(Photo: Brett Deering/Getty Images)

In today’s news, dozens of people are killed in a dramatic tornado in Oklahoma; President Obama is focusing on the economy in a trip to Baltimore; and the protests are continuing in North Carolina as the NAACP engages in civil disobedience over policies by the state’s Republican legislature and governor.

Scores of people are killed as tornado rips trough Oklahoma. [Washington Post]

President Obama travels to Baltimore to talk about economy. [BET]

North Carolina NAACP continues protests against “right-wing” laws. [BET]

Bigotry against Muslims and Jews on the rise globally. [BBC]

Supreme Court to revisit church and state separation.   [LA Times]

New Jersey to get up to $25 billion in federal Sandy aid. [Star Ledger]

Ivory Coast has come a long way since post-election violence. [The Guardian]

IRS ex-commissioner to make first public appearance since scandal. [Washington Post]

More than 100 militant Islamists planning funeral are arrested in Nigeria. [BBC]

Urban farming invigorates Detroit neighborhood. [Detroit Free Press]

In today’s top news, all of Urban Prep Academy’s senior class is college-bound for the fourth year, Louisville’s Kevin Ware is recovering from surgery after a gruesome leg injury and the White House is expecting 35,000 people at the 135th Easter Egg Roll.

Urban Prep Academy, an all-Black male charter school in Chicago, is sending all of its students to college for the fourth year. [Chicago Sun Times]

Louisville’s Kevin Ware is recovering from surgery after a gruesome leg injury in last night’s game against Duke. [ABCNews]

A crowd of 35,000 is expected to show up to the White House lawn for the 135th Easter Egg Roll. [NBC Washington]

Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty for James Holmes, who was accused in last year’s movie theater massacre in Colorado. [Washington Post]

Philip Banks III, an African-American, is the new highest-ranking uniformed officer in the NYPD. [The Grio]

The Supreme Court is weighing in on race as they address the affirmative action and voting rights cases. [AP]

Conservatives attack Google for using its homepage to celebrate Cesar Chavez’s birthday and not Easter. [Politico]

Elwin Wilson, a former KKK supporter who apologized for years of violent racism toward Blacks, has died at 76. [AP]

The number of female tourists arriving to India has dropped by 35 percent in the past three months since the fatal Delhi rape. [The Guardian]

An Afghan teenager killed an American soldier by stabbing him in the neck while he played with a group of local children. [USA Today]

(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, the U.S. Supreme Court convenes to hear second gay marriage case; the Chicago Teachers Union will rally against planned school closings; and the location has been approved for a museum honoring Black firefighters in Chicago.

The U.S. Supreme Court convenes to hear second gay marriage case. [Reuters]

The Chicago Teachers Union is planning a rally against planned school closings. [Chicago Tribune]

Chicago approves location for future museum honoring the city’s African-American firefighters. [ABC Chicago]

None of the groups that raised money for the reward in the capture of Christopher Dorner want to pay up. [ABC]

Julia Pierson is the first woman to lead the Secret Service. [Newsday]

Two teen girls that made online attacks against the Steubenville rape victim will appear in court today. [CBSNews]

Former Pittsburgh Steelers player Kordell Stewart has filed for divorce from his reality TV star wife, Porsha Williams. [BET]

A plan to have unarmed students patrolling the campus of Towson University has sparked accusations of racism. [NBC Washington]

North Korea said it was cutting off a key military hotline with South Korea amid high tensions between the two sides. [CNN]

An earthquake killed at least one person and injured 19 other people in central Taiwan. [Wall Street Journal]

(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case challenging the 1965 Voting Rights Act, a Florida task force defends the “Stand Your Ground” law and The Onion is under fire for a vulgar tweet about Oscar nominee Quvenzhané Wallis.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday from an Alabama town that is challenging a provision in the 1965 Voting Rights Act.  [AP]

A Florida task force says that the “Stand Your Ground” law should not be overturned. [Miami Herald]

The Onion is under fire for a vulgar tweet about Oscar nominee Quvenzhané Wallis. [The Grio]

Django Unchained takes Best Original Screenplay and Michelle Obama presents the award for Best Picture at the Oscars. [BET]

Louis Farrakhan laid out an action plan to improve economic disparities for African-Americans. [AP]

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are expecting a baby girl. [BET]

MC Hammer says his weekend arrest in California was the result of racial profiling. [BET]

Scotland’s Roman Catholic archbishop resigned over abuse allegations. [CNN]

Cuban President Raul Castro says he will leave office in 2018. [CNN]

Park Geun-hye has become South Korea’s first female president. [New York Times]

In today’s top news, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of Arizona’s immigration law, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is taking a medical leave of absence after being treated from exhaustion and George Zimmerman makes another attempt at being released from jail.

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of Arizona’s immigration law and ruled against life sentences without parole for juveniles convicted of murder. [BET]

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is taking a medical leave of absence after being treated from exhaustion. [ChicagoTribune]

George Zimmerman makes another attempt at being released from jail. [NYT]

Another violent weekend in Chicago leaves four people dead and others wounded. [ChicagoTribune]

Amber Rose says she is giving up her singing career to start a family with husband Wiz Khalifa. [BET]

Former music exec Jimmy Henchman was indicted for conspiring to kill an associate of rapper 50 Cent. [BET]

A U.S. general says African militant groups have begun training together and sharing resources. [Reuters]

Hundreds are feared dead after deadly landslides hit eastern Uganda. [AFP]

Rodney King’s adult children are soliciting public donations for his burial fund. [TMZ]

Study: Blacks less likely to receive kidney donations. [CNN]

(Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

In today’s top news , the Miami Heat win the NBA championship, the White House has “full confidence” in Attorney General Eric Holder amid the “Fast and Furious” controversy and George Zimmerman claims Trayvon Martin threatened to kill him.

The Miami Heat win the NBA championship. [AP]

The White House has thrown its “full confidence” behind Attorney General Eric Holder amid the “Fast and Furious” controversy. [The Ticket]

George Zimmerman claims Trayvon Martin threatened to kill him. [CNN]

Trayvon Martin’s parents resolve to stay focused on goals as George Zimmerman releases a flurry of information about the case. [BET]

A 64-year-old grandmother from L.A. takes second place in a fitness competition. [NBC4]

The adopted son of former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky has stepped forward to say that he was sexually abused. [BBC]

The Supreme Court ruled that people who committed crack crimes before the new, more lenient penalties took effect should benefit from the new rules. [AP]

50 Cent and Lil Kim weigh in on the Drake and Chris Brown beef. [BET]

Ice-T chats about his directorial debut. [BET]

Deaths of Somali pirate hostages are increasing. [BBC]

Egyptian protesters return to Tahrir Square to demand speedy election results. [AJE]

In today’s top news, Lauryn Hill addresses her tax evasion charges via Tumblr, the DOJ is suing Florida over purging voter lists and Pastor Creflo Dollar’s daughter told 911 operators that the physical attack was not the first of its kind from her father.

Lauryn Hill addresses her tax evasion charges via Tumblr. [BET]

The DOJ is suing Florida over purging voter lists ahead of the presidential election. [CNN]

Pastor Creflo Dollar’s daughter told 911 operators that the physical attack was not the first of its kind from her father. [AJC]

The FBI reports that the rate of violent crime is reaching a historic low. [MSNBC]

A Ku Klux Klan chapter wants to adopt a strip of Georgia highway. [CNN]

Nascent rapper Azealia Banks quits the “rap game.” [BET]

U.S. Supreme Court rejects birther appeal lawsuit. [BET]

More African-American bone marrow donors are needed to treat a rare blood disease. [WSBTV]

The U.N. says Syrian forces are using children as human shields. [MSNBC]

Kenya is asking the European Union to intervene in Somalia and fight its Al-Shabab militant group. [BBC]

In today’s top news, former Liberian leader Charles Taylor has been convicted of war crimes and the Supreme Court appears to be leaning toward support of Arizona’s immigration law.

Former Liberian leader Charles Taylor has been convicted of war crimes. [BET]

The Supreme Court appears to be leaning toward support of Arizona’s immigration law. [Reuters]

Chrysler posts its biggest profit since 1998. [CNN]

College students protested student loan debt on “Trillion Dollar Day.” [Reuters]

Doctors warn American Idol winner Ruben Studdard to lose weight. [BET]

Star Jones wants to organize high-profile Black women against Basketball Wives. [S2S]

Wacka Flocka Flame declares he’ll never work with Wiz Khalifa. [BET]

Many Africans living abroad are returning home amid struggling western economies. [CNN]

The offices of a major Nigerian newspaper were hit by bombs. [BBC]

In today’s top news, George Zimmerman is released on bail, trial begins in Maryland for two white brothers accused of beating a Black teen and trial also begins today for William Balfour, the accused murderer of Jennifer Hudson’s family.

George Zimmerman, shooter of Trayvon Martin, is released on bail at midnight Sunday. [BET]

Trial begins in Maryland for two white brothers accused of beating a Black teen while patrolling an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood. [AP]

Trial also begins today for William Balfour, the accused murderer of Jennifer Hudson’s family. [AP]

The Supreme Court prepares to take a look into the validity of Arizona’s controversial immigration law. [ABC]

Issac Farris, nephew of Martin Luther King Jr., will step down from his post as head of the SCLC. [AJC]

Think Like a Man took the number one spot at the box office this weekend. [NYT]

Suge Knight suggests Tupac might still be alive. [BET]

Nicki Minaj said a voice in her head instructed her to shut down her Twitter account. [BET]

Two Kenyan runners dominated this weekend’s London Marathon. [CNN]

Sudanese war planes reportedly bombing South Sudanese border towns in fresh attacks. [CNN]