President George Bush and Congress today pledged separate investigations into the widely criticised federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

Four months after the September 11 commission urged drastic changes to protect the United States from another terror attack, Congress today neared final passage of far-reaching legislation overhauling the US intelligence network and instituting new border and aviation security safeguards.

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has stepped down as chairman of a panel investigating the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, citing controversy over potential conflicts of interest with his private-sector clients.