MSNBC, CBS Radio suspend Imus show  —  But charity event will air as scheduled Thursday and Friday  —  NEW YORK - After a career of cranky insults, radio star Don Imus was fighting for his job Monday following one joke that by his own admission went "way too far."

Obama Ditches CBC/Fox Debate  —  Barack Obama has chosen not to attend September's Democratic presidential primary debate co-sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and Fox News, an aide said, effectively dooming the event.  —  Obama is the only member of the Congressional Black Caucus running …

JOSHUA'S FIDDLE....Have you read Gene Weingarten's cover story in this week's Washington Post magazine?  Basically, he took a world-class violinist (Joshua Bell) and had him play for about an hour at the entrance to a DC Metro stop to see if anyone would notice.  To a good approximation, no one did.

Worse Than Apartheid?  —  BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Hani Hayek, an accountant who is the Christian mayor of the tiny majority-Christian Palestinian village of Beit Sahour, was angry last week as he drove me along the Israeli security wall.  "They are taking our communal lands," he said …

Shiites Call for U.S. to Leave Iraq  —  BAGHDAD — Tens of thousands of Shiites _ a sea of women in black abayas and men waving Iraqi flags _ rallied Monday to demand that U.S. forces leave their country.  Some ripped apart American flags and tromped across a Stars and Stripes rug.

Elizabeth Edwards afraid of neighbor  —  She has never met `rabid Republican,' but wouldn't be nice  —  RALEIGH —Elizabeth Edwards says she is scared of the "rabid, rabid Republican" who owns property across the street from her Orange County home — and she doesn't want her kids going near the gun-toting neighbor.