(See also: No More Nooses: Thousands Storm Louisiana Town to Free Jena 6)

No More Confederate Flags at Pa. High School

A Pennsylvania high school has moved to ban confederate flags on campus after three high-school students hurled racial slurs and wads of paper at students of color. Warwick High School officials vowed to discipline the three students, tighten security and ban Confederate flags on school property, reports FOX News. A clique of students at the school was known for wearing T-shirts featuring Confederate flags. On Wednesday, police charged the three students with disorderly conduct.

(See also: Nooses, Confederate-Flag T-Shirts, Slurs and Spitballs: What Is Going On?)

Who Planted Columbia Noose? Video Surveillance Tape Handed Over

Days after a noose was spotted on the office door of a Columbia University Teachers College professor, the graduate school has agreed to hand over the surveillance tape to work "in the spirit of cooperation with police," said Teachers College spokesperson Diane Dobry, according to MSNBC. Police, treating the noose incident as a hate crime, are also testing the 4-foot rope for DNA.

(See also: DiversityInc Noose Watch)

First Openly Gay Judge in Philly

Today, Daniel Anders will take the oath of office and mark his place in Philadelphia history as the first openly gay judge of the city. Anders was a fast-rising litigator at Pepper Hamilton and a member of Gov. Rendell's finance committee in 2006, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. Anders will take a $100,000 pay cut in his post from his former salary.

Judge Orders Morgan Stanley to Pay $46M

Yesterday, a federal judge ordered investment bank Morgan Stanley to fork over $46 million in a settlement filed by former women employees alleging gender discrimination. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Roberts approved the settlement back in July and will formally approve the settlement on Oct. 24 when all the parties involved are notified, reports The Associated Press. Morgan Stanley also will spend about $7.5 million on training and other diversity programs.

(See also: Morgan Stanley Settles Gender-Bias Lawsuit for $46M)

Muslim Leaders Extend Olive Branch

Muslim clerics extended the olive branch to international Christian leaders Thursday in an attempt to promote peace among their believers. The open letter, whose recipients included Pope Benedict XVI, pointed out the commonalities between the two religions, among them "a commitment to love one God and to love their neighbors, who included members of different religions," according to the Los Angeles Times. The letter also draws on passages from both the Quran and the Bible.

(See also: Respecting Ramadan at Work: Who's Walking the Talk?)

No Gays in Iran? Iranian Prez Says He Didn't Mean It

In his controversial visit to Columbia University two weeks ago, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad adamantly denounced his country's LGBT population, saying through an interpreter, "In Iran, we don't have homosexuals like in your country. We don't have that in our country. In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who's told you that we have it." Many U.S. civil-rights leaders and members of the LGBT community were up in arms over Ahamdinejad's comments. Now his press secretary is saying the president intended to show the vast difference in the number of LGBT people in Iran versus the United States, and that he simply was misunderstood by Western media, reports FOX News.   

Is New Orleans' Rebuilding Finally on Track?

After struggling for months to raise the $1.1 billion needed to rebuild New Orleans, city developers are considering a new plan that will slash the price tag to less than a fourth of the original estimate. The new plan, which according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is slated to be rolled out today, will show a more modest New Orleans with buildings that are flood-proof. Despite the new plan being more modest, city Recovery Director Ed Blakely said it will at least get the rebuilding started and give the public desperately needed signs of progress--which, in turn, will encourage private investment in New Orleans.