In today’s top news, a source says George Zimmerman claims Trayvon Martin circled his SUV and intimidated him before his fatal shooting, a Jacksonville woman who “stood her ground” against her abusive husband and fired a warning shot faces 20 years in prison and a Houston teen says police beat him in 2010 as he tried to surrender himself during arrest.

A source says George Zimmerman claims Trayvon Martin circled his SUV, intimidating him before the fatal shooting. [Orlando Sentinel]

A Jacksonville woman who “stood her ground” against her abusive husband was denied a new trial.  [Florida Times-Union]

A Houston teen says police beat him in 2010 as he tried to surrender himself during arrest. [AP]

In some areas of the country, many still won’t vote for Obama because he is Black. [NYT]

The family of the late NFL legend Junior Seau is considering donating his brain for study following his unexpected suicide. [ NBC]

The family of FAMU drum major Robert Champion says the school should disband the marching band to prevent hazing. [BET]

Pepsi has plans to use Michael Jackson’s image on its new cans. [BET]

Lawmakers band together to try to limit post office closures. [Reuters]

A U.N. deadline looms for Sudan and South Sudan to end fighting or face sanctions. [BBC]

Brazil pledges to increase investment in Africa and acknowledges slave trade gains. [AFP]

In today’s top news, President Obama says Kanye West is still a “Jackass,” Newark mayor Cory Booker saves a neighbor from a burning house and the National Rifle Association meets for its annual meeting amid pressure over gun laws.

President Obama says Kanye West is still a “Jackass.” [BET]

Newark mayor Cory Booker saves neighbor from burning house. [BET]

The National Rifle Association meets for its annual meeting amid pressure over gun laws. [NYT]

Three people were killed in an Ohio Cracker Barrel restaurant after shots rang out during a domestic dispute. [AP]

California’s Supreme Court ruled that employers no longer have to ensure lunch breaks for workers. [AP]

Arizona governor signs law banning most late-term abortions. [Reuters]

Rapper Diggy says he is one of the last “real MCs.” [BET]

The legendary Howard Theater reopens its doors. [BET]

U.N. peacekeepers stand ready to enforce Syria ceasefire. [AJE]

U.N. demands immediate end to Sudan oil conflict. [BBC]

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, lawyers for George Zimmerman, the shooter of Trayvon Martin, have withdrawn from the case, eight Black New York college students reported being “stopped and frisked” by the NYPD a total of 92 times and a white man is attacked and robbed by a group of Black men in Baltimore.

Lawyers for the shooter of Trayvon Martin have withdrawn from the case. [BET]

Eight Black New York college students reported being “stopped and frisked” by the NYPD a total of 92 times. [NYT]

White man attacked and robbed by group of Black men in Baltimore. [CNN]

Final jurors chosen for the trial of William Balfour, alleged killer of Jennifer Hudson’s family. [ChicagoTribune]

Five-year-old boy brings heroin to school for show-and-tell. [MSNBC]

Rick Ross forced to cancel two shows after suffering a seizure. [BET]

Nicki Minaj’s new album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, debuts at No. 1. [BET]

Hospitals hosting McDonald’s chains under pressure to cut ties. [USATODAY]

Syria gives Kofi Annan another promise that it will comply with ceasefire despite continued violence. [BBC]

Sudan vows to retake lucrative oil fields from South Sudan. [BBC]

In today’s top news, the special prosecutor in the Trayvon Martin case has decided not to use a grand jury, a Michigan road sign is hacked to display “Trayvon a N—-r” and police say both  Tulsa shooting suspects confessed to their crimes.

The special prosecutor in the Trayvon Martin case has decided not to use a grand jury. [BET]

A Michigan road sign is hacked to display “Trayvon a N—-r.” [MSNBC]

Police say Tulsa shooting suspects confessed to crimes. [Reuters]

Think Like a Man producer is confident that the film will be No. 1 at the box office on April 20. [BET]

A Washington seventh grader took control of his school bus after the driver collapsed. [MSNBC]

Study: Blacks and Latinos less likely to be prescribed antidepressants. [UofM]

Rapper Eve says she is close to releasing her first new album in 10 years. [BET]

Early dental x-rays for children may be linked to brain tumors. [ABC]

Mali coup leader rejects assistance from foreign troops. [BBC]

Syria has begun withdrawing troops from cities in accordance with the U.N.-backed peace plan. [AJE]

World Lens:

Haiti’s devastated by the collapse of a school; a South African legend passes; and Beyoncé hits the stage of the World Music Awards. See pics.

Another school falls down in Haiti. Days after a school collapsed in the nation, killing more than 90 people, another school, this time in Haiti’s capital, collapsed Wednesday, reports CNN. The minor collapse affected only a portion of the building and injured nine children. The students are from the Grace Divine and Secondary School in Port-au-Prince, and lives were lost in the collapse, according to Haiti’s head of operations for the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Children who were jumping and dancing during a musical caused the collapse, she said. But this building, like the school building that collapsed last week, suffered from faulty construction, says a local journalist. “This is the same kind of problem of construction as in the school last week. It’s weak construction. It’s not solid,” said Clarens Renois. The scale of damage in this latest collapse doesn’t come close to Friday’s tragedy. Haitian President Rene Preval has called for an investigation into last week’s collapse that killed 93 people and injured 150.

Sudan’s government announces ceasefire in Darfur. Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, has announced a ceasefire in the Darfur region, the BBC reports. “I hereby announce our immediate unconditional ceasefire between the armed forces and the warring factions, provided that an effective monitoring mechanism is put into action and observed by all involved parties,” he said. He made the announcement after he got the final recommendations of the Sudan People’s Initiative (SPI). But members of a prominent rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), said they wouldn’t agree to the ceasefire, Reuters reported. A Sudanese official, Jalal al-Dugair, said the government will create contracts with the rebel groups to encourage them to abide by the ceasefire agreement. Bashir has been criticized worldwide for not doing enough to stop violence against Black Africans in the region, and he’s even wanted by an international court for allegedly facilitating war crimes in the nation. The government hopes that the call for ceasefire will take some of the pressure off of him and show the court, as well as the world, that he is doing something to stop war crimes, reports the news service.  However, declared ceasefires, in the past, have not gone according to plan. Although, this agreement, according to a government official, addresses all rebel concerns and will be aided by the United Nations. About 300,000 people have died since the violence, between ethnic rebels and militias suspected to be linked to the government, started in 2003. Another 2.5 million people have been made homeless.

Caribbean nations need to do more to fight HIV/AIDS, says official.

Countries across the Caribbean need to boost their HIV/AIDS care, treatment, education and prevention programs, says a United Nations official. Speaking recently in front of the United States Chiefs of Mission Conference of HIV/AIDS, Karen Sealy, head of the UNAIDS Caribbean office said that 38 people in the region die every day due to AIDS-related causes, reports the Caribbean Media Corporation.  There are 55 new cases of HIV in the Caribbean daily, she said, and prostitutes, along with men who have sexual relations with other men, are among the high-risk groups. Drug users are also contracting HIV/AIDS in higher numbers. “We know that the spread of HIV in the Caribbean is in fact being fueled by serious gaps in gender equality. …All the countries of the Americas which have homosexuality as a crime are now located in the Caribbean region,” Sealy said. Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning touted his nation’s work to reduce spread HIV/AIDS, including providing free antiretroviral drugs to pregnant women at government clinics, but admitted more needs to be done. The Caribbean region is behind only sub-Saharan Africa in its HIV/AIDS rate, reports the Caribbean Media Corporation. About 230,000 people in the region are living with HIV/AIDS and 14,000 people died from AIDS last year, according to Kaiser.
 
Somalia’s government and militia will observe ceasefire.
There might soon be some relief in Somalia. The government and the one of the nation’s main opposition groups have agreed to abide by a ceasefire that actually was negotiated back in June during U.N.-sponsored talks. The ceasefire will be implemented as troops from Ethiopia, who’ve been in Somalia trying to stabilize the nation’s interim government, start withdrawing troops next month, reports the BBC. The government and the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia will come together to create a unified government, they say. As a part of the agreement, when Ethiopian troops (a popular target for rebel attacks) leave they will be replaced by African Union troops from Uganda and Burundi at first, then eventually a joint “police force,” reports the BBC. But the other militias who are also fighting the government are not included in the agreement at all. Some diplomats say Somalia’s problems will not totally improve until they are included.