WASHINGTON (AP) - A bruising debate on health care awaits the Senate after Thanksgiving now that the historic legislation has cleared a key hurdle over the opposition of Republicans eager to inflict a punishing defeat on President Barack Obama. The bill would extend coverage to roughly 31 million who lack it, crack down on insurance company practices that deny or dilute benefits and curtail the growth of spending on medical care nationally.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin has banned Rep. Patrick Kennedy from receiving Communion, the central sacrament of the church, in Rhode Island because of the congressman's support for abortion rights, Kennedy said in a newspaper interview published Sunday. The decision by the outspoken prelate, reported on The Providence Journal's Web site, significantly escalates a bitter dispute between Tobin, an ultra orthodox bishop, and Kennedy, a son of the nation's most famous Roman Catholic family.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - A former vice president has been released on bail in the mass trial of opposition figures accused of fomenting the country's post-election unrest, official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday. IRNA quoted the Tehran prosecutor, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, as saying Mohammad Ali Abtahi was released on a $700,000 bail after the verdict was delivered. It did not say what his sentence was.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. Edward M. Kennedy will be a tough act to follow, even for the Kennedys. His death, coupled with the decision by family members not to seek the seat he held for nearly five decades, has prompted predictions that the family's long-running political dynasty is over. There's talk the Kennedy political bloodlines are running thin. Some say the younger brood lacks the grit and zest for political combat that drove the liberal Democrat to become one of the leading politicians of the last 40 years.
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli aircraft attacked two suspected weapons-making factories and a smuggling tunnel in the Gaza Strip early Sunday in what the military said was retaliation for Palestinian rocket fire into southern Israel. The airstrikes, which wounded at least seven people - including one seriously - came despite an announcement by Gaza's Hamas rulers that the territory's military factions had all agreed to stop firing rockets. The Hamas announcement came late Saturday, after the rocket attack.
Former NIH chief: Ignore new mammogram guideline WASHINGTON (AP) - The former director of the National Institutes of Health is advising women to ignore new guidelines that delay the start of routine mammogram testing for breast cancer. Dr. Bernadine Healy says the directive would save money but not lives.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of Americans traveling away from home for Thanksgiving will be up only slightly this year from 2008, according to a report from the AAA auto club. The group, which surveyed 1,350 households, said there will be about 33.2 million people traveling by car this year - a 2.1 percent increase from last year.
Canadian woman loses benefits over Facebook photo BROMONT, Quebec (AP) - A Canadian woman on long-term sick leave for depression says she lost her benefits because her insurance agent found photos of her on Facebook in which she appeared to be having fun. Nathalie Blanchard has been on leave from her job at IBM in Bromont, Quebec, for the last year.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kate Hudson, Pierce Brosnan, Neil Patrick Harris and other stars who are used to getting applause were giving it gladly at a ceremony honoring people who make a difference in the lives of others. "I've cried twice and we're on hero three," Harris said backstage after introducing one of the 10 "CNN Heroes" celebrated Saturday by the TV news network for their efforts to fight poverty, disease and other problems.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Lee Westwood of England became Europe's No. 1 golfer on Sunday after winning the Dubai World Championship by six strokes. Westwood shot a course-record 8-under 64 in the final round at the Earth Course to finish at 23-under 265.
