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Sri Lanka’s iconic Lotus Tower is set to add a new thrill to its skyline — South Asia’s very first bungee jump attraction, and the world’s tallest bungee jump from a tower, scheduled to open in 2026.

Currently in its planning and engineering phase, the project is being developed through a collaboration between expert structural engineers and the tower’s technical team.

Announcing the initiative, Lotus Tower Management Company Chairman Shirantha Peiris said the attraction is designed to transform the tower into South Asia’s leading hub for culture, technology, adventure, and entertainment.

Peiris emphasized that rigorous safety measures will be in place, noting that the initiative is a commercial venture and not linked to the Sports Ministry.

Once launched, the bungee jump is expected to draw adrenaline junkies from across the globe, elevating Sri Lanka’s status as an adventure tourism hotspot while offering locals and visitors alike a once-in-a-lifetime leap from the skies above Colombo.

On the afternoon of September 24 (U.S. time), President Anura Kumara Dissanayake took part in bilateral discussions with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his delegation at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York. The discussions focused on strengthening political and economic cooperation, promoting trade and investment opportunities, and exploring new avenues of collaboration in areas of mutual interest. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further deepening the longstanding partnership between Sri Lanka and Australia.

Sri Lanka has recorded the arrival of 111,823 tourists so far this September, according to the latest data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

Among the visitors, India leads with 32,570 tourists, accounting for 29.1% of the total. Other top contributors include the United Kingdom (8,021), Germany (6,994), China (6,316), and Australia (6,097).

With the latest September arrivals, the total number of tourists visiting Sri Lanka in 2025 has reached 1,678,346. India remains the largest source, with 358,165 arrivals, followed by the UK with 159,162 and Russia with 121,116 visitors, the SLTDA reported.

The figures highlight a continued recovery in Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, with international arrivals steadily rising across key markets.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held bilateral discussions with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York on September 24 (U.S. time). The talks centered on strengthening bilateral relations, enhancing economic cooperation, and advancing matters of mutual interest between the two countries.

Manusha Nanayakkara, who served as Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment in 2023, has been summoned to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) to give a statement tomorrow (26th).

This relates to the agreement signed on 5th November 2023 between the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau and the State of Israel under the agricultural employment program, concerning the deployment of Sri Lankan workers to Israel. CIABOC has notified the former minister that a statement is required regarding this matter.

Manusha Nanayakkara was previously summoned on 8th September 2025 to give a statement, but he could not attend as he was overseas.

He has now been asked to appear tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. at the CIABOC office, Division IV, located on the second floor of the Old National Identity Card Office building, Jawatta Road, Kappetipola Mawatha, to provide his statement.

Sri Lanka Police have introduced new telephone hotlines for the public to provide information regarding narcotics, covering all nine provinces.

Accordingly, information on heroin, crystal methamphetamine (ice), cocaine, cannabis, and other drugs prevalent in the Western Province can be reported directly to Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) Sanjeewa Dharmaratne via 071-8591991.

For the Southern Province, information can be shared with SDIG Kithsiri Jayalath on 071-8591992.

The dedicated contact numbers for other provinces are as follows:

Uva Province: 071-8592642

Sabaragamuwa Province: 071-8592618

North Western Province: 071-8592600

Central Province: 071-8591985

North Central Province: 071-8592644

Northern Province: 071-8592645

Eastern Province: 071-8592640

The police urge the public to make use of these numbers to assist ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking across the country.

The Colombo High Court has ordered that Shadhika Lakshani, the wife of Bako Saman, who is in custody under charges of money laundering, be remanded further until the 9th of this month.

After considering submissions from the Criminal Investigation Department and the suspect’s lawyers, Chief Magistrate Asanka S. Bodagamuwa issued this order.

The magistrate also directed the Criminal Investigation Department to submit a compressed report to the court on the next hearing, detailing how the suspect was allegedly involved in drug trafficking activities in the Middeniya area.

The Digital Task Force was appointed to facilitate education reform and that digitalization can bring a significant transformation to the education sector in the country, said Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Training, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in the quarterly progress review meeting of the Parliamentary Digital Task Force for Education, held to inform Members of Parliament.

Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Amarasuriya said digital education is a process that moves forward hand in hand with educational reforms and therefore the government has appointed the Digital Task Force for a three-year period to guide the digital education transformation, to develop policies and to outline the necessary steps to be taken.

She noted that, “Once we build the foundation of digital education and provide it to children, they will move forward on that path. Therefore, creating that foundation, structure, and policies for digital education and taking the required steps is something that must undoubtedly happen under our leadership. We greatly value your contributions toward this effort.”

Summary of the speech delivered by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly is as follows:

In his first address as President of Sri Lanka to the UN General Assembly, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized global peace, justice, and human dignity. He congratulated the new UNGA President, acknowledged past leadership, and highlighted the responsibility of nations to address pressing global challenges.

He focused on eradicating poverty, ensuring education for all children, and tackling debt burdens in developing nations. He called for international cooperation to combat drugs, organized crime, and corruption, stressing that corruption obstructs development and democracy.

President Dissanayake condemned war and opportunistic power politics, citing Sri Lanka’s own experience with a three-decade conflict. He urged the international community to act decisively to end suffering in conflict zones, particularly Gaza, and reaffirmed support for a two-state solution for Palestine. He also spoke against religious extremism, racism, and inequality, highlighting the urgent need to prioritize human rights, education, and healthcare over militarization.

The President highlighted Sri Lanka’s domestic reforms, including inclusive governance, women’s participation in parliament, poverty eradication, digitalization, and non-corrupt administration. He stressed the importance of digital democracy and equitable access to AI and technology for global development, proposing the creation of a neutral sovereign Artificial Intelligence zone.

He concluded by urging the international community to work collaboratively to build a dignified, peaceful, and equitable world, emphasizing that the UN must lead with hope, not fear, to ensure a better future for all.

The Full Speech :

"Madam President, Mr. General Secretary, honoured invitees and distinguished delegates, Allow me, Madame Annalena Baerbock, representing the beautiful country of Germany, to begin my speech by offering my warmest congratulations to you on being elected the President of the 80th session of this organisation, formed with the noble aim of bringing about a just and lasting peace among the nations of the world. I would also like to use this opportunity to express my country's appreciation to His Excellency Philemon Young for the exceptional leadership he provided during the 79th session. We are gathered here today to plan the future path of this organisation, which has worked tirelessly for eight decades to bring about a world of peace. It is my honour to address this August Assembly for the first time as the President of Sri Lanka. As representatives of nations, we all bear the responsibility to work towards fulfilling the aspirations of our people. The decisions we make now will impact people across the world and play a decisive role in the future of this planet, our common home. Distinguished delegates, Our decisions will have a very important impact on our future. Poverty, a tragedy as old as human civilisation, has accompanied humankind on its journey through time. For centuries, countries across the world have faced this painful and relentless struggle. Poverty and problems stemming from it are also casting an oppressive shadow on our future. This assembly must pay special attention to eradicate extreme poverty. I believe our conscience dictates us to do so. Distinguished delegates, For centuries, many countries in the world are struggling against poverty. Poverty is a terrible enemy with many faces. Even as we gather here in the countries we represent, including in my own, children are suffering from hunger. A child's right to education is an internationally accepted fundamental right. This right is enshrined in the constitutions of most of our nations. Yet, across the world, poverty has denied this right to hundreds of thousands of children. In a world which boasts of its technological advances, how can there be children without access to education? Education is the foundation of every great nation. It is the most vital factor deciding one's future. We firmly believe that investment in education is an investment in global progress. Many developing countries are constrained in their struggle against poverty by indebtedness. Low-income countries allocate twice as much on debt servicing than on education or healthcare. Our people and our countries are caught in debt traps. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development pledges to leave no one behind and to reach the last first. The Agenda acknowledges the most critical challenge before the world is the challenge to end poverty. I would also like to recall the decisions taken at the Global Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995. However, wars and political upheavals and the COVID pandemic have obstructed the fulfilment of these hopeful agendas. I propose to you that the time has come to accept that inequality and poverty are a global catastrophe and we should act accordingly. Madam President, esteemed guests, Drugs and organised crimes linked to drugs have become a serious concern to this world.

This has been acknowledged in the World Drug Report 2025 published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The drug problem is a complex issue affecting millions of people globally. The market for drugs and the related criminal organisations are creating issues globally. Drug cartels are turning entire states into their hunting grounds. They pose a major threat to global health and politics and eventually global well-being as well. While Sri Lanka is taking effective steps to address this challenge, I respectfully request all of you to join in the effort to implement the global agenda on drugs and crime. I bring to your notice the need to implement the law strictly against these drug traffickers and prevent drug traffickers from taking refuge in our countries and also to set up rehabilitation centres for rehabilitation purposes. Madam President, honoured guests, We regard corruption as an epidemic causing widespread harm to broad swathes of society. We believe corruption to be an obstruction for development, a decisive threat to democracy and global well-being and also a cause for poverty. Let me remind you that fighting corruption is dangerous, but not fighting corruption is even more dangerous. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 was a remarkable victory for the people of the world.

Civilisational achievements were never accomplished overnight. They were all results of unwavering efforts and sacrifices. And the struggle against corruption is also a difficult one. We must take the necessary steps here. The first step may be difficult, but if the courageous first step we take is correct, a thousand steps will follow. That is what I believe. Madam President, delegates, be brave. All the rest will follow. Sri Javaharlal Nehru has once stated so. I represent a small island of nearly 22 million people. Sri Lanka's population is about 0.30 of the global population. It is true that we are small in size and in numbers, yet we have begun the struggle against corruption for the future generations of our country and the world. I propose that an integral part of the culture of all UN member countries should be to fight against corruption. Madam President, I feel confident that all of you will join me in condemning war. There is no nation in the world that desires a war. The result of a war is a tragedy wherever it happens. We all know that. Even now, many countries of the world are experiencing the pain of that tragedy. As a country that lived through a three-decade war, we know well the futility of war. No one who sees the pain and the suffering of parents, spouses and children of the victims of war would never dream of another war. We have witnessed these painful sights with our own eyes. Even as suffering caused by conflict has reached unprecedented levels, the international community has become reduced to bystanders. Opportunistic power politics has turned the lives of children and innocent civilians into a game. No one has the right to inflict pain and suffering on another to enhance one's own power. The duty of a ruler is not to destroy lives but to protect them. We are deeply distressed by the ongoing catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. Gaza has been turned into an open prison full of pain and suffering, echoing with the cries of children and the innocent civilians. The United Nations Organisation and all related parties must work towards an immediate ceasefire, enable adequate humanitarian aid to these areas and to ensure the release of hostages of all parties. We recognise the Palestinian people's inalienable right to their own state. We also believe that legal, security and humanitarian concerns of Israel and Palestinian people need to be acknowledged. Sri Lanka reiterates the importance of early implementation of the UN General Assembly resolutions regarding a two-state solution on the basis of the 1967 borders. The time has come for the international community to stop being a mere spectator and to move decisively to end the suffering of millions. Religious extremism and racism have been major causes of wars and conflicts, bringing suffering to millions of people.

Although a century has passed since the abolition of slavery, the poison of racism still lingers in many places. Extremist and racist ideas are as deadly as epidemics. We must ask ourselves how these extremist and racist ideas survive like sparks under the ashes in a world that has witnessed so many advances on so many fronts. I believe that we must awaken our conscience to oppose racism and religious extremism in protection of human rights and freedoms. We must be brave enough to speak up for peace. We must not be afraid to speak up against war. We must be afraid to speak up for war. In a world where millions of children die of hunger, we spend millions on weapons. When tens of millions die of inadequate health facilities, hundreds of millions are spent on futile wars. When hundreds of thousands of children are denied the right to an education, millions are spent on invading another's land. If every inch of this world can be turned into peaceful communities, what a wonderful world would it be. As a country that suffered the horrors of war for decades, where families still weep in remembrance of their loved ones, we have a duty to make that heartfelt proposal. I would like to remind you that at the last election, the people of Sri Lanka decided in favour of a centuries-old dream. A legislature has been established according to that decision, reflecting the ethnic and religious diversity of the country. A parliament has been established with women and other marginalised communities in representation. We believe that the duty of legislatures is to develop the country and the people, not to develop themselves. And we have established that idea. Madam President, distinguished guests, Our people have chosen light over darkness.

They have given their approval to realise the vision of a thriving nation, a beautiful life. To fulfil this historic mandate, we have focused on establishing non-corrupt administration, poverty eradication, and digitalisation. And we have also placed great emphasis on education health as well. We are moving towards these goals step by step. Digital democracy is one of our aims. Ensuring that every person and every country can enjoy the opportunities of the digital age is a global challenge. If we succeed in our task, we will be able to open doors to technology, accelerate development, and to strengthen governance. If we fail, technology will turn into one more force, worsening inequality, insecurity, and injustice. The digital gap between states that can and cannot establish access to digital tools is clear. An even greater gap is being created in relation to artificial intelligence. Sri Lanka and many other developing nations in Asia and also many other nations are facing challenges in using AI as a development tool due to the inadequate infrastructure facilities. Madam President, distinguished delegates, I ask the international community to work together and we have to develop a dignified society, a dignified world. I present this August assembly a proposal to set up a neutral sovereign Artificial Intelligence zone. We must build a new and better world, a world which represents the dignity of humankind. You as members of this assembly must be the architects of that better world. As President Harry Truman stated on the occasion of founding the United Nations, in your hands rests our future. We must not act in fear or under compulsion, but with hope for a better and more secure world. Today we must commit ourselves not to lead the world to another disaster, but to make it a better place for the next generation. I have dreams and expectations for my country. Similarly, you have dreams and expectations for your countries. My dream is to ensure that my people are rich and they have happiness. I believe that you too have such dreams. We must try to achieve these dreams not in competition with each other, but by working arm in arm, peace, dignity, and equality on a healthy planet. That is the motto of the United Nations organisation. Therefore, let us become the true healers of the world. Thank you very much."

(Source - Anura Kumara Dissanayake)

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is in the United States to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the afternoon of September 23 (U.S. time) at ONE Plaza in New York.

President Ramaphosa warmly welcomed President Dissanayake before the two leaders began bilateral talks. The discussions focused on further strengthening relations between Sri Lanka and South Africa.

Foreign Minister Wijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN and former Chief Justice President’s Counsel Jayantha Jayasuriya, along with several senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also attended the meeting.

On the afternoon of September 24 (U.S. time), President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held bilateral discussions with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and his delegation at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York. The discussions focused on strengthening diplomatic ties, enhancing economic and cultural cooperation, and exploring new avenues for collaboration in areas of mutual interest. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the longstanding partnership between Sri Lanka and Portugal and emphasized the importance of continued dialogue on global and regional issues.

The Sarvajna Relic Perahera Festival of Bomiriya Sri Vidyaloka Pirivena Maha Viharaya in the Nawagamuwa Police Division is being held from September 21 to 25.

Accordingly, the Sarvajna Relic Perahera will parade the streets tomorrow (25) at 7.00 p.m.

The procession will begin at the temple, proceed through Yakkala Junction along Route 697, pass by Koratota Temple, travel via Welihinda Road, return through Yakkala Junction, and finally reach the temple via Daham Pasal Mawatha.

Due to this event, motorists using these routes are advised to use alternative roads.

Alternative Routes:

• Vehicles traveling from Kaduwela (Wele Junction) towards Athurugiriya along Route 697 can turn south at Thoratota Junction and proceed to Athurugiriya via M.D.H. Jayawardana Mawatha.
• Vehicles traveling from Athurugiriya towards Kaduwela along Route 697 can turn south at Oruwala Junction towards Nawagamuwa. Light vehicles may also use the Wanduramulla Road and Sumanatissa Mawatha via Nawagamuwa to reach Kaduwela and Hanwella.