Sydney  - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd received a frosty welcome from US President George W Bush when he arrived for the White House dinner that opened the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Washington, news reports said Saturday.

While other leaders of the world's top 20 developed and emerging economies received smiles and backslaps, Rudd earned a perfunctory handshake and a stony glare, Australia's AAP news agency reported.

Rudd raised Bush's ire by telling dinner guests after taking a call from Bush on October 20 that the leader of the free world had asked him, "What's the G20?"

A dinner guest at the prime minister's Sydney residence leaked the slur to the press. It was published locally and then taken up by US newspapers.

Washington - Leaders from the Group of 20 nations were heading to the United States Friday for an historic summit to address a financial crisis threatening to derail the global economy.

US President George W Bush will welcome the leaders of 21 countries to the White House for a working dinner Friday evening and the group will hold an intensive day of talks Saturday aimed at overhauling the world's financial system.

New York  - Government leaders attending the UN General Assembly debate on religion and peace on Thursday pledged respect for all faiths because they are convinced it can lead to the resolution of conflict.

The 192-nation assembly adopted a declaration reiterating strong support for all faiths while warning that extremism has intensified, causing communal strife and polarizing societies.

It paid tribute to Saudi King Abdullah, who had pushed for the holding of the assembly debate on religion and peace.

New York - Government leaders attending the UN General Assembly debate on religion and peace on Thursday pledged respect for all faiths because they are convinced it can lead to the resolution of conflict.

US President George W Bush, appearing most likely for the last time before the 192-nation assembly, urged UN governments to include religion in their work and help spread democracy around the world. He had addressed the assembly in the past eight years.

Washington - US President George W Bush on Thursday called for overhauling the "outdated" regulatory structures of the financial industry in light of a massive global credit crisis, but warned against reinventing the free market system that has spurred economic growth for decades.

Speaking ahead of an emergency Washington summit of the world's 20 leading economies, Bush offered a broad defence of US-style capitalism and free markets, warning leaders to fix the flaws exposed by the financial crisis rather than abandon the system wholesale.

New York - US President George W Bush urged governments at the United Nations on Thursday to include religion in their work and help spread democracy around the world.

In his final days as the top but not the most admired US leader, Bush remains true to his belief to bring democracy to other countries, including using military force to invade Iraq in March, 2003, to make that country a democracy.