Media Navel Gaze: February 23, 2015
The Week Unpeeled
The weather seemed to be the headline news all week, with Boston again buried by big snow (nearing its all-time annual record of 107.6 inches) and a big freeze becoming routine around the country. That backdrop seemed to put an added chill to global news items, also becoming routine, on violent extremism and the seemingly growing urge by some young people to join extreme forces. In fact, at a three-day summit, President Obama called on the world to fight ISIS, calling the situation a "generational challenge."Â
Elsewhere:
- Wal-Mart is raising its pay to $10 per hour by next year, reflecting a tight labor market and a catch up move with other retailers;
- Greece got a four-month extension on its bailout, helping stocks worldwide;
- As a result, the Dow hit record high last week (its first for the year), to close at Friday at 18,140;
- Bill O'Reilly goes on the defense on war-reporting claims (but seems a far cry from BrianWilliamsgate);
- Former New York Mayor Giuliani goes on offense saying President Obama did not love his country and was influenced early in life by Communist;
- Ex-Long-Time Fortune Editor Andrew Serwer is joining Yahoo Finance amid claim for big changes, big names and more video;
- The New York Times did a big redesign of its Sunday magazine;
- Mayweather and Pacquiao are happening (May 2) in what will be the biggest fight maybe ever; and
- A-Rod pens a mea culpa (big deal?)
LatAm Gaze:
- Venezuela was shaken this week by the government's arrest of Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who lost to current president Nicolas Maduro in a highly controversial 2013 election, has been among the most outspoken of the news, deeming the arrest a constitutional violation;
- Protestors in the death of Argentine Federal Prosecutor Alberto Nisman, killed 1 day before scheduled to testify against the republic's president related to a 1994 terrorist attack, held a silent march in Nisman's honor this week. President Cristina Kirchner has denounced the march;
- A 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit the Southwest coast of Mexico over the weekend. No injuries were reported;
- El Salvador will be exporting 50 thousand tons of sugar to China this week, generating US$20 million in revenue, making this the largest Salvadorian shipment of its kind; and
- Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa is examining a plan to reduce salaries of officials atop the public employment sector to fund a healthcare program fighting maternal mortality.
