'American Idol' Sued for Sexual Harassment

Another "Idol" scandal? The show has brought audiences many juicy backstage stories over the years, but this one tops the cake. The show is being sued by former employee Magdaleno Olmos for sexual harassment. Olmos, who was fired in March, claims that it was wrongful termination and was done to punish him for complaining to executives about Season 4 contestant Mario Vasquez. A California Superior Court Judge decided this week that the lawsuit will be decided by arbitration, which means that Olmos' case will not be aired before a jury, just a judge. Olmos contends that Vasquez followed him into the bathroom, touched his chest, and made other inappropriate advances while Vasquez was a contestant in February 2005. Vasquez incidentally left the show on his own shortly after the complaint was made, which is being used by Olmos as proof of the case. Will "Idol" pay the price for poor behavior, or is Olmos being too sensitive? Read more.

Beyoncé, Hudson Win Big at BET Awards

James Brown, honored posthumously, was one of the many honorees at the 2007 BET Awards last night, including R&B crooner Gerald Levert, who died last year. The show was packed with more performances than awards as legendary icons Patti Labelle, Mary J. Blige, Flava Flav and Chuck D took the stage. Winners included Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, and Ludacris. "I can't believe I'm still winning awards!" said Hudson when she won her first award. USA Today highlights the grand tribute to female star power last night, the high point being Lifetime Achievement honoree Diana Ross giving advice to today's young stars. What did Diana Ross tell Beyoncé and Rihanna? Read more.

Does Merrill Lynch Discriminate Against Muslims?

Are Muslim employees high-risk factors? Merrill Lynch & Co. is charged with discriminating against them, according to former employee Majid Borumand, who is suing the company with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for not promoting him based on his Muslim faith. Borumand, who was a quantitative analyst at Merrill Lynch, claims he was denied a promotion because he was a risk. Merrill Lynch allegedly told Borumand, "The reason that you are not allowed on the trading floor is because you are from a country which has a high-risk factor and a threat," according to the complaint he filed with the EEOC. In addition to the lawsuit, the EEOC has asked the court to order Merrill Lynch to create policies that promote equal-employment practices for all employees. "A free-market economy requires freedom from discrimination," said Spencer Lewis, director of the EEOC New York office. What has Merrill said in response to the allegations? Read more.

(See also: Who is Being Sued? The Latest EEOC Discrimination Lawsuits)

Spike Lee Goes to Broadway

Spike Lee is the famed director of hit movies such as "Do the Right Thing," "She's Gotta Have It" and "Summer of Sam." But his newest project will not hit the silver screen. Lee is set to make his Broadway debut directing the first revival of "Stalag 17," the 1951 comedy-drama about American prisoners of war with producer Michael Abbott. Lee told The New York Times that he was never interested in theater and that he can barely remember the last time he went to a play. Why did he agree to go to Broadway? Lee says a letter from Abbott convinced him and that he is completely on board and excited about the project. "I just don't want to do the old okey-doke thing, dust off some old piece and make a revival,"  Lee said. Read more.

'Noose-Beating' Trial Goes to Court

The racially driven "Noose Beating" trial has officially started. Jury selection started Tuesday in the controversial case, which began with a  noose hung in a Louisiana schoolyard by three white students. Mychale Bell and four other black students are charged with beating up the white students for hanging the noose. The white students involved were merely suspended. Bell is being charged with aggravated second-degree battery, which involves use of a dangerous weapon and carries a sentence of up to 15 years. Bell is also being charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated second-degree battery, which carries a lesser charge of 7.5 years. A district attorney reduced these charges Monday, to the relief of the families of the accused black students. "Well, anything is better than murder and a lifetime in prison," said John Jenkins, whose son, Carwin Jones, is among those charged. "But it's still strange. All of a sudden they're talking about a weapon. What weapon? We never heard anything about a weapon before." Read more.

(See also: Charges Reduced in 'Noose-Beating' Trial)

Can the BBC Meet U.K. Diversity Standards?

The BBC, one of the leading providers of international news out of Great Britain, is being reprimanded for failing to meet diversity standards set by Ofcom, an independent regulator and competition authority for communications industries within the United Kingdom. As a result, the BBC's board of directors has decided to waive their annual bonuses this year, an estimated 350,000 pounds. The decision came exactly a week after Ofcom released a report on the BBC's lackluster attempt to hire staff members or attract audiences from other countries. Read more.

Will Latinos Continue to Permeate Fortune 500 Companies?

A new study released by the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, a Latino-advocacy group focused on the inclusion of Latinos in all aspects of society, found that while the number of Latino Fortune 500 board members has increased over the past few years—up 25 percent—it may take more than 100 years for Latino representation on Fortune 500 boards to mirror their representation in the U.S. population. In 2006, Latinos held 172 positions, less than 4 percent of all Fortune 500 board seats. This, however, was a significant increase from 1.9 percent in 2003, which was the last time the study was conducted. Read more.

No Child Left Behind Brings Schools Angst

Schools across America are struggling to meet testing requirements in President Bush's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. Consequences are harsh for those schools that fail to meet the law's requirements for six straight years. Nearly 2,300 schools are either in the midst of restructuring or are a year away of taking drastic action to improve education to meet NCLB goals, including firing principals and moving teachers and schools located in poor urban areas. Officials are concerned about the law's consequences if requirements aren't met soon. "This is life and death," says John Deasy, superintendent of schools in Prince George's County, Md. "This is very high-stakes work." Read more.

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