Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) will travel to France, Germany, Israel, Jordan, and the United Kingdom in July, his campaign announced over the weekend. The trip will be “an important opportunity for me to assess the situation in countries that are critical to American national security, and to consult with some of our closest friends and allies about the common challenges we face,” Obama said.

Obama and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) both discussed their plans for comprehensive immigration reform (LAT) before the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials over the weekend. McCain promised to address the issue of illegal immigration “in a humane and compassionate fashion.” Both candidates called for tighter border security, but, Obama said, “If we think that a wall is the sole solution to the problem, then we’re not thinking it through.”

The Boston Globe looks at McCain’s reputation as both a strong critic of the military and a defense hawk.