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WASHINGTON - John McCain reaffirmed his commitment to "comprehensive immigration reform" Tuesday, telling a Hispanic group that sealing the border is not enough.

Dieters who write down everything they eat each day lose twice as much weight as those who don't, according to one of the largest weight-loss studies ever conducted.

A bipartisan panel, led by two former secretaries of state, called Tuesday for a new law that would require Congress to formally approve or disapprove a president taking the nation to war.

During the first week of the war in Iraq in 2003, a Military Times photographer captured the image of Army Pfc. Joseph Patrick Dwyer as he raced through a battle zone clutching a tiny Iraqi boy named Ali.

For centuries, people in China have been fairly lean, but now at least one-fourth of adults there are overweight or obese, and the trend has growing side effects.

When USA TODAY asked readers to report how they are coping with higher grocery bills while still eating healthfully, dozens of people responded with lists of ways they're cutting costs. Their ideas range from curtailing restaurant meals to planting gardens, using coupons, shopping smarter and cooking more economical meals.

WASHINGTON - In May, there were 23 car and truck bomb attacks in Iraq, the fewest since August 2004.

WASHINGTON - Iraq's prime minister said for the first time that he would consider setting a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawals from his country, a move that could prompt a diplomatic battle with the Bush administration in the months ahead.

RUSUTSU, Japan - President Bush and new Russian President Dmitry Medvedev call their first meeting cordial, but they differ sharply on U.S. plans to build a missile defense shield in Europe.

Democrats say Barack Obama will accept his party's presidential nomination before up to 76,000 people at the Denver Broncos' football stadium.

Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wants to get this message out to Americans: Health care isn't only what takes place in a doctor's office, a clinic or a hospital.

RUSUTSU, Japan - For this week's G-8 gathering, about 21,000 police have been marshaled from across Japan, and security forces are patrolling the area in everything from F-15 fighter jets to Segway scooters, pushing the summit's bill sky-high.

A new study explains the neurological roots of maternal bonding and may help doctors understand what can sometimes hinder that attachment.

In the past two years, four states have refused in-state tuition benefits to students who entered the USA illegally with their parents but grew up and went to school in the state.

For kids, this summer of pricey gas and shortened family vacations could now fill up with too much screen time, too much junk food and way too little fresh air and exercise. My advice to parents and kids: Take a hike.

For years, doctors have followed a standard approach to treating their type 2 diabetes patients. But a new attitude is evolving among some doctors who believe a more aggressive approach would better control the disease and help patients avoid its severe consequences in later life.

WASHINGTON - These days, Obama says lobbyists are part of the problem with Washington, and he refuses to accept their fundraising help. But they used to rub elbows.

Fewer seniors citizens are receiving home-delivered meals, personal care help and other services as states struggle with tighter budgets and the senior population grows.

WASHINGTON - Security in Iraq continues to improve even after the withdrawal of nearly 25% of U.S. combat brigades, increasing the prospects of further cuts in American forces.

LAS VEGAS - In a surprising twist to historical settlement patterns, growing numbers of Asian Americans are beginning to bail from the places that have long been their main gateways to the West.

BAGHDAD - A park closely by a U.S. security company has a make-out spot in town for young Iraqi lovers who would otherwise be harassed, or worse, by Islamic extremists.

TOYAKO, Japan - President Bush on Sunday defended his decision to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games next month, saying that skipping the event "would be an affront to the Chinese people."

WASHINGTON - Former Sen. Jesse Helms, who served 30 years in Congress, has died, the Jesse Helms research center says. He was 86.

MEXICO CITY - John McCain warned Mexicans that more border walls are needed before he attempts to overhaul U.S. immigration laws again, an unpopular position in a country where he had hoped to boost his standing with Hispanics.

The produce industry, which has sustained heavy financial losses in the continuing salmonella outbreak, has made an overture to the federal government in hopes of finding a better way to track down the source of foodborne illnesses.

BURLINGTON, Vt. - Federal prosecutors have filed kidnapping charges that carry the death penalty against a Vermont man whose 12-year-old niece was found dead near his home.

WASHINGTON - Americans like to wear their patriotism on their sleeve and their lapels. A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds that American flag pins, as well as protests, reflect a love of country.

Gas prices have forced non-profits to cut back, and those who drive themselves want a bigger tax deduction.