(Photo: AP Photo/Office of U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo)

In today’s top news, a Black WWII veteran finally gets his due, Nigeria fights to fend off terrorist attacks, and a post-Christmas shopping day at the Mall of America turns into an all-out brawl.

Black Navy veteran receives medal for WWII action. [BET]

More than 100 Sears and Kmart stores to close soon. [MSNBC]

Some members of Congress just keep getting richer. [NYT]

Nigeria is still reeling from deadly Christmas Day bombings. [BET]

Egypt puts an end to “virginity tests” for detained female protesters. [CNN]

A fired man catches a lawsuit from his former company over his Twitter followers. [BBC]

Post-Christmas shopping turned into a brawl at the Mall of America. [StarTribune]

Man returns $10,000 to teach his children a lesson about honesty. [AP]

Atlanta rapper Young Vito surrenders in Slim Dunkin murder case. [BET]

Iran seeks the death penalty for an alleged U.S. spy. [FOX]

(Photo: John Amis-Pool/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, Bishop Eddie long’s wife files for divorce, rough winds batter parts of California, the ICC hires an African at the helm and Cain’s latest accuser has a bleeding heart.

Black unemployment increased slightly in November. [BET]

Bishop Eddie Long’s wife files for divorce. [AJC]

Wild winds wreak havoc in California. [CNN]

Honda recalls hundreds of thousands of airbags. [MSNBC]

NYC Mayor admits he “smoked up” in college. [MSNBC]

Some McDonald’s to charge for Happy Meal toys. [CSM]

First Family lights national Christmas tree. [Reuters]

Cain accuser’s “heart bleeds” for his wife Gloria. [CNN]

A Gambian woman will take over as prosecutor for the ICC [BBC]

Rich nations pledge climate donations to developing world. [AJE]

Muslims are angry over headscarf ruling. Muslim rights activists are outraged at an Atlanta judge who ordered a 40-year-old Muslim woman to serve 10 days in jail for refusing to remove her headscarf before attending a hearing in his courtroom. Although she was released before serving a full day, critics want the Justice Department to look into what sparked the incident in the Atlanta suburb of Douglasville, Ga., a community of about 20,000 people.  We can deal with whether people knew about policies or whether they handled things correctly, but the bottom line is, can a Muslim woman walk into this courtroom wearing religious attire?” said Council on American-Islamic Relations spokesman Ibrahim. City court workers will now be required to undergo sensitivity training and post courtroom dress code signs.

N.Y. Pastor celebrates his 106^th birthday. The Rev. Charles Leonard, pastor of Mount Zion Church of Christ, celebrated his 106^th birthday on Christmas Day. He said that his friends, family and God has been the source of his longevity. “My generation coming up, young people, they were brought up in church,” said Leonard, who was born in Philadelphia in 1902. “This is the way it was with me. The secret is God. He keeps me alert. He keeps me active.” Leonard’s grandmother lived to be 108. He was reared in segregated North Carolina and Georgia. In 1933, he moved to New York, where he landed a job as a high-steam engineer for the Washington Heights Laundry Co. Leonard began preaching more than 50 years ago. “He travels by himself, he goes out on his own, he’s totally independent,” said his 48-year-old great-niece, Brenda Greene. “If he doesn’t hear from us, he calls and checks on us. Sometimes he’s more alert than we are.”

Rev. Jackson makes Christmas jail visit. On Christmas Day, the Rev. Jesse Jackson did what he has done for the past two decades – visited inmates in Chicago’s Cook County Jail. During his visit, he described U.S. corrections facilities as “Jail hotels” and said that people must stop thinking of prison as “free meals, medicine, heat and recreational activities.” It’s time to vote and get tested for HIV, he told the 500 inmates who gathered to hear him speak. Jackson, whose Rainbow PUSH Coalition turned 43 on Christmas, urged his audience to “make better choices.”

Its a little early but Barack, Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama have recorded a Christmas message to the nation. What do you think? Watch and leave your comments below.

Steve & Barry’s to pay Venus Williams $250,000. Venus Williams will get $250,000 from the bankrupt Steve & Barry’s LLC apparel chain under terms of her clothing line contract. Williams’ Eleven designs were licensed with Steve & Barry’s, but the company hopes to sell itself at an auction this month. A bankruptcy court has determined that the corporation can pay Williams who’s expected to wear the apparel while competing in the Olympics, just as she wore the designs while winning her recent Wimbledon title. Judge Allan Gropper determined the settlement. NBA player Ben Wallace is also owed cash by the company.

Joint NFL practice results in scrap between players.

Titans, Rams have pre-season skirmish. Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams players are starting their rivalry in the pre-season. The teams had a scrap Wednesday during a joint practice after Rams receiver Reche Caldwell reportedly grabbed cornerback Cortland Finnegan and threw him to the ground. The teams have a history of tense, joint practices dating back to 2000. Two more plays during the practice found Rams and Titans lashing out at each other on the St. Louis field. But receiver Torry Holt calls it a healthy sign: “After a while, it kind of got excessive as far as the banging and guys trying us. We needed that. That’s something we’re trying to build on is…our mental toughness.” No one was hurt in the skirmishes.

Celtics will face Lakers on ABC. The NBA has announced its highly rated Christmas Day game schedule. Of five contests, the highlight ABC broadcast will be a rematch between the defending champ Boston Celtics and the team they defeated for the title in June, Los Angeles. The Lakers will try and redeem themselves for the beating they took against Boston in one of the most traditionally fierce championship rivalries. Maybe Kobe can play well enough to keep Shaq from performing another freestyle.