(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: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

In today’s top news, President Obama will appoint new leaders for the Department of Energy and the EPA, Lawrence Reed charged in the death of Mississippi mayoral candidate Marco McMillian and Malik Obama — Obama’s half brother — is running for office in Kenya’s elections.

President Obama plans to name Ernest Moniz as energy secretary and Gina McCarthy to head the EPA.  [AP]

Lawrence Reed was charged with murder Thursday in the death of Marco McMillian, a Mississippi mayoral candidate. [ABC]

Malik Obama — a half-brother of Barack Obama — is running for a governor’s position in Kenya’s elections. [AP]

Vice President Joe Biden led a march in Selma, Alabama, Sunday to commemorate the 48th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. [BET]

Corporations have benefited more than the unemployed during the economic recovery. [NY Times]

Miracles Singer Bobby Rodgers has died at the age of 73. [BET]

Connecticut Rep. Ernest Hewett was stripped of his deputy speaker position after making a sexist remark to a young woman. [Black Voices]

Newborn baby dies after parents were killed in hit-and-run accident in Brooklyn. [NY Daily News]

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry released $250 million in economic aid Sunday to Egypt. [CNN]

Israeli rights group are calling the launch of two Palestinians-only bus lines in the West Bank  racist. [Al Jazeera]

In today’s top news, a majority of Americans agree with President Obama’s gun control proposal, NAACP president Ben Jealous urges Obama to nominate a Black female to the U.S. Supreme Court and the House passed a bill to stall the nation’s debt crisis for at least four months.

A poll shows the majority of Americans agree with President Obama’s gun control proposal. [ABCNews]

NAACP President Ben Jealous urges Obama to nominate a Black female to the U.S. Supreme Court. [Politico]

The House passed a bill to stall the nation’s debt crisis for at least four months. [BET]

Pentagon chief Leon Panetta is opening front-line combat positions to women. [BET]

A Philadelphia woman is charged with hate crimes for treating disabled adults like “zoo animals” in a scheme to steal social security benefits. [AP]

The U.S. Postal Service will issue a commemorative stamp in honor of Rosa Parks’ 100th birthday. [Grio]

A poll shows New Jersey voters prefer Cory Booker as their Senate rep. [BET]

Anita Hill’s documentary debuted at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. [Morning Sun]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reelected after a tight race. [AJE]

Westerners are urged to evacuate Benghazi, Libya, over threats. [BET]

(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]

(Photo: Simon Burchell/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, Dr. Dre was named the highest paid musician of 2012; a  GOP state senator says he is in favor of “dissolving Detroit”; and Congress is considering getting rid of the $1 bill in favor of coins.

Dr. Dre was named the highest paid musician of 2012. [BET]

A GOP state senator says he is in favor of  ”dissolving Detroit.” [Grio]

Congress is considering getting rid of the $1 bill in favor of coins. [AP]

Country singer Trace Adkins defended the Confederate flag earpiece he wore at the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting. [CBSNews]

A man dressed as Madea tried to rob a bank in Mississippi. [WREGMemphis]

A mother is petitioning to have her dead don’s student loans forgiven. [Grio]

Joe Jackson reportedly suffered a minor stroke. [BET]

Bobbi Kristina’s boyfriend, Nick Gordon, was arrested for reckless driving.  [BET]

The U.N. General Assembly votes to elevate the status of Palestine to a non-member observer state. [NYT]

The U.K. has halted aid payments to Rwanda over the country’s alleged involvement with supporting rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [BBC]

(Photo: SHEN HONG/Xinhua /Landov)

In today’s top news, Republican lawmakers were left unsatisfied after meeting with U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice Tuesday; the Powerball jackpot has risen to $500 million; and a third accuser has stepped forward with underage sex allegations against Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash.

Republican lawmakers were left unsatisfied after meeting with U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice. [CNN]

The Powerball jackpot has risen to $500 million — the largest prize in the game’s history. [NBCNews]

A third accuser has stepped forward with underage sex allegations against Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash. [BET]

A federal judge has ordered tobacco companies to create ads admitting they lied to the public about the dangers of cigarette smoking. [Reuters]

A controversial painting depicts President Obama as a crucified Jesus Christ. [FOXNews]

An Israeli spokesman is under fire for posting a blackface photo of himself with the caption “Obama style.” [ABCNews]

A white man allegedly shot and killed a Florida teen over loud music. [ThinkProgress]

Illamasqua makeup is facing backlash for blackface ads. [BET]

Rapper V-Nasty unleashed an N-word laced rant against Soulja Boy. [BET]

Democratic Republic of Congo’s M23 rebels say they will leave the captured city of Goma by Friday. [AP]

(Photo: AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

In today’s top news, a bus bomb hit Tel Aviv, Israel, as diplomats try to broker a peace deal between Israel and Palestine, a group of Black farmers in Alabama are suing the federal government for discrimination, and Rep. James Clyburn said racial “code words” are being used to insult U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice.

A bus bomb hit Tel Aviv as diplomats try to broker a peace deal between Israel and Palestine. [NBCNews]

A group of Black farmers in Alabama are suing the federal government for discrimination. [FOX6]

Rep. James Clyburn said racial “code words” are being used to insult U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice. [The Grio]

GZA of the Wu Tang Clan will teach high school science in 10 New York City schools. [CNN]

Twinkie maker Hostess Brands failed to reach an agreement with a baker’s union Tuesday. [NBCNews]

Alicia Keys recently reunited with her estranged father. [BET]

Birdman celebrated 500 million records sold by Cash Money Records. [BET]

Singer Frank Ocean says he’s not offering any more information about his love life. [BET]

Deion Sanders’ son has plans to play football at Southern Methodist University. [ESPN]

The U.N. reports that there has been a large drop in new HIV infections among children worldwide. [BBC]

In today’s top news, Nicki Minaj says she has smoothed things over with fellow American Idol judge Mariah Carey, the U.S. Embassy in Athens issued a warning for African-Americans traveling to Greece citing racial attacks and fighting intensifies in Gaza as war looms.

Nicki Minaj says she has smoothed things over with fellow American Idol judge Mariah Carey. [BET]

The U.S. embassy in Athens issued a warning for African-Americans traveling to Greece citing racial attacks. [AP]

Fighting intensifies in Gaza as war looms. [BBC]

A source says the FBI is drilling down into the probe of Jesse Jackson Jr. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Atlantic City mayor Lorenzo Langford called N.J. Governor Chris Christie “racially insensitive.” [Grio]

Meek Mill and Cassidy trade jabs on Twitter. [BET]

O.J. Simpson is slapped with a tax lien. [TMZ]

Jennifer Hudson says she’s done losing weight. [BET]

Scientists believe that a new strain of Ebola may be airborne. [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]

In today’s top news, Lil Wayne was hospitalized after suffering a seizure aboard a private jet, President Obama and Mitt Romney are both on track to raise nearly $2 billion in campaign donations and Condoleezza Rice defended Mitt Romney’s position on women’s issues.

Lil Wayne was hospitalized after suffering a seizure aboard a private jet. [BET]

President Obama and Mitt Romney are both on track to raise nearly $2 billion in campaign donations. [NYT]

Condoleezza Rice defends Mitt Romney’s position on women’s issues. [Politico]

Oprah Winfrey is reportedly developing a drama series for HBO. [WaPo]

Hurricane Sandy is headed for the East Coast. [NYT]

A Texas high school has begun tracking students with computer chips. [NBCNews]

Rapper Angel Haze opens up about being raped on new song. [BET]

A video surfaced showing Chief Keef associate Lil Reese brutally beating a young woman. [BET]

Angola launched a $5 billion sovereign wealth fund to diversify its economy. [CNN]

Sudan plans to report Israel to the U.N. over an alleged airstrike that caused an explosion. [BBC]