(Photo: MPI/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, President Obama will declare a new national monument for Harriet Tubman, Obama has arrived in Jordan to meet with King Abdullah and Nigerian author Chinua Achebe is dead at 82.

President Obama will declare five new national monuments on Monday, including one for Harriet Tubman. [Washington Post]

Obama arrived in Jordan today where he will meet with King Abdullah. [Voice of America]

Chinua Achebe, Nigerian author and one of Africa’s most widely-known novelists, is dead at 82. [NYTimes]

Gen. Lloyd Austin became the first African-American to lead the U.S. Central Command. [BET]

The stop-and-frisk trial in New York City revealed a new tape recording of an officer demanding racially biased stop-and-frisk searches. [Village Voice]

Chicago parents are slamming 13-year-old rapper Lil Mouse’s appearance at a club that was recently shot up. [TheGrio]

The Sapphires, a Dreamgirls-like film about an Australian Aboriginal singing group, hits U.S. theaters. [LA Times]

A Marine shot and killed two of his fellow service members at a Virginia base Thursday night and then killed himself. [CNN]

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Julius Genachowski, is stepping down. [AP]

President Bashar al-Assad vowed on Friday to purge Syria of “extremist forces.” [Reuters]

(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, President Obama warned that hundreds of thousands of Americans will lose jobs unless Congress takes action soon, mentally impaired Georgia inmate Warren Hill was spared from execution and four are dead after a California man went on a shooting spree.

President Obama warned that hundreds of thousands of Americans will lose jobs unless Congress takes action before March 1. [BET]

Mentally impaired Georgia inmate Warren Hill was spared from execution by final-hour stays from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the Georgia Court of Appeals. [CNN]

Four are dead after a California man went on a shooting spree during a series of carjackings before taking his own life. [Reuters]

A natural gas explosion caused a massive fire in Kansas City, Missouri, injuring 14. [NBCNews]

Real Husbands of Hollywood star Kevin Hart will host Saturday Night Live. [BET]

Tracey Edmonds and BET founder Robert Johnson will launch a faith-based digital network. [Grio]

Quincy Jones has launched a music education app. [AP]

A member of the Navy Seal Team Six crew that killed Osama bin Laden says he listened to Game’s “Red Nation” before killing the terrorist leader. [BET]

France is urging its citizens to leave Cameroon after seven French tourists were kidnapped. [BBC]

The U.N. warned that four million Syrians are in need of assistance amid civil war and a typhoid outbreak. [AJE]

In today’s top news, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice removed herself from consideration for secretary of state post; charges against Jordan Davis’ shooter upgraded to first-degree murder; and Nelson Mandela’s whereabouts are in question.

U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice removed herself from consideration for the secretary of state post. [BET]

Charges against Jordan Davis’ shooter upgraded to first-degree murder. [Reuters]

Nelson Mandela’s whereabouts are in question after reports that he is receiving treatment at an unknown location. [AP]

Florida A&M University has been placed on probation for failing to meet basic educational standards. [UPI]

Rick Ross and John Legend receive Academy-award consideration for Best Original Song. [BET]

A warrant was issued for Katt Williams’ arrest after he failed to show up at an arraignment. [BET]

The U.S. will send troops and missiles to Turkey to help defend against Syrian attacks. [Reuters]

Basketball legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving will appear on NBC’s The Office. [The Grio]

China’s biggest English newspaper launches an Africa edition. [BBC]

In today’s top news, George Zimmerman’s defense releases bloody nose photo, a New York court upheld a $1 million high school racial harassment award and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas releases her memoir today.

George Zimmerman’s defense releases bloody nose photo.[BET]

A New York court upheld a $1 million high school racial harassment award. [AP]

Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas releases her memoir today. [Grio]

Study shows weak graduation rates for  Black male college athletes. [AP]

An Arizona high school principal is under fire for making two boys hold hands as punishment for fighting. [NBCNews]

Rob Kardashian slams Rita Ora on Twitter after their breakup. [BET]

Tyga admits to his wealthy upbringing after an old video surfaces. [BET]

Nigerian oil tycoon Folorunsho Alakija overtakes Oprah as world’s richest Black woman. [PRWeb]

A U.K. company plans to build massive solar power plant in Ghana. [BBC]

NATO warns Syria against using chemical weapons on its population. [AJE]

In today’s top news, Louisiana police say 20-year-old Sharmeka Moffitt lied about being burned by the KKK, reports say Donald Trump has evidence that President Obama and Michelle Obama once filed for divorce and Mitt Romney’s son Tagg apologized for stating that he wanted to “swing” on Obama.

Louisiana police say 20-year-old Sharmeka Moffitt lied about being burned by the KKK. [CBSNews]

Reports say Donald Trump is gearing up to reveal evidence that President Obama and Michelle Obama once filed for divorce. [DailyMail]

Mitt Romney’s son Tagg apologized for stating that he wanted to “swing” on Obama during the presidential debates. [CNN]

A friend of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. says its unclear whether the congressman will return to work. [CNBC]

A Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Indiana said when pregnancy results from a rape, “God intended” it. [Reuters]

Amber Rose slipped and told Twitter fans she will be having a baby boy. [BET]

Vivica A. Fox is the latest celeb to weigh in on Stacey Dash’s endorsement of Mitt Romney. [BET]

Lil Wayne says Kanye helped with new album. [BET]

Syria agrees to a ceasefire during the Islamic holiday of Eid. [BBC]

Officials from Western nations say an offensive against Mali rebels will not happen until 2013. [AJE]

In today’s top news, a judge has set George Zimmerman’s trial for June 2013, Rev. Jesse Jackson says he’s disappointed that the presidential debates have not focused more on poverty and gun control and Flavor Flav was arrested for assault and domestic violence.

A judge has set the trial of Trayvon Martin shooter George Zimmerman for June 2013. [BET]

Rev. Jesse Jackson says he’s disappointed that the presidential debates have not focused more on poverty and gun control. [Politico]

Flavor Flav was arrested for assault and domestic violence. [BET]

An 80-year-old woman was arrested for taking down posters that depict President Obama as Hitler. [NBCNews]

A Republican congressman says today’s conditions are worse than slavery. [HuffPo]

Drake receives his high school diploma at age 25. [Daily Mail]

Willow Smith has launched a fashion blog. [BET]

Awkward Black Girl’s Issa Rae landed a network sitcom deal. [BET]

Human rights groups say nearly 28,000 people have been kidnapped in Syria. [BBC]

Uganda plans to increase social media surveillance to curb crime and terrorism. [BBC]

In today’s top news, Actor Michael Clark Duncan dies Monday at age 54, First Lady Michelle Obama is set to address the Democratic National Convention Tuesday night and President Obama makes an appearance in Jay-Z’s concert video.

Actor Michael Clark Duncan dies at age 54. [BET]

First Lady Michelle Obama is set to address the Democratic National Convention Tuesday night. [CNN]

President Obama makes an appearance in Jay-Z’s concert video. [Reuters]

Paris Jackson tweets she will “move to Africa” if Romney wins the election. [ABCNews]

Gulf residents still enduring Isaac aftermath of flooding, power outages. [AP]

After a brief musical detour, R. Kelly has promised to return to the raunchy style he is best known for. [AP]

Seal lets loose on wife Heidi Klum in a recent interview, claiming she “lacks class.” [TMZ]

The memoir of a Navy SEAL who helped kill Osama bin Laden may cause legal trouble for the author. [CNN]

Refugees reportedly fleeing Syria in record numbers. [BBC]

A South African court set aside the murder charges of 270 miners following public outcry. [BBC]

In today’s top news, foreclosure threatens the future of historic Black college Morris Brown, a poll shows the majority of New Yorkers say police favor whites and rapper L.L. Cool J was able to fight and detain a burglar in his home Wednesday until police arrived.

Foreclosure threatens the future of historic Black college Morris Brown. [AJC]

According to a poll, the majority of New Yorkers say police favor whites. [NYT]

L.L. Cool J fought a burglar in his home Wednesday and held him until police arrived. [Reuters]

Several New Jersey entrepreneurs have accused restaurant chain Dunkin Donuts of bias in a new lawsuit. [CBS]

Rapper 2 Chainz’s debut album has soared up the charts. [BET]

Kandi Burruss is returning to school to study sex education and clinical sexology. [BET]

NFL star Michael Strahan will reportedly replace Regis Philbin on Live! with Kelly. [BET]

A Georgia cheer coach is accused of having the girls strip. [MSNBC]

Mourners in South Africa paid tribute to the victims of the Lonmin mine shootings. [MSNBC]

More fighting erupts in major Syrian cities of Damascus and Aleppo. [BBC]

In today’s top news, Usain Bolt is the world’s fastest man again, a Syrian prime minister defects and NASA’s rover Curiosity lands on Mars.

NASA’s rover Curiosity landing on Mars is “an unprecedented feat of technology,” says Obama. [CNN]

Lightning strikes twice as Usain Bolt breaks the 100-meter Olympic record again. [Yahoo]

Syrian Prime Minister Riad Hijab defects. [BBC]

White supremacist Wade Michael Page is named as the Sikh temple gunman. [NPR]

Sanya Richards-Ross redeems past Olympic disappointment with 400-meter gold. [ESPN]

Scotsman Andy Murray overtakes Roger Federer for men’s singles tennis Olympic gold. [WaPo]

Hundreds of Mali citizens attend makeshift militia training camps to oust Islamists. [NYT]

Syrian rebels abduct nearly 50 Iranian pilgrims. [LA Times]

New cases of swine flu have emerged around county fair pigs. [WaPo]