(Photo: REUTERS/Andrew Winning)

In today’s news, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that states may not require proof of citizenship for people registering to vote; President Obama defended the use of surveillance programs; and Jesse Jackson Jr. says that if both he and his wife must go to prison, he would prefer serving first.

Supreme Court says states can’t add citizenship proof for voter registration. [Washington Post]

Obama defends authorization of surveillance programs. [NY Times]

Jesse Jackson Jr. says if prison is ahead, he should go before wife. [Chicago Tribune]

White House cites progress on gun issue. [USA Today]

Controversy takes a bite out of Obama’s approval rating. [BET]

Zimbabwe journalists suffer attacks ahead of elections. [Guardian]

Family of Ramarley Graham calls anew for new grand jury. [BET]

Lil Wayne offers controversial performance stepping on American flag. [ABC]

Increasing red meat intake boosts risk of diabetes. [Medical.net]

Ethiopia, Egypt vow to ease tension. [BBC]

(Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Democrat and former Illinois state legislator Robin Kelly will replace Jesse Jackson Jr. after winning a special election Tuesday night. [BET]

Sean “Jay-Z” Carter is selling his stake in the Brooklyn Nets and will move forward as a sports agent. [BET]

Dylan Quick will undergo a psychiatric evaluation after being charged in the Lone Star College stabbing in Texas. [Houston Chronicle]

The postal service’s board said that it will continue to deliver mail six days a week.  [CNN Money]

A 6-year-old boy who was accidentally shot in the head by a 4-year-old playmate has died from his wounds. [Huffington Post]

A week after the death of “Buckwild” reality-TV star Shain Gandee, MTV has decided to cancel the series. [LATimes]

Former U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner, who resigned after tweeting lewd pictures of himself, is considering a run for New York City mayor. [Reuters]

South Korea said there was a “very high” probability that North Korea would test-launch a medium-range missile at any time as a show of strength. [Al Jazeera]

Cuba handed over an American couple to U.S. officials who allegedly kidnapped their two sons and sailed to Havana. [CNN]

(Photo: AP Photo/The Clarksdale Press Register, Troy Catchings)

In today’s top news, Marco McMillian,  an openly gay Mississippi mayoral candidate was found dead; Maryland’s Senate approved one of the strictest firearm laws in the country; and the editor of Jet has apologized to Fantasia for calling the singer “illiterate.”

Mystery surrounds death of Marco McMillian, an openly gay  Mississippi mayoral candidate.  [BET]

The Maryland Senate has approved a gun-control bill that is one of the strictest firearm laws in the country. [Baltimore Sun]

The editor of Jet Magazine apologizes for calling Fantasia “illiterate.” [BET]

(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, Trayvon Martin’s mother reflects on the year since her son’s death; changes in federal loans have hampered Black student college enrollment; and North Chicago police department offends with brochures filled with stereotypes.

Trayvon Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, reflects on the year since her son’s death. [BET]

Changes in eligibility of a federal loan program has hampered Black student college enrollment this school year. [AP]

The North Chicago Police Department has been hit for distributing pamphlets filled with stereotypes of African-Americans. [BET]

Beyoncé will headline the annual V festival in the U.K. in August. [BET]

Michael Bloomberg is spending big bucks on race to replace Jesse Jackson Jr. [TheGrio]

A tourist balloon exploded over Southern Egypt killing 19 people. [CNN]

(Photo: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, the Obama administration may ask the Supreme Court to overturn California’s ban on gay marriage, a man has been charged in killing of Chicago teen Janay McFarlane and Jesse Jackson Jr. entered a guilty plea.

The Obama administration may ask the Supreme Court to overturn California’s ban on gay marriage. [AP]

A man has been charged in killing of Chicago teen Janay McFarlane. [Chicago Tribune]

Jesse Jackson Jr. has entered a guilty plea Wednesday on one felony count of conspiracy to commit false statements, wire fraud and mail fraud. [BET]

A Different World actor Lou Myers has died at 76. [Black Voices]

Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network demands justice for nurse suing hospital for racism. [BET]

Lil Wayne takes back Lebron James diss and apologizes to city of Miami. [BET]

Ex-New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin has plead not guilty to bribery. [AP]

The lead investigator in the case against South African track star Oscar Pistorius is facing murder charges. [CNN]

A car bomb kills 53 and injures 200 near Syrian capital ruling party building. [Reuters]

The Pope wants to change the Vatican constitution so that his successor can replace him sooner than usual. [CNN]

In today’s top news, Beyoncé will sing the national anthem at the 57th presidential inauguration, 22 candidates have stepped up to fill the seat vacated by former Illinois congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and cable network MSNBC saw a 60 percent jump in Black viewership during 2012.

Beyoncé will sing the national anthem at the 57th presidential inauguration. [Grio]

Twenty-two candidates have stepped up to fill the seat vacated by former Illinois congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. [BET]

Cable network MSNBC saw a 60 percent jump in Black viewership during 2012. [ShadowandAct]

A N.Y. federal judge ruled stop-and-frisk unconstitutional in the Bronx. [BET]

New York’s governor Andrew Cuomo will propose a ban on assault weapons. [AP]

Laurence Fishburne got a restraining order on an alleged stalker who has tried to evict him from his own home. [BET]

The CDC says 1 in 5 high school girls binge drink. [CNN]

2012 was the U.S.’s hottest year on record. [Reuters]

Uganda returned $5 million in embezzled aid to Ireland. [Reuters]

South Africa’s farm workers stage mass strike over unfair wages amid “naked racism and white arrogance.” [BBC]

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]

In today’s top news, President Obama met with House Speaker John Boehner over the weekend to discuss the fiscal cliff, Nelson Mandela was hospitalized for unspecified medical tests and Manny Pacquiao says he has no plans to retire after devastating knockout.

President Obama met with House Speaker John Boehner over the weekend to discuss the fiscal cliff. [NBCNews]

Nelson Mandela was hospitalized this weekend for unspecified medical tests. [BET]

Manny Pacquiao says he has no plans to retire after devastating knockout. [Reuters]

Analysts say the lineup of replacement candidates for Jessie Jackson Jr.’s House seat has no standout star. [WSJ]

The L.A.P.D. apologized to the Notorious B.I.G.’s family after his autopsy report was released. [BET]

Former IMF leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn close to settling his sexual assault case with hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo. [AP]

A Black high school principal in West Virginia is under fire after forcing students to sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” [Grio]

The CDC announces that Black women have the highest obesity rate. [AP]

Toni Braxton was hospitalized for complications from lupus. [BET]

John Mahama was declared the winner of Ghana’s presidential election. [AP]

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, President Obama says the U.S. will need “a lot of prayer” to deal with the fiscal cliff, reports say Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. secretly returned to work last month and New York police think a serial killer may be taking out local shopkeepers.

President Obama says the U.S. will need “a lot of prayer” to deal with the fiscal cliff. [AP]

Reports say Jesse Jackson Jr. secretly returned to work last month. [WLS]

New York police think a serial killer may be taking out local shopkeepers. [NBCNews]

An Arizona gun shop bans Obama voters. [ABC15]

Billy Dee Williams to guest star on Modern Family. [BET]

Whoopi Goldberg says Nina Simone wanted the Oscar-winner to play her. [BET]

Bobby Brown pleads not guilty to his latest DUI charge. [BET]

The Democratic Republic of Congo rejected an ultimatum by the country’s M23 rebels. [AJE]

China busts a gang behind the production of fake Louis Vuitton handbags. [Reuters]