WASHINGTON — Bowing to President Bush, the Democratic-controlled Congress lined up reluctantly today to provide fresh billions for the Iraq war without the troop withdrawal timeline that drew his earlier veto.

"The Iraqi government needs to show real progress in return for America's continued support and sacrifice," said the commander in chief, and he warned that August could prove to be a bloody month for U.S. troops in Baghdad's murderous neighborhoods.

Five months in power on Capitol Hill, Democrats in both houses coupled their concession to the president with pledges to challenge his war policies anew. "Those of us who oppose this war will be back again and again and again and again until this war has ended," said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

"I hate this agreement," added Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee who played a key role in talks with the White House that yielded the measure.

In a highly unusual maneuver, House Democratic leaders crafted a procedure that allowed their rank-and-file to oppose money for the war, then step aside so Republicans could provide the bulk of votes needed to send it to the Senate for final approval.

Presidential politics spiced the proceedings across the Capitol.

Proponents of immigration reform narrowly defeat fatal challenges to compromise deal

WASHINGTON — Proponents of a broad immigration measure narrowly beat back potentially fatal challenges today, including an effort to phase out the temporary worker program.

The Senate rejected, 49-48, a proposal by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., to end the temporary worker program after five years. Earlier, by the same margin, senators voted down a proposal by Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., to allow government authorities to question someone about his immigration status if they had probable cause to suspect the person was in the U.S. illegally.

The razor-thin votes illustrated the tenuous nature of the immigration measure, which would grant an estimated 12 million unlawful immigrants legal status while improving border security and workplace enforcement. But the defeats also showed the durability of the unlikely coalition that cut the deal and is fiercely lobbying rank-and-file senators to preserve it.

"We are still together, and we're moving forward," said Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo.

The Bush administration and key congressional Democrats and Republicans stepped up their efforts to sell the compromise today as lawmakers braced for a public backlash at home.

Suspected al-Qaida bomber strikes Sunni funeral procession in Iraq, killing 26 mourners

BAGHDAD — A bomb hidden in a parked car struck the funeral procession of a Sunni tribal leader who was gunned down earlier today, killing at least 26 mourners as al-Qaida appeared to turn up its campaign of frightening its growing opposition into submission.

The attack in Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad, targeted the passing procession for Alaa Zuwaid, a 60-year-old restaurant owner who was part of a Sunni tribe that had formed an alliance with other tribal leaders against al-Qaida. Police and medical officials said 45 other people were wounded in the bombing.

Zuwaid was killed that morning when militants shot him in front of his house, police said — nearly a month after his 25-year-old son was slain as he walked down the street.

In all, 87 people were killed or found dead in sectarian violence across Iraq today.

In Washington, President Bush told a news conference he supported a $120 billion Iraq war spending bill that was on track to pass Congress, ending weeks of wrangling with congressional Democrats on how long U.S. troops should stay.

Bush presses Russia, China to help impose stronger penalties against Iran

WASHINGTON — President Bush said today the leaders of China and Russia "have got to understand" that they and the world will suffer if Iran is allowed to join the roster of nuclear-armed nations.

The Western members of the U.N. Security Council, plus Germany, have pushed for tough penalties against Iran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment, which can produce fuel suitable to generate power or the weapons-grade material for nuclear warheads. But opposition from Russia and China has led the Security Council to settle for watered-down measures.

Bush said Iran's defiance means it is time to go further.

"The world has spoken and said, `You know, no nuclear weapons programs.' And yet they're constantly ignoring the demands," he told reporters during a Rose Garden news conference. "My view is that we need to strengthen our sanction regime."

Iran insists its nuclear program is only for developing energy and that giving it up would cripple Tehran's goal of becoming a world power. Iran contend the penalties are illegal because it has the right to generate nuclear power under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

Ohio executes inmate for killing cellmate in 2001; problem finding veins delayed lethal dose

LUCASVILLE, Ohio — An execution was delayed more than an hour today while prison medical staff struggled to find suitable veins in the condemned man's arms — the second time that has happened in Ohio in little more than a year.

The execution team stuck Christopher Newton at least 10 times with needles to get in place the shunts used to administer the lethal chemicals. Newton, who had insisted on the death penalty as punishment for killing a cellmate, continued to talk, smile and laugh with the prison staff, and at one point was even given a bathroom break.

When he eventually was moved from his holding cell and strapped to a table in the death chamber, he made this short statement: "Yes, boy, I could sure go for some beef stew and a chicken bone. That's it."

Newton, 37, was pronounced dead at 11:53 a.m. at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility; his execution had been set to begin at 10.

He weighed 265 at his physical yesterday. The head of the Public Defender's death penalty division, Joe Wilhelm, said Newton told him it was hard for blood to be taken from his veins because of his weight.

Study on type of ammunition used in slaying of JFK questions if Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone

HOUSTON — New testing on the type of ammunition used in the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy raises questions about whether Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, according to a study by researchers at Texas A&M University.

Lead researcher Cliff Spiegelman stressed, however, that the research doesn't necessarily support conspiracy theorists who for decades have doubted Oswald was the lone gunman.

"We're not saying there was a conspiracy. All we're saying is the evidence that was presented as a slam dunk for a single shooter is not a slam dunk," said Spiegelman, a Texas A&M statistics professor and an expert in bullet-lead analysis.

The Warren Commission concluded in 1964 that Oswald fired three shots at Kennedy's motorcade from the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas. The U.S. House Select Committee on Assassinations agreed in 1979 and found that the two bullets that hit Kennedy came from Oswald's rifle.

The committee's findings were based in part on the testimony of former chemist Vincent Guinn, who said recovered fragments came from only two bullets. Guinn testified that the bullets Oswald used, Western-Winchester Cartridge Co. Mannlicher-Carcano bullets, were unique and that it would be possible to distinguish one from another even if they both came from the same box.

Study finds three-quarter of U.S. households forbid smoking, big increase over a decade ago

ATLANTA — Smoking is forbidden in nearly three out of four U.S. households, a dramatic increase from the 43 percent of homes that prohibited smoking a decade ago, the federal government reported today.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which conducted the survey in 2003, said it was the first study to offer a state-by-state look at the prevalence of smoking in American homes.

Utah led the nation, with people in nearly nine out of 10 homes saying smoking was never allowed. The state's large population of Mormons, who eschew tobacco, probably contributed to that statistic, the agency said.

Kentucky was in last place, with a little more than half of households sending smokers outside (or, at least, to the garage).

But even in Kentucky, smokers found fewer place to light up. Ten years earlier, only a quarter of the state's households barred smoking.

"That really says that people are starting to understand the hazards of secondhand smoke," said Dr. Corinne Husten, co-author of the study and chief of the epidemiology branch of the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health.

Tiffani Thiessen plays a doctor trying to stop the spread of a virus in TV movie `Pandemic'

LOS ANGELES — Tiffani Thiessen always looked good as one of the fashionable residents of the popular TV series "Beverly Hills, 90210." She could have used some of that cool clothing on the set of her latest movie.

The 33-year-old actress got her fill of what she called "horrible, horrible" hazardous-materials suits while filming "Pandemic," which airs Saturday (8 p.m. EDT) on the Hallmark Channel.

Thiessen plays a doctor who leads a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that is trying to stop the spread of an avian flu-like virus. The team rushes to locate a vaccine that can be given to residents of Los Angeles as the city is quarantined after thousands of people are infected.

"Our world is changing every day," Thiessen said. "We're living in a time where there seems to be danger all around us. Even though I may see the film as a way to entertain people for a few hours, it certainly may make people think, which is always a good thing."

Thiessen, who co-starred in the recently canceled ABC series "What About Brian," filmed many of her scenes at Los Angeles International Airport while decked out in full hazmat gear.

Wall Street slides as investors worry interest rate cut not needed after economic data

NEW YORK — Wall Street retreated today after housing data showed sales surged in April by the largest amount in 14 years and damped hopes that an interest rate cut would be needed to stimulate the economy.

Investors were originally enthusiastic after the Commerce Department reported sales of single-family homes rose 16.2 percent last month after falling slightly in March. Even though the report indicated that the economy continues to expand, investors became unnerved by a record drop in home prices.

With first-quarter corporate earnings reports mostly complete, Wall Street is again placing increased significance on economic data. Reports today suggested the Federal Reserve might be successfully steering the economy toward a soft landing and that a rate cut might not be needed.

"Sometimes good is bad," said Scott Fullman, director of investment strategy for Israel A. Englander & Co. "This takes away the anticipation that the Fed is going to ease interest rates because of the housing market."

He also said that after a months-long run, and before a three-day holiday weekend, that investors were taking a breather to collect profits.

Jeremy Bonderman returns from disabled list to pitch Detroit Tigers past Angels 12-0

DETROIT — Jeremy Bonderman didn't need to be sharp in his return. The Detroit Tigers' offense made sure of it. The right-hander gave up four hits in eight innnings in his first game back from the disabled list today, and Carlos Guillen homered twice and drove in five runs to help the Tigers rout the Los Angeles Angels 12-0.

Magglio Ordonez had four hits and three RBIs to take over the major league lead with 45, two more than the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez. Gary Sheffield added a solo home run in the third as Detroit won for the fifth time in six games.

Eight of the Tigers' 13 hits were for extra bases. They lead the American League with 181 extra-base hits.

"It was a good, fun game for everyone," said Bonderman (3-0), who pitched for the first time since May 8 after missing two starts with a blister on his right middle finger.