(Photo: AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

In today’s top news, President Obama visited the West Bank stressing the need for direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians, Rev. Al Sharpton will lead an anti-violence rally in Harlem and Vice President Biden will meet with New York City Mayor Bloomberg to discuss new federal gun laws.

President Obama visited the West Bank on Thursday, stressing the need for direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians. [NBC News]

Rev. Al Sharpton will lead an anti-violence rally today in Harlem. [DNAinfo]

Vice President Biden will meet with NYC Mayor Bloomberg today to discuss the need for new federal gun laws. [NBC New York]

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed the “Anti-Bloomberg” bill preventing any limits on soda sizes. [CNN]

Fashion retailer H&M debuts new Beyoncé campaign. [Black Voices]

Miami’s winning streak increased to 24 wins as they beat Cleveland last night. [ESPN]

Seven people were shot at a Chicago nightclub during a rap CD release party last night. [ABC Chicago]

Christian hip hop artist Amisho “Sho Baraka” Lewis is stirring controversy with raw lyrics about racism. [CNN]

South Korea has traced a cyber-attack that paralyzed more than 30,000 computers on Wednesday to a Chinese Internet address. [NPR]

North Korea said it would attack U.S. military bases on Japan and the Pacific island of Guam if provoked. [Reuters]

(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, Trayvon Martin’s mother reflects on the year since her son’s death; changes in federal loans have hampered Black student college enrollment; and North Chicago police department offends with brochures filled with stereotypes.

Trayvon Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, reflects on the year since her son’s death. [BET]

Changes in eligibility of a federal loan program has hampered Black student college enrollment this school year. [AP]

The North Chicago Police Department has been hit for distributing pamphlets filled with stereotypes of African-Americans. [BET]

Beyoncé will headline the annual V festival in the U.K. in August. [BET]

Michael Bloomberg is spending big bucks on race to replace Jesse Jackson Jr. [TheGrio]

A tourist balloon exploded over Southern Egypt killing 19 people. [CNN]

In today’s top news, a DOJ memo reveals the U.S. can order drone strikes on Americans; the NFL says Beyoncé did not cause the Super Bowl blackout; and lawyers in the Trayvon Martin case continue to argue over when George Zimmerman’s murder trial will begin.

A DOJ memo shows that the U.S. can order drone strikes on Americans it believes are connected to al-Qaeda. [NBCNews]

The NFL says Beyoncé did not cause the Super Bowl blackout. [BET]

Lawyers in the Trayvon Martin case are arguing over when George Zimmerman’s murder trial will begin. [BET]

A $400k reward has been announced for information about the Hadiya Pendleton shooting. [BET]

Pakistan’s tourism board plans to build an amusement park in the town where Osama bin Laden was killed. [NBCNews]

Malcolm X’s grandson was arrested by the FBI while en route to Iran. [PressTV]

A study shows Google displays more ads related to criminal activity when “Black names” are searched. [BBC]

The NYPD is defending its undercover spying on Muslims. [AP]

A Chinese tech company has unveiled a new Windows smartphone made specifically for use in African countries. [BBC]

Malian forces captured al-Qaeda fighters in Northern Mali. [AJE]

In today’s top news, the Baltimore Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII, 34-31; Muhammad Ali’s daughter says rumors that her father is near death are untrue; and eight people were killed and 38 injured in a California tour-bus crash.

The Baltimore Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII, 34-31. [BET]

Muhammad Ali’s daughter says rumors that her father is near death are untrue. [BET]

Eight people were killed and 38 injured in a California tour-bus crash. [NBCNews]

President Obama plans to spend the day in Minnesota campaigning for his gun proposals. [AP]

Convicted murderer Steven Robbins was re-captured after Chicago authorities mistakenly released him. [CNN]

The president says the Boy Scouts should lift its ban on gays. [AP]

Beyoncé received rave reviews for her Super Bowl halftime performance. [BET]

Malala Yousafzai, the 15-year-old girl shot by the Taliban, speaks out for the first time since the incident. [Yahoo!]

Somalian militant group al-Shabab is back on Twitter. [BBC]

Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo now say peace may be reached by March. [AJE]

In today’s top news, today marks the start of Black History Month, the Black unemployment rate slipped to 13.8 percent in January and a student was taken into custody for the shooting of a 14-year-old student at an Atlanta middle school.

Today marks the start of Black History Month. [BET]

The Black unemployment rate slipped to 13.8 percent in January. [BET]

A student was taken into custody for the shooting of a 14-year-old student at an Atlanta middle school. [USATODAY]

At least three people are dead after a suicide bombing outside the U.S. embassy in Turkey. [CNN]

Beyoncé sang the national anthem live and admitted to lip-syncing at President Obama’s inauguration. [BET]

California’s Hispanic population is expected to outnumber whites by 2014. [Reuters]

The Arkansas senate approved a bill to ban some abortions as early as five weeks into the pregnancy. [Reuters]

A 5-year-old boy in Alabama has been held hostage in an underground bunker for four days, as of today. [NBCNews]

Gambia is giving public sector workers a four-day work week so citizens have more time to “pray, socialize and tend to fields.” [BBC]

French president Francois Hollande will visit Mali on Saturday. [AJE]

In today’s top news, the White House condemned the shooting death of Chicago teen Hadiya Pendleton, George Zimmerman wants to delay his murder trial and the Jamaican government has embraced the controversial Super Bowl ad featuring white actors and Jamaican accents.

The White House condemned the shooting death of Chicago teen Hadiya Pendleton. [BET]

George Zimmerman wants to delay his murder trial for the shooting of Trayvon Martin. [AP]

The Jamaican government has embraced the controversial Super Bowl ad featuring white actors and Jamaican accents. [Grio]

Arab-Americans are calling Coca-Cola’s Super Bowl ad racist. [NBCNews]

African-American William “Mo” Cowan will fill the senate seat vacated by John Kerry. [BET]

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver apologized for anti-gay remarks. [ESPN]

Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas will donate her Olympic items to the Smithsonian. [AP]

The NFL has dispelled rumors that Beyoncé  made outlandish demands for her Super Bowl performance. [BET]

Zimbabwe’s bank balance is $217 after paying government employees last week. [AJE]

France says Mali’s militants are in “disarray” after three weeks of airstrikes. [BBC]

In today’s top news, two men have been arrested for a shooting at Texas’ Lone Star College that left three people wounded; Colin Powell railed against the GOP over voter ID laws; and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defended her handling of the attacks on the U.S. mission in Benghazi.

Two men have been arrested for a shooting at Texas’ Lone Star College that left three people wounded. [CNN]

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defended her handling of the attacks on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, before Congress. [Reuters]

Cornell West says it was wrong for President Obama to be sworn in on MLK’s Bible. [Newsmax]

Sen. Frank Lautenberg suggested that Newark Mayor Cory Booker should be spanked. [USATODAY]

Beyoncé is caught in an inauguration lip-synching controversy. [BET]

A statue of Rosa Parks will be erected on Capitol Hill. [BET]

Georgia authorities are investigating Ku Klux Klan fliers that were placed outside some homes. [AP]

A Georgia man is suing the state after his “GAYGUY” license plate was rejected. [NBCNews]

South African President Jacob Zuma said his government is not threatening local mining companies. [Reuters]

In today’s top news, Rep. Charles Rangel called the lack of diversity in President Obama’s cabinet “embarrassing as hell,” Atlanta pastor Louie Giglio was withdrawn from Obama’s inauguration over anti-gay remarks and Tyler Perry is offering a $100k reward for information in the case of two Florida men that went missing in 2003.

Rep. Charles Rangel called the lack of diversity in President Obama’s cabinet “embarrassing as hell.” [BET]

Atlanta pastor Louie Giglio was withdrawn from President Obama’s inauguration over anti-gay remarks. [BET]

Tyler Perry is offering a $100k reward for information in the case of two Florida men that went missing in 2003. [AP]

President Obama signed a law giving himself lifetime Secret Service detail. [Yahoo!]

Entertainment companies agree to hold dialogue on gun violence. [L.A.Times]

A student was shot at a Taft, California, high school Thursday. [AP]

Beyoncé announces new Destiny’s Child music. [BET]

Donald Trump crowns a Black Miss USA, Nana Meriwether. [E!News]

Rebels in the Central African Republic have agreed to a one-week truce with the government. [BBC]

France says its ready to intervene in Mali to stop militants in the country’s north. [BBC]

In today’s top news, Beyoncé will sing the national anthem at the 57th presidential inauguration, 22 candidates have stepped up to fill the seat vacated by former Illinois congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and cable network MSNBC saw a 60 percent jump in Black viewership during 2012.

Beyoncé will sing the national anthem at the 57th presidential inauguration. [Grio]

Twenty-two candidates have stepped up to fill the seat vacated by former Illinois congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. [BET]

Cable network MSNBC saw a 60 percent jump in Black viewership during 2012. [ShadowandAct]

A N.Y. federal judge ruled stop-and-frisk unconstitutional in the Bronx. [BET]

New York’s governor Andrew Cuomo will propose a ban on assault weapons. [AP]

Laurence Fishburne got a restraining order on an alleged stalker who has tried to evict him from his own home. [BET]

The CDC says 1 in 5 high school girls binge drink. [CNN]

2012 was the U.S.’s hottest year on record. [Reuters]

Uganda returned $5 million in embezzled aid to Ireland. [Reuters]

South Africa’s farm workers stage mass strike over unfair wages amid “naked racism and white arrogance.” [BBC]

In today’s top news, Trayvon Martin’s mother speaks out about gun violence; Sandy Hook students return to school; and a tax increase ignored by the fiscal cliff deal will raise payroll taxes for an estimated 160 million Americans.

Trayvon Martin’s mother speaks out about gun violence in the wake of the Newtown school shooting. [BET]

Sandy Hook students return to school today. [NBCNews]

A tax increase ignored by the fiscal cliff deal will raise payroll taxes for an estimated 160 million Americans. [L.A.Times]

Philadelphia plans to close nearly 40 schools amid financial trouble. [BET]

A Wisconsin state senator dubs Kwanzaa a fake holiday that Blacks don’t care about. [BET]

A Wisconsin ninth grader was arrested for giving a noose and a KKK symbol to a Black classmate. [Daily Caller]

A Maryland school suspended a 6-year-old boy for making a gun gesture with his hands and saying, “Pow.” [Daily Caller]

Metrics show that large numbers of Black moviegoers are supporting Django Unchained. [Hollywood Reporter]

Blue Ivy was voted 2012’s worst celebrity baby name. [Grio]

Central African Republic awaits the outcome of talks between rebels and the government. [AP]