Libya’s ex-leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has been killed after an assault on his home town of Sirte, the transitional authority’s acting prime minister says.

Mahmoud Jibril told a news conference in Tripoli it was time to launch a new, united Libya.

Video footage has been broadcast around the world showing a battered body claimed to be that of Col Gaddafi.

He was toppled in August after 42 years in power. The International Criminal Court has been seeking his arrest.

After a day of conflicting reports and rumours, Mr Jibril told the news conference: “We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Muammar Gaddafi has been killed.

Al-Jazeera TV broadcast footage it says showed Col Gaddafi’s body
“I think it’s for the Libyans to realise that it’s time to start a new Libya, a united Libya, one people, one future.”

Grainy video footage had earlier been circulating among NTC fighters appearing to show Col Gaddafi’s corpse.

The video shows a large number of NTC fighters yelling in chaotic scenes around a khaki-clad body, which has blood oozing from the face and neck.

Another video broadcast by al-Jazeera TV showed a body being dragged through the streets which the channel said was that of Col Gaddafi.

Nato, which has been running a bombing campaign in Libya for months, said it had carried out an air strike earlier on Thursday that hit two pro-Gaddafi vehicles near Sirte.

It was unclear whether the strikes were connected with Col Gaddafi’s death.

Continue reading the main story
At the scene

Rana Jawad
BBC News, Tripoli
Driving into the centre of Tripoli, there are throngs of people out on the streets – men, women and children – many hugging each other and chanting. Gunshots can be heard firing into the air – despite a religious edict banning the practice. Car horns are blaring and many vehicles have their emergency lights blinking.

At some checkpoints, security officials are handing out what have been dubbed “revolutionary mints” and biscuits.

All the flags are out. People are genuinely convinced this is the end of Col Gaddafi. They felt that even in hiding he posed a threat to the revolution – but for them this news means the authorities can now start to rebuild the country.

Earlier, NTC official Abdel Hafez Ghoga told AFP: “We announce to the world that Gaddafi has been killed at the hands of the revolution.

“It is an historic moment. It is the end of tyranny and dictatorship. Gaddafi has met his fate.”

An NTC fighter told the BBC he found Col Gaddafi hiding in a hole in Sirte, and the former leader begged him not to shoot.

The fighter showed reporters a golden pistol he said he had taken from Col Gaddafi.

Arabic TV channels showed images of troops surrounding two large drainage pipes where the reporters said Col Gaddafi was found.

NTC supporters gathered in towns and cities to celebrate the reports of the colonel’s death.

Groups of young men fired guns in the air, and drivers honked horns in celebration.

His death came after weeks of fierce fighting for Sirte, one of the last remaining pockets of resistance.

The UPFA candidate for Mayor of Colombo, Mr. Milinda Moragoda, during a recent interview produced a news clip from the old Ceylon Observer of 50 years ago, reporting the taking over of the mayoralty by Mr. M.H. Mohamed. In it the new mayor had identified the problems he faced.

“Fifty years have passed,’’ Moragoda said. “But the same problems remain. Mr. Mohamed brought along his scrap book from long ago when he met me recently and I took a photocopy of that particular story where the new mayor had identified the problems and challenges.’’

Moragoda believes that the fight for Colombo will depend mainly on how the candidates fare in Colombo Central and Colombo North with most of the votes coming from people who live in the wattes, the tenement gardens where living conditions are abysmal.

“Often as many as 200 families have to share six toilets,’’ he said. “The sewage overflows. The conditions are terrible.’’

He believes that a systematic approach to improve the living conditions of the people who live in the tenement gardens will bring some beneficial results. He is confident that he can work with partners from the central government, private sector and others to make a difference.

“I promise you a new city and a new life in 100 days,’’ he has told Colombo voters. “Choose the right programme regardless of party colour.’’

The CMC, he noted, is second in stature only to Parliament. But things today are not how they were before. The administration has collapsed. Inefficiency seems to be another defining characteristic. The stature and reputation of the Council have been severely compromised.

“I promise nothing less than restoring efficiency, transparency and accountability to the CMC. I promise, in short, to restore the stature of our city and the dignity of its citizens by putting in place mechanisms to ensure that things get done speedily, efficiently and competently, and in a just and fair manner.’’

A few of the teeming tenements belong to the CMC. State agencies like the National Housing Development Authority and the UDA own some as do some private owners. Moragoda says they do what they can, but the going is not easy.

Funds for city improvement work come from the decentralized budgets MPs, Provincial Councilors and Municipal Councilors. The spending is totally discretionary and a system of patronage has got entrenched.

Moragoda has found that competing interests colliding have left people living in atrocious conditions helpless. Toilets have been built but water not connected. He had even seen a beef stall occupying what was supposed to be a toilet in the course of his campaigning.

He insists that then existing culture must be changed and believes that Citizens’ Committees outside party lines will be the solution. He is convinced that women must have a major role in getting things moving. They have a lot to contribute and enthusiasm for bettering their lot and that of their families.

“We must have a coordinating mechanism,’’ he stressed.

Moragoda’s is a highly professionally run campaign, obviously well funded. The candidate is attractive and his sincerity transparent. His 12-point program covers subjects ranging from tenements, improved health and sports facilities and using his goodwill and external relations to obtain foreign assistance.

He is quietly confident that he will be able to win this election. Let us wait and see.

Paris is launching its first car-sharing project as it aims to clear its traffic-clogged boulevards.

The backers hope the scheme will be a major boost for electric vehicles.

The Autolib system is intended to build on the success of the Velib bicycle-rental service, similar to that operating in many European cities.

A two-month pilot project will allow motorists to hire the battery-powered Bluecar for 30 minutes at a cost of four to eight euros.

Membership of the Autolib scheme will cost from 10 euros a day up to 144 euros a year.

The cars are being provided by entrepreneur Vincent Bollore and manufactured by the Italian designer Pininfarina, famous for sculpting Ferraris and Maseratis.

They will have a range of up to 250 km before a recharge, which will take about four hours.

Expansion planned
At first, 66 of the four-seater vehicles will be available for hire at 33 charging stations.

But Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe intends to expand to 3,000 vehicles and more than 1,000 stations by the end of 2012.

“We want to persuade people to shift from the concept of owning a car to that of using a car,” Autolib General Manager Morald Chibout told the Reuters news agency.

Christian Fraser has a closer look at an Autolib car, and hears from entrepreneur Vincent Bollore
The project gets underway as leading automakers test driver enthusiasm for electric cars on a large scale in Europe.

Renault SA and its Japanese sister company Nissan Motor Company have invested 4 billion euros in electric vehicles.

Carlos Ghosn, who leads Renault and Nissan, has said electric cars could account for 10% of new car sales by 2020.

Short trips
Valentine de la Celle, a 30-year-old Parisian mother of two, does not own a car.

“We are doing building work at home at the moment and to take things to the tip I would have to hire a car, which is difficult,” she told Reuters.

“But the scheme needs to be quick and simple, otherwise people will not use it.”

Like the Velib cycle-hire scheme, Autolib’s pricing structure encourages people to rent vehicles only for short journeys.

“We are not here to compete against traditional car rental businesses,” said deputy mayor Annick Lepetit.

Pakistan’s evolving sectarian schism
Pakistan’s very unhappy new year
Deadly gun attack on Pakistan bus
Gunmen have attacked a bus carrying Shia Muslims in south-western Pakistan, killing 13 people and injuring six others, police say.

The attack took place near Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.

Police said the attackers forced the passengers to stand in a line and fired at them. Eleven of the dead and four of the injured were Shias, say reports.

In recent years, there have been a number of bomb blasts and shootings targeting the minority Shia community.

The BBC’s Orla Guerin in Islamabad says that it was a merciless and chilling attack in the morning rush hour and the second sectarian strike in Pakistan in recent weeks.

A fortnight ago, 26 Shia pilgrims were killed by a group of gunmen who opened fire on their bus in Mastung district, in Balochistan.

And a month ago, a suicide cab bomb attack in a parking area of a Shia mosque killed at least 11 people in Quetta. Police said most of the victims were Shia Muslims.

In an interview with the BBC, Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that he had written to the Punjab provincial government asking them to take action against anti-Shia militants who are based in Jhang district.

“Basically I’ve said that the headquarters of these organisations are in Jhang and the people associated with these organisations roam free delivering speeches,” he said.

Mr Malik said that he wanted action taken against such organisations using anti-terrorism laws so “that their movements are restricted and hence their activities will also be curbed”.

He also said that he intended to provide security escorts for Shia pilgrims and travellers going overland from Pakistan to Iran.

Largest minority
Following the latest attack, police said the bus had been heading to a vegetable market on the outskirts of Quetta where the men were going to work, the Associated Press news agency reported.

Reports said Shia protesters, angered by the attack, had blocked the main highway near Quetta and set fire to the bus which had been attacked.

Shia Muslims are the largest minority in Pakistan and many complain that they have been abandoned by the authorities.

Thousands of Shias and hundreds of Sunnis have been killed since sectarian violence – carried out by hardliners from both groups – first emerged in Punjab, the north-western Kurram tribal region and the town of Dera Ismail Khan in the early 1990s.

The BBC’s M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that sectarian strife only hit Balochistan 10 years ago, but since then more than 600 members of the Shia Hazara community have been killed. Our correspondent says that they have been targeted as much for their ethnicity as for their religion.

Most of the attacks in the past have been blamed on the Sunni Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) sectarian outfit, a predominantly Punjabi group with links to al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

by Lal Gunesekera

Well known Neuro Physician, Dr. Geethanjana Mendis, who headed the Sports Medicine Unit of the Ministry of Sports for numerous years, is to be asked to vacate post with ‘immediate effect’.

Reasons for his removal were not divulged by Sports Ministry officials and even Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was not available for comment.

Sources told ‘The Island’ that the Sports Medicine Unit was under investigation for the alleged dispensing of banned substances to sportsmen/women in the recent past.

Dr. Mendis refused to make any comments when ‘The Island’ contacted him Monday (October 3), afternoon.

Dr. Mendis is to be replaced as Head of the Sports Medicine Unit, by Professor Arjun de Silva, a General Physician attached to the Ragama Teaching Hospital.

The main All Share Price Index fell 0.91 percent (61.85 points) to 6,721.54, while the more liquid Milanka index fell back below the 6,000 mark, sliding 0.81 percent (49.02 points) to close at 5,982.95, according to stock exchange figures.
Turnover was 1.96 billion rupees.

Newly listed Capital Alliance Finance was the most actively traded stock and highest gainer, closing at 39.90 rupees, up 24.90 or 166 percent, having opened at its reference price of 15 rupees, an indicative price decided by the company.

Almost 13.6 million shares of Capital Alliance Finance were traded with the stock hitting a day’s high of 50 rupees and accounting for the day’s highest turnover.

There were several crossings or off-market private deals of Capital Alliance Finance all at 30 rupees a share.

Regnis (Lanka), whose price had risen shaply in speculative trade, closed at 455.10 rupees, down 33.70 or 6.89 percent, ending a 12-day winning streak, analysts said.

The share opened at 500 rupees, and hit a high of 505 and a low of 420, with 777,600 shares done. It accounted for the second highest turnover.

Analysts said the share had risen almost 180 percent from 175 rupees on September 14, 2011 to 488.80 on October 3.

Colonial Motors closed at 488.90 rupees, down 2.90, with one crossing of 50,000 shares at 480 rupees a share.

“The bourse dropped heavily today on account of the broad levels of selling,” Lanka Securities said in a report.

“Regnis (Lanka) witnessed a high level of volatility during the day.

“The counter rallied to a high of 505 rupees in the morning and in the mid-trading session jittery investors realized gains with high level of selling.”

Meanwhile, the Colombo Stock Exchange said in a statement the bourse continues to “reinforce its position” among the regional markets, with the All Share Price Index showing a positive performance compared with regional exchanges.

“Globally, most stock exchanges have recorded negative growth as measured by their respective broad market indices which track the market price movements,” it said.

The ASPI is up 2.23 percent so far this year while most other regional markets were down.

by Krishantha Prasad Cooray

A few years ago I was to meet a politician with my friend and actor cum politician, Ravindra Randeniya. I got late and this got him agitated. He asked, ‘who do you think is the most disciplined and punctual politician in the country?’ I didn’t know the answer and so he proceeded to educate me: ‘In my estimation, Karu Jayasuriya; he has respect for other people’s time.’

I had known Karu Jayasuriya for a long time but this most pertinent fact had somehow escaped me. That day, however, I hoped that Mr. Jayasuriya would himself be late just so I could get back at my friend Ravi. It was not to be. Karu Jayasuriya was on time. He had slotted us in for 15 minutes and he left when the 15 minutes were up, possibly to make it on time to another appointment.

Karu Jayasuriya will pardon me for saying that he is a misfit in today’s political firmament. He is a misfit because this political world is made for different kinds of misfits to thrive. Mr. Jayasuriya unlike most politicians around is a man who genuinely feels for his country. His nationalism is not made of rhetoric and flag-waving but actions that make a difference. He has served in the military, been a diplomat, is a highly respected figure in the corporate sector and someone who came into politics to give rather than take, someone who was willing to make sacrifices and did make them. Suffice to say that he is the only politician who is yet to make use of the vehicle permit that’s available to parliamentarians. It is something that few know and this doesn’t surprise me. Mr. Jayasuriya does things because they need to be done and not for the publicity mileage he might get out of it.

He did and does things because of his convictions; popularity has never been his concern. When he was considering joining the Government, he called all media personnel he was close to and solicited their opinion. Some were in favour and some were not. He observed that from a personal point of view it is probably not the sensible thing to do, but that the country’s interest should come first. That has always been his view. Love for country always superseded loyalty to party and school. He compromised his personal political fortunes when he joined the Government. For him, it was the need of the hour. I disagreed and even now believe it was an erroneous decision, but there was never a shred of doubt in my mind regarding his sincerity and passion.

I called Mr. Jayasuriya when I heard he was leaving the Government. ‘Are you going to send a letter of resignation?’ I asked him. He said he was getting ready to go meet the president. He was not the kind to part ways by sending a note. He explained that he had worked with the President in the same Cabinet and needed to communicate his decision and thank him personally. He said that none of these decisions are about persons and personalities but are related to policies and ideological positions. I believe that this is how politicians ought to behave and lament that few if any work in this manner.

Karu Jayasuriya returned to the UNP at a time when people least expected him to. He did so after he was absolutely sure that the war would be won. For him, his work with the Government was done. He knew he had a role to play in the party and he returned, knowing well that the UNP was very much weaker than it was when he left.

My political association with Karu Jayasuriya has been very minimal but I know that he works tirelessly for the party. He has a unique ability to identify talent and knows how to get the best out of his team. As I said at the beginning, he respects others’ times, knows how to work in a team, and is more a listener than a talker.

I remember the day he had the debate with Wimal Weerawansa. He told me casually that morning that he had to go to parliament. I spoke to him later in the day and asked what had happened. He said in his unassuming way, ‘Nothing new, Krishantha, just the usual thing.’ That evening, when I saw his performance on television I knew that it was not ‘just the usual thing’. It is a rare day that Wimal Weerawansa gets bested, not because he cannot be, but decent people are not inclined to match verbal diarrhea with verbal diarrhea. What was special about this particular exchange and which won Karu many admirers is that he matched Wimal, point for point without even once compromising his standing as a gentleman, without once showing disrespect to his opponent. He showed that he can stand up to anyone and any challenge at any time when the need arises.

My relationship with Mr. Jayasuriya has been mostly at a personal level. He is one person who will stand by you at all times, but never so much as when the chips are down. He doesn’t talk about it though and this is why some think he’s distant. It is just not in him to make the point, stating for all to hear, ‘I stood by you’. Most importantly, for Mr. Jayasuriya, it is not give and take. It is not about helping someone envisaging return of favour at a later point. He doesn’t make a song and dance, helping people and doesn’t make an even bigger song and dance afterwards.

Not too long ago, a friend wanted a favour. I was not in a position to help. I happened to mention this to Mr. Jayasuriya in passing. He said quietly that he can help, but insisted that the friend should not know about it. It was someone associated with the media and Mr. Jayasuriya observed that such people might feel obliged to return the favour in some manner. He didn’t want any of that. It occurred to me that few politicians would let such an opportunity slip.

Part of being a friend, as far as Mr. Jayasuriya is concerned, is to take both praise and blame with equanimity. I have argued against him and written against him but he always took criticism in the correct spirit. He is a staunch friend who doesn’t advertise the fact and never promises what he cannot deliver. When he gives his word though, it is as good as gold.

He is a man of rare maturity, experience, wisdom and infinite patience and this is true both in his interactions on a personal level and in his politics. I admire the man for his rare qualities and this is why I am writing this. I am loath to write about politicians, but Karu Jayasuriya is not just another politician, even though he was and is exceptional in this field too; he was after all the most effective Mayor that the City of Colombo has had in many decades. He is a friend, but more this, he is an exceptional human being. He is the kind of politician this country needs, the kind of professional this country needs and the kind of friend that anyone would want by his or her side.

Today, as I write, i.e. September 29th, it is his birthday. I just want to wish him a long life, continued strength of mind and the will and ability to grace our social and political spheres in his inimitable and empowering ways.

Happy birthday!

In a statement issued yesterday UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya, a former Mayor of Colombo, asserted that the city can operate without a single penny of government funds. When he was mayor, the center was not their’s but he was able to conclude a program that led to his being named the “most innovative Mayor in Asia.’’

The government was running a presidential-type campaign in the bid to win this election trying to make up for their lack of argument and reasoning by the enormity of campaign funds.

The following is the text of his statement:

“With the imminence of the Colombo Municipal Election, the Government is desperately resorting to greater untruths and the flagrant disregard of all the rules and regulations stipulated by the Election’s Commissioner to try to win the Municipal Election. They remain completely oblivious to the fact that they are not going to win the upcoming election based on such tactics. They have underestimated the capacity of the Colombo voter to discern the truth from false.

“It is evident that the government has utilized enormous capital in running a presidential type campaign to win a Municipal election. The paucity of their arguments and reasoning has had to be supplemented by the enormity of funds, creating a first in Municipal election history to convince the voter to pick a candidate.

“Additionally, the current regime has repeatedly threatened that only a Mayor representing their regime is capable of getting the job done with the aid of the central government. As a former Mayor of this great city, I can state without a shadow of a doubt that city can operate without a single penny coming out of the state coffer. These statements amounts to nothing more than fear mongering and blatant blackmail of the Colombo voter.

“During my tenure as Mayor of Colombo, the central government was controlled by our opponents. If the allegation levelled by the current regime is correct, I would not have been able to conclude any work during my term. Conversely, great strides were achieved in the city of Colombo during this time resulting in my receiving the award for the Most Innovative Mayor in Asia. We also won awards under the theme: ‘the most efficiently managed city in Asia’ and for being ‘the most beautiful city in Asia.’ These were most definitely not private achievements but accolades to the people of Colombo.

“The annual income of the Colombo Municipal Council stands at approximately Rs. 7 billion rupees, of which Rs. 2 billion is spent on wages and other current expenditure. This leaves Rs. 5 billion to be spent on the development of the city of Colombo. I can confidently affirm that since 1999, the central government did not contribute anything to run the requisite services for the general public in this city. In this context, we are confident that any support from the current regime will not be needed to administer the council or the city.

“We have put forward a comprehensive plan (Purawara Dhakma), to implement developmental strides in the city of Colombo. Nationally and internationally, the United National Party has garnered immense confidence which will assist us to raise funds and manage these funds efficiently for the development of Colombo.

“As former Mayor of Colombo and the deputy leader of the United National Party, my earnest request is that you exercise your franchise in a democratic manner. At this crucial moment in our history, it is absolutely imperative that you vote intelligently and elect the United National party to manage the Colombo Municipal Council

“The United National Party has fielded A.J.M Muzammil as the Mayoral candidate. He is a man of the people with remarkable awe-inspiring experience in both the private and public sectors. Mr. Muzammil has proved that he is capable of working with and adhering to all communities of people and parties. He has the unqualified support of our party as the ideal candidate to be the next Mayor of Colombo. The party has chosen wisely and we now ask you, our supporters, to help make a change with your invaluable vote. I ask that you vote in a Mayor and a Council that will work for the people and not one that works for itself. I ask that you vote for a change, a change that will not only lead to the betterment of this city but will inevitably lead to more democratic processes that will inspire a nation.’’