African Cartoonists In Clean Sweep In Somalia Competition

Alphonce Omondi, 1st Prize

Amin Amir, 2nd Prize

Damien Glez, 3rd Prize

Cartoonists either based in or originally from Africa have made a clean sweep of the prizes on offer during the inaugural edition of the Hadaf Somalia International Cartoon Competition.

The competition was organized by the Association of East African Cartoonists (KATUNI).

Alphonce Omondi, a Kenyan cartoonist whose works are published by The Star newspaper in Nairobi, was declared the overall winner. He bags the $3,000 first prize.

Amin Amir, who is originally from Somalia but now practices his craft in Canada, was a close second followed by Damien Glez who is based in Burkina Faso. They each get $1,500 and $750 respectively.

The competition was the first of its kind on Somalia in over two decades and attracted over 800 entries from 265 cartoonists living in 50 countries around the world. 11 Somali cartoonists, some of whom still live and work in Somalia, were among the participants. A selection of the cartoons was put on display at The GoDown Arts Centre in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, from 2-30 April, 2011.

Katuni’s General Secretary, Patrick Gathara, congratulated the winners saying this was a great achievement for cartoonists on the continent.

“I wish to thank all who participated. This goes a long way to show that cartooning in Africa is alive and kicking and deserves to take pride of place among the continents’ other achievements,” he said.

The competition focused on the achievements of, and challenges facing, the Somali peace process and most of the cartoonists identified the Al Qaida-linked extremist group, Al Shabaab, as the main stumbling block to peace in the war-torn country. Some, though, were also critical of Somali politicians and the country’s Transitional Federal Government.

“We hope to make this an annual event since cartooning is an effective means to capture popular sentiment and initiate dialogue,” said Mr. Gathara adding that KATUNI hoped to be able to exhibit the cartoons in Mogadishu.

HADAF Somalia Cartoon Competition

The Association of East African Cartoonists (KATUNI) invites you to participate in the

HADAF Somalia Cartoon Competition.

Theme: The search for peace in Somalia: Achievements and Challenges

1st Prize: $3000
2nd Prize: $1500
3rd Prize: $750

Competition Rules

* The maximum number of entries you may submit is 5.
* Deadline for receiving cartoons is Monday 14 March, 2011
* All entries should be without any kind of frame and must not be folded
* Each entry must be accompanied by a short biography and/or CV as well as the name and contact details of the cartoonist.
* Submitted works may be put on exhibition and used in future publications.
* The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence shall be entered into it.
* Submitted works will not be returned.
* By participating, you grant the organizers the rights to publish and use the submitted artworks in any form including:

a) Reproduction and dissemination in printed form for all editions (e.g. study edition, school edition, special edition) and in unlimited print-runs (printing right). The printing right embraces in particular hard-cover editions, paperback editions, reprints, magazines, newspapers, collected works, via all distribution channels such as retail bookshops, other retailers selling books, book clubs, open and closed user groups and in all formats.

b) Electronic/digital storage and making accessible (including in databases) by means of digital or other storage or data transmission technology, with or without intermediate storage, in such a way that users have access from a place and at a time selected individually by them and can download, play back, interactively use and/or pass to third parties this work via PC, eBook, mobile telephone or other wired or wireless appliances, for example via the internet, UMTS, cable, satellite or other transmission paths (online right).


How to Enter:

Digital copies of the cartoons may be sent to katuni@gmail.com and should be in JPEG format with a resolution of at least 300 dpi.


Original artworks or clear prints (no photocopies) should be placed in an envelope marked “Hadaf Somali Cartoon Competition” and either sent to:


Hadaf Somali Cartoon Competition,

P.O. Box 2074

Village Market 00621, Nairobi, Kenya



or dropped off at one of the following venues:


Alliance Francaise de Nairobi, Loita/Monrovia streets, Nairobi

4D Innovative Ltd, 3rd Floor, Revlon Plaza, Kimathi St., Nairobi.

GoDown Arts Centre, Dunga Rd., Industrial Area, Nairobi.

Cartooning Europe

2009 European Film Festival

Calling All Cartoonists 

The Assocation of East African Cartoonists (KATUNI) invites you to participate in our latest cartoon exhibition on the theme "Cartooning Europe". This exhibition will explore Kenyan attitudes towards, and perceptions of, Europe and Europeans and selected cartoons will be exhibited at the Alliance Francaise during the European Film Festival from 12th to 31st May 2009 in Nairobi and at Alliance Française in Mombasa from 2nd to 7th June 2009. Cartoonists across Kenya are encouraged to send their cartoons and caricatures on any aspect of European society.

EXHIBITION RULES:

1) Participation is open to all professional and amateur cartoonists.

2) Submitted cartoons are to be either A4-Size (21 OX297mm) or A3-Size (420X297). 

3) Digital copies submitted via email should be 300 dpi resolution and in JPEG format. 

4) Cartoons may be either black-and-white or colored.

5) The deadline for receving artworks is Friday 1st May 2009.

Cartoons may be sent via email to katuni@gmail.com

Original artworks should be marked "Cartooning Europe" may be sent via post to:

Patrick Gathara, 

P.O Box 3613-00200, Nairobi

Alternatively, submissions may be dropped off at either 

Communicating Artists Limited, 

3rd floor, Revlon Towers, 

Kimathi Street, Nbi. 

or 

Alliance Francaise de Nairobi 

Loita/Monrovia Streets, Nbi

Picking Up the Pieces - The Book Launch

In March this year, the Association of East African Cartoonists (KATUNI), the Goethe-Institut and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) joined hands to hold a cartoon competition on the post-election violence that rocked Kenya in the aftermath of the disputed Presidential elections of 27 December 2007. The competition elicited cartons from cartoonists across the country and these have now been published in a book set to be launched at 4.00pm on Friday, 7th November at the Goethe-Institut, Nairobi.

The book, entitled “Picking Up the Pieces”, has been produced in collaboration with Mvule Publishers and will be available to the public at retail outlets for a mere Kshs. 300 per copy.

Featured cartoonists include GADO (Daily Nation), MADD (Standard), KHAM (Standard), Victor Ndula (Nairobi Star) and Patrick Gathara (Gathara’s World) as well as competition winners Mwaura Kirore, Kennedy Kaburu, Alphonse Otieno and Elly Maloba. 

Cartoon Competition: Journeys Without Borders

CARTOON AND COMIC STRIPS COMPETITION:

JOURNEYS WITHOUT BORDERS

ORGANISED by CIR (Consiglio italiano per i rifugiati, Italian Council for Refugees) in collaboration with AFRICARTOON, for cartoonists from the South of the world or refuges/immigrants in Europe (each participant must send a brief curriculum vitae and his/her contacts).

DRAWINGS for the competition: cartoons or strips which illustrate the theme of the competition or part of it.

SEND THE DRWINGS before the 15th of September 2008, possibly in a digital format to both the following email addresses: ginobrs@libero.it and marisapaolucci@tin.it,

or send the original (which shall not be returned) to the following postal address:

Marisa Paolucci, via Rastrelli 167, 00128 Roma, Italy.

THEME OF THE COMPETITION

The new explorers of the Third Millennium go everywhere, to search for new dreams and a chance to live. Comic strips and cartoons tell stories of immigrations, human rights violated and integration into pluralistic societies, to denounce the problems of the Third Millennium and open new ways of hope. They show the difficulties of survival, not only in the countries of origin but also in those of arrival. All this in the context of the celebration of the 60 years of Un Declaration on Human Rights, when after 60 years millions of people still must wander around the world searching and struggling for their own rights and basic needs.

1. Glimpses without borders: the negated human rights of invisible man and women. Global injustice, wars, civil and political rights, basic needs. The struggle of those staying behind.
2. Invisible paths: the silent journeys of peoples running away. It is not only a question of running away, but also the courage to look for new ways.
3. Refugees because of others’ decision: the right to political asylum. The difficulties to prove that you are in danger of life in your own country of origin and that you need to be welcome in the country of arrival.
4. Foreigners is your destiny: difficulties and successes in the countries of arrival, struggling towards a new multi-ethnic society. Racism, negated rights, integration, multi-cultural society.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

1. The best drawings will be part of an exhibition on immigration and human rights “Journeys without borders” which will be in “Lucca Comics and Games” (100.000 visitors, the most important event of this type in Italy) from the 18th of October to the 2nd of November 2008, then in Rome during the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Un Declaration on Human Rights in December 2008; during 2009 the exhibition will travel and be exhibited around all Italy .
2. The best drawing will receive a money prize of the value of 500 euro.

Picking Up the Pieces Competition Winners

The following are the winning cartoons from the Picking Up the Pieces cartoon competition. These and other cartoons submitted for the competition can be viewed at the Goethe-Institut Library Lounge on Monrovia St., Nairobi.

First Place Winner
By Mwaura Kirore

Second Place
By Kennedy Kaburu

Joint Third Place
By Alphonse Omondi

Joint Third Place
By Elly Maloba

Picking up the Pieces: Cartooning the Post-Election Crisis

Over the last few weeks, Kenya has witnessed post-election violence on an unimaginable scale. As efforts to resolve the political stalemate continue apace, there is need for the Kenyan society to initiate dialogue on the root causes of this violence and also to provide alternative avenues for the people to air their grievances without resorting to force.

The Association of East African Cartoonists (KATUNI), the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) and the Goethe Institut have organized a cartoon competition entitled “Picking up the Pieces” in hopes of contributing towards the identification of a lasting solution to the problem.

The goals of this competition are to identify the reasons for the violence and propose ways out of the crisis on the basis of the following questions:

1) What are the root causes of the violence?

2) How have our leaders reacted to crisis?

3) What is the way forward?

The competition has been open to all professional and amateur cartoonists throughout the country. All the country's top cartoonists (including the Daily Nation's GADO, MADD and KHAM of the Standard and Victor Ndula of the Nairobi Star) as well as a large number of other lesser-known-but-by-no-means-less-given-to-cutting-satire cartoonists have elected to participate and their works will be on show at the Goethe Institut for two months starting 7^th March 2008. Also participating are cartoonists from around the world who have sent in their cartoons on the crisis as they viewed it from their various countries. The exhibition provides a unique, tragicomic and compelling look at the events of the last two months through the eyes of our society's most unforgiving critics.

On 7th March, as part of the launch of the exhibition, we have arranged for a public forum from 4.00-6.00pm discuss various aspects of the crisis i.e the constitutional aspect, economic aspect, historical and cultural aspects, the role and impact of the media and the effect of the crisis on our democracy and its institutions. The forum will feature presentations by several panelists including former Secretary to the CKRC turned politician, PLO Lumumba; Muthoni Wanyeki, Executive Director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission; Mitch Odero of the Media Council; and Betty Maina, Chairperson of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers.

The forum will be followed by a cocktail at the same venue during which the winners of the competition will be announced.

All are welcome to attend. Entry is free.

Picking Up The Pieces Cartoon Competition

Over the last few weeks, Kenya has witnessed post-election violence on an unimaginable scale. As efforts to resolve the political stalemate continue apace, there is need for the Kenyan society to initiate dialogue on the root causes of this violence and also to provide alternative avenues for the people to air their grievances without resorting to force.

The Association of East African Cartoonists (KATUNI) and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) are organizing a cartoon competition entitled “Picking up the Pieces” in hopes of contributing towards the identification of a lasting solution to the problem.

The goals of this competition are to identify the reasons for the violence and propose ways out of the crisis on the basis of the following questions:

1) What are the root causes of the violence?

2) How have our leaders reacted to crisis?

3) What is the way forward?

COMPETITION RULES:

1) Participation in the competition is open to all professional and amateur cartoonists.

2) All entries must include the artist’s address and daytime telephone number.

3) Submitted cartoons are to be either A4-Size (210X297mm) or A3-Size (420X297).

4) Digital copies submitted via email should be 300 dpi resolution and in JPEG format.

5) Cartoons may be either black-and-white or colored.

6) Cartoons advocating ethnic hatred, containing obscene language or scenes of gratuitous violence will not be accepted.

7) The deadline for receiving artworks is Monday 25th February 2008.

8) A jury of experts will select the 3 best cartoons for prize awards. The jury’s decision will be final.

9) The award of the prizes will take place during the opening of the exhibition on 7 March, 2008 at the Goethe Institut on Monrovia St., Nairobi.

10) All entries will be © FES and KATUNI and will not be returned.

THE PRIZES:

- First Prize: Art equipment worth Kshs. 30,000.00

- Second Prize: Art equipment worth Kshs. 20,000.00

- Third Prize: Art equipment worth Kshs. 10,000.00

Cartoons may be sent via email to

katuni@gmail.com

and should be in JPEG format with a resolution of 300dpi.

Original artworks should be marked “Picking up the Pieces Cartoon Competition” may be sent via post to:

Patrick Gathara, P.O Box 3613-00200, Nairobi

or dropped off at Communicating Artists Limited, 3rd floor, Revlon Towers, Kimathi Street, Nbi.

The WOT?

The WOT? is an international cartoon exhibition organised by the Association of East African Cartoonists (KATUNI). The exhibition focuses on cartoonists' impressions of the global War On Terror (WOT) and is open to all. Submitted artworks are on display on http://thewotexhibition.blogspot.com/ and will also be exhibited at a venue to be announced later in Nairobi, Kenya.

If you would like to participate in the exhibition, please email your cartoons to katuni@gmail.com

Emailed cartoons should be in JPEG format and should have a resolution of at least 300 dpi.

You may also send your cartoons via post to:

Patrick Gathara

P.O. Box 3613-00200 (City Square)

Nairobi, Kenya

(Note: Original artworks submitted via post will not be returned.)

The deadline for receiving submissions is 31st May, 2007.

French Muslims Sue Over Cartoons

From the BBC:

Two French Muslim organisations are suing the magazine Charlie Hebdo for printing cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad.
The Muslim groups charge the magazine with "insulting a group of people on the basis of religion".
Charlie Hebdo reprinted Danish cartoons that provoked a violent backlash in the Muslim world a year ago.
Supporters of the magazine, including some French Muslims, say the trial is a test case for free speech. Read More

In January, a British Muslim was found guilty of soliciting murder during a London rally against cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad. Umran Javed, 27, of Birmingham, was also convicted of stirring up racial hatred. He told a crowd of hundreds at the February 2006 protest: "Bomb, bomb Denmark, bomb, bomb USA."

In December 2006, Yemen Observer editor Muhammad Assadi was fined for reprinting controversial cartoons. Mr Assadi said he wanted to show Yemenis how insulting they were. The cartoons were printed in thumbnail sizes and overlaid with a large "X".

Another Yemeni editor, Kamal al-Aalafi, who had been sentenced to a year in jail in November for reprinting the cartoons, has been released on bail and plans to appeal against the sentence. His weekly paper, al-Rai al-Aam, was ordered to be closed for six months.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has pledged to overturn any jail sentences handed to journalists.

Fallout from the Danish Cartoon Controversy

A Yemeni court has sentenced Kamal Ali Al-Aalafi, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Rai Al-Aam weekly, to one year in jail and shut down his newspaper for republishing the Prophet Mohammed cartoons, which were first published by a Danish newspaper, thus arousing tensions and rage among Muslims worldwide.

Under the verdict, Al-Aalafi also is banned from writing for six months. The court justified its verdict against the newspaper and its editor for disgracing the prophet by republishing the cartoons. Read More

In a related development, Yemeni Observer editor-in-chief Mohammed Al-Asaadi has been released after journalists staged a sit-in at the office of the General Attorney on 6th December. The journalists were protesting hid detention following a court verdict against him, which condemned him for republishing some of the Danish cartoons, and ordered him to pay a fine of YR500,000 to the states fund. Read More

According to the Yemen Mirror, The Yemeni Observer was suspended for three months and Al-Asaadi charged with insulting the Prophet after the paper reprinted three of the controversial drawings, in black and white and reduced size, with large X’s overlaid on each, as part of multiple-page coverage of the controversy. The editors wanted to denounce the cartoons, explain to the mainly foreign readership of the Yemen Observer why they elicited outrage among Muslims, and to show readers exactly what was under protest. At least 14 private lawyers recruited by Sheik Abdul-Majid Zindani, chairman of Islah Shura Council, filed complaints against al-Asaadi and called, at least indirectly, for his execution.

Throughout the Muslim world, a number of publications printed versions of one or more of the cartoons for various reasons: to denounce them, to mobilize protests against them, or to appeal against the violence they spurred. Many of the publications were targeted as a result, becoming easy prey for governments seeking a pretext to retaliate against the press, curry favor with Islamists, and deflect public attention from domestic problems. but nowhere was the reaction as severe as in Yemen.

Worldwide, the Committee to Protect Journalists found that at least nine publications were closed or suspended and 10 journalists were criminally charged in response to the cartoon controversy. Punitive actions, including censorship orders and harassment, were reported in 13 countries including:

Algeria : Two editors criminally charged.

Belarus : One newspaper suspended.

Denmark : Jyllands-Posten threatened with bomb attack.

India : One editor criminally charged.

Jordan : Two editors criminally charged.

Lebanon : Journalists assaulted during demonstration against cartoons.

Malaysia : Two newspapers suspended.

Morocco : Government organizes demonstrations against newspaper.

Russia : Two newspapers closed.

Saudi Arabia : Newspaper suspended.

South Africa : Censorship orders issued against two newspapers.

Syria : Writer criminally charged for commentary.

Yemen : Three newspapers suspended. Four journalists criminally charged.

Except where noted, the actions came in response to publishing versions of one or more of the cartoons.

Tom and Jerry Creator Dies

(Hat-Tip: Nakeel) Joe Barbera, half of the Hanna-Barbera animation team that produced such beloved cartoon characters as Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear and the Flintstones, died Monday, a Warner Bros. spokesman said. He was 95. Read More

INTERNATIONAL DON QUICHOTTE CARTOON CONTEST

Each day, millions of illegal immigrants brave the elements and endure hunger and suffering at the hands of human traffickers in their endeavour move to other countries. Many have even drowned in the sea in this attempt. The international community's seeming inability to find a durable solution only serves to increase these kinds of tragedies.

Don Quichotte (a bi-lingual Turko-German cartoon magazine whose goals are to establish a connection between Turkish and world cartooning, explore global topics from a different point of view and to mount informative cartoon exhibitions) is holding an international cartoon competition in hopes of contributing towards the identification of a lasting solution to the problem.

The goals of this competition are to identify the reasons for immigration and analyse the problems of the immigrants on the basis of two questions:

1) Why do people decide to leave their country and settle in another?
2) Why do countries treat immigrants differently from their own citizens?

COMPETITION RULES:
1) Participation in the competition is possible only via Internet. Please send your cartoons to donquichotte@donquichotte.at or donquichotte@gmx.net
2) Only works that have not been previously published or entered into other competitions will be accepted.
3) Submitted cartoons are to be A3-Size, 300 dpi resolution and in JPEG format. They may be either black-and-white or colored.
4) The submitted cartoonswill be first published the web pages of the -Don Quichotte- under the column (today/Bugün).
5) The closing date of the competition is 28 February 2007.
6)The jury, drawn from artists living in Germany, writers, politicians and journalists (both immigrants and Germans) will evaluate the works between 10th and 15th March, 2007. Results will be published on 31 March 2007.
7) The award of the prize will take place during the opening of the exhibition in April in Esslingen (the precise venue and date will be communicated at a later time).

THE PRIZES:
- First Prize: € 1,000, 00
- Second Prize: € 750,00
- Third Prize: € 500,00
- Special Prizes (given by German institutions and federations active in this area)

THE JURY:
- Marlene Pohle (President general of FECO, cartoonist in Stuttgart)
- Valeri Kurtu (Cartoonist, Berlin)
- Derek Easterby (Cartoonist- Nürnberg)
- Steffen Jahsnowski Herschel(Cartoonist- Berlin)
- Selma Aykan Emiroğlu (Cartoonist, Soprano Munich)
- Muhsin Omurca (Cabaretist, Cartoonist Ulm)
- Erdoğan Karayel (Cartoonist DQ Publisher Stuttgart)
- Hayati Boyacioglu (Cartoonist, Journalist- Berlin) ´
- Ismail Çoban (Painter-Wuppertal)
- Mahmut Celayir (Painter-Stuttgart)
- Sinasi Dikmen (Author Cabaretist Frankfurt)
- Mehmet Ünal (Photography artist- Mannheim)
- Gürsel Köksal (journalist, ATGB chairman Frankfurt)
- Ozan Ceyhun (Politician SPD-Berlin)

Tabriz 6th International Cartoon Contest - Kings

Regulations:

1- Theme: Kings

2- Number of works: Max. 5

3- Size: Max. A3

4- Only the originals of the works will be accepted.

5- Deadline: February 4, 2007

6- Works will be judged on February 20, 2007.

7- Prizes:
First winner: 1000 Euro
Second winner: 500 Euro
Third winner: 250 Euro
10 cartoons will be appreciated and awarded.

8- The reverse side of the cartoon should bear the surname, forename, complete address, email, and telephone number of the entrant. A photo should be added. Only the works which are received by the organization's secretariat in Tabriz by February 4, 2007, will be taken into account.

9- A selection of received works will be displayed on www.tabrizcartoons.com. Results also will be announced there.

10- An exhibition of cartoons will be held on March 1, 2007 in MirAli Tabrizi Gallery, Yasemi Gallery, and Tajrobeh Hall.

11- Address:
Tabriz Cartoon Association,
Tabriz Art & Culture Center, 29 Bahman Blvd.,
Tabriz, IRAN

GADO at the UN

Daily Nation cartoonist Godfrey "GADO" Mwampembwa this week was at the UN headquarters in New York to participate in a seminar entitled "Cartooning for Peace: The Responsibility of Political Cartoonists?" The seminar, which was organised by the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) in partnership with the Emory University’s Claus M. Halle Institute for Global Learning, was opened by UN Secretary-General Koffi Anan.

In his address to the seminar, Mr. Anan described cartoons as an" important form of social and political commentary." He also noted that cartoons can cause offense remarking, "that is part of their point." However, he stated his opposition to state regulation of cartoonists' work saying: "Even if we decided to ban all cartoons that are deeply offensive to large numbers of people, we would still be asking the state to make some very subjective judgements and embarking on the slippery slope of censorship." He stated his preference for leaving the decision on what to publish in the hands of editors and cartoonists themselves saying this involved self censorship, "excercised... in a spirit of genuine respect for other people's feelings, not out of fear."

Mr. Anan also warned against "cartoon wars" in which one group publishes cartoons that are offensive to another in retaliation to offenses it believes itself to have suffered. This was a veiled reference to the exhibition of Holocaust cartoons organised by Iran's biggest-selling newspaper, Hamshahri, in retaliation for the cartoons of Prophet Mohammed published in Danish newspapers. During his visit to Iran in September, Mr. Anan raised concerns with Iranian officials over the exhibition.

The New York seminar is part of the “Unlearning Intolerance” series, launched by DPI, and was the brainchild of French cartoonist Plantu (Jean Plantureux). He says the idea for the gathering was born in 1991, when Plantu met then Palestinian leader Yassar Arafat, who drew the Star of David for one of Plantu’s drawings and signed it. “At that time, Yasser Arafat could not say, ‘I recognize the State of Israel,’ and yet, with a blue felt tip pen he drew the Star of David on the Israeli flag,” says the cartoonist. The following year, Plantu traveled to Israel and convinced then-Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Shimon Peres to sign the same drawing. It was the first time that signatures from both the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization had been affixed to the same document prior to the 1993 Oslo Accords. “Since that time, I have thought a great deal about the role of newspaper cartoonists,” Plantu said.

Participating cartoonists came from countries around the world including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Palestine, Switzerland, and the United States.

You can watch archived video of the proceedings here.

Yemen editor 'faces death calls'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4786322.stm

Yemeni lawyers have called for a newspaper editor to be sentenced to death for showing cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, his paper says.

Muhammad al-Asadi was arrested after his publication, the Yemen Observer, showed the Danish cartoons in February.

He denies the charges of offending Islam, under which he is being tried.

The English-language newspaper has had its licence to publish suspended, although its staff have continued to produce material online.

Lawyers leading a civil case against publishers of the cartoons - in addition to the public case - cited precedents from Muslim history when the prophet was insulted by a woman and then praised her killer.

Prosecutors have reportedly requested that the Yemen Observer be closed permanently and have its property and assets confiscated.

The trial was adjourned until 22 March.

Here We Go Again

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6033075.stm

Denmark rocked by new cartoon row

The Danish prime minister has denounced the drawing of new cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad by members of an anti-immigration party's youth wing.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen intervened in an apparent effort to prevent a repeat of the widespread protests over similar cartoons a year ago.

Danish People's Party activists were shown on TV drawing the images, which were condemned in the Muslim world.

Iran and Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood said the new cartoons insulted Islam.

Iran protested to the Danish government on Sunday, saying it was "deplorable that the extremist elements in Danish society have attempted to sabotage Denmark's relations with the Islamic countries once again".

'Tasteless' drawings

The activists were filmed at a summer camp, drinking, singing and taking part in a competition to draw images of Muhammad, including one depicting him as a camel with beer bottles as humps.

The publication a year ago of newspaper cartoons - one depicting Muhammad with a bomb in his turban - led to violent protests in which more than 50 people died in Muslim countries.

Mr Rasmussen, who insisted then that he could not control independent media, condemned the latest drawings as "tasteless" and "unacceptable".

He said the activists' behaviour "in no way represents the way the Danish people... view Muslims or Islam".

Danish Muslim leaders, who last year travelled abroad to rally support for their protests, said they would not be provoked by the latest incident, the BBC's religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott reports.

Iranian Daily Shut Down over Cartoon

The Washington Post reports that the above cartoon, titled "The Other Rules of the Game," precipitated the closure of the Iranian national daily Sharq for "publishing articles insulting to religious, political and national figures and fomenting discord in violation of orders of the Supreme National Security Council."

According to the Paris-based Iran Press Service, "most Iranian political analysts, including some of the journalists at the paper said the most important thing that the Government did not like was a cartoon ... showing a chess board where a horse and a donkey, with a halo of light around its head are debating the regime's handling of nuclear issue with the West."

Though cartoonists say the "halo" is actually an effect to separate the animals heads, it seems that censors at the Iranian judiciary have made a link between the donkey in the cartoon and comments by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last year that he felt a heavenly beam of light embracing him during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. Ahmadinejad made the remarks during an exchange with a cleric that was captured on videotape and circulated over the internet. You can view an excerpt here.

Can You Take the 24 Hour Comics Challenge?

On October 7, hundreds of cartoonists will gather at different venues around the world to participate in the 24 Hour Comics Day challenge. The aim? To create a complete 24 page comic book in 24 continuous hours. That means everything: Story, finished art, lettering, colors (if you want 'em), paste-up, everything! No sketches, designs, plot summaries or any other kind of direct preparation can precede the 24 hour period though indirect preparation such as assembling tools, reference materials, food, music etc. is fine. Once pen hits paper, the clock starts ticking. 24 hours later, the pen lifts off the paper, never to descend again. Even proofreading has to occur in the 24 hour period. Computer-generated comics are fine of course, same principles applying.

The 24 hour comics challenge was created in 1990 by Scott McCloud, leading comics theoretician and author of Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics. Between 1990 and 2004, people were doing 24 hour comics on their own or in small gatherings for more than a decade. However, we estimated that the number of people who have done them roughly doubled on 2004's inaugural 24 Hour Comics Day, and added a greater number to the list in 2005, with 2006 looking to be bigger still. In 2004, over 500 cartoonists were at work in 57 event locations while in 2005 the event had grown to encompass over 800 cartoonists were at work in 70 event locations. Many more participated from home. This year, official events are planned in 91 locations in 16 countries aropund the world.

While most participants are amateurs, many pro cartoonists take part as well. Past years have seen participation from such big-name artists as former X-Men artist Paul Smith, popular online cartoonist Scott Kurtz (pvponline.com), and Tone Rodriguez (currently working on Conan). While some participants may harbour ambitions of a career as a professional cartoonist, many others are just having fun by trying it.

If any cartoonists in Kenya are interested in participating, please send me an email and we can see how we can organise a venue. For more information on the event, please click here.

Engineering cartoons needed

calestous_juma@harvard.edu is lookingfor politically-correct cartoons that can illustrate a talk on the role of engineering in development. Any help will be appreciated. Please pass this on to others who might be able to help as well.