The similarity between благодаря + Дательный против из-за + Родительный is that both mean due to
The difference between благодаря + Дательный против из-за + Родительный is that the first refers to something positive (It can be translated also as thanks to) and the second something negative.
Now where is the problem, in a russian newspaper I found the following expression:
"В данный момент наблюдается временное снижение спроса в связи с банковским крисом"
To be honest I didn't understand very well what this expression means because I don't know the word наблюдается but I suppose the expression в связи с is translated as due to.
Until today I considered в связи с as synonym of относительно and that both are translated as "in association with".
Can also be used as due to?