The Sri Lankan government attempted to play down the impact of the decision by the United States to end its preferential duties from January 1, 2018. 

"The US GSP applies to 120 countries and there is nothing special or significant to Sri Lanka. Once it was removed, the cost of exports will rise only by about 3% in tariff," Sri Lanka's national policies and economic affairs deputy minister, Harsha De Silva was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

Despite repeated calls for the military to withdraw from civilian life in the North-East, Sri Lankan soldiers involved themselves in a religious ceremony held at a Saiva temple in Trincomalee last week.

The United States announced that from January 1 2018, Sri Lanka will not receive any preferential duties under Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program.

In a press release today, the US Embassy in Colombo said that in the case of Sri Lanka, “the United States Congress did not re-authorize GSP before adjourning for the year”. 

Sixty-nine Tamil Nadu fishermen who were being detained in Sri Lankan jails were ordered to be released by courts in Jaffna and Vavuniya on Thursday, the Deccan Chronicle reports. 

The men were arrested previously by the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly poaching in the island's waters. 

Japan's minister of foreign affairs is to visit Sri Lanka on January 5th, 2018. 

Mr Taro Kono's visit will be the first visit of a Japanese foreign minister to the island in 15 years. 

He expected to hold discussions with the Sri Lankan president, prime minister and his counter part, Tilak Marapana. 
 

The former justice minister and UNP MP, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has resigned from Sri Lanka's constitutional council, local papers reported on Thursday. 

Mr Rajapakshe, who was removed from the position of justice and Buddha Sasana minister for his criticism of government policies, submitted a letter of resignation to the president.

Continuing with its militarisation of the North-East, Sri Lankan soldiers in Amparai organised Christmas celebrations in the district last week, despite repeated calls for its withdrawal from civilian life.

A former Sri Lankan navy rear admiral slammed the current government for allowing Sri Lanka to be “humiliated” at the United Nations Human Rights Council, where a resolution has been passed mandating an accountability mechanism for violations of international law.

Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, a former member of parliament, criticised the Sri Lankan government for not hitting back against reports of human rights abuses committed by Sri Lankan troops.

The head of Sri Lanka’s navy, Vice Admiral Sirimevan Ranasinghe, visited the Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command in Kochi and met with Sri Lankan troops who are currently undergoing training in the country.

The wife of the Eastern Province governor verbally abused Trincomalee villagers who requested her to remove her shoes before entering their temple.

Twenty Tamil Nadu fishermen who were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy earlier this year for allegedly poaching in the island's waters, were repatriated to India on Wednesday. 

The men, who had been arrested in January - February 2017, were handed over to the Indian coast guard at the International Maritime Boundary Line, PTI reported. 

Sri Lankan fish exports to the European Union have increased by over 45% since the EU lifting the 2015 ban, Colombo Page reports. 

Over 18,262 metric tons of fish were exported to the EU from January to September this year, totally to Rs. 28.685 billion. 

Sri Lanka lost around Rs 18 billion during the ban, which was lifted on June 22, 2016. 

The Indian government along with the Tamil Nadu government has signed an agreement with the World Bank for a $318 million loan for the improvement of irrigation in Tamil Nadu. 

The loan also includes improvement market opportunities for Tamil Nadu. 

The Indian government is planning to allow a ferry service from North-East to Tamil Nadu, India, in order to facilitate travel of Tamil Hindu pilgrims wishing to travel to Chidambaram for a Hindu (Saivite) festival. 

The service would run from Kankesanthurai in the North-East to Chennai. 

In a statement India's ministry of external affairs said "a large number of Sri Lankan Tamil pilgrims" were expected to attend, The Hindu reported.