Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said over $100 million per year after the European Union’s ban on imports of fish caught in Sri Lanka.

"We are losing over $100 million per year because of this ban,” said Mr Amaraweera. However, he stated the government was expecting the ban to be lifted “before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year (local new year) in 2016".

"During the coming months, the proposal to lift the fishing ban will be presented to the European Parliament," said the minister, adding “we are expecting a favourable response from them”.

A group of 5 Nepalese girls have been rescued from being trafficked into Sri Lanka, reports the Himalayan Times.

The five girls were being taken to Mahendranagar, from where it was reported they were to be smuggled into India and finally into Sri Lanka.

Earlier this year, the US State Department stated that “the Government of Sri Lanka does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking” in its annual ‘Trafficking in Persons Report’, placing Sri Lanka on the’ Tier 2 Watch List’ for a third consecutive year.

Leaked US embassy cables also revealed Tamil paramilitaries ran prostitution rings for Sri Lankan troops in government-controlled parts of the Northeast, and child sex trafficking rings using their networks in India and Malaysia, with the knowledge and support of the Sri Lankan government.

The Sri Lankan navy has also been accused of being directly involved with human trafficking, especially that of Tamil asylum seekers, looking to flee the island.

The leader of the Tamil National Alliance, Rajavarothayam Sampanthan says the party will not encourage acceptance or accept members of other organisations without the consent of the leadership, when asked about the formation of the Tamil People's Council.

Mr Sampanthan said acceptance of the TPC, which is chaired by Northern Province Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran, would "create confusion and complications in the future", Ceylon Today reported.

"I cannot make any comment with regard to the formation of the Tamil People's Council. I will make a comment later. I shall not rush it" he said.

The TPC has the support of a wide range of Tamil civil society groups and political actors, including sitting MPs of the TNA.

Two Sri Lankan war ships are on a three day visit to the South Indian port in Kochi, Kerala.

TNA MP Seenithamby Yogeswaran says the Sri Lankan government has failed to support the party and let it down, despite the TNA's indirect support.

"There is a change in government but we have not changed the people. It is the same people in a new government. That is the difference between the former and present government," the Batticaloa MP said at an event in Kalkuda, Ceylon Today reported.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for South and Southeast Asia Dr Amy Searight discussed accountability and justice mechanisms with senior Sri Lankan military leaders, as she concluded her visit to the island this week.

A US embassy press release said Dr Searight met with Sri Lanka’s Chief Defence Staff and the respective Tri-Service Commanders, “to stress the need for land returns, reconciliation and a credible transitional justice mechanism, and to discuss future security requirements”.

Dr Searight also “placed a priority on meeting with human rights activists and emphasized the “key role civil society plays in informing military policy and defense relationships”,” added the press release.

“She raised their concerns about accountability and reconciliation efforts in discussions with senior military leaders,” it further said.

The Government Medical Officers' Association says they will join strike action in January, over the proposed Indo-Sri Lanka Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA).

GMOA Secretary, Dr. Nalinda Herath said the protest would address issues that arose from the budget and the establishment of a private medical college.

Dr. Herath said that a visit by officials to India revolved around an agreement that states that the government will open some sectors to the Indian economy.

The secretary said the plan was an invasion of Sri Lanka’s job market, therefore the risk in this is that there is no assurance on the quality of Indian employees.

However Deputy Finance Minister Harsha de Silva said that Indian doctors would not be able to set up clinics.

Indian and Sri Lankan officials discussed plans for the proposed Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) at talks in New Delhi on Monday.

Indian Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia and Sri Lanka's secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce TMKB Tennakoon led the talks, which came as unions in Sri Lanka protested over a feared "invasion" of Indian labour, that is believed by the Sinhala south to be the future result of any economic agreement with India.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Esala Weerakoon said the officials exchanged ideas about the kind of areas each side wants incorporated in the ETCA.

"There will be a fifth round of talks either in January or February next year, when the two sides will put together a framework agreement. The agreement will be finalised by June, 2016," he told The Island.

The former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday visited army officials detained over the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, the Daily Mirror reported.

Mr Rajapaksa met the five members of the security forces, including two lieutenant colonels and sergeant majors  at the prison Hospital in Welikada.

In September the military was forced to deny reports that it was blocking an investigation into Mr Eknaligoda's disappearance.