Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday said the Tamil minority now wants to live peacefully in one country and slammed the Tamil diaspora for the lack of support in his reconciliation and rebuilding efforts in the former conflict zones.

At least seven people died and nearly 3,000 were left homeless as the cyclonic storm 'Mahasen' caused heavy rains in the north and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.

The ICC has announced the schedule of warm-up matches to be played in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy from June 6 to 23.

Sri Lanka on Thursday named a 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in England next month with the selectors continuing to snub spinner Ajantha Mendis.

Despite international pressure to shift the venue of a major Commonwealth Summit out of Sri Lanka, the grouping's Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma has said that the meeting in November will go ahead as planned.

An international human rights group has asked a key Commonwealth forum to shift the venue of its November Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from Sri Lanka, unless Colombo makes prompt, measurable and meaningful progress on human rights.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday introduced a resolution in the assembly calling for a referendum to carve out a Tamil Eelam state in Sri Lanka.

The resolution in the UN Human Rights Council against Sri Lanka is "uncalled for" and the international community should not get involved in the country, Sri Lanka High Commissioner to India Prasad Kariyawasam said on Monday.

The US has welcomed the passage of a resolution on Sri Lanka sponsored by it at the UNHRC, saying the vote sent a clear signal to Colombo that the international community is committed to promote peace and stability in the country.

A day after Union Shipping Minister GK Vasan said that the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) should be shifted out of Sri Lanka, Union Minister V Narayanasamy on Saturday said that final call on it will be taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.