(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: Courtesy Watkins Family via CBS News)

In today’s top news, Jonylah Watkins will be laid to rest, Lil Wayne was released from the hospital and graduation rates have improved for Black NCAA tournament players.

The funeral for Jonylah Watkins, the 6-month-old who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Chicago, will be held today. [Chicago Tribune]

Lil Wayne has been released from a Los Angeles hospital where he was taken in after having seizures. [BET]

On the 10-year anniversary of the Iraq war, 57 people were killed in bombings throughout Baghdad.  [AP]

Graduation rates have improved for NCAA tournament players, especially African-Americans. [TheGrio]

Bobbie Smith, the former lead singer of the group the Spinners, has died. He was 76. [Billboard]

Officers involved in the shooting of Kimani Gray have previously been sued for civil rights violations. [WNYC]

At least seven U.S. Marines were killed and several others were injured at a Nevada training site. [USA Today]

The housing market has shown signs of improvement in February as the number of new permits for construction climbed to the highest level since 2008. [Reuters]

Two teenage girls were charged with menacing for allegedly threatening the victim in the Steubenville, Ohio, rape case via Twitter and Facebook. [ABC]

Two suicide bombers killed at least 22 people in an attack on a bus station in the Northern Nigerian city of Kano yesterday. [Bloomberg]

Pope Francis set the tone for a new, humbler papacy on Tuesday with a call for the defense of the weak and the environment. [Reuters]

(Photo: AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

In today’s top news, Carol Gray, the mother of Kimani Gray, wants to know why the police had to kill her son; Jonathan Watkins, the father of slain infant Jonylah Watkins, is in talks with Chicago police; and rapper Jay-Z will co-produce and perform on the soundtrack for The Great Gatsby.

Carol Gray, mother of Kimani Gray, wants to know why the police had to kill her son. [AP]

Jonathan Watkins, father of slain infant Jonylah Watkins, is in talks with Chicago police. [ABC Chicago]

Rapper Jay-Z has teamed up with Australian director Baz Luhrmann to produce and perform on the soundtrack for The Great Gatsby. [Reuters]

The two officers now under scrutiny for fatally shooting Brooklyn teen Kimani Gray are decorated cops who had fired their weapons before. [NY Daily News]

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is being asked to apologize for referring to the first Black female leader of the state Assembly by race and gender, and not by name. [AP]

Antron Brown is the first African-American to win a major driving title in the U.S. [Jacksonville.com]

Ohio conservative Sen. Rob Portman is changing his stance on gay marriage after finding out his son is gay. [CNN]

Another Carnival Cruise ship is having technical difficulties that are affecting its sailing speed. [Huffington Post]

The UN and human rights groups are warning of a rise in sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [Al Jazeera]

An alleged victim described abuses she says were committed under former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier’s rule. [BET]

(Photo: Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, President Obama will meet with Senate and House Republicans next week, the number of anti-government groups have grown since Obama’s re-election and George Zimmerman has waived his right to a “Stand Your Ground” hearing in April.

Obama will go to Capitol Hill next week to meet with Republicans about the sequester. [The Washington Post]

The number of “anti-government” groups has grown since the president’s re-election. [Black Voices]

George Zimmerman has waived his right to a “Stand Your Ground” hearing in April. [Huffington Post]

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson wants the FBI to investigate the death of Mississippi mayoral candidate Marco McMillian. [AP]

Lawmakers are seeking a presidential pardon for Jack Johnson’s racially motivated imprisonment a century ago. [BlackAmericaWeb]

Kanye West vents displeasure after being ranked No. 7 on MTV’s “Hottest MCs in the Game” list. [BET]

The Pentagon’s military honor for drone pilots and cyberwarriors has sparked debate. [ABCNews]

Venezuela has declared seven days of mourning for the death of former President Hugo Chavez. [CNN]

Syria’s refugee count has reached 1 million. [Reuters]

In today’s top news, President Obama championed diversity, civil rights in his inaugural speech, Michelle Obama wore a stunning red Jason Wu gown to the inaugural balls and the president is expected to sign a three-month debt ceiling extension.

President Obama championed diversity, civil rights in his inaugural speech. [BET]

Michelle Obama wore a stunning red Jason Wu gown to the inaugural balls. [CBSNews]

The president is expected to sign a three-month debt ceiling extension. [USATODAY]

The nation’s high school graduation rate is the highest since 1976. [AP]

Teen rapper Chief Keef is being sued for child support. [BET]

Justin Timberlake’s new single “Suit & Tie” breaks Billboard records. [BET]

Jamie Foxx calls Spike Lee’s criticism of Quentin Tarantino “irresponsible.” [BET]

An advocacy group says fake ingredients in food are on the rise. [GMA]

Fruitvale, a film about police brutality victim Oscar Grant, was well received at Sundance Film Festival. [Grio]

Former Liberian leader Charles Taylor is appealing his war-crimes conviction. [BBC]

The U.S. has started transporting French troops and weapons to Mali. [Reuters]

(Photo: Mike Groll/AP PHOTO)

In today’s top news, New York became the first state to enact a revised gun control law since Newtown, Myrlie Evers-Williams says she is incredibly honored to deliver the invocation at President Obama’s inauguration and The NRA calls out President Obama for shunning armed guards in schools when his daughters have Secret Service.

New York became the first state to enact a revised gun control law since the Newtown school shooting. [Reuters]

Myrlie Evers-Williams says she is incredibly honored to deliver the invocation at President Obama’s inauguration. [BET]

The NRA calls out President Obama for shunning armed guards in schools when his daughters have Secret Service. [Grio]

ESPN host Stuart Scott says his cancer has returned. [USATODAY]

The Pentagon reports record numbers of military suicides. [CNN]

Chief Keef was taken into police custody for violating his probation. [BET]

Steve Harvey inks an expanded deal with Clear Channel to continue his radio talk show. [Reuters]

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s baby is due in July. [BET]

The U.S. is making plans to assist with the military intervention in Mali. [IPS]

A journalist in Somalia was arrested after reporting the story of a woman who says she was raped by government security forces. [AP]

In today’s top news, Don Cheadle and Django Unchained won Golden Globe awards, Colin Powell chided the GOP for its “intolerance” and Nas was hospitalized for vertigo.

Don Cheadle and Django Unchained won Golden Globe awards. [BET]

Colin Powell said there is a “darn vein of intolerance” running through some parts of the GOP. [BET]

Nas was hospitalized for vertigo. [BET]

A Missouri court has appointed a lawyer to protect the interests of the late Jovan Belcher’s 4-month-old daughter. [USATODAY]

Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa have decided to call off their divorce. [CNN]

Louis Farrakhan called Django Unchained “preparation for a race war.” [FOX]

An Ohio town will let some school employees bring guns to school once they have received tactical training. [Reuters]

Record low water levels in the Great Lakes are snarling commerce, tourism in the region. [CNN]

French fighter jets began bombing targets in militant strongholds of northern Mali this weekend. [AP]

Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki blocked a bid by legislators to give themselves $100K pay bonuses. [AP]

(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, Vice President Joe Biden says President Obama will act on gun violence soon; Denzel Washington and Django Unchained nab Oscar nominations; and Illinois has three sitting lawmakers currently facing criminal charges.

Vice President Joe Biden says President Obama will act on gun violence soon. [CNN]

Denzel Washington and Django Unchained nab Oscar nominations. [BET]

Illinois has three sitting lawmakers currently facing criminal charges. [BET]

A study revealed NFL player Junior Seau had a degenerative brain disease when he committed suicide last May. [AP]

A Virginia teen pleads guilty to setting fire to a church because of the congregation’s race. [MB]

Nas talks about his four Grammy nominations. [AP]

Rihanna will perform at the 2013 Grammy Awards. [BET]

Common says we need to “restructure the Black family.” [MSNBC]

South African police arrested 50 in farm protests. [AP]

Iraqi former inmates of Abu Ghraib prison received a $5 million settlement from a U.S. defense contractor accused of torture. [AJE]

In today’s top news, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed now supports gay marriage; census data shows whites to lose majority status in the U.S. by 2043; and Jesse Jackson Jr.’s wife will not seek his old House seat.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed now supports gay marriage. [BET]

Census data shows whites to lose majority status in the U.S. by 2043. [L.A.Times]

Jesse Jackson Jr.’s wife will not seek his old House seat. [BET]

The influence of Michigan’s union-weakening right to work laws may spread across the U.S. [NBCNews]

A$AP Rocky pleads guilty to attempted grand larceny. [BET]

Evelyn Lozada poses naked for PETA. [Grio]

A new study shows that pedestrians who text are four times as likely to be hit by a car. [ABC]

Sean Penn said Port-au-Prince Haiti is no more or less dangerous than Detroit. [AP]

A woman in Spain was arrested for transporting cocaine in her breast implants. [CNN]

The FDA has issued a warning for body parts and human tissue implants that may be tainted. [NBCNews]

(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]