From NPR News in Washingtong, I’m Lakshmi Singh.

A 23-hour debate marathon is underway in the Senate. It’s leading up to a maker break vote tomorrow night for the massive healthcare overhaul bill unveiled this week by Senate Democrats. We have more on this from NPR’s David Welna.

Democrats’ 60 votes bring their healthcare bill for consideration in the Senate. That’s the same number of senators that Democrats have in their party caucus. But Dick Durbin, the Democratic Chief Vote Counter is not yet declaring victory.

“We are not assuming a thing. We are working hard to bring all Democrats together for the 60 votes necessary to proceed to this historic debate.”

Durbin told reporters Arkansan Democrat Blanche Lincoln whose vote is in doubt has told majority leader Harry Reid how she intends to vote, though Durbin later backed off that statement. Republicans seem resign to losing their bid to block the bill including New Hampshire’s Judd Greg.

“Tomorrow’s vote is a critical vote because it basically will mean that we are on the road to passage it.”

Still weeks more of debate are expected before a final vote. David Welna, NPR News, the Capitol.

While a heated debate over healthcare unfolds in Congress, another set of guidelines has come out on women’s health this week. This one involves Pap smears. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says most women in their 20s can have a Pap smear every two years instead of once a year to catch slow growing cervical cancer. This comes on the heals of another report that suggests women should start getting routine mammograms to detect breast cancer in 50s instead of in their 40s. The authors of the report on Pap smears says, say, the timing of their guidelines was coincidental.

At least 16 people have been killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan. The attack happened in the west of the country in a province bordering Iran. NPR’s Philip Reeves reports from the capital Kabul.

The bomber arrived by motorcycle and detonated in a crowded square, killing and injuring dozens of people. It happened in Farah, a city in western Afghanistan. The provincial police chief reportedly says the target of the attack was a senior police official. That official was killed along with his bodyguards. The provincial governor, though, has said the blast was only a few yards from his office. No groups claim responsibility. Suspicion points at the Taliban although a militant spokesman speaking to the Reuters News Agency has denied this. The attack came one day after President Hamid Karzai was sworn into office for a second term. In his inauguration speech, Karzai invited militants not connected with Al-Qaeda to reconcile with his government. Philip Reeves, NPR News, Kabul.

Students are protesting at the University California Berkeley campus against the 32% hike in fees next year. Campus police say they’ve arrested 3 people. They barricaded themselves inside a building as well.

At the last check on Wall Street the Dow was down 10 points at 10,321.

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The Justice Department says Inspector General has concluded that the Department did not give any money directly to the community organizing group ACORN. Republican in Congress asked for the investigation after ACORN came under criticism on Capitol Hill. NPR’s Ari Shapiro reports.

Congress began to scrutinize ACORN after undercover activists filmed ACORN workers apparently giving advice on how to avoid taxes for a child prostitution business. The House and Senate both voted to cut off ACORN from receiving federal money. And Congressman Lamar Smith of Texas, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, asked whether the Justice Department has ever given grants to ACORN or its affiliates. The new report by the Inspector General Glenn Fine says ACORN did not receive any money directly from the Justice Department. But some of the group’s affiliates did. And three groups that won Justice Department grants distributed that money to ACORN. In total, all those worth added up to 200,000 dollars. That’s a fraction of the 53 million dollars ACORN and its affiliates have received in federal funds over the last 15 years. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Washington.

Oprah Winfrey is ending her show. She announced during taping today the nearly 25-year-old program will bid farewell in 2011. Fans who attended the taping had misery reactions.

“Emotional, I mean, emotional is the only word that I can use.”
“She actually seemed nervous.”
“I do believe she is doing the right thing and I’m very happy for her.”
“Anything that she does turns the scales, so the skies* .”

The talk show mogul has indicated for years her desire to call it a day but it never happened. The self-made billionaire will likely remain busy running other parts of her multimedia empire to 2012.

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