NAACP & CHAVIS SETTLES

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People announced a surprise settlement this afternoon of a suit by its fired executive director, Benjamin Chavis. The last-minute deal came just three days before a judge was supposed to rule whether the civil-rights group had to reinstate the North Carolina minister, who fell under a cloud of suspicion for alleged off-the-books payments to settle a sexual-harassment suit threat. No terms were disclosed.