NEW YORK — CBS fired Don Imus from his radio program today, the finale to a stunning fall for one of the nation's most prominent broadcasters.

Imus initially was given a two-week suspension for calling the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos" on the air last week, but outrage continued to grow and advertisers bolted from his CBS radio show and its MSNBC simulcast.

"There has been much discussion of the effect language like this has on our young people, particularly young women of color trying to make their way in this society," CBS President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves said in announcing the decision. "That consideration has weighed most heavily on our minds as we made our decision."

Rutgers women's basketball team spokeswoman Stacey Brann said the team did not have an immediate comment on Imus' firing.

Time Magazine once named the cantankerous broadcaster as one of the 25 Most Influential People in America, and he was a member of the National Broadcaster Hall of Fame.

Suicide bomber breaches security in Iraqi parliament, kills 8 in cafeteria

BAGHDAD — A suicide bomber slipped through the tightest security net in Baghdad and blew himself up in the midst of lawmakers having lunch in the parliament dining hall today. U.S. officials said eight people, including parliament members, were killed in the deadliest-ever attack in the American-guarded Green Zone.

The stunning breach of security, on the same day that a massive bombing destroyed one of Baghdad's main bridges, laid a cloud of heavy doubt about progress in the latest U.S.-Iraqi bid to clamp off violence in the capital. The drive has put thousands of troops on the streets in a massive operation to round up militants and their weapons.

A news video camera captured the moment of the blast, about 2:30 p.m. — a flash and an orange ball of fire causing Jalaluddin al-Saghir, a startled parliament member who was being interviewed, to duck. Smoke and dust billowed through the area, and confused and frightened lawmakers and others could be heard screaming for help and to find colleagues.

A woman was shown kneeling over what appeared to be a wounded or dead man near a table and chairs. The camera then focused on a bloody, severed leg — apparently that of the suicide bomber.

Three miles north and seven hours earlier, a bombing sent a major bridge linking east and west Baghdad plunging into the Tigris River. Several cars plummeted into the murky, brown water, and at least 10 people were known to have died. Many more were believed missing.

Cleared Duke lacrosse players not ruling out lawsuit

RALEIGH, N.C. — The disgraced district attorney in the Duke lacrosse rape case apologized to the three athletes in a carefully worded statement today as their lawyers weighed whether to sue him — and some legal experts say they have a case.

While prosecutors generally have immunity for what they do inside the courtroom, experts said that protection probably doesn't cover some of Mike Nifong's more questionable actions in his handling of the case — such as calling the lacrosse players "a bunch of hooligans" in one of several interviews deemed unethical by the state bar.

"I think their chances of success suing Mr. Nifong are reasonably good, despite what we call prosecutorial immunity," said John Banzhaf, a professor at the George Washington University School of Law.

Yesterday, North Carolina Attorney General Roy threw out the case against the three young men, pronounced them innocent and delivered a withering attack on Nifong, portraying him as a "rogue" prosecutor guilty of "overreaching." Cooper said Nifong rushed the case, failed to verify the accuser's allegations and pressed on despite the warning signs.

In his first comment on that decision, Nifong said in a statement today: "To the extent that I made judgments that ultimately proved to be incorrect, I apologize to the three students that were wrongly accused."

Pet food crisis shows China's food safety woes are an international concern

SHANGHAI, China — The list of Chinese food exports rejected at American ports reads like a chef's nightmare: pesticide-laden pea pods, drug-laced catfish, filthy plums and crawfish contaminated with salmonella.

Yet, it took a much more obscure item, contaminated wheat gluten, to focus U.S. public attention on a very real and frightening fact: China's chronic food safety woes are now an international concern.

In recent weeks, scores of cats and dogs in America have died of kidney failure blamed on eating pet food containing gluten from China that was tainted with melamine, a chemical used in plastics, fertilizers and flame retardants. While humans aren't believed at risk, the incident has sharpened concerns over China's food exports and the limited ability of U.S. inspectors to catch problem shipments.

"This really shows the risks of food purity problems combining with international trade," said Michiel Keyzer, director of the Center for World Food Studies at Amsterdam's Vrije Universiteit.

Just as with manufactured goods, exports of meat, produce, and processed foods from China have soared in recent years, prompting outcries from foreign farm sectors that are feeling pinched by low Chinese prices.

Federal health advisers recommend Vioxx successor not be approved

WASHINGTON — A painkiller proposed as a successor to Vioxx should not be approved, a panel of federal health advisers recommended today.

The nonbinding 20-1 vote was on the prescription drug Arcoxia, made by Merck & Co., Inc.

A Food and Drug Administration drug safety expert had told the panel the drug may increase substantially the risk of stroke and heart attack and is no more effective for pain relief than other medicines in the same class.

"What you're talking about is a potential public health disaster," Dr. David Graham told the outside experts before the vote. Graham was a leading critic of Vioxx, a related drug also known as rofecoxib.

"We could have a replay of what we had with rofecoxib," Graham said.

Ohio man charged with joining al-Qaida, conspiring to bomb Western interests

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A federal grand jury indicted an Ohio man on charges of joining al-Qaida and conspiring to bomb European tourist resorts and U.S. government facilities and military bases overseas, officials announced today.

Christopher Paul, 43, a U.S. citizen and resident of Columbus, spent time learning hand-to-hand fighting and how to use grenades and assault rifles at an al-Qaida camp in Afghanistan in the early 1990s, according to a federal grand jury indictment. He then joined the terrorist group in Pakistan and told al-Qaida members he was dedicated to committing violent jihad.

The investigation into Paul and his activities spanned four years, three continents and at least eight countries, FBI agent Tim Murphy said today, shortly before Paul appeared before a federal judge.

"The indictment of Christopher Paul paints a disturbing picture of an American who traveled overseas to train as a violent jihadist, joined the ranks of al-Qaida and provided military instruction and support to radial cohorts both here and abroad," Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kenneth Wainstein said in a statement.

Bill Hunt, first assistant U.S. attorney, declined to say whether any of the alleged plots were carried out. People whom Paul associated with in Europe have been arrested, he said.

Heather Locklear, Richie Sambora officially divorced

LOS ANGELES — Heather Locklear and Richie Sambora are officially divorced. The pair's split was finalized yesterday in documents filed in Superior Court.

Actress Locklear, 45, filed for divorce from Bon Jovi guitarist Sambora, 47, in February 2006 after 11 years of marriage. She cited irreconcilable differences.

Custody of the pair's daughter, Ava, visitation rights and spousal support will be ordered in a proposed judgment, according to the divorce papers. The judgment is being kept private.

In court papers filed in March 2006, Sambora asked for joint physical and legal custody of Ava, and that the court give up its right to order him to pay spousal support to Locklear. He also asked that the duo's premarital agreement be enforced.