As news happens, political cartoonists around the globe take up their brush pen or pencil and come up with images and often a few choice words to comment on the events of the day. Each week, The World’s Carol Hills selects a group of cartoons that reflect on issues in the news. For cartoons prior to June 2009, please click here.
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Global Political Cartoons
The Furor Over Cartoonist Gerald Scarfe’s Depiction of Netanyahu Continues
British newspaper pulls a controversial cartoon of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid charges of antisemitism. But the debates rages among and between politicians, cartoonists, Israelis and Jews and non-Jews over what constitutes antisemitism and the sometimes prickly issue of freedom of speech.
Cartoon Slideshow: Lance Fesses Up (Sort of)
Lance Armstrong’s stupendous fall from grace is the topic of this cartoon slideshow. See Lance with his head in his hands — literally. See Lance take one last injection of drugs: truth serum. And see a little boy being treated for cancer through the Livestrong Foundation wonder if he now has to apologise for taking drugs.
Political Cartoons Take on Women’s Rights Following Gang Rape in Delhi
The gang rape in India has refocused interest in women’s rights and gender quality. One place those issues are showing up are in political cartoons.
Egypt: Cartoonist Sued for Depiction of Adam and Eve
In recent weeks, several of Egypt’s most popular and prominent satirists, talk show hosts and journalists have received formal complaints that their work has insulted President Mohamed Morsi.
Cartoon Slideshow: Three Middle East Crises
There are three dramas unfolding across the Middle East and you can see them all represented in this cartoon slideshow.
Cartoon Slideshow: Obama Wins, Now What?
The global cartoon reaction to President Obama’s victory is decidedly mixed. In this slideshow you’ll see a victory cigar here and there, and a funny cartoon that replaces that dog on top of the car with Romney himself and more.
South African President Zuma Drops Case Over Zapiro’s ‘Rape’ Cartoon
In South Africa, a four-year saga over a political cartoon is over, and the winner appears to be the cartoonist, Zapiro, the pen name of Jonathan Shapiro. Sunday President Jacob Zuma announced he was dropping all charges against Zapiro and a local newspaper The Sunday Times, over a cartoon published in 2008.
South African Political Cartoonist Fired for Being Political
Marco Werman talks with The World’s Cartoon Editor Carol Hills about the case of JERM (Jeremy Nell), a South African cartoonist who’s been let go from his job from The New Age newspaper.
Cartoon Slideshow: ‘Livewrong’ and ‘Dopestrong’
Bicycle spokes have been transformed into syringes and Livestrong wristbands now read Livewrong and worse in these cartoons about how the mighty Lance Armstrong has fallen. In one cartoon the now disgraced multiple Tour de France yellow jersey winner wins an Oscar for his bravura performance and in another some familiar Mafia dons consider getting into cycling.
Cartoon Slideshow: Merkel Visits Greece – Briefly
These political cartoons satirize Germany’s Angela Merkel visit to Greece this week. It was brief but certainly daring, since the German Chancellor is not exactly the most popular figure in Greece at the moment. Merkel after all is responsible for forcing Greeks onto an extreme austerity diet. Then again, it’s also thanks to Merkel that Greece is still in the Euro game. These political cartoons reflect the saint and sinner image of Angela Merkel in Greece.
Cartoon Slideshow: Syria’s Crisis and Israel’s Red Line
It’s been a week of Middle East machinations. This slideshow of cartoons show a Syrian leader with blood on his hands — literally, a feckless United Nations that can talk the talk but not walk the walk where Syria is concerned.
Cartoon Slideshow: Ahmadinejad’s Freedom to Insult
Mahmoud Takes Manhattan in this slideshow of cartoons about the Iranian president’s visit to the UN General Assembly’s annual gathering of world leaders in New York. Ahmadinejad has enjoyed the freedom to insult during his visit and President Obama has enjoyed the freedom to express his vigorous defense of the value of freedom of speech. But he still has a lot of convincing to do.
Ethiopian Boy’s Journey Becomes an Interactive Comic
“Stowaway” is the story of an Ethiopian boy named Fanuel who makes a harrowing 12,000-mile journey to the United States with the help and hindrance of samaritans and traffickers alike.
Cartoon Slideshow: Is Freedom of Speech the Freedom to Provoke?
The offensive Muhammad video and the Muhammad cartoons in the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo have cartoonists musing over whether there are limits to freedom of speech. Their declarations are sometimes gentle, sometimes forceful, and sometimes completely equivocal.
Cartoonists Wrestle with the Freedom to Insult
Cartoonists battle on the front line of freedom of speech. And events this week have put to the test just what responsibilities that freedom entails. Kevin Kallaugher draws for The Economist and The Baltimore Sun and Patrick Chappatte cartoons for the International Herald Tribune.
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