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ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 30 November 2013 26 Moharram 1435 - Volume 18 Number 5899 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY Sheikh Joaan starts UK racing venture LONDON: Al Shaqab Racing launched its UK operation in London yesterday. Leading British turf figure Harry Herbert, the racing manager of the successful Highclere syndicate, has been appointed as a full-time racing advisor to H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani’s new venture. “Our goals and objectives are to be the best racing operation in the world,” Sheikh Joaan’s media manager, Sherida Al Kaabi, told a press conference in London. “We want the best horses, the best trainers and the best people and the appointment of Harry is to help secure our future. “He is one of the most high-profile figures in European racing and has enjoyed great success with his syndicate ownership company.” See also page 20 Fog, poor visibility forecast for today DOHA: It’s going to be foggy this morning with low visibility, weather forecasters said yesterday, asking motorists, particularly those driving on the highways, to exercise caution. Dust would hang in the air until at least 6am, with scattered clouds. The mist and fog would later give way to haze with visibility being a kilometre and less in the beginning and then improving to three to seven kilometres. Day temperatures could go up to 27 degrees Celsius in places like Doha, while Dukhan and Abu Samra could witness up to 25 degrees C. Al Khor would be colder at night with the mercury dropping to 15 degrees C. The minimum tem- perature in Doha was forecast at 18 degrees C. BOLD Iran nuclear freeze to start by January VIENNA: Iran’s six-month freeze of its nuclear programme agreed with world pow- ers in Geneva will start by early January, Tehran’s envoy to the UN atomic watchdog indicated yesterday. CARTOONS “We expect that either at the end of December or the beginning of January we should start implementing the measures agreed by both sides,” Reza Najafi, envoy to the International THE ISSUE Atomic Energy Agency, told reporters. The freeze is meant to make it more difficult for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon and to Generally speaking, says famous columnist Faisal Al Marzouqi. People enjoy it,” the columnist said. build confidence while Tehran and the P5+1 “They do the balancing act in order to toe According to prominent caricaturist hammer out a long-term accord. caricaturists whose works are the official line. Most of the time they give Salman Al Malek, Qatari cartoonists enjoyed See also page 8 featured in Qatari newspapers the justification that there is a foreign con- official patronage and freedom through the seem to be enjoying more spiracy (targeting Qatar) so we should not 1980s and 1990s, so local talent has boomed. give them a chance to take undue advantage.” In caricaturist Abdulaziz Al Sadiq’s view freedom in the practice of their “But how long can we continue to use such Qatari cartoonists have played a prominent Syria PM in Tehran profession than columnists. excuses and justifications? This must end role in the Qatari press. Both Al Sadiq and at some point because at the end of the day Al Malek believe that cartoonists have played ahead of Geneva meet the editor and the columnist are working a bigger role in the local press because of the towards the same goal.” freedom they enjoy. TEHRAN: Syria’s prime minister arrived in ith a stroke of his brush a car- Cartoonists enjoy much more freedom. “The way they caricature ministers and Tehran yesterday for talks with the leaders toonist can depict in his work, They poke fun at people and situations and senior government officials has over the years of close ally Iran ahead of a peace conference though in a humorous way, as make people laugh with their satire, said Al come to be accepted by the people and offi- aimed at ending his country’s civil war, the Wserious an issue as corruption Marzouqi. cialdom,” says Al Malek. state broadcaster reported. or a sensitive social issue that is a taboo. “Sometimes they are more critical than a But celebrated cartoonist Ghanem Al During his three-day stay, Wael Al Halqi But columnists do not usually take such columnist. They poke fun and the way they Sulaiti differs, and says he doesn’t see news- will meet President Hassan Rowhani, Foreign liberties and are more reserved and cautious criticise is humorous but it has a powerful paper cartoonists adding anything new to Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and National in their writings and discuss an issue they message.” what has already been done. Supreme Security Council chief Ali Shamkhani, PAGEthink is sensitive in6 a roundabout manner. The way they present their work makes “What we see today is just an artistic vari- the report said. On arrival, Halqi said he would “I think, as far as the written word is even top officials laugh. “Their work is ation and nothing new and creative,” says discuss the Syrian crisis and bilateral issues, concerned, one of the main reasons is self- accepted. They address even serious issues Al Sulaiti. such as cooperation in the fields of energy, elec- censorship by newspaper editors-in-chief,” in a satirical yet entertaining and lovely way. See also page 2 tricity, oil exports, infrastructure and health. THE PENINSULA & AGENCIES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 NOVEMBER 30, 2013 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home Images win where words fail Many think Qatari cartoonists are bold in addressing local issues compared to journalists ompared to the Qatari Arab world, although it could the ‘dummy’ paper, banning and press, the Qatari art of be in future as it has all the permitting things at will, accord- caricature has shown necessary human and material ing to Malek. Cmore courage and matu- potential.” “The first thing he would ask rity. The space occupied by edi- While some Qatari caricatur- about was the political cartoon. I torial cartoons has become vital ists believe they have enough free- used to think of endless ways to Hey kids, this is the Qatari for putting across a message. This dom, others disagree. Satirical deceive him and wiggle my draw- has been the case because Qatari artist Ghanem Al Sulaiti believes ing through. When all schemes national dress, which has been cartoonists are talented. that caricature as a satirical jour- would fail, and the censor would disappearing during the According to some prominent nalistic act needs more freedom ban the cartoon, I would hang it millennium. Qatari caricaturists, editorial than is currently accorded to the in my office. I called them the cartoons are more powerful than press. The cartoonist remains tied hangings.” the written word. Qatari car- up with the press. He said that with the new toonists, with their distinct lines, “In Qatar, I don’t really see the climate of freedom ushered in affable characters, use of slang editorial cartoon as adding any- by Sheikh Hamad, he published and stinging comments, are now thing new; it is only an artistic more critical cartoons. in demand. They have become a variation on the written article, Sadek also said that journal- daily nuisance and a source of only another colourful artistic ism in Qatar had developed a headaches for many officials and façade. All that is said about great deal in its design, the level government bodies. education and traffic jams in the of freedom and the absence of They sour the mood of officials, written press is being reiterated censorship. who open the day’s papers in the in editorial cartoons.” “In the last few years the car- morning to find veiled criticism of “Not much difference, really, toonist has had no censor. He had their failure to fulfil their duties which is a serious flaw in the to rely on his maturity. When New generation Qatari kids and live up to the standards and Qatari art of caricature. It does there was a censor, I enjoyed expectations of the Qatari people. not have an independent charac- tricking and eluding him. He was Abdul Aziz Al Sadek says gov- ter of its own. Most Qatari edito- the one responsible before the ernment officials fear cartoons, rial cartoonists have no identity, law. Now I’m directly involved. I not articles or columns, because no signature, no character. It is am the one responsible before a environment, the better could the conditions to accommodate the Arab media about. The Arab they carry an overdose of criti- a highly derivative art, with very judge and, of course, responsibility artist express its hopes and con- and cope with. He has to adapt press has never really played cism, whether in content or form. rare exceptions,” Sulaiti added. requires a higher degree of matu- cerns and reach out to the public. himself to the social norms of the role of the fourth estate. Salman Al Malek says editorial rity,” said Malek. Ordinary citizens are more the community he lives in, taking Whether we like it or not, this cartoons have become a common According Hajaj, the variety of inclined to read what Qatari into good account what is and is is the truth,” said Sulaiti. feature of a typical Qatari daily More freedom, issues in Qatar provides fertile journalists write, because they not acceptable. “What I’d like to point out or weekly. “People may read only ground to cartoonists. The issues are closer to them socially and Speaking about the different here is that regrettably, the what concerns them in the news- more powerful include population density, lim- temperamentally.

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