(Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, North Korea’s muscle flexing continues to dominate the Obama administration’s foreign policy attention; Detroit’s mayor is presenting a new budget with deep cuts; and Trayvon Martin’s parents have criticized a letter written by George Zimmerman’s mother.

Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to South Korea warning North Korea not to proceed with a missile launch. [NYTimes]

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing will present a budget with deep cuts for the cash-strapped city. [Detroit Free Press]

Trayvon Martin’s parents strongly denounced a letter by George Zimmerman’s mother, who said her son was denied justice. [BET]

Sudan President Omar al-Bashir is making his first official visit to South Sudan since it became independent in 2011. [BBC]

A survivor of the bombing of an Alabama church 50 years ago wants compensation. [BET]

Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James was robbed on a street in the city he once led. [Star Ledger]

A poll by NBC and the Wall Street Journal indicates that a majority of Americans now support gay marriage. [Newsmax]

The life of Jackie Robinson is remembered on the weekend that a biographical film on the iconic baseball player is released.  [NYTimes]

Sam Martin, publisher of the Montgomery Advertiser, stepped down as the last Black head of the nation’s largest newspaper group. [NY Amsterdam News]

A prominent human rights activist has been granted bail in Zambia after calling for decriminalization of same-sex activities. [BBC]

In today’s top news, President Obama urged lawmakers to help him create jobs in last night’s State of the Union address, police believe rogue ex-LAPD officer Christopher Dorner was burned to death after a shootout and two men held for the death of Hadiya Pendleton say they mistook Pendleton and her friends for rival gang members.

President Obama urged lawmakers to work with him on creating jobs in last night’s State of the Union address. [BET]

Police believe rogue ex-LAPD officer Christopher Dorner was burned to death after a shootout with police in Big Bear Lake, California. [BET]

The two men held for the death of Hadiya Pendleton say they mistook Pendleton and her friends for rival gang members. [CBS]

Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake are planning to co-headline a 10-city tour this summer. [BET]

The Senate voted to renew the Violence Against Women Act. [AP]

Barry Bonds is asking a federal appeals court to throw out his felony conviction. [AP]

An Ohio mother was charged with helping her teen daughter beat up a girl at school. [HuffPo]

Stranded passengers on the Carnival Triumph cruise ship face an extra day at sea. [NBCNews]

South Sudan says Sudan is suspiciously bulking up its military along the countries’ contentious border. [AJE]

Canada will not send troops to Mali over worries that the country may become “another Afghanistan.” [Reuters]

In today’s top news, analysts say Obama is set up for an electoral win in Tuesday’s presidential election, Jay-Z will perform at an Obama event in Ohio Monday and Chris Rock tells undecided white voters, “Barack Obama is a white president you can trust.”
Some analysts say Obama is set up for an electoral win in Tuesday’s presidential election. [CBSNews]

Jay-Z will perform at an Obama event in Ohio Monday. [BET]

Chris Rock tells undecided white voters, “Barack Obama is a white president you can trust.” [Politico]

California residents found absentee ballots in the trash. [NECN]

Celebrities gathered to honor comedian Eddie Murphy. [USAToday]

A$AP Rocky says his fashion choices champion homosexual acceptance. [BET]

Juvenile’s son, Young Juve, was arrested for fighting a woman outside an Orlando nightclub. [BET]

African firms are making a bid to take over mobile gaming. [CNN]

Somalia gets its first female foreign minister, Fauzia Yusuf Haji Adan. [BBC]

South Sudan expelled a U.N. human rights official accusing her of producing “unjustified” reports. [AJE]

(Photo: Allan Tannenbaum-Pool/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, President Obama’s re-election campaign confirms it set the record for a single day of fundraising earlier this week, Michelle Obama wrote an open letter to women, encouraging the bloc to vote for her husband, and a new study shows that humans are not naturally racist.

President Obama’s re-election campaign confirms it set the record for a single day of fundraising earlier this week. [CNN]

Michelle Obama wrote an open letter to women, encouraging the bloc to vote for her husband. [Elle]

A new study shows that humans are not naturally racist. [Atlantic]

The St. Louis Zoo removed a Halloween ghost display after many said it looked like a lynching. [HuffingtonPost]

Kimora Lee Simmons calls Stacey Dash’s Romney endorsement a publicity stunt. [BET]

Meshell Ndegeocello says the public shouldn’t pre-judge Zoe Saldana’s portrayal of Nina Simone in the upcoming biopic. [BET]

Chris Rock hinted at a possible collabo tour with Dave Chappelle. [BET]

Diddy was honored by Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. [SP]

South Africa’s striking gold field miners return to work. [BBC]

South Sudan resumes oil production after historic deal. [BBC]

(Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, Jay-Z says he feels like he has achieved the “American Dream,” police are investigating racist hate mail sent to GOP Congressional candidate Mia Love and Bronx’s District Attorney vows to cut back on prosecuting certain stop-and-frisk cases.

Jay-Z says he feels like he has achieved the “American Dream.” [AP]

Police are investigating racist hate mail sent to GOP congressional candidate Mia Love. [Politico]

The Bronx’s District Attorney vows to cut back on prosecuting certain stop-and-frisk cases. [BET]

Two women were caught trying to smuggle cocaine in weaves at New York’s JFK International Airport. [DailyCaller]

Swizz Beats is named global ambassador for the NYC Health and Hospitals Corp. [BET]

DMX dismisses Fredro Starr’s diss, calling him a “midget rapper.” [BET]

Study: Black girls under stress gain more weight. [USN]

Bobbi Kristina Brown was involved in a “mysterious” car accident with her boyfriend. [Yahoo]

The South African gold mine strike continues to spread. [BBC]

Sudan and South Sudan sign a groundbreaking deal. [AJE]

(Photo: AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

In today’s top news, Michelle Obama calls voting rights activism the “march of our time,” voting laws in 23 states may keep more than 10 million Latino voters from the ballot and polls show President Obama is leading Mitt Romney in key battleground states.

Michelle Obama calls voting rights activism the “march of our time.” [Politico]

New voting laws in 23 states may keep more than 10 million Latino voters from the polls. [Reuters]

Polls show President Obama is leading Mitt Romney in key battleground states. [CNN]

Gas prices drop for the first time since July. [Reuters]

A draft of the Emancipation Proclamation was put on display at President Lincoln’s Cottage. [AP]

Jamie Foxx says he is ready to get behind the camera and try his hand at directing. [BET]

DMX says that he doesn’t want to beat up Drake. [BET]

Kanye West is worried about the possible release of a sex tape with a Kim Kardashian look-alike. [BET]

A suicide bomber attacked a northern Nigerian church, killing two and injuring 48. [BBC]

Sudan and South Sudan seek peace at a U.N. brokered summit. [AJE]

In today’s top news, Barack Obama officially accepts the nomination for president of the United States, Chicago is bracing for a massive teacher strike, and Secret Service arrest a North Carolina man for Twitter threats against President Obama.

Barack Obama officially accepts the nomination for president of the United States. [BET]

Chicago is bracing for a massive teacher strike. [Reuters]

The Secret Service arrest a North Carolina man for Twitter threats against President Obama. [CNN]

BET CEO Debra Lee says the Republican party is “pandering” to African-Americans and women. [Politico]

Chris Lighty’s family orders a second autopsy. [BET]

Alicia Keys releases a collection of shoes for Reebok. [BET]

Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, will be buried at sea. [Reuters]

U.S. government lawyers say BP sought to blame the “blue-collar rig workers” for the Gulf oil spill. [Reuters]

U.S. officials warn of a new border conflict brewing between Sudan and South Sudan. [BBC]

Mexican authorities say U.S. Border Patrol agents fatally shot a Mexican citizen for throwing rocks across the border. [CNN]

In today’s top news, U.S. women’s gymnastics team “Fab Five” wins gold, Cuba Gooding Jr. is wanted by police and the newly crowned Miss Teen USA is Black.

New Miss Teen USA is Black. [MSNBC]

New Orleans police have issued an arrest warrant for Cuba Gooding Jr. [BET]

U.S. women’s gymnastics team “Fab Five” wins gold. [ESPN]

Renowned author Gore Vidal dies at 86. [USA Today]

Ugandans urged to “limit physical contact” as Ebola deaths spread. [ALJ]

New polls show that Obama leads Romney in three key swing states. [CBS]

Black teens drink less than white peers, but have more alcohol-related problems. [BET]

Back-up legal guardian Diana Ross pledges her allegiance to the Jackson children. [BET]

Olympian badminton players accused of throwing their matches are disqualified. [CNN]

Hillary Clinton is set to visit South Sudan during her Africa tour. [AFP]

In today’s top news, Michael Jackson’s mother is reportedly no longer missing, Usher’s stepson Kyle Glover is taken off life support, and politicians reconsider gun laws after movie shooting.

Usher’s stepson Kyle Glover passed away this weekend. [BET]

Politicians are considering tighter federal gun laws after Aurora movie shooting. [CNN]

Michael Jackson’s mother, who was reported as missing, is reportedly “fine.” [BET]

Rupert Murdoch has stepped down from the boards of News Corp’s U.K. newspapers. [FT]

BET, MTV, Nickelodeon and other channels return to DirecTV subscribers. [Chicago Times]

Apple predicts a dip in earnings as consumers hold out for the new iPhone. [Bloomberg]

Penn State’s removal of Joe Paterno statue incites anger within the university’s community. [MSNBC]

Eating less salt could prevent stroke and cancer deaths. [BBC]

CDC: 1 in 13 women drink alcohol during pregnancy despite major health risks. [ABC]

South Sudanese runner will race under the Olympic flag after denying Sudan’s offer. [REUTERS]

In today’s top news, Usher’s stepson was declared brain dead after a Jet Ski accident, George Zimmerman is at a safe house in Florida after posting $1 million in bail and a court battle over a Texas voter ID law is set to take place this week.

Usher’s stepson was declared brain dead after a Jet Ski accident. [BET]

Trayvon Martin shooter George Zimmerman relocates to a safe house in Florida after posting $1 million in bail. [AP]

A controversial court battle over a Texas voter ID law is set to take place this week. [Reuters]

Hundreds of thousands of Internet users will lose access today because of a nasty virus. [CNN]

The Williams sisters took home the Wimbledon doubles title this weekend. [BET]

Morgan Freeman says President Obama’s white “mama” makes him America’s first mixed-race president — not the first Black president. [BET]

Study: The HPV vaccine is helping even those who skip it. [HealthDay]

South Sudan celebrates its first year of independence. [AFP]

South Africa desperately seeks to boost Black oil company ownership in the country. [Reuters]

Libya held its first democratic election this weekend. [Guardian]