Rome, 10 November 2009 - Food prices in poor countries that are net importers of food still remain stubbornly high despite a good 2009 world cereal production, FAO warned today in its latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation report.

The report was published ahead of the Rome World Summit on Food Security to be held in Rome on November 16-18.

Critical food insecurity is affecting 31 countries and they therefore require emergency assistance. In Eastern

In South and Southeast Asia, hydro-meteorological events such as flooding, cyclones, and drought cause economic and social losses each year. Due to poor infrastructure and inadequate early warning systems, populations in rapidly growing urban areas are particularly vulnerable to these disasters. Given the recurrence of extreme hydro-meteorological events in these areas, in 2005, USAID/OFDA initiated funding for the Program

In the context of Asia Pacific Zone, its demographic, socio-economic and environmental trends, and the International Federation's strategic priorities, South Asia remains one of the most disadvantaged regions in the world and is vulnerable to health and disaster-related risks due to poor socio-economic conditions. The region has some of the highest levels of poverty, being home to about half of the world's poor (1). Although the region has seen some economic and social progress over the last decade,

(New York) - The Sri Lankan government should immediately release the 250,000 displaced Tamils still held in detention camps, Human Rights Watch said today. Deteriorating conditions, including a shortage of water since October 5, 2009, combined with the prospect of flooding during the imminent monsoon season, have led to rising tensions among camp residents and clashes with the military.

Human Rights Watch called on international

"It's a very bad time for this region, with different disasters, not linked to each other, but coming together in this tragic way," said Mr. Holmes at a press conference organized to brief correspondents on the $74 million flash appeal for the Philippines,

- On 14 September, the Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe rejected claims made by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillai, that the displaced people in Sri Lanka are being kept in internment camps, as opposed to what the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) defines as welfare villages. Minister Samarasinghe was addressing the 12th sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, being held from 14 September to 2 October.

- Between 17-19 September, the UN Under

PARIS, Sept 2, 2009 (AFP) - Africa and much of south Asia face extreme risk from climate change but top carbon polluters will be relatively shielded from its ravages, according a ranking of 166 nations obtained by AFP Wednesday.

Somalia, Haiti and Afghanistan top the Climate Change Vulnerability Index, calculated from dozens of variables measuring the capacity of a country to cope with the consequences of global warming.

"We wanted to look at what is going to impact human populations," explained Fiona Place, senior environmental

"All these baskets used to be full of husked rice," he said, "but I had to stop farming because the floods got worse."

The flood-prone Bandaragama area in southwestern Kalutara Distict where Kulasena lives comprises more than 1,000ha in unused rice paddies.

Water from the nearby Kalu River regularly

- Vavuniya experienced the first heavy rains of the season between 14-17th of August, creating heavy rainwater run-off in the IDP sites, latrine pits overflowing, tents needing maintenance and some damage to internal roads.

- The monsoon is likely to cause damage to roads inside the main IDP site Menik Farm. Restrictions on overall weight of vehicles allowed inside the camps are expected.

- The Government of Sri Lanka has announced to aim for resettlement of 100,000 IDPs by the end of 2009.

- IOM has completed over 15,000 trips