Dublin - Former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan warned on Thursday, World Food Day, that the global hunger crisis is as serious as the current financial crisis and must be tackled with the same urgency.

Speaking at the international Fighting Hunger Conference in the Irish capital, Dublin, along with economist Jeffrey Sachs and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, Annan said the credit crunch should not be used as an excuse for stopping aid to developing countries.

Colombo  - A United Nations food convoy consisting of 50 trucks heading to rebel-held areas in northern Sri Lanka, where tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced, was forced to turn back Thursday due to firing by the rebels, the military claimed.

A military statement said that the trucks turned back at Puliyankulam, 280 kilometres north of the capital, and returned to Vavuniya, the town from where they started their journey.

The military blamed rebels for launching an "indiscriminate artillery and heavy mortar attack."

Beijing - China said it was sympathetic to Pakistan's financial situation and would help its long-term ally "within its capability" on Thursday, as Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari continued his visit.

"As an all-weather friend, China understands Pakistan's economic and financial difficulties," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

"We are ready to support and help Pakistan within our capability," Qin told reporters, adding that financial organizations in the two nations would "keep communication" over the issue.

Dubai  - A Dubai court sentenced a British couple on Thursday to three months in jail for having sex on a public beach in the Gulf emirate.

Michelle Palmer, 37, a resident in Dubai and her visiting partner Vince Acors, 34, were also fined 1,000 dirham (202 euros) for drinking alcohol in public.

Their lawyer, Hassan Mattar, said that he would appeal against the court's verdict.

The couple was arrested in July for publicly having sex on Dubai's Jumeirah beach while in a drunken state.

Washington, Oct. 16 : The Americans are extremely concerned about the economic crisis in the country, but retain their optimism about a turnaround-taking place sooner than later.

The Washington Times quoted Andrew Kohut, a researcher, as saying: "There is no evidence that fundamental American optimism has eroded in the face of the financial crisis. Even after a week of some of the largest stock market declines since the Great Depression, 64 percent of the public say that ''as Americans, we can always find ways to solve our problems and get what we want.”

Only 11 percent believe that the situation is not right or going in a positive direction.

Islamabad, Oct 16 : Top military commanders from Pakistan, Afghanistan and NATO met here last evening for their first three-way talks since the US forces infuriated Pakistan last month with an attack on a border village.

The commanders also discussed the prevailing condition in the tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghan border.

Pakistan Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, his Afghan counterpart Gen Bismullah Khan, and the commander of Afghanistan’s NATO force, General David McKiernan, attended the talks, reported The News.