Carol Hills
Mandela’s Story in Cartoons
Nelson Mandela, a hero to all, is ailing. The 94-year-old global icon is struggling with a recurring lung infection. And that has many South Africans reflecting on his long and illustrious life. South African cartoonist John Curtis wants to honor Mandela through political cartoons. But telling Mandela’s story by featuring cartoons by South Africans proved difficult. A ban in place during the Apartheid era made it illegal to show Mandela’s image. But Curtis persevered, deciding that Mandela’s absence from political cartoons in South Africa was a key part of the story.
Turkish Cartoonists Siding with Protesters
The protests that have spread across Turkey started out small but the Turkish government’s heavy-handed response to them has spurred thousands into the streets. Turkish political cartoonists have been busy commenting and chronicling the protests. Here is a selection of those images whose sentiments lie firmly with the protesters.
Political Cartoonists Weigh in on Syria Stalemate
From a distance the behavior of the international community toward Syria feels like an extended family hand-wringing about the best way to deal with a wayward yet volatile relative: tough discipline or talk therapy. Political cartoonists are weighing in on the stalemate.
What Triggers Someone to Embrace Muslim Extremism?
The two main suspects in the gruesome killing of British soldier Lee Rigby are Nigerian and at least one was raised by devout Christians. Michael Adebolajo, 28, converted to Islam and embraced a particular brand of extremism.
London Attack: Is it Terrorism?
The suspects involved in the gruesome killing of a British soldier on a London street were reportedly known to British security services. And as bystanders started using their cell phones to videotape one of the suspects, they told bystanders they hacked the soldier to death in the name of Islam. But does what they did constitute an act of terrorism?
Why Political Cartoons Make People So Mad
If you’re mad about something on TV, in a magazine or even a radio program like The World, you can write to us. But if you’re the subject of a political cartoon or caricature and you disagree with it, what do you do? It’s that sense of helplessness that prompted The Nation’s longtime editor and publisher Victor Navasky to write a book out the power of cartoons.
An Undocumented Immigrant Evaluates the Tone of the Congressional Debate
When Ecuador-born Gaby Pacheco was in 8th grade in Miami, she realized she and her sisters weren’t US citizens and didn’t have all the rights conferred upon that status. But instead of hiding, Pacheco became an activist and at 28, she’s still fighting to get immigration reform through Congress so she can become a legal resident.
Bangladeshi Cartoonists Draw on the Garment Factory Tragedy
People around the globe have seen the heart-breaking images from the scene of the garment factory collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh. But Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy, a cartoonist for The Dhaka Tribune, says it’s gut-wrenching to see it up close. His cartoons celebrate the outpouring of help from Bangladeshis rich and poor, but they also call out episodes of political opportunism.
Why the Czech Republic is Reaching Out to West, Texas
The Czech Republic announced this week that it had donated $200,000 to the town of West, Texas to help it recover and rebuild after last week’s deadly explosion at a fertilizer factory which killed 14 and wounded more than 200.
US Says Syrian Government May Have Used Chemical Weapons
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said US intelligence agencies believe the government of Bashar al-Assad has likely used sarin gas on a small scale but added that President Obama needs more “credible and corroborated facts” before acting on the assessment.
Cartoonists Remember Margaret Thatcher, In Their Own Way
Marco Werman speaks with The World’s cartoon editor Carol Hills about how political cartoonists around the globe are remembering Margaret Thatcher. Hint: Feelings are divided.
Journalist Mai El Shoush Creates Arab Comic Book Heroine, Rayann Lawsonia
A Sudan-born reporter saw the need for a modern, intelligent, female heroine and has come out with a new super heroine, Rayann Lawsonia.
Outrage Over Soldiers Killed in Central African Republic
Marco Werman speaks with The World’s Carol Hills about an incident that’s showing up in a lot of South African political cartoons. Thirteen South African soldiers died on March 23rd in Central African Republic as they engaged rebels there who were advancing on the capital, Bangui, to oust the president. Many South Africans are wondering what their soldiers were doing in Central African Republic in the first place and are demanding answers from President Jacob Zuma.
Joseph Kony’s War in Central Africa – in Comics Form
Remember “Kony 2012″? That film went viral last year and put Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army in the cross-hairs of millions of outraged citizens. The World’s Carol Hills reports on a new graphic novel by war correspondent David Axe that’s using a different medium — comics journalism — to shine a light light on the still at-large Joseph Kony.
Iraq Ten Years Later: Violence and Instability Still the Norm
It’s been 10 years since American troops entered Iraq and helped topple Saddam Hussein. Marco Werman speaks with veteran Middle East reporter Jane Arraf on what life is like for Iraqis a decade since the US-led invasion.
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