(Photo: AP Photo/ABC, Eric McCandless)

In today’s news, Jason Collins of the Washington Wizards became the first openly gay member of an NBA team; the appointment of Anthony Foxx as transportation secretary adds diversity to Obama’s cabinet; and the Congressional Black Caucus wants to end the expense of calls from prison.

Jason Collins is first openly gay NBA player. [Sports Illustrated]

Obama cabinet has the diversity of his first term. [Bloomberg]

Congressional Black Caucus wants to end expensive prison calls. [BET]

Karzai confirms accepting CIA cash monthly for 10 years. [Wall Street Journal]

South Africa’s ANC defends its filmed visit to Mandela. [BBC]

Colleges adapt online courses to ease burden for students. [NYTimes]

Darfur to host large soccer tournament. [BBC]

Michael Jordan marries ex-model. [Jet]

Hurricane Sandy dumped 11 billion gallons of sewage in waterways. [USA Today]

Harold Washington remembered 30 years after becoming mayor of Chicago. [BET]

In today’s top news, all of Urban Prep Academy’s senior class is college-bound for the fourth year, Louisville’s Kevin Ware is recovering from surgery after a gruesome leg injury and the White House is expecting 35,000 people at the 135th Easter Egg Roll.

Urban Prep Academy, an all-Black male charter school in Chicago, is sending all of its students to college for the fourth year. [Chicago Sun Times]

Louisville’s Kevin Ware is recovering from surgery after a gruesome leg injury in last night’s game against Duke. [ABCNews]

A crowd of 35,000 is expected to show up to the White House lawn for the 135th Easter Egg Roll. [NBC Washington]

Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty for James Holmes, who was accused in last year’s movie theater massacre in Colorado. [Washington Post]

Philip Banks III, an African-American, is the new highest-ranking uniformed officer in the NYPD. [The Grio]

The Supreme Court is weighing in on race as they address the affirmative action and voting rights cases. [AP]

Conservatives attack Google for using its homepage to celebrate Cesar Chavez’s birthday and not Easter. [Politico]

Elwin Wilson, a former KKK supporter who apologized for years of violent racism toward Blacks, has died at 76. [AP]

The number of female tourists arriving to India has dropped by 35 percent in the past three months since the fatal Delhi rape. [The Guardian]

An Afghan teenager killed an American soldier by stabbing him in the neck while he played with a group of local children. [USA Today]

(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, the U.S. Supreme Court convenes to hear second gay marriage case; the Chicago Teachers Union will rally against planned school closings; and the location has been approved for a museum honoring Black firefighters in Chicago.

The U.S. Supreme Court convenes to hear second gay marriage case. [Reuters]

The Chicago Teachers Union is planning a rally against planned school closings. [Chicago Tribune]

Chicago approves location for future museum honoring the city’s African-American firefighters. [ABC Chicago]

None of the groups that raised money for the reward in the capture of Christopher Dorner want to pay up. [ABC]

Julia Pierson is the first woman to lead the Secret Service. [Newsday]

Two teen girls that made online attacks against the Steubenville rape victim will appear in court today. [CBSNews]

Former Pittsburgh Steelers player Kordell Stewart has filed for divorce from his reality TV star wife, Porsha Williams. [BET]

A plan to have unarmed students patrolling the campus of Towson University has sparked accusations of racism. [NBC Washington]

North Korea said it was cutting off a key military hotline with South Korea amid high tensions between the two sides. [CNN]

An earthquake killed at least one person and injured 19 other people in central Taiwan. [Wall Street Journal]

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, George Zimmerman’s defense releases bloody nose photo, a New York court upheld a $1 million high school racial harassment award and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas releases her memoir today.

George Zimmerman’s defense releases bloody nose photo.[BET]

A New York court upheld a $1 million high school racial harassment award. [AP]

Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas releases her memoir today. [Grio]

Study shows weak graduation rates for  Black male college athletes. [AP]

An Arizona high school principal is under fire for making two boys hold hands as punishment for fighting. [NBCNews]

Rob Kardashian slams Rita Ora on Twitter after their breakup. [BET]

Tyga admits to his wealthy upbringing after an old video surfaces. [BET]

Nigerian oil tycoon Folorunsho Alakija overtakes Oprah as world’s richest Black woman. [PRWeb]

A U.K. company plans to build massive solar power plant in Ghana. [BBC]

NATO warns Syria against using chemical weapons on its population. [AJE]

In today’s top news, Hurricane Sandy kills at least 16 in the U.S. and leaves millions without power across the East Coast, Sandy may delay the release of Friday’s job’s report; the last before the election and President Obama says, “I know Black America wants to keep Michelle as first lady.”

Hurricane Sandy kills at least 16 in the U.S. and leaves millions without power, reeling from floods. [CNN]

Sandy may delay the release of Friday’s job’s report; the last before the election. [AP]

In an interview President Obama says, “I know Black America wants to keep Michelle as first lady.” [Grio]

A Florida judge in the Trayvon Martin case refuses to issue a gag order for George Zimmerman’s lawyers. [Reuters]

A study shows Black students feel more prepared for college than other races. [HoustonChronicle]

Cissy Houston and Bobbi Kristina resolve inheritance issues. [BET]

Basketball Wives star Tami Roman inked a six-figure product endorsement deal. [BET]

Scott Storch avoids arrest for child support by paying $20,000 in arrears. [BET]

Tanzania’s capital, Dar es Salaam, gets its first commuter train. [BBC]

Europe’s fashion buyers are looking to Nigeria. [AP]

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, Veteran rapper E-40 muses on the Trayvon Martin tragedy, a white supremacist hacks Trayvon Martin’s email account and publishes messages online and a witness of Trayvon Martin’s killing comes forward with details.

Veteran rapper E-40 muses on the Trayvon Martin tragedy. [BET]

A white supremacist hacks Trayvon Martin’s email account and publishes messages online. [Gawker]

Witness of Trayvon Martin’s killing comes forward with details. [CNN]

Two FAMU professors allegedly present during hazing are place on leave. [AP]

Nick Cannon to head new comedy series. [BET]

Every senior at the all-male, all-African-American Urban Prep is admitted to college. [Chicago Tribune]

U.N. orders immediate cease-fire in Syria. [MSNBC]

Freeway Rick Ross responds to losing lawsuit against rapper Rick Ross. [BET]

The number of autistic children has risen 78 percent in the last decade. [CNN]

West African regional bloc ECOWAS gives Mali coup leaders 72 hours to step down. [AJE]

In today’s top news, the NAACP rallies for the arrest of Trayvon Martin’s killer, supporters in New York City today plan to hold “Million Hoodie March” in support of teen and a friend of Michelle Obama reveals that the first lady feels a ’special responsibility’ for Black girls.

The NAACP rallies for the arrest of Trayvon Martin’s killer. [BET]

“Million Hoody March” planned for Trayvon Martin in New York City today. [InterOccupy]

Michelle Obama’s friend says she feels a ’special responsibility’ for Black girls. [Examiner]

Robert DeNiro apologizes for first lady joke made at an Obama fundraiser. [Yahoo]

Oprah’s OWN network lays off one-fifth of its work force. [BET]

In today’s market, it’s better to buy your home than rent. [CNN]

Queen Latifah and Alfre Woodard to star in Steel Magnolias remake. [BET]

Studies show that a daily aspirin can ward off some cancers. [FOX]

Mississippi college disciplines students who yelled racist chants at basketball game. [BET]

A growing number of Ugandan women find themselves trapped as sex slaves in Asia. [AFP]

In today’s top news, a new study stresses the importance of mobilizing Black voters, more Black families are turning to home schooling and Afghan president Hamid Karzai calls for U.S. troops to leave the country’s villages.

A new study stresses the importance of mobilizing Black voters. [BET]

More Black families are turning to home schooling. [BBC]

Afghan president Hamid Karzai calls for U.S. troops to leave the country’s villages. [MSNBC]

Carol’s Daughter is planning to launch an online destination dedicated to natural hair. [BET]

Death investigation of Florida teen Trayvon Martin has been sent to the State Attorney’s Office. [BET]

Survey shows three out of ten adults aged 25 to 34 are living at home with parents. [TODAY]

Study links cadmium and other estrogen-like pollutants to higher rates of breast cancer. [LATimes]

Mississippi college band yells racial remark at a Latino basketball player during a game. [CNN]

Houston mother to be reunited with her son who was kidnapped eight years ago. [AP]

Uganda gay group sues U.S. evangelical minister for allegedly sowing hatred. [BBC]