweets. [NY Post]

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take on a new case involving affirmative action. [NYTimes]

The Miami Heat won their 26th consecutive game against the Orlando Magic. [AP]

A 14-year-old suspected of shooting a baby in  Brunswick, Georgia, will appear in court. [CNN]

Jessica Upshaw, a Mississippi lawmaker, was found dead with a self-inflicted gun shot wound to her head. [MSNEWSNOW]

Residents of Newtown, Connecticut, said they are outraged over robocalls they’ve received from the National Rifle Association. [ABCNews]

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., has become the second sitting U.S. senator in less than two weeks to endorse gay marriage. [CBS News]

A resident of New Jersey won the $338 million Powerball lottery ticket. [USA Today]

François Bozizé, the president of Central African Republic, fled to Cameroon after being overthrown by rebels. [ABCNews]

The U.S. has handed over to Afghanistan the only prison still under American control. [BBCNews]

In today’s top news, President Obama urged lawmakers to help him create jobs in last night’s State of the Union address, police believe rogue ex-LAPD officer Christopher Dorner was burned to death after a shootout and two men held for the death of Hadiya Pendleton say they mistook Pendleton and her friends for rival gang members.

President Obama urged lawmakers to work with him on creating jobs in last night’s State of the Union address. [BET]

Police believe rogue ex-LAPD officer Christopher Dorner was burned to death after a shootout with police in Big Bear Lake, California. [BET]

The two men held for the death of Hadiya Pendleton say they mistook Pendleton and her friends for rival gang members. [CBS]

Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake are planning to co-headline a 10-city tour this summer. [BET]

The Senate voted to renew the Violence Against Women Act. [AP]

Barry Bonds is asking a federal appeals court to throw out his felony conviction. [AP]

An Ohio mother was charged with helping her teen daughter beat up a girl at school. [HuffPo]

Stranded passengers on the Carnival Triumph cruise ship face an extra day at sea. [NBCNews]

South Sudan says Sudan is suspiciously bulking up its military along the countries’ contentious border. [AJE]

Canada will not send troops to Mali over worries that the country may become “another Afghanistan.” [Reuters]

(Photo: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/GettyImages)

In today’s top news, President Obama is expected to announce the return of 34,000 troops from Afghanistan in tonight’s State of the Union address; Rep. Keith Ellison called the GOP’s makeover efforts “putting lipstick on a pig”; and some Black L.A. residents are on guard as the manhunt for Chris Dorner continues.

President Obama is expected to announce the return of 34,000 troops from Afghanistan in tonight’s State of the Union address. [CNN]

Rep. Keith Ellison compared the GOP’s makeover efforts to “putting lipstick on a pig.” [BET]

Some Black, male residents of Los Angeles are wearing”don’t shoot” T-shirts after the manhunt for former cop Chris Dorner led to fatal cases of mistaken identity. [Newsone]

A 10-year-old was killed and two adults were injured when a Minnesota gunman opened fire in what authorities believe to be a “random shooting.” [Reuters]

Food stamp benefit amounts may be decreased soon if Congress doesn’t act. [NBCNews]

A Michigan attorney is running a free divorce sweepstakes for Valentine’s Day. [GMA]

In the wake of the pope’s resignation announcement, two African cardinals may be considered for the post. [BET]

Rapper Lil Mama will play the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes in a new biopic. [BET]

Mali is hesitant about allowing U.N. peacekeepers on its soil. [BBC]

South Africa seeks justice for the teenage rape victim who was found dead last week. [Reuters]

In today’s top news, Jay-Z and Kanye West lead 2012 Grammy nominations; Alicia Keys’ new album, Girl on Fire, takes the number-one spot on the Billboard charts; and a Texas  high school student allegedly shot himself while sitting in the back of a police cruiser.

Jay-Z and Kanye West lead 2012 Grammy nominations. [BET]

Alicia Keys’ new album, Girl on Fire, takes the number-one spot on the Billboard charts. [BET]

Police in Texas say a high school student shot himself while sitting in the back of a police cruiser. [AP]

A New York TSA screener has been accused of stealing iPads from passengers’ luggage. [NBCNews]

Forbes names Eddie Murphy the “most overpaid actor in Hollywood.” [BET]

Marijuana smokers in Seattle sparked up outside the Seattle Space Needle in celebration of the drug’s legalization. [USATODAY]

Barefoot “homeless” man famously given boots by NYPD officer has an apartment. [CNN]

Afghan president Hamid Karzai accused the U.S. of creating the country’s insecurity. [NBCNews]

Mali’s rebels agree to respect the country’s “national unity.” [AJE]

In today’s top news, Chavis Carter’s final autopsy report rules his death a suicide, President Obama blasts Rep. Tod Akin’s comments about pregnancy and rape and the New Black Panther Party is protesting the GOP convention in Tampa, Florida.

Chavis Carter’s final autopsy report rules his death a suicide. [CBS]

President Obama blasts Rep. Tod Akin’s comments about pregnancy and rape. [BET]

The New Black Panther Party is protesting the GOP convention in Tampa, Florida. [BET]

Diggy Simmons gets original movie pilot. [BET]

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi dies at age 57. [CSM]

A number of new voter ID laws are tied to conservative group ALEC. [News 21]

Illinois’ governor has authorized a tax on strip clubs that will benefit rape crisis centers. [GMA]

An Afghani insurgent rocket hit the plane of U.S. Army chief Gen. Martin Dempsey. [BBC]

Tuskegee Airman George Hickman dies at age 88. [BET]

A federal appeals court ruled that Alabama public schools may not check the immigration status of new students. [AP]

In today’s top news, Claressa Shields wins the first ever gold for U.S. women’s Olympic boxing, Usain Bolt adds to his Olympic legend with a historic gold win in the 200m race and three U.S. troops are killed by a man in an Afghanistan military uniform.

Claressa Shields wins the first ever gold for U.S. women’s Olympic boxing. [ESPN]

Usain Bolt adds to his Olympic legend with a historic gold win in the 200m race. [AP]

Three U.S. troops are killed by a man in an Afghanistan military uniform. [CNN]

Gabby Douglas is eagerly recruited by Spelman College. [TMZ]

Kenya aims to become the first African nation to host the Olympics. [CNN]