An excerpt from Kal’s post:

You would expect to find suppression of free thinkers like cartoonists in authoritarian regimes. But there are many new emerging democracies that are also struggling with issues of freedom of expression.

Many of these young democracies are former soviet era protectorates. After decades of Communist single party rule they have no tradition of robust, healthy and open political debate. These nation’s powerbrokers are skeptical and distrustful of criticism. These new countries struggle to embrace political dissent in the media and cartoons.

Azerbaijan is one of these countries.

Azerbaijan is a small secular Islamic nation of enormous potential. It is blessed with a literate population, a strategic location and an important resource: oil.

It is also a democracy… of sorts

In Miami, the cartoonist was approached by several businessmen in the Nicaraguan expat community that fled the Sandinistas in the 1980s, and are now keen to undermine the Ortega administration voted into power in 2006. Their proposal: a mass-distribution anti-Sandinista comic book.

The first edition is scheduled to hit the streets of Nicaragua in July, and Guillen says its mass appeal is aimed at helping his unidentified backers to “win the streets” from the Sandinistas. “Comics are a very powerful instrument of cultural penetration,” Guillen said. “This is going to be very subversive. This is a guerrilla war.”

Guillen acknowledges that his new venture, which will be distributed for free on buses and in markets, will up the ante. But as someone who grew up believing in the original ideals of the Sandinista revolution, Guillen hopes it will help people to demand change. “Comic books in the United States are for distracting people,” Guillen said. “I am trying to get people to focus.”

Jason Chatfield, who took over the Ginger Meggs strip after James’ passing wrote this reaction on his blog after learning of James’ award,

He was a true blue Australian, with an undying and unparalleled love of cricket. He was instrumental in establishing the Bradman Museum, and the Don Bradman Foundation.

Kems was also responsible for reviving the ailing Australian Black & White Artists’ Club when it was in considerable debt, and almost dead on its back. He turned it around into the thriving Australian Cartoonists’ Association that it is today.

Kems was one of the most amazing blokes, and one of the best mates I’ve ever had. Losing him in December, after a long and brave fight with Motor Neurone Disease was the saddest and most tragic time for his friends and family. He was one year out from his 60th birthday when he passed away.

The Order of Austrailia Medal was instituted in 1975 by The Queen of England “for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service.”

South African cartoonist Jeremy Nell is ending his Urban Trash comic strip - a darker social commentary strip that is syndicated to papers in South Africa to create a new strip that is “fun, cute and disarming.” The new strip is entitled The Biggish Five about five anthropomorphic kids who live in a “fantastical world of a game park in South Africa.” The Biggish Five will also be a strip with social commentary, but on pop culture instead of politics.

“The decision to end the strip was an emotional and psychological one. I wanted to move away from its dark, serious and controversial content,” says Nell. “It’s time for a new season. Only focusing on the negative issues in South Africa is draining and I needed a balance.”

Also a factor in the decision is to create characters that are more easily licensable.

The Biggish Five is part of a new start for the cartoonist. “I want the strip to be established. I hope to expand it further and even to create a range of merchandise for the characters,” he says.

The final Urban Trash strip will appear on June, 27 2008 and The Biggish Five will make its debut on June 30th.

Jeremy also does a political cartoon called Ditwits that runs exclusively in The Times.

Kurt Westergaard, who drew the most memorable cartoon depicting the prophet Mohammed with a bomb in his turban, has stated that he feels no responsibility for Monday’s bombing.

“I have no influence over what fanatics do. But that people have been killed is really painful,” Westergaard told the online edition of newspaper BT. “My cartoon illustrates how some parts of a big religion, Islam, can inspire terrorism. The drawing has meant that I have been a target of the terrorists wish to kill me - and now this in Pakistan,” he added.