(Photo: AP Photo/Abdukareem Haruna)

In today’s news, the United States is weighing an overhaul of wiretap laws to extend to the internet; President Obama will dine with congressional Democrats; and more than 50 people were killed in a militant raid in Nigeria.

America is weighing overhaul of wiretap laws. [NY Times]

Obama to dine with House Democrats. [USA Today]

More than 50 killed in Nigeria militant raid. [BBC]

Florida A&M names alumnus as new band director. [USA Today]

Delaware becomes 11^th state to approve same-sex marriage. [Fox]

Catholics in Kenya oppose advertisement for condoms. [BBC]

Ja Rule released from prison. [TMZ]

Leader of Black farmers strikes back at New York Times article. [BET]

Louisiana Supreme Court rules voucher funding violates state constitution. [Nola.com]

Cleveland dishwasher becomes national hero in kidnapping case. [BET]

In today’s top news, Michelle Obama writes an open letter to Newtown, church bells in Newtown chimes 26 times in honor of the Sandy Hook shooting victims, and Fat Joe pleads guilty to tax evasion.

Michelle Obama writes an open letter to Newtown. [BET]

Church bells in Newtown chimes 26 times in honor of the Sandy Hook shooting victims. [NBCNews]

Fat Joe pleads guilty to tax evasion. [BET]

Sarah Palin bashed President Obama’s TIME Person of the Year win. [CNN]

The CDC reports that new infections of HIV among African-American women have declined. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Singer Frank Ocean is facing a $1 million lawsuit from his estranged father. [BET]

Katt Williams was detained in front of a Subway restaurant. [TMZ]

Cuba Gooding Jr., Vanessa Williams and Cicely Tyson will star in the Broadway play “The Trip to Bountiful.” [Grio]

ESPN suspends host Rob Parker for RGIII comments. [Grio]

Archbishop Desmond Tutu likens Uganda’s anti-gay laws to apartheid. [Sapa-AFP]

Humanitarian groups warn that a Mali intervention will harm civilians. [VOA]

In today’s top news, President Obama and Mitt Romney throw down in the first debate of the election season, a new campaign ad pits African-Americans against immigrants and the Chicago Teacher’s union approved a new contract.

President Obama and Mitt Romney throw down in the first debate of the election season. [BET]

A new campaign ad pits African-Americans against immigrants. [The Hill]

The Chicago Teacher’s Union approved a new contract ending their dispute with the city that led to strikes. [NBCNews]

A New Orleans city attorney  is cited after a joint falls of his pocket in court. [NBCNews]

Rihanna and Chris Brown were spotted attending a Jay-Z concert together. [BET]

Production of the Aretha Franklin biopic is back on. [BET]

Facebook hits 1 billion users. [CNN]

South Africa gets ready for an HIV vaccine trial. [AllAfrica]

A group of 60 Liberian prisoners staged a massive jailbreak. [BBC]

In today’s top news, South Africa’s deadly mine riots highlight squalid conditions of life on the mine, Rihanna told Oprah that she will always love Chris Brown and actress Zoe Saldana is slated to play Nina Simone in a biopic about the late singer.

South Africa’s deadly mine riots highlight squalid conditions of life on the mine. [AFP]

Rihanna told Oprah that she will always love ex Chris Brown. [BET]

Several charities have accused Rihanna of sanctioning domestic violence after her Oprah interview. [Independent]

Actress Zoe Saldana is slated to play Nina Simone in a biopic about the late singer. [BET]

The National Association of Black Journalists laments the lack of minority moderators scheduled for presidential debates. [BET]

A government health panel may make HIV testing as routine as cholesterol screenings. [Reuters]

A GOP Senate candidate is under fire after stating that women can’t get pregnant if it is a “legitimate rape.” [Yahoo]

First Lady Michelle Obama will visit the victims of the Sikh temple shooting Thursday. [CNN]

Nicki Minaj was forced to cancel two concert dates this weekend because of damaged vocal chords. [AP]

Ebola breaks out in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [BBC]

In today’s top news, Olympic swimmer Lia Neal wins a bronze medal, a Mississippi church bans a Black couple’s wedding and HIV-positive women in Namibia are being sterilized.

HIV-positive women are being forced to undergo forced sterilization in Namibia, lawyers say. [BBC]

A Mississippi church bans a Black couple’s wedding. [BET]

Swimmer Lia Neal wins a bronze medal. [NYDN]

Mike Tyson and Spike Lee team up to bring the boxer’s life to Broadway. [USA Today]

Team U.S.A. basketball team is a shoe-in to become the Olympic champion. [LA Times]

An Ebola outbreak in Uganda has left at least 14 dead. [CNN]

Colorado shooting suspect to be led to court through underground tunnel. [CNN]

A new test might prove that Michael Jackson’s doctor was innocent. [CNN]

In today’s top news, The Jeffersons actor Sherman Hemsley has died at 74, Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones tweets about sweating out her hair, and the Jackson family feud escalates.

Michael Jackson’s siblings are barred from their mother’s house as the family feud escalates. [BET]

Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones’ tweets about sweating out her hair sparks familiar discussion on Black women, hair and fitness. [ESPNW]

The Jeffersons actor Sherman Hemsley has died at 74. [BET]

Study shows that Black teens are most likely to use contraceptives, but still “need to do a lot more.” [AP]

Former President Bill Clinton eulogizes Sylvia Woods at the soul-food queen’s funeral. [AP]

Ghana President Atta Mills has died only days after celebrating his 68th birthday. [BET]

Christian Bale from The Dark Knight Rises paid a surprise visit to victims of the Colorado shooting. [CNN]

Dallas Cowboys player Dez Bryant and his mother deny any family violence but plan to attend counseling. [ESPN]

At least 35 dead and several missing in central Nigeria floods. [ALJ]

In today’s top news, The Wire cast will be hosting a fundraiser for the Obama campaign, the International AIDS conference has kicked off in Washington, D.C., and the Colorado massacre gunman may face the death penalty.

The Colorado massacre gunman James Holmes may face the death penalty. [BET]

The International AIDS conference kicked off in Washington, D.C., this week. [BET]

The Wire cast will be hosting a fundraiser for the Obama campaign at Martha’s Vineyard. [NYDN]

The European Union announces plans to vacate sanctions against Zimbabwe if a “credible” referendum is held. [Aljazeera]

Rapper Ice-T defends the right to bear arms: “That’s the last form of defense against tyranny.” [Politico]

An Olympic hopeful launches Nigeria’s first bone marrow registry. [NPR]

Team USA basketball team honors the 1992 Dream Team during close game against Argentina. [FOX Latino]

Mariah Carey officially signs on to be on the American Idol judge panel. [BET]

The Jackson family is still at odds about Katherine Jackson’s whereabouts. [CNN]

Georgia Supreme court halts the execution of a death-row inmate who may be mentally ill. [MSNBC]

In today’s top news, Trayvon Martin’s shooter George Zimmerman says events were “all God’s plans,” Emmy nominations are announced this morning, and Penn State will respond to the NCAA’s demand for information within days.

Mad Men and ‘merican Horror Story lead the Emmy Awards pack so far with 17 nominations. [LA Times]

Trayvon Martin’s shooter George Zimmerman says events that fateful night were “all God’s plans.” [BET]

Penn State will respond to the NCAA’s demand for information. [Sports Illustrated]

Report: HIV-AIDS rate of Black gay males in the U.S. are the highest in the world. [AFP]

Black U.K. newspaper is granted access to Olympic Stadium after protests and petition. [The Guardian]

Rapper Ms. Melodie of Boogie Down Productions has died. [BET]

Older African-Americans and Hispanics are hit hardest by foreclosure. [AP]

About 100 people missing after ferry accident in Zanzibar. [BBC]

Mitt Romney is “not enthusiastic” about revealing his earlier tax returns. [REUTERS]

Next iPhone to be slimmer and lighter. [WSJ]

Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images

In today’s top news, Lia Neal is the second African-American female to make the U.S. Olympic swimming team, the African Union Commission elects its first woman leader, and recently signed New York Knicks player Jason Kidd is charged with DWI.

Lia Neal, 17,  is the second African-American female to make the U.S. Olympic swimming team. [NYT]

For the first time a woman has been elected to head the 54-nation African Union Commission. [Al-Jazeera]

George Zimmerman wants judge to recuse himself. [ABC]

NAACP turns to Black churches “to dispel HIV myths and spread the truth” in the community. [Washington Post]

New York Knicks player Jason Kidd is charged with DWI after crashing his vehicle this weekend. [CSM]

A child’s waist size  is directly related to her television watching habits, according to a study. [BBC]

Aretha Franklin is the latest celebrity to express an interest in becoming an American Idol judge. [CNN]

MSNBC.com is no more, after NBC and Microsoft dissolve their 16-year partnership. [AP]

Serena Williams wins the Stanford Classic title only a week after her Wimbledon win. [Reuters]

New details emerge in Syria massacre that left over 100 residents dead. [WSJ]

In today’s top news, Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee was sacked amid Trayvon Martin case criticism, Attorney General Eric Holder was found in contempt of Congress for his handling of the “Fast and Furious” gun trafficking program and the Southern Baptist Convention declares gay rights are not civil rights.

Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee was sacked amid Trayvon Martin case criticism. [BET]

Attorney Genral Eric Holder was found in contempt of Congress for his handling of the “Fast and Furious” gun trafficking program. [BET]

The Southern Baptist Convention declares gay rights are not civil rights. [AP]

New York City’s Black residents left out of the city’s jobs rebound. [NYT]

Half of all new HIV diagnoses occur in the South. [BET]

Exposure to traffic noise has been linked with heart attacks. [WHAM]

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has replaced Tiger Woods as the highest paid athlete. [LATimes]

A judge has thrown out three of 51 child sex abuse charges lodged against former Penn. State football coach Jerry Sandusky. [AP]

The Ugandan government bans 38 NGOs it has accused of promoting gay rights. [CNN]

Two South African hostage, captured by Somali pirates, have been freed after 20 months of captivity. [BBC]