(Photo: AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

In today’s top news, President Obama visited the West Bank stressing the need for direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians, Rev. Al Sharpton will lead an anti-violence rally in Harlem and Vice President Biden will meet with New York City Mayor Bloomberg to discuss new federal gun laws.

President Obama visited the West Bank on Thursday, stressing the need for direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians. [NBC News]

Rev. Al Sharpton will lead an anti-violence rally today in Harlem. [DNAinfo]

Vice President Biden will meet with NYC Mayor Bloomberg today to discuss the need for new federal gun laws. [NBC New York]

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed the “Anti-Bloomberg” bill preventing any limits on soda sizes. [CNN]

Fashion retailer H&M debuts new Beyoncé campaign. [Black Voices]

Miami’s winning streak increased to 24 wins as they beat Cleveland last night. [ESPN]

Seven people were shot at a Chicago nightclub during a rap CD release party last night. [ABC Chicago]

Christian hip hop artist Amisho “Sho Baraka” Lewis is stirring controversy with raw lyrics about racism. [CNN]

South Korea has traced a cyber-attack that paralyzed more than 30,000 computers on Wednesday to a Chinese Internet address. [NPR]

North Korea said it would attack U.S. military bases on Japan and the Pacific island of Guam if provoked. [Reuters]

(Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, the African-American unemployment rate has held steady at 13.8 percent, Michael Jordan applied for a marriage license and Philadelphia officials have voted to close 23 public schools.

The national unemployment rate dropped to 7.7 percent as the jobless rate for Blacks held steady at 13.8 percent. [BET]

Philadelphia officials have voted to close 23 public schools; 10 percent of the city’s total. [NYTimes]

A college education is linked to lower divorce rates for white women, but not for Black women. [Futurity]

The late August Wilson’s plays are being brought back to life by high school students in a national monologue contest. [NPR]

Facebook showed off a new home page redesign that will include bigger pictures. [NYTimes]

Apple is looking to make iOS the operating system for cars made by other companies. [Business Insider]

Former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will be laid to rest today. [CNN]

Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law, Suleiman Abu Ghaith, has been brought to New York to stand trial for conspiracy to kill Americans. [Reuters]

Michael Jordan applied for a marriage license in Florida. [ESPN]

(Photo: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup)

In today’s top news, a new Whitney Houston single featuring R. Kelly has been released, Diddy and Cassie confirm they are a couple and 50 Cent hires investigators to look into Chris Lighty’s death.

A new Whitney Houston single featuring R. Kelly has been released. [USATODAY]

Diddy and Cassie confirm they are a couple. [BET]

50 Cent hires investigators to look into Chris Lighty’s death. [BET]

Federal authorities crack down on L.A. marijuana dispensaries. [Reuters]

Louis Farrakhan says the Black community must take responsibility for gun violence. [NYDN]

Madonna defends her “Black Muslim” comments about President Obama. [Guardian]

Ann Coulter says liberals who date Black women think they are “freedom riders.” [Mediaite]

BlackBerry maker looks to Africa for growth potential. [AP]

South Africa’s Julius Malema has been charged with money laundering. [BBC]

In today’s top news, George Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the death of Trayvon Martin, Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, says she thinks George Zimmerman made a mistake in shooting her son and the Beverly Hills police have closed the investigation into Whitney Houston’s death, finding no foul play.

George Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the death of Trayvon Martin. [BET]

Trayvon Martin’s mother says she thinks George Zimmerman made a mistake in shooting her son.  [MSNBC]

The Beverly Hills police have closed the investigation into Whitney Houston’s death, finding no foul play.  [BET]

Bobbi Kristina reportedly plans to star in a new reality show. [BET]

U.S. Justice Department is suing Apple for conspiring with publishers to rig e-book prices. [MSNBC]

An independent report on the Hardest Hit Housing Markets program says more could be done to aid struggling homeowners. [CNN]

Connecticut plans to repeal the death penalty. [CNN]

April is National STD Awareness Month. [BET]

South Sudan ignores U.N. calls to remove troops from disputed oil field. [BBC]

Protests break out in Syria as troops withdraw in compliance with ceasefire. [AJE]

In today’s top news, Oprah wants to interview Trayvon Martin shooter George Zimmerman, Florida NAACP condemns Al Sharpton’s call for civil disobedience if Zimmerman isn’t arrested soon and police in California gun down an unarmed Black teen.

Oprah wants to interview George Zimmerman. [BET]

Florida NAACP condemned Al Sharpton’s call for civil disobedience if George Zimmerman isn’t arrested soon. [WKMG]

Police in California gun down an unarmed Black teen. [RT]

Lil Boosie will receive anonymous jury in murder-for-hire case. [BET]

Some of Whitney Houston’s iconic clothes and jewelry fetched $80k at an auction Saturday. [CNN]

U.K. police brutality and racism caught on tape. [CNN]

Britain authorizes an intelligence agency to monitor all phone calls, emails, texts and online activities in the country. [Reuters]

Thousands of homes nationwide are priced at $10k or less. [MSNBC]

Study shows the HPV virus lasts longer in young Black women. [AACR]

Hillary Clinton warns Syria of “serious repercussions” if cease fire doesn’t begin. [MSNBC]

Kony 2012 sequel to be released tomorrow. [ABC]

In today’s top news, the coroner’s report reveals Whitney Houston drowned, Sanford police chief Bill Lee and county prosecutor Norm Wolfinger step down over Trayvon Martin case and singer El DeBarge is cleared of drug possession charges.

Coroner’s report reveals Whitney Houston drowned. [BET]

Sanford police chief Bill Lee and county prosecutor Norm Wolfinger step down over Trayvon Martin case. [AP]

Singer El DeBarge is cleared of drug possession charges. [BET]

Gun sales are on the rise. [MSNBC]

Audit of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority shows accounting problems which bolster lawsuit. [AP]

Right wing blog calls Farrakhan’s tweets in support of Trayvon Martin “veiled threats.” [BLAZE]

A California school counselor taped his students having sex. [CNN]

Rapper Tyga speaks out on the Omaha, Nebraska, shooting that wounded a member of his crew. [BET]

Nokia eyes tattoos that communicate with your cellphone. [CNN]

African nations call for a Nigerian to head the World Bank. [BBC]

In today’s top news, CNN lifts its suspension of Roland Martin over offensive remarks, Black churches vow to register one million voters on Easter Sunday and a new study links red meat to premature death from diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

CNN lifts suspension of Roland Martin over offensive remarks. [Newsbusters]

Black churches vow to register one million voters on Easter Sunday. [ChristianPost]

Study links red meat to premature death from diabetes, heart disease and cancer. [FOX]

Michelle Obama will lead the U.S. delegation to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. [AP]

Oprah gives her long-time beau Stedman some face time on the cover of O magazine. [BET]

Poll of Republican voters in Alabama and Mississippi show most believe Obama is Muslim. [NYDN]

Record rainfall soaks Southern Louisiana. [CNN]

Analysts say foreign policy will determine whether Obama remains in office next term. [AP]

Afghans attack delegation visiting site of massacre. [BBC]

Marketing agency makes homeless people wi-fi hotspots; offering Internet for donations. [NYT]

In today’s top news, Google’s privacy policy is set to change tomorrow, March 1, Mitt Romney wins primary elections in Michigan and Arizona, and Ohio will prosecute school shooting suspect T.J. Lane as an adult.

Google’s privacy policy is set to change March 1. [BET]

Mitt Romney wins primaries in Michigan and Arizona. [MSNBC]

Ohio to prosecute school shooting suspect as an adult. [ABC]

Slaves who built the U.S. Capitol were honored by lawmakers. [LATimes]

Stroke deaths down in African-American children with sickle cell. [BET]

Autism not diagnosed as early in minority children. [AP]

Wendy Williams tells Chris Brown and Rihanna to back off romantic revival. [BET]

Pentagon admits it dumped 9/11 remains in a landfill. [MSNBC]

Syrian army continues assaults on civilians as the U.N. prepares a humanitarian resolution. [Reuters]

Uganda attracts $3 billion in oil investment. [EastAfrican]

Iran now accepting gold for oil in light of E.U. sanctions. [BBC]

In today’s top news, Soul Train pioneer Don Cornelius dies at 75, Beyoncé fans want to erect a monument to the singer in Houston and BET celebrates Black History Month.

Soul Train pioneer Don Cornelius dies at 75. [BET]

Beyoncé fans in Houston are clamoring for a monument to the singer. [BET]

BET celebrates Black History Month. [BET]

Flavor Flav speaks out on his recent family feud. [BET]

A Congolese inventor has created the first African tablet. [News.com.au]

More and more Americans are shirking census race labels. [FOX]

Connecticut student bullied for not being ‘Black enough.’ [NewsTimes]

South African lesbian killers get 18 years in prison. [BBC]

Pfizer recalls one million packets of birth control. [MSNBC]

Photography exhibit examines Black male fashion. [BET]

In today’s top news, Ne-Yo says Blacks deserve more credit, Mormons say they face more prosecution and Ja Rule breaks his silence.

Mormons say they face more discrimination than Blacks. [BET]

Ne-Yo says Blacks deserve more credit. [BET]

Ja Rule speaks from behind bars. [BET]

Civil rights leaders are taking a stand against hazing. [BET]

A Tennessee principal says test scores show Black students are less smart. [BET]

Wikipedia site has “blacked out” in protest of web piracy laws. [FOX]

A “smoking object” was thrown at the White House Tuesday night. [CNN]

Another light bright photo of Beyoncé incites anger. [NYDN]

Sudan faces famine. [CNN]

World Bank warns of impending economic crisis. [MSNBC]