West Indies will visit Sri Lanka for three ODIs starting January 31, a series scheduled after the five one-dayers they were supposed to play last month were postponed because of torrential rain in Sri Lanka.

The series will provide a final tune-up for West Indies, who now get the chance to test themselves in subcontinent conditions two weeks ahead of the World Cup which begins on February 19.

All three matches will be at stadiums which will host World Cup matches.

The first one-dayer is in Hambantota on January 31, and the other two are at the revamped R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, on February 4 and 6.

The United Nations is rushing a top relief official to take stock of the flood situation in Sri Lanka and coordinate an international appeal for emergency funds. Latest reports said at least 40 people were killed and around 1.1 million affected by the floods that have devastated swathes of areas
in central and eastern provinces. About a dozen districts have been affected.

While the government is still calculating the damage triggered by the unusually heavy monsoon rains in the last two weeks, estimates have put the cost of the damage to around $ 500 million.

As of Monday noon, the disaster management centre (DMC) reported that a total of 1,073,895 from 285,659 families have been affected by the deluge. However, as the flood waters recede people have started to return home and only 51,423 displaced people remained in 137 camps.

UN Assistant Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Catherine Bragg will visit Sri Lanka on an official three-day mission to meet the flood-affected people, beginning Wednesday, the UN office said.

"The purpose of Ms Bragg's mission is to highlight all humanitarian needs in Sri Lanka, and the United Nations ongoing commitment in providing humanitarian relief and assistance, and for advocating on behalf of the most vulnerable people," the UN statement said.

The AFP quoted the Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera as having warned today that food prices could shoot up after devastating floods in the north and east of the country destroyed rice and vegetable crops.

Amaraweera said vegetable prices had already been affected because of the impact on growing areas that were swamped by unusually heavy monsoon rains.

"We have a buffer stock of rice that is good for three months. That means there will be no immediate impact on the price of rice, but vegetables are already going up in price," Amaraweera told AFP.

India, US and Japan besides the World Food Programme are already helping the flood victims with food and medicines. On Sunday, Prince of Wales (Prince Charles) wrote to President Mahinda Rajapaksa expressing his concern.

"My wife and I have been watching, with mounting concern, the terrible effects of the flooding which has been afflicting so much of Sri Lanka. Our hearts go out to the families of those who have so tragically lost their lives and to all those who have lost their property and, crucially, their next harvest," he said in the statement.

Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times

Says Mass Exodus Disproves Tiger Propaganda

WASHINGTON, D.C. April 24. At a panel earlier this week, a State Department official agreed that the mass exodus of civilians from the

LTTE-controlled areas disproves the propaganda by LTTE leaders that the civilians wanted to remain under the leadership of the LTTE.

"I think this is really especially significant, of course, because we?ve been hearing from the LTTE on many occasions when we stress the importance of allowing civilians to leave the safe zone,² said Michael Owen, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia. 

Violence of the kind which was witnessed ?on the steps of Parliament House of Victoria?, April 4, between extremist elements of the Sinhala and Tamil communities in Australia could ?create a base for ethnic fires to be ignited amongst the Sinhalese and Tamil migrants? of Australia, ?the very, very large majority who are peace loving and very good Australians?, the Burgher Association (Australia) warns in a letter, dated April 15, 2009, to Australia?s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Representatives of extremist groups from the Sinhala and Tamil communities ?masquerading as either community organizations or student groups, appear to be bringing their ethnic conflicts to Australia. The events of 4th April 2009 regrettably validate our fears?, the letter explains. ?As the representative organization of the Burgher community we, on behalf of the community we represent, disassociate ourselves from and condemn these demonstrations and violence not only because it serves no purpose but also because it only exacerbates the conflict in Sri Lanka?, it goes on to state.

The government has dismissed suggestions that the top LTTE leadership should be allowed surrender to a third party in an effort to bring the final battle to an early end.

Authoritative government sources told The Sunday Island that LTTE leaders now trapped in 10 sq. km. area on the Mullaitivu coast should surrender to the army without any further delay or prepared to face the consequences.

Sources said that nothing could be as ridiculous as allowing the international community to throw a lifeline to the sinking Tigers.

"We are on the verge of finishing off the enemy," a senior Defence Ministry official told The Sunday Island asserting that the ongoing offensive wouldn?t be stopped.

Defence Spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella on Monday said that the government had issued an ultimatum to LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and the remaining Tiger cadres to lay down arms and surrender within the next 24 hours from Monday noon or face the consequences.

Rambukwella said the remaining Tigers, including their leader had not heeded the warnings issued by the government in the recent past to surrender and as a result a number of key members of the LTTE were killed in clashes with the troops a couple weeks ago.

"The remaining Tigers will face the same fate as their slain leaders if they don?t surrender and they will be wiped out by the in time," Rambukwella added.

Yesterday alone over 22,000 civilians fled the No Fire Zone into government territory while two senior LTTE cadres, Daya Master and George Master, surrendered with their families to the Army?s 58 division, military sources.

With yesterday?s arrival of over 22,000 civilians to government held areas, the total number of civilians who fled the ?No Fire? Zone reached 100,000 since April 20. The total number of LTTE cadres who have surrendered to the Army since January this year stands at around 3,000

Daya Master, who was the LTTE spokesman until about two years ago, is a former teacher and George Master was the interpreter to former LTTE political wing leader Thamil Selvan, who was killed in an air raid a few months ago.

Many an eye brow has been raised in diplomatic circles by the French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner?s suggestion that France and Britain carry out a joint humanitarian operation in Sri Lanka as, among other things, some of the civilians fleeing the conflict zone in the Vanni are drowning in the sea.

AFP reported yesterday that Kouchner had said in a radio interview that France would try to launch a humanitarian operation in Sri Lanka and he would have discussions with his British counterpart David Miliband in that regard.

Kouchner, the AFP report said, had said French and British boats could be deployed to help the IDPs ?because these people are on the beaches and some are drowning at sea."

Agricultural and Agricultural Development Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara said that TNA Jaffna District MP N. Sri Kantha was a spy who had been working for the LTTE for a long time. Minister Nanayakkara said that the latter had been instrumental in the LTTE assassination of former Minister and UNP leader Gamini Dissanayake.

Speaking after a speech by MP Sri Kantha, during the adjourned debate on Nation Building Tax (Amendment) Bill, the Minister accused the Jaffna MP of aiding and abetting the LTTE to assassinate the former UNP leader. Sri Kantha had been introduced to late Minister Dissanayake when the minister was working in the Mahaweli Project and since then, Sri Kantha had been spying on the activities of the late Minister. Sri Kantha had provided all details of the late minister to the LTTE.

GENEVA (AP) - The United Nations sought Tuesday to rally nations against intolerance a day after the anti-Israel speech by Iran?s president sparked protests and swelled the U.S.-led list of countries boycotting the world racism conference.

Dozens of Western diplomats walked out during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?s speech and a pair of rainbow-wigged protesters threw clown noses at Iran?s hardline leader Monday when he called Israel the "most cruel and repressive racist regime."

France, which later returned to the conference, said it was optimistic the U.N. would move on and approve a declaration by Tuesday night committing the world to fight racism.

The meeting is "not at all a failure but the beginning of a success," Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on French radio.

The global body was similarly hopeful.