(Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, the African-American unemployment rate has held steady at 13.8 percent, Michael Jordan applied for a marriage license and Philadelphia officials have voted to close 23 public schools.

The national unemployment rate dropped to 7.7 percent as the jobless rate for Blacks held steady at 13.8 percent. [BET]

Philadelphia officials have voted to close 23 public schools; 10 percent of the city’s total. [NYTimes]

A college education is linked to lower divorce rates for white women, but not for Black women. [Futurity]

The late August Wilson’s plays are being brought back to life by high school students in a national monologue contest. [NPR]

Facebook showed off a new home page redesign that will include bigger pictures. [NYTimes]

Apple is looking to make iOS the operating system for cars made by other companies. [Business Insider]

Former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will be laid to rest today. [CNN]

Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law, Suleiman Abu Ghaith, has been brought to New York to stand trial for conspiracy to kill Americans. [Reuters]

Michael Jordan applied for a marriage license in Florida. [ESPN]

(Photo: CNN)

In today’s top news, President Obama sheds tears while thanking his campaign staff in Chicago, a Las Vegas employer fired 22 employees as a direct result of Obama’s re-election and prosecutors in the Trayvon Martin case release FBI records to Zimmerman’s attorneys.

President Obama sheds tears while thanking his campaign staff in Chicago. [CNN]

A Las Vegas employer fired 22 employees as a direct result of Obama’s re-election. [CBSNews]

Prosecutors in the Trayvon Martin case release FBI records to Zimmerman’s attorneys. [Orlando Sentinel]

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is believed to be in plea deal talks with federal prosecutors. [Grio]

The 18-year-old son of a billionaire jokes about plans to “kill Obama.” [Grio]

Jermaine Jackson is changing his last name to “Jacksun” for artistic reasons. [BET]

Three men in Detroit were sentenced to 20 years in prison for carjacking Marvin Winans. [AP]

Chris Brown wants to be the Steven Spielberg of music videos. [BET]

2 Chainz and Drake’s “No Lie” goes platinum. [BET]

A company has created an iPhone case that shoots pepper spray. [NBCNews]

(Photo: Courtesy of Burnt Orange Report)

In today’s top news, people are lynching empty chairs that symbolize President Obama, prosecutors in the Trayvon Martin case are trying to prevent the release of  the teen’s school records and Jamaica plans to use the teachings of native son Marcus Garvey to cure societal ills.

People are lynching empty chairs that symbolize President Obama. [NBCNews]

Prosecutors in the Trayvon Martin case are trying to prevent the release of the teen’s school records. [OrlandoSentinel]

Jamaica plans to use the teachings of native son Marcus Garvey to cure societal ills. [AP]

Mitt Romney is accused of dying his face brown to appeal to Latino voters. [Gawker]

Six million uninsured Americans to be hit with tax penalty. [AP]

Roscoe Dash says he wrote for Kanye West and Wale but didn’t get credit. [BET]

Beyoncé and Tina Knowles have designed a collection of baby clothes in support of Obama’s re-election. [BET]

T.I. jumps on the “I Hate New York” bandwagon. [BET]

Former Apple employees and retailers in France protested as customers waited to buy the iPhone 5. [CSM]

Strikes spread at South Africa’s gold mines. [BBC]

In today’s top news, Sikh temple gunman fronted a white supremacist rock band, Usain Bolt might become the first Olympian man to win consecutive gold medals in the 200m and Kevin Durant leads the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team in an explosive win.

Kevin Durant leads the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team in an explosive win against Argentina. [WaPo]

Wisconsin shooting gunman Wade Michael Page fronted a white supremacist rock band. [NYT]

Usain Bolt might become the first Olympian man to win consecutive gold medals in the 200 meter race. [HuffPo]

The rift between Apple and Google grows as new version of  iPhone drops YouTube app. [WSJ]

Death toll rises in Philippine capital as torrential rain flooding leaves thousands stranded. [CBS]

An Ohio husband shot his terminally ill wife as she laid in her hospital bed. [NBC]

Weight training might help prevent type 2 diabetes. [Boston]

In today’s top news, Michael Phelps might make Olympic history again, Obama asks Bill Clinton to make a case for his re-election and a recently signed NFL player commits suicide.

NFL player O.J. Murdock kills himself in front of his former high school, police say. [CNN]

Obama asks Bill Clinton to make a case for his re-election at the Democratic National Convention. [BET]

Michael Phelps might make Olympic history again tonight. [AP]

Another Olympian is expelled from the games for a racist tweet. [WaPo]

China’s 16-year-old Olympian swimming champ denies dope allegations. [CNN]

Iranian president takes a jab at Mitt Romney’s controversial Israel trip. [AP]

A blackout leaves 600 million residents without power in India. [NPR]

Islamist occupiers stone an unwed couple to death in Mali. [Al Jazeera]

Rumor has it that Apple will announce the next iPhone and “mini iPad” this September. [NBCNews]

In today’s top news, Michael Jackson’s mother is reportedly no longer missing, Usher’s stepson Kyle Glover is taken off life support, and politicians reconsider gun laws after movie shooting.

Usher’s stepson Kyle Glover passed away this weekend. [BET]

Politicians are considering tighter federal gun laws after Aurora movie shooting. [CNN]

Michael Jackson’s mother, who was reported as missing, is reportedly “fine.” [BET]

Rupert Murdoch has stepped down from the boards of News Corp’s U.K. newspapers. [FT]

BET, MTV, Nickelodeon and other channels return to DirecTV subscribers. [Chicago Times]

Apple predicts a dip in earnings as consumers hold out for the new iPhone. [Bloomberg]

Penn State’s removal of Joe Paterno statue incites anger within the university’s community. [MSNBC]

Eating less salt could prevent stroke and cancer deaths. [BBC]

CDC: 1 in 13 women drink alcohol during pregnancy despite major health risks. [ABC]

South Sudanese runner will race under the Olympic flag after denying Sudan’s offer. [REUTERS]

In today’s top news, George Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the death of Trayvon Martin, Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, says she thinks George Zimmerman made a mistake in shooting her son and the Beverly Hills police have closed the investigation into Whitney Houston’s death, finding no foul play.

George Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the death of Trayvon Martin. [BET]

Trayvon Martin’s mother says she thinks George Zimmerman made a mistake in shooting her son.  [MSNBC]

The Beverly Hills police have closed the investigation into Whitney Houston’s death, finding no foul play.  [BET]

Bobbi Kristina reportedly plans to star in a new reality show. [BET]

U.S. Justice Department is suing Apple for conspiring with publishers to rig e-book prices. [MSNBC]

An independent report on the Hardest Hit Housing Markets program says more could be done to aid struggling homeowners. [CNN]

Connecticut plans to repeal the death penalty. [CNN]

April is National STD Awareness Month. [BET]

South Sudan ignores U.N. calls to remove troops from disputed oil field. [BBC]

Protests break out in Syria as troops withdraw in compliance with ceasefire. [AJE]

In today’s top news, Chaka Khan calls Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy party “insanity,” Whitney Houston’s family chooses to have a private funeral for the singer and Beyoncé gets back to business following the birth of Blue Ivy.

Chaka Khan says Clive Davis should have canceled his pre-Grammy party in the wake of Whitney Houston’s death. [BET]

Whitney Houston’s family chooses to have a private funeral for the singer. [CNN]

Beyoncé gets back to business following the birth of Blue Ivy. [BET]

One woman spends a year only shopping at Black businesses. [MotherJones]

Nicki Minaj explains her striking Grammy performance. [BET]

Nearly 600 Ugandan girls have been forced into the Malaysian sex trade. [TheMonitor]

Ray J dishes about his friendship with Whitney Houston. [BET]

Apple vows to improve worker’s conditions. [CNN]

Hispanic workforce expected to outpace that of Blacks and whites by 2020. [BET]

FDA finds lead in 400 popular lipsticks. [CNN]

(Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, Mitt Romney came out on top in Iowa, Dennis Rodman is making a topless comeback to basketball and Michael Jackson’s doctor gets stripped of his medical license.

Mitt Romney takes victory in the Iowa caucuses. [BET]

Chicago’s chief of police is suspended for excessive use of force in a low-income area. [CNN]

Dennis Rodman to lead topless female basketball team. [BET]

Sickle cell keeps Steelers player Ryan Clark out of upcoming playoff game. [CNN]

Judge rules that a Black church is the rightful owner of a KKK shop. [BET]

BP and Halliburton still pointing fingers over the 2010 oil spill. [CNN]

Lawsuit alleges inequality among Maryland’s higher education funding. [FOX]

Dr. Conrad Murray is stripped of his medical license. [BET]

Children of late rapper Eazy-E to star in N.W.A. biopic. [BET]

Man crosses U.S. border with nothing but a copy of his passport on his iPad. [BBC]