Several spells of showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts today (July 09), the Department of Meteorology said.

A few showers may occur in the North-western province, it added.

Fairly strong winds of about 30-40kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills and in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in the Trincomalee and Hambantota districts.

The International Maritime Organization declared the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, Somali Sea, a high-risk zone in 2010 due to the pirate activities that had to be endured by the merchant ships engaged in international maritime traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, Somali Sea. 

As a remedial measure for these threats, merchant ships obtain the services of armed maritime guards from foreign private maritime security companies. Even though the International Maritime Organization has declared that the said high-risk zone has been removed from 01-01-2023, the commercial ships have continued the obtaining of the services of the armed maritime guards from foreign private maritime security companies. 

The Galle and Colombo ports are primarily used to embark armed maritime guards onto ships entering the aforementioned high-risk zone and to disembark armed maritime guards deployed to protect departing ships. On certain occasions, such maritime security operations are also carried out in the Hambantota and Trincomalee ports. 

When carrying out the operational activities of the aforementioned project, the Sri Lankan Navy has been entrusted with the overall responsibility for national security.

Therefore, considering the knowledge and experience of the Sri Lankan Navy in relation to maritime security operations, it has been deemed appropriate to grant approval for the Sri Lankan Navy to independently carry out these operations. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by His Excellency, the President, in his capacity as the Minister of  Defence, to conduct maritime security operations by the Sri Lankan Navy under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence.

M.B.N.A. Premarathne, a retired Commodore of the Sri Lanka Navy, is to be appointed as the new Commissioner General of Excise.
He is to be appointed with the retirement of U.L. Udaya Kumara Perera, who currently holds the post. 

Udaya Kumara Perera is set to retire from public service on July 10, 2025, upon reaching the age of 60.

The Cabinet approved the proposal presented by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, to appoint retired Commodore Premarathne to the post.