There's not exactly a surplus of news cameras in Libya right now, so plenty of reports are flying around and it's not clear which of them are true. But we can say with enough confidence that it's absolute hell over there. Muammar Qaddafi is pulling out every nasty little trick to protect his regime, assuming he's even in the country. It could always be that smarmy kid of his doing the unconscionable.
Human Rights Watch yesterday reported that at least 24 demonstrators had been killed in Libya over the last two days, and some speculate that that number could be much higher. In terms of communication and the availability of reliable news, Libya closer resembles North Korea than many of its neighbors. And besides ordering riot police and special forces to crack down on protests in Benghazi and other cities, Brother Leader Muammar Qaddafi has taken a page from the Hosni Mubarak playbook, according to the HRW report:
Libya's Brother Leader Muammar Qaddafi got a taste of the region-wide popular uprisings Tuesday night, after the government there arrested a prominent human rights activist setting off protests in the country's second-largest city, Benghazi. The BBC reports that around 2,000 people took to the streets and threw rocks and molotov cocktails at police, who responded with rubber bullets, teargas and water cannon. "Last night was a bad night," one resident told Reuters.
Donald Trump has been uncharacteristically quiet since the news broke last week that he accidentally rented the mansion he owns in Bedford to Libyan dictator Moammar Khadafy. (Sometimes bad press is just bad press, even for a craven attention addict like Donald Trump.) But America's biggest loudmouth is now speaking up about what went down and he's doing pretty much what you'd expect him to do in a case like this: He's trying to make it seem like it was all for the best.
Moammar Khadafy may be completely crazy. And he may be one of the world's worst dictators as far as Washington is concerned. But just because you're a vicious dictator and an international pariah doesn't mean you can't be stylish, too. (And, really: If everyone is going to despise you no matter what, you might as well feel good about yourself when you look in the mirror, right?) Fortunately, we're here to help. Since Khadafy is spending the week in New York—the fashion capital of the universe—it seemed like an opportune time to give the Libyan leader a few style pointers. At last night's reception to celebrate the opening of the Spider Silk exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, reporter Douglas Marshall took celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch aside to get a few tips on how Khadafy could reinvent himself. And because Moammar has always been known to love the ladies—he's protected at all times by a contingent of attractive, female bodyguards, for example—we asked one of the most beautiful women around, actress Heather Graham, to weigh in as well. Some honest advice to Moammar is below.
Moammar Khadafy's tent in Donald Trump's backyard was dismantled this afternoon. As for how much Trump really knew about who had rented his Bedford property—or whether he was truly duped by the Libyan leader's reps—that remains an open question. In what may be a historic first for the Trumpster, he's turning down all interview requests for the time being. Savor the moment. [AP, previously]
Moammar Khadafy didn't get to stay in Bedford last night—construction on his Bedouin-style tent was halted last night after his plans to camp out on Donald Trump's estate were revealed publicly—and he instead had to bunk down at the Libyan mission on East 48th Street. The world's most fashionable dictator held his first meeting of the day early this morning when he had a tête-à-tête with one the few people willing to talk to him, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Then it was off to the United Nations where he bypassed protesters and delivered a rambling speech about, well, you name it. Dressed in tan-colored robes, black cap, and with a shiny black pin in the shape of Africa pinned over his heart, Khadafy relied on a handful of handwritten pages to deliver a 90-minute speech, which was about 75 minutes or so over the limit.
"Donald Trump may have inadvertently rented property in a ritzy New York suburb to loathed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who has spent weeks trying to find a place to pitch his trademark tent while in town for the United Nations General Assembly meeting," ABC News now reports, confirming a previous account that the Libyan leader was planning to spend the week in Bedford. Team Trump claims it rented the property to a bunch of Middle Eastern dudes, but had no idea they had any connection to the Libyan leader. Says a Trump rep: "We have business partners and associates all over the world. The property was leased on a short-term basis to Middle Eastern partners who may or may not have a relationship to Mr. Gaddafi. We are looking into the matter now." Meanwhile, work constructing the tent has been halted by town officials. That's what they're hoping anyway: "Attorney Joel Sachs said officials found workers constructing the tent but could not communicate with them because they didn't speak English. He said they gave the order to stop the work to the property's caretaker." [ABC News, HuffPo]
If there's any way you can avoid Midtown today, do so. Thanks to roughly 120 heads of state in New York for the opening of the UN General Assembly, this will likely go down as the absolutely worst day of the year as far as gridlock and temperamental cab drivers are concerned. (If it makes you feel any better, President Obama extended his apologies to NYC residents for all the traffic tie-ups on the Late Show with David Letterman last night.)
• Polo Ralph Lauren has been hit with a lawsuit for stamping the word "lifeguard" on clothing without permission. Another company is claiming it trademarked the word years ago. [NYP]
• As expected, Escada filed for bankruptcy protection in a German court today. [Bloomberg]
• Is Bravo renewing The Fashion Show for a second season? That's unclear for the time being. [Cut]
• Tory Burch and Georgina Chapman are making cameos on the next season of Gossip Girl. [WWD]
• Now that visiting a tanning a salon is tantamount to sucking on asbestos or consuming toxic nuclear waste, is "pale the new tan"? [NYT]
