Sanitas Weekly Web Summary for the Week of March 26th

Sanitas International offers a weekly summary of influential and informative media articles from around the world regarding strategic communications, crisis management, digital media and political affairs.  Particular interest is given to articles discussing topics in developing countries and emerging market.

The Trayvon Martin case continues to dominate headlines and social media platforms this week, with many online movements calling for justice. Digital activist movements like these would not be accepted in China, which is said to be punishing those who speak out on social media networks and websites against the government with mentions of a coup. In other political news, despite the Pope’s comments stating Cuba’s Marxist political system was outdated, the county responded by reiterating its commitment to the system shortly after stating the system was “sustainable.” In other international political news, rumor of public panic swept Haiti this week causing chaos throughout the nation. In Myanmar, also known as Burma, famous dissident and Nobel Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to usher in a new era in Myanmar’s political system as she takes her “first-ever political office” Sunday, according to the Wall St. Journal. Foreign policy also took center stage in U.S. politics after GOP candidate Rick Santorum criticized President Obama’s foreign policy stance on the campaign trail. A  hot topic of U.S. foreign policy is the strategic effort to lock up weapons-making material scattered around the world to prevent terrorist from obtaining it.  According to the San Francisco Chronicle, more than 50 countries attended the nuclear summit this past week, which was initiated two years ago by the Obama administration to achieve this goal. According to the LA Times, Israel also reported a development in its foreign policy after stating it “gained access to airbases in Azerbaijan,” which borders Iran, which drew attention from a number of U.S. officials who speculate Israel may be looking at the location as an access point into the country. In other news from the Middle East, violence continues to plague Syria as high-level diplomats from the country continue to stand behind al-Assad despite the crisis. In other crisis news, ‘pink slime’ dominated headlines in the U.S. this week after celebrity chef Jamie Oliver broadcast a special showing how the beef additive was made, which ignited a social media frenzy against the product.

This week’s summary highlights these and other developments around the world. As Sanitas constantly emphasizes, government and business cannot afford to ignore these growing and evolving challenges. Especially as these and others issues influence reputations, challenge operational decisions and affect overall revenues and influence.

Strategic Communication:

EU Foreign Policy Chief Hails Conduct Of Senegal Elections

US Treasury Secretary: Funding IMF, World Bank Strengthens US Foreign Policy

Ben Bernanke: Congress needs ‘political courage’

Crisis Management:

As crisis roils Syria, its diplomats stand firm with President Bashir al-Assad

Euro crisis needs "mother of all firewalls"-OECD

'Pink Slime' Defense Rises

Digital Media:

China punishes social media, websites on coup talk

Trayvon Martin: Doing justice, having faith in social media

Social Media Stock Market Is In Its Infancy           

Political:

Santorum criticizes Obama on foreign policy, saying he’s avoiding action before election

For Myanmar's Rebel Icon, Politics Get Real .

Rumors roil Haiti amid political uncertainty

Cuba vows to keep its political system despite pope's comments

Foreign Policy:

U.S. foreign policy tries to lock up loose nukes

Israel weighs Azerbaijan as gateway to Iran, Foreign Policy says

Bad News: Foreign Policy Matters More Than Obamacare

Foreign policy review: Opposition drags govt back to drawing board