In today’s top news, today marks the start of Black History Month, the Black unemployment rate slipped to 13.8 percent in January and a student was taken into custody for the shooting of a 14-year-old student at an Atlanta middle school.

Today marks the start of Black History Month. [BET]

The Black unemployment rate slipped to 13.8 percent in January. [BET]

A student was taken into custody for the shooting of a 14-year-old student at an Atlanta middle school. [USATODAY]

At least three people are dead after a suicide bombing outside the U.S. embassy in Turkey. [CNN]

Beyoncé sang the national anthem live and admitted to lip-syncing at President Obama’s inauguration. [BET]

California’s Hispanic population is expected to outnumber whites by 2014. [Reuters]

The Arkansas senate approved a bill to ban some abortions as early as five weeks into the pregnancy. [Reuters]

A 5-year-old boy in Alabama has been held hostage in an underground bunker for four days, as of today. [NBCNews]

Gambia is giving public sector workers a four-day work week so citizens have more time to “pray, socialize and tend to fields.” [BBC]

French president Francois Hollande will visit Mali on Saturday. [AJE]

In today’s top news, the Senate is scheduled to vote on more than $50 billion in aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy, two Latino men were arrested for hate crimes against a Black family and Chris Brown and Frank Ocean were involved in an “all out brawl” in L.A.

The Senate is scheduled to vote on more than $50 billion in aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy. [CNN]

Three people were arrested for a Brazil club fire that killed 231 and left 82 injured. [Reuters]

A woman in Chicago lost her fourth child to gun violence in a weekend shootout. [AP]

Two Latino men were arrested for hate crimes against a Black family. [CBSNews]

The Obama administration is seeking $32 million to train troops in Mali. [AP]

Chris Brown and Frank Ocean were involved in an “all out brawl” in L.A. [BET]

Ohio Players front man Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner died Saturday at age 69. [BET]

Concern is growing about suicides among military families. [NBCNews]

Former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick sprung from weekend stint in jail. [CNN]

Maligned rapper Snoop Lion has received the blessing of Bob Marley’s son after reggae legend Bunny Wailer called him a fraud. [Grio]

In today’s top news, the Labor Department announced more African-Americans found jobs in November, Trenton, N.J. mayor Tony Mack and his brother were indicted and George Zimmerman  is suing NBC for editing 911 tapes to make him look like a racist.

More African-Americans found jobs in November. [BET]

Trenton, N.J. mayor Tony Mack and his brother were indicted for extortion, bribery and mail and wire fraud. [BET]

George Zimmerman says he is suing NBC for editing 911 tapes to make him look like a racist. [BET]

A recent poll shows Illinois voters wouldn’t mind voting for Senator Michelle Obama. [Grio]

L.A.’s oldest Black church sues its former pastor. [Grio]

Wendy Williams says Beyoncé talks like she only has a fifth grade education. [HuffPo]

Four top mobile carriers are setting up a service to allow users to text emergencies to “911.” [Reuters]

A Penn State sorority is being investigated after photos of a racist, Mexican costume party surfaced. [Yahoo!]

South Africa bids to become the call center capital of the world. [CNN]

Ghana votes in parliamentary and presidential elections today. [BBC]

In today’s top news, a judge halts Pennsylvania’s controversial new voter ID requirement, Usher orders his ex-wife out of his mansion and Oprah’s OWN is slated to partner with Tyler Perry.

A judge halts Pennsylvania’s controversial new voter ID requirement. [BET]

Usher orders his ex-wife out of his mansion. [BET]

Oprah’s OWN to partner with Tyler Perry. [LATimes]

A Philly police officer was caught on tape punching a woman at a Puerto Rican Day Parade. [AP]

Jay-Z reflects on the anniversary of his Hard Knock Life album. [BET]

Study shows Black children are exposed to more background television. [CSM]

Winter storms will now receive names, courtesy of the Weather Channel. [Weather]

Twenty-five students were killed in northern Nigeria by an unknown gunman. [BBC]

A Dutch “abortion boat” is sailing to the coast of Morocco to provide offshore abortions. [BBC]

(Photo: Courtesy of Burnt Orange Report)

In today’s top news, people are lynching empty chairs that symbolize President Obama, prosecutors in the Trayvon Martin case are trying to prevent the release of  the teen’s school records and Jamaica plans to use the teachings of native son Marcus Garvey to cure societal ills.

People are lynching empty chairs that symbolize President Obama. [NBCNews]

Prosecutors in the Trayvon Martin case are trying to prevent the release of the teen’s school records. [OrlandoSentinel]

Jamaica plans to use the teachings of native son Marcus Garvey to cure societal ills. [AP]

Mitt Romney is accused of dying his face brown to appeal to Latino voters. [Gawker]

Six million uninsured Americans to be hit with tax penalty. [AP]

Roscoe Dash says he wrote for Kanye West and Wale but didn’t get credit. [BET]

Beyoncé and Tina Knowles have designed a collection of baby clothes in support of Obama’s re-election. [BET]

T.I. jumps on the “I Hate New York” bandwagon. [BET]

Former Apple employees and retailers in France protested as customers waited to buy the iPhone 5. [CSM]

Strikes spread at South Africa’s gold mines. [BBC]

In today’s top news, the NAACP deems same-sex marriage a civil right, Black and Latino people are paying three percent more for homes and Michelle Obama takes first ladies to the South Side of Chicago during NATO visit.

The NAACP deems same-sex marriage a civil right. [BET]

Black and Latino people pay three percent more for homes. [BusinessInsider]

Michelle Obama takes first ladies to the South Side of Chicago during NATO visit. [Reuters]

Many war veterans protested the NATO summit, tossing medals into the streets. [MSNBC]

Will Smith smacks a reporter who tried to kiss him in the face. [ABCNEWS]

An attorney claims a judge and two lawyers conspired to drain Rosa Park’s estate of money. [BET]

Raven-Symoné says her sexuality is not public business after a tabloid claims she is a lesbian. [MTV]

T.I. wants out of the rap game. [BET]

Wendy Williams defends her plastic surgery. [BET]

French authorities are investigating ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn in another sex scandal. [BBC]

In today’s top news, FAMU’s band director has stepped down amid the hazing death controversy, Mitt Romney says he’s “fine” with gay couples adopting children and the U.S. Department of Justice is suing an Arizona sheriff for racial profiling and discrimination against Latinos.

FAMU’s band director has stepped down amid hazing controversy. [CNN]

Mitt Romney says he’s “fine” with gay couples adopting children. [National Journal]

U.S. Department of Justice is suing an Arizona sheriff for racial profiling and discrimination against Latinos. [Reuters]

A Black female U.S. Army pioneer says she was mistreated because of her gender. [NYT]

A Florida teacher faces dismissal after disciplining students with a dog collar. [AP]

Kanye West raps about marrying Kim Kardashian. [BET]

Chris Brown and Rihanna feud over lyrics of new song. [BET]

Study shows Black boys at risk for self-harm. [WBLT]

Egypt holds its first televised presidential debate. [MSNBC]

A Nelson Mandela inspired fashion line will debut in the U.S. soon. [BET]

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]

In today’s top news, U.S. blood banks are in severe need of African-American donors, Super Tuesday raises the stakes for Republican presidential nominee hopefuls and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says it’s legal to kill Americans plotting terrorism abroad.

U.S. blood banks are in severe need of African-American donors. [BET]

Super Tuesday has arrived. [BET]

Attorney General Eric Holder says it’s legal to kill Americans plotting terrorism abroad. [Telegraph]

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says time is running out for Iran. [CNN]

Study: Violent crime has spiked in Haiti’s cities. [AP]

Colleges and employers request applicant’s Facebook passwords. [MSNBC]

Study: Black and Latino students far more likely to be suspended than whites. [MSNBC]

Black families overrepresented among U.S. homeless. [ICPH]

Former U.S. service members suing over sexual assaults at prestigious Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C. [TODAY]

U.S. pledges aid to Congo after 200 killed in Blast. [AFP]

In today’s top news, Chaka Khan calls Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy party “insanity,” Whitney Houston’s family chooses to have a private funeral for the singer and Beyoncé gets back to business following the birth of Blue Ivy.

Chaka Khan says Clive Davis should have canceled his pre-Grammy party in the wake of Whitney Houston’s death. [BET]

Whitney Houston’s family chooses to have a private funeral for the singer. [CNN]

Beyoncé gets back to business following the birth of Blue Ivy. [BET]

One woman spends a year only shopping at Black businesses. [MotherJones]

Nicki Minaj explains her striking Grammy performance. [BET]

Nearly 600 Ugandan girls have been forced into the Malaysian sex trade. [TheMonitor]

Ray J dishes about his friendship with Whitney Houston. [BET]

Apple vows to improve worker’s conditions. [CNN]

Hispanic workforce expected to outpace that of Blacks and whites by 2020. [BET]

FDA finds lead in 400 popular lipsticks. [CNN]