In today’s top news, Beyoncé will sing the national anthem at the 57th presidential inauguration, 22 candidates have stepped up to fill the seat vacated by former Illinois congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and cable network MSNBC saw a 60 percent jump in Black viewership during 2012.

Beyoncé will sing the national anthem at the 57th presidential inauguration. [Grio]

Twenty-two candidates have stepped up to fill the seat vacated by former Illinois congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. [BET]

Cable network MSNBC saw a 60 percent jump in Black viewership during 2012. [ShadowandAct]

A N.Y. federal judge ruled stop-and-frisk unconstitutional in the Bronx. [BET]

New York’s governor Andrew Cuomo will propose a ban on assault weapons. [AP]

Laurence Fishburne got a restraining order on an alleged stalker who has tried to evict him from his own home. [BET]

The CDC says 1 in 5 high school girls binge drink. [CNN]

2012 was the U.S.’s hottest year on record. [Reuters]

Uganda returned $5 million in embezzled aid to Ireland. [Reuters]

South Africa’s farm workers stage mass strike over unfair wages amid “naked racism and white arrogance.” [BBC]

In today’s top news, Michelle Obama writes an open letter to Newtown, church bells in Newtown chimes 26 times in honor of the Sandy Hook shooting victims, and Fat Joe pleads guilty to tax evasion.

Michelle Obama writes an open letter to Newtown. [BET]

Church bells in Newtown chimes 26 times in honor of the Sandy Hook shooting victims. [NBCNews]

Fat Joe pleads guilty to tax evasion. [BET]

Sarah Palin bashed President Obama’s TIME Person of the Year win. [CNN]

The CDC reports that new infections of HIV among African-American women have declined. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Singer Frank Ocean is facing a $1 million lawsuit from his estranged father. [BET]

Katt Williams was detained in front of a Subway restaurant. [TMZ]

Cuba Gooding Jr., Vanessa Williams and Cicely Tyson will star in the Broadway play “The Trip to Bountiful.” [Grio]

ESPN suspends host Rob Parker for RGIII comments. [Grio]

Archbishop Desmond Tutu likens Uganda’s anti-gay laws to apartheid. [Sapa-AFP]

Humanitarian groups warn that a Mali intervention will harm civilians. [VOA]

(Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

In today’s top news, President Obama traveled to Detroit to slam Michigan’s proposed right-to-work laws; George Zimmerman is back in court asking to have the conditions of his bond reconsidered; and a fourth accuser has stepped forward with underage sex claims against Kevin Clash.

President Obama traveled to Detroit to slam Michigan’s proposed right-to-work laws. [Yahoo!]

George Zimmerman is back in court asking to have the conditions of his bond reconsidered. [HLN]

A fourth accuser has stepped forward with underage sex claims against Kevin Clash. [Reuters]

Cory Booker reflects on his week on food stamps. [Yahoo!]

Mother of Brandon Jackson says her son was wrongfully convicted after being attacked by a group of white men. [BET]

A white tennis player mocks Serena Williams by padding her butt and breasts. [Grio]

Beyoncé’s face will grace the sides of limited edition Pepsi cans as part of the singer’s $50 million deal with the brand. [BET]

Former IMF director Dominique Strauss-Kahn settled with sexual assault accuser Nafissatou Diallo for an undisclosed sum. [AP]

South African officials say Nelson Mandela is responding to treatment for a lung infection. [BBC]

Ugandan teenager and international chess sensation Phiona Mutesi has a biography and a Disney movie deal on the way. [CNN]

In today’s top news, state officials predict Jesse Jackson Jr.’s resignation could cost taxpayers $5.1 million, Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge to chair Congressional Black Caucus and retailers expect Americans will spend nearly $1.5 billion in online purchases this Cyber Monday.

Chicago officials predict Jesse Jackson Jr.’s resignation could cost taxpayers $5.1 million. [ABCNews]

Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge to chair Congressional Black Caucus. [Plain Dealer]

Retailers expect Americans will spend nearly $1.5 billion in online purchases this Cyber Monday. [ABCNews]

Chris Brown deleted his Twitter account after a nasty exchange with a female comedian. [BET]

A Georgia man suspected of shoplifting at a Walmart dies after a scuffle with employees. [NBCNews]

A seven-year-old girl becomes the country’s youngest medical marijuana patient. [NBCNews]

Chris Brown and Drake won’t face criminal charges for their infamous club brawl. [BET]

Halle Berry’s ex was arrested after an altercation with her new beau on Thanksgiving. [BET]

Millions of Egyptians are called to protest against President Mohamed Morsi. [Times]

Ugandan parliament drops the death penalty from its proposed anti-homosexuality bill. [BBC]

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, forensic tests reveal Trayvon Martin’s DNA was not found on the murder weapon, Jesse Jackson Jr.’s D.C. home is reportedly up for sale and a report shows that Black male graduation rates lag behind whites.

Forensic tests reveal Trayvon Martin’s DNA was not found on the murder weapon. [BET]

Jesse Jackson Jr.’s D.C. home is reportedly up for sale. [NBC5]

Report shows that Black male graduation rates lag behind whites. [AP]

Whoopi Goldberg lambastes Mitt Romney via Twitter. [Twichy]

Wrongly accused rapist Brian Banks nabs a deal with the United Football League. [ESPN]

Nas and Lauryn Hill announce they will go on tour together. [BET]

Common wants to host a peace summit with Chief Keef and other Chicago rappers. [BET]

A Florida mom says she doesn’t regret beating up her son’s bully on a school bus. [NBCNews]

A 19-year-old woman from Uganda is Africa’s youngest legislator. [NewVision]

South African miners to resume work. [AJE]

(Photo: Pete Souza/The White House via Getty Images)

In today’s top news, President Obama called the leaders of Egypt and Libya overnight to discuss the recent anti-American attacks, the U.S. is deploying troops to beef up embassy security worldwide and a man was shot on the campus of Morgan State University.

President Obama called the leaders of Egypt and Libya overnight to discuss the recent anti-American attacks. [USATODAY]

The U.S. is deploying troops to Libya and other international posts to beef up embassy security. [CNN]

A man was shot on the campus of Morgan State University. [ABCNews]

Saturday Night Live has cast an African-American actor to play President Obama. [ANI]

Black Merrill Lynch brokers lose their appeal in racial bias bonus suit. [Reuters]

Jay-Z and Kanye West have been nominated for 19 BET Hip Hop Awards. [BET]

Rapper Chi Ali is released from prison after serving 12 years for second-degree murder. [BET]

Chris Brown defends his questionable neck tattoo and denies any reference to Rihanna. [BET]

Uganda’s female MC Keko recently signed with Sony, making her the first from Uganda to receive a major recording deal. [The Star]

South African miners call for a general strike to bring mining companies “to their knees.” [BBC]

In today’s top news, doubts remain after police release re-enactment of Chavis Carter’s alleged suicide, FAMU is attempting to settle out of court with the family of  Robert Champion, and Russell Simmons backs Vice President Joe Biden’s “chains” remark.

The police re-enactment of Chavis Carter’s alleged suicide has done little to quell doubts about his death. [NYT]

FAMU is attempting to settle out of court with the family of slain drum major Robert Champion. [BET]

Russell Simmons backs Vice President Joe Biden’s “chains” remark. [BET]

R&B crooners Trey Songz and R. Kelly end their three-year beef. [BET]

Ziggy Marley says his father, Bob Marley, wished more Black Americans were fans of his music. [ABC]

Texas officials are trying to stop the spread of West Nile virus in the state. [NBC]

Scientists say they are one step closer to creating a birth control pill for men. [BBC]

Over 30 people were killed when South African police opened fire on protesting miners. [CNN]

Ugandan gay rights activists hacked the website of the country’s prime minister and posted pro gay-rights messages. [BBC]

The Russian capital of Moscow has banned gay pride parades for the next 100 years. [BBC]

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, Olympic swimmer Lia Neal wins a bronze medal, a Mississippi church bans a Black couple’s wedding and HIV-positive women in Namibia are being sterilized.

HIV-positive women are being forced to undergo forced sterilization in Namibia, lawyers say. [BBC]

A Mississippi church bans a Black couple’s wedding. [BET]

Swimmer Lia Neal wins a bronze medal. [NYDN]

Mike Tyson and Spike Lee team up to bring the boxer’s life to Broadway. [USA Today]

Team U.S.A. basketball team is a shoe-in to become the Olympic champion. [LA Times]

An Ebola outbreak in Uganda has left at least 14 dead. [CNN]

Colorado shooting suspect to be led to court through underground tunnel. [CNN]

A new test might prove that Michael Jackson’s doctor was innocent. [CNN]