The US House of Representatives last night issued a symbolic rejection of President George Bush's plan to deploy more troops to Iraq.

The leader of the US House of Representatives’ job is on the line as members of the House ethics committee decide how to launch a credible investigation of former Congressman Mark Foley’s salacious computer messages to teenage pages.

US HOUSE Republicans elected Republican John Boehner of Ohio as their new majority leader yesterday, choosing a self-proclaimed reform candidate to replace indicted Tom DeLay as the party struggles with an ethics scandal.

Embattled Congressman Tom DeLay decided today to give up his post as House majority leader – the leader of Republicans in the House of Representatives - clearing the way for new leadership elections among House Republicans eager to shed the taint of scandal, two officials said.

US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld has decided to personally sign condolence letters to the families of American troops killed in action rather than letting a machine affix his signature.

The United States intelligence community must be radically overhauled in the face of the ongoing terrorist threat, the September 11 Commission said.