Sanitas Weekly Web Summary for the Week of April 23rd

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.

It was reported this week that the EU issued new sanctions on Assad’s regime in an effort to quell the bloodshed in Syria. In other foreign policy news, according to the Wall St. Journal, the U.S. began a probe into questionable financial deals in Lebanon to assess whether the country’s banking system is being used by “Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah to evade sanctions.” In other news from the Middle East, the National Transitional Council in Libya passed a law banning all religious parties from taking office within country. According to al-Jazeera, this comes on the heels of the Libya’s first general election that chose an assembly to draft the country’s constitution since the revolution last year. As the 2012 U.S. presidential election draws closer, criticism of party platforms and campaign tactics has emerged on both sides. In most recent campaign news, Sen. John McCain accused President Obama of “playing politics” with Osama Bin Laden’s death after a campaign video aired questioning whether GOP front-runner Mitt Romney would have ordered the operation that led to the al Qaeda leader’s death. The upcoming U.S. presidential campaign has dominated headlines this week as well as the Internet. With the increased reliance on social media for campaigns, President Obama’s and Mitt Romney’s campaign staff have reportedly “embraced the Twitter-fueled news cycle,” according to an article on Huffington Post, which has resulted in staff members responding to political jabs instantly. In other political news, after the story broke that a number of Secret Service agents in Colombia were involved in a prostitution scandal, President Obama spoke out on the incident emphasizing that the actions of a few ‘knuckleheads’ should not take away from the work of the entire Secret Service.

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:

John McCain: Obama Playing Politics With Anniversary Of Bin Laden's Death

Obama says ‘a couple of knuckleheads’ shouldn’t detract from work of Secret Service

Ex-CIA chief defends waterboarding of al Qaeda leader

Bob Kerrey Calls Attack 'Disaster'

Crisis Management:

Europe shifts crisis focus to growth as Merkel backs Draghi call

Ex-PM cleared of major charges in Iceland crisis trial

Trayvon Martin Case: City Commissioners Will Vote on Resignation of Police Chief

Digital Media:

The danger of Twitter, Facebook politics

Social media complicate Army's death notifications

Obama, Romney Campaigns Embrace Twitter-Fueled News Cycle

Political:

Libya bans religious parties from politics

Analysis: Egypt's new politics make Israel ties a target

GOP wades into gender politics

Foreign Policy:

Pakistan military's grip on foreign policy easing

EU imposes new sanctions on Syrian regime

U.S. Probes Lebanon Banking Deals