(Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

In today’s news, President Obama is planning to appoint Charlotte mayor Anthony Foxx as transportation secretary; the wealth gap between white and minority Americans widened since the recession; and the new suspect in the ricin case is scheduled to appear in court.

Charlotte Mayor Foxx to become Obama’s transportation secretary. [Politico]

Wealth gap among races widened since the recession. [NYTimes]

New suspect in ricin case to appear in court. [Wall Street Journal]

Black voter turnout exceeded whites in 2012 election. [Fox]

Hadiya Pendleton’s parents create foundation in her name. [BET]

Rihanna’s fans are forgiving of relationship with Chris Brown [NYTimes]

Ethiopian Airlines flies first Boeing 787 to return to the air. [BBC]

After student protest, Chicago schools return to normal. [BET]

Mugabe gives Zuma team cold shoulder ahead of Zimbabwe elections. [Mail & Guardian]

Caribbean economies among the world’s fastest growing. [The Gleaner]

(Photo: facebook/ChristopherDornerOfficial)

In today’s top news, the charred body found amid the ashes of a cabin fire was positively ID’d as Christopher Dorner, two Black cops wrote statements about racism in the LAPD and an Illinois legislator wants to propose a gun safety bill named after Hadiya Pendleton.

The charred body found amid the ashes of a cabin fire was positively ID’d as fugitive ex-cop Christopher Dorner. [CNN]

Two Black cops wrote statements about racism in the LAPD. [BET]

An Illinois legislator wants to propose a gun safety bill named after Hadiya Pendleton. [ChicagoTribune]

President Obama participated  in a Google “Fireside Hangout” where he took questions on the State of the Union speech. [BET]

FOX News mocked 102-year old Desiline Victor, who waited three hours to vote during the presidential election. [MediaMatters]

Philadelphia 7-year-old Zora Ball became the youngest person to create a mobile video game app. [Grio]

Chris Brown and Drake are suing each other over their infamous club brawl. [BET]

A meteor fell near a town in Russia’s Ural Mountains and injured more than 900 people. [BBC]

Five days after losing power due to an engine fire, the stranded Carnival cruise ship finally docked in Alabama. [NBCNews]

South African President Jacob Zuma spoke out against rape in his State of the Nation speech. [AJE]

In today’s top news, police have taken two men into custody in the case of slain Chicago teen Hadiya Pendleton, the manhunt for renegade ex-LAPD officer Christopher Dorner enters its second week and President Obama is expected to be more aggressive in this year’s State of the Union address.

Police have taken two men into custody as “persons of interest”  in the case of slain Chicago teen Hadiya Pendleton. [BET]

The manhunt for renegade ex-LAPD officer Christopher Dorner enters its second week. [CNN]

President Obama is expected to be more aggressive in this year’s State of the Union address. [Politico]

Pope Benedict XVI resigned from his position because of his age. [CNN]

Chris Brown crashed his car while trying to evade paparazzi after the Grammy Awards. [AP]

Rapper Ab Soul called fugitive Christopher Dorner’s revenge killing rampage a “necessary evil.” [Grio]

New York City’s Central Park Five may be closer to receiving a settlement from the city. [BET]

U.S. teen births have hit a record low. [NBCNews]

Kenya is set to hold its first presidential debate ahead of this year’s general elections. [BBC]

Guinea’s military chief and nine others were killed when their plane crashed in Liberia. [AJE]

In today’s top news, President Obama calls for swift action on immigration reform, a girl who performed at Obama’s inauguration was shot dead in Chicago and Harry Belafonte urged Blacks to get involved in the country’s debate over guns.

President Obama calls for swift action on immigration reform. [BET]

A girl who performed at Obama’s inauguration was shot dead in Chicago. [NBCNews]

Harry Belafonte urged Blacks to get involved in the country’s debate over guns. [AP]

Rep. Alcee L. Hastings says President Obama disrespects the Congressional Black Caucus and other groups of Blacks who supported his re-election. [Sacramento Observer]

Deion Sanders’ daughter Deiondra has joined the Bikini Basketball League. [Yahoo!]

Toyota is recalling 1 million vehicles for airbag and windshield wiper issues. [NBCNews]

Chris Brown was seen wearing a cast after his fight with Frank Ocean. [BET]

A man was charged with the murder of rapper Yung Teddy. [BET]

South Africa’s richest Black man, Patrice Motsepe, will donate half of his wealth to the poor. [BBC]

A Dutch court rejected four of the five claims brought by a group of Nigerian plaintiffs against oil giant Shell. [BBC]

In today’s top news, President Obama plans to make an appeal for immigration reform, the president is asking police chiefs to back his plan for gun reform and Louis Farrakhan said the right to bear arms is unnecessary.

President Obama plans to make an appeal for immigration reform today. [CNN]

The president is asking police chiefs to back his plan for gun reform. [BET]

Louis Farrakhan said the right to bear arms is unnecessary. [CBSNews]

The NFL Players Association wants the league to fund a $100 million Harvard study on players’ injuries and illnesses. [CNN]

Ex-49er Kwame Harris was charged for felony domestic violence and assault charges for an attack on a former boyfriend. [Grio]

Boy Scouts may lift ban on homosexuals. [AP]

Chris Brown’s lawyer has contacted the police about his fight with Frank Ocean. [BET]

Colleges are creating drone piloting programs in anticipation of a domestic drone boom. [NBCNews]

A Mali donor meeting raised $455 million for the campaign to root out Islamic militants. [BBC]

Nigerian militant group Boko Haram reached a unilateral ceasefire with the Nigerian government. [AJE]

In today’s top news, the Senate is scheduled to vote on more than $50 billion in aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy, two Latino men were arrested for hate crimes against a Black family and Chris Brown and Frank Ocean were involved in an “all out brawl” in L.A.

The Senate is scheduled to vote on more than $50 billion in aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy. [CNN]

Three people were arrested for a Brazil club fire that killed 231 and left 82 injured. [Reuters]

A woman in Chicago lost her fourth child to gun violence in a weekend shootout. [AP]

Two Latino men were arrested for hate crimes against a Black family. [CBSNews]

The Obama administration is seeking $32 million to train troops in Mali. [AP]

Chris Brown and Frank Ocean were involved in an “all out brawl” in L.A. [BET]

Ohio Players front man Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner died Saturday at age 69. [BET]

Concern is growing about suicides among military families. [NBCNews]

Former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick sprung from weekend stint in jail. [CNN]

Maligned rapper Snoop Lion has received the blessing of Bob Marley’s son after reggae legend Bunny Wailer called him a fraud. [Grio]

(Photo: KASANDRAPERKINS VIA INSTAGRAM)

In today’s top news, the family of Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher is still in shock after the  murder-suicide; Chris Brown returns to Twitter; and funeral services for slain 17-year-old Jordan Davis were held this weekend.
The family of Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher is still in shock after the murder-suicide. [BET]

Chris Brown returns to Twitter. [BET]

Funeral services for slain 17-year-old Jordan Davis were held this weekend. [WOKV]

Five states announced that public schools  will add 300 hours of learning time in 2013. [AP]

Comedian Katt Williams was recently arrested for a bar fight and caught on tape slapping a Target employee. [Grio]

Pusha T disses Lil Wayne and Birdman on new Ludacris song. [BET]

Pope Benedict XVI has opened a personal Twitter account. [CNN]

Some fear a  prolonged strike of the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports will have a negative effect on the country’s economy. [Reuters]

Israel has approved the construction of 3,000 new homes in Palestinian disputed territory. [BBC]

Congo’s M23 rebels withdrew from Goma but threatened to return if government negotiations don’t take place Monday. [AJE]

In today’s top news, state officials predict Jesse Jackson Jr.’s resignation could cost taxpayers $5.1 million, Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge to chair Congressional Black Caucus and retailers expect Americans will spend nearly $1.5 billion in online purchases this Cyber Monday.

Chicago officials predict Jesse Jackson Jr.’s resignation could cost taxpayers $5.1 million. [ABCNews]

Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge to chair Congressional Black Caucus. [Plain Dealer]

Retailers expect Americans will spend nearly $1.5 billion in online purchases this Cyber Monday. [ABCNews]

Chris Brown deleted his Twitter account after a nasty exchange with a female comedian. [BET]

A Georgia man suspected of shoplifting at a Walmart dies after a scuffle with employees. [NBCNews]

A seven-year-old girl becomes the country’s youngest medical marijuana patient. [NBCNews]

Chris Brown and Drake won’t face criminal charges for their infamous club brawl. [BET]

Halle Berry’s ex was arrested after an altercation with her new beau on Thanksgiving. [BET]

Millions of Egyptians are called to protest against President Mohamed Morsi. [Times]

Ugandan parliament drops the death penalty from its proposed anti-homosexuality bill. [BBC]

In today’s top news, a man allegedly killed himself over President Obama’s re-election, Mitt Romney says President Obama won the election because he gave “gifts” to Blacks and Latino voters, and BP says the company is close to striking a deal with the U.S. government over the 2010 oil spill.

A man allegedly killed himself over President Obama’s re-election. [Daily Mail]

Mitt Romney is telling top donors that President Obama won the election because he gave “gifts” to Blacks and Latino voters. [AP]

BP says the company is close to striking a deal with the U.S. government over the 2010 oil spill. [BET]

Some Denny’s restaurants will charge customers a 5 percent “Obamacare” surcharge. [Grio]

Texas is set to execute its 15th resident this year. [Reuters]

Chris Brown says he is remaining mum on the Drake club fight incident because of legal issues. [BET]

The man who accused Sesame Street puppeteer Kevin Clash of underage sex has a dicey past. [BET]

Snoop Dogg is launching a food initiative for needy children in Jamaica. [BET]

The African Union backs ECOWAS’ plan to intervene in northern Mali. [AJE]

Israel stands poised to invade Gaza as cross-border fighting intensifies. [NBCNews]

(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]