Vatican City - Top Roman Catholic and Muslim clerics and scholars began Tuesday historic talks in Rome aimed at defusing tensions between Christianity and Islam.

The talks are part of an initiative by moderate Muslim individuals and groups that began in the wake of the violent protests in the Islamic against the publication in a Danish newspaper in 2005 of cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed.

Washington - Voting started at 6 am (1100 GMT) in several states Tuesday in historic US elections to elect the country's 44th president.

Officials braced for an unprecedented turnout and massive lines at polling places as voters delivered their verdict on Democrat Barack Obama, 47, and his Republican rival John McCain, 72, after the longest and most expensive campaign in US history.

London - Britain's leading Marks & Spencer fashion and food retail chain Tuesday reported a 34-per-cent drop in half-yearly profits and warned that 2009 would be a "tough year."

Profits fell to 297.8 million pounds (470.5 million dollars) in the six months up to the end of September, the company said. It had earlier reported a 5.7-per cent drop in sales during that period.

Sydney  - Australian banks Tuesday pulled the rug from under debt-laden local leveraged buy-out specialist Allco Finance Group.

Receivers were appointed for Allco and its shares placed in a trading halt after talks with the 12 banks failed to reach agreement on a repayment schedule for debts of 667 million Australian dollars (446 million US dollars).

The share price had tumbled from an all-time high of 13 Australian dollars in February 2007 to just 14 Australian cents.

Allco, one of the highest profile local victims of the credit crunch, two years ago was the leader of a failed leverage buy-out of national carrier Qantas Airways.

Mumbai, Nov 4 : Bollywood director turned producer Sooraj Barjatya''s film "Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi" starring Esha Kopikar and Sonu Sood is slated for Friday release.

Produced under the banner of Rajshri Productions Private Limited, the name that is synonymous with critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, promises a wholesome family entertainment.

Kaushik Ghatak has directed the film, which stars Sonu Sood, Esha Koppikar, Alok Nath, Smita Jaykar and Srivallabh Vyas.