Muammar Gaddafi
‘I’m not sure if I’m proud’: Meet Phil Elwood, one-time spin doctor for the world’s worst
Promoting positive stories about dictators and despots takes a special kind of immorality. Can you buy your soul back afterwards?
- by Louise Callaghan
Latest
US charges bombmaker in 1988 Pan Am explosion
The US Justice Department has announced new charges against a Libyan bombmaker in the 1988 explosion of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
- by Eric Tucker and Michael Balsamo
UN expresses horror at mass graves in Libya
The graves were uncovered after fighters loyal to Khalifa Hifter, whose 14-month campaign to capture Tripoli, Libya, collapsed in recent weeks, retreated from Tarhuna, Libya, 64 kilometres south-east of the capital.
- by Declan Walsh
After a fast and scandalous fall, can the Queen’s favourite son ever rebuild his reputation?
Prince Andrew may be the favourite, but his 60th birthday this month was far from a celebration after recent scandals.
- by Camilla Tominey
'We have ways to escalate': Rival factions threaten long war over oil
Libya's recognised government and Khalifa Haftar's National Army are wrangling over the capital, Tripoli, and wealth.
- by Ulf Laessing and Aidan Lewis
Opinion
Michael Kroger
My brush with Romania's notorious Ceausescus
Michael Kroger recalls meeting Nicolae Ceaușescu's son at a South Melbourne barbecue in 1977, as he visits Romania on the 30th anniversary of the despotic leader's execution.
- by Michael Kroger
Trudeau and ex-aide try to return to 'sunny ways'. Is it too late?
Gerald Butts' testimony was calm, measured and respectful. Whether it helped erase a taint on the leader of Canada remains to be seen.
- by Ian Austen and Catherine Porter
France's Sarkozy to face trial for corruption and influence peddling
The case came about after investigators used phone-taps to examine allegations that late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi funded Sarkozy's campaign.
'We can touch freedom. There is no going back'
The Libyans I spoke to in May 2011 dismissed fears of civil war, rising Islamism and tribalism. 'We won't fall apart,' one insisted.
- by Maher Mughrabi