As World Economic Forum Opens In Davos

Davos ahead of the World Economic Forum 2023 © Thomson Reuters 

Reuters: Davos 2023: Recession casts long shadow over opening of WEF summit 

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) -The prospect of imminent global recession cast a long shadow over Davos on Monday as participants gathering for the opening of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting counted the likely cost for their economies and businesses. 

Two-thirds of private and public sector chief economists surveyed by the WEF expect a global recession this year, with some 18% considering it "extremely likely" - more than twice as many as in the previous survey conducted in September 2022. 

"The current high inflation, low growth, high debt and high fragmentation environment reduces incentives for the investments needed to get back to growth and raise living standards for the world's most vulnerable," WEF Managing Director Saadia Zahidi said in a statement accompanying the survey results.  

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As World Economic Forum Opens In Davos  

2023 World Economic Forum opens in Davos: Live Updates -- Euronews  

Davos World Economic Forum Live: WEF Summit Kicks Off With Crystal Award Ceremony -- ABPLive

Economists warn of global recession danger ahead of World Economic Forum at Davos – as it happened -- The Guardian  

Davos 2023: Economic woes, war, climate change on tap -- FOX News/AP  

Leaders gather as annual World Economic Forum begins in Switzerland -- UPI  

Davos Starts Today With a Focus on Climate Change -- Barrons  

Davos 2023 Day 1: What to expect -- World Economic Forum  

Davos 2023: The World Economic Forum explained -- Reuters

China's President Xi Warns Against 'Cold War Mentality' And Confrontation Via Video-Conference At The Davos Agenda Virtual Event

 

NBC: China’s Xi says countries must abandon ‘Cold War mentality,’ warns against confrontation 

* Speaking via videoconference at The Davos Agenda virtual event, Xi said: “We need to discard Cold War mentality and seek peaceful co-existence and win-win outcomes.” 

* Beijing and Washington’s tense relationship over Taiwan has been identified as a top risk for Asia this year, while one of the region’s top experts has previously warned China’s “disturbing” crackdown on U.S.-listed China stocks could be interpreted as the early stages of a Cold War. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called for countries to move away from a “Cold War mentality,” saying history has repeatedly shown that confrontation only invites disastrous repercussions. 

His comments come at a time of simmering tensions between China and the U.S. over Taiwan and as fears escalate over a possible Russian incursion into Ukraine. 

Speaking via videoconference at The Davos Agenda virtual event, Xi said: “We need to discard Cold War mentality and seek peaceful co-existence and win-win outcomes.”  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Chinese President Xi's complete speech is below. 

 

China's President Xi Warns Against 'Cold War Mentality' And Confrontation Via Video-Conference At The Davos Agenda Virtual Event 

Xi addresses 2022 WEF virtual session -- Xinhuanet  

No ‘countercurrents’ can stop globalization trend: Xi -- Global Times  

Xi stresses safeguarding national security, social stability, peaceful lives -- Xinhua  

Xi: China stays committed to development, reform and opening-up -- CGTN 

China’s Xi rejects ‘Cold War mentality,’ pushes cooperation -- AP  

China’s Xi calls for world cooperation on COVID despite secrecy over origins -- NYPost  

China's Xi warns against 'Cold War mentality,' confrontation -- The Hill 

China warns west against rapid interest rate rise -- The Guardian

President Trump At Davos -- News Roundup January 21, 2020

Daily Mail: 'She's very angry.' Donald Trump takes ANOTHER swipe at Greta Thunberg after calling climate activists 'fortune tellers' and 'alarmists' at keynote Davos speech - as she warns NOTHING has been done on global warming

* President Trump arrived in Switzerland Tuesday morning and will spend two days at the World Economic Forum
* During his first appearance, a speech on the main stage, he went after climate activists for their dire warnings about the 'apocalypse'
* While Trump spoke, climate activist Greta Thunberg sat in the audience and looked on
* She bookended Trump's appearance and participated in two panel discussions at the Davos summit Tuesday
* Thunberg shamed world leaders in her opening appearance saying they've done 'basically nothing' to face the climate challenge

President Trump called Greta Thunberg 'very angry' in a new interview, after saying climate activists were out-of-touch 'alarmists' and 'heirs of yesterday's fortune tellers' during his appearance Tuesday morning at the World Economic Forum.

Thunberg had been seated in the audience looking on, but Trump told the Wall Street Journal afterward taht, 'I don't really know anything about her,' before calling her angry.

Portions of Trump's remarks seemed to be aimed at Thunberg and her supporters.

'This is not a time for pessimism. This is a time for optimism,' Trump said, which was in stark constrast to Thunberg and others, who used the conference to warn that the Australian wildfires and other disasters were only the beginning of the climate chaos that lie ahead.

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President Trump At Davos -- News Roundup January 21, 2020

Trump lauds U.S. economy at Davos as trial set to begin in Washington -- CBC/Reuters
Trump lauds US economy in Davos, says little on climate woes -- AP
Trump brags of U.S. 'blue-collar boom' on world stage at Davos -- Politico
Trump says 'America is thriving' at Davos economic forum as impeachment trial opens -- USA Today
Trump attacks environmental 'prophets of doom' at Davos 2020 -- France 24
Davos 2020: Trump rejects 'prophets of doom' at climate-focused WEF -- DW
Trump blasts 'prophets of doom' in attack on climate activism -- The Guardian
Trump says he doesn't know 'very angry' Greta Thunberg -- The Hill

Swiss Police Believed They Foiled A Russian Attempt To Bug Davos

A police officer stands guard near the Congress Center ahead of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

Daily Mail: 'Russian spies disguised as plumbers planned to bug Davos forum - but were foiled by Swiss officials'

* Police quizzed two Russian men staying in the upmarket resort last August
* They were suspected of posing as plumbers so they could bug the forum
* Claimed diplomatic protection but had not registered with Swiss officials

Swiss police believe they foiled an attempt by Russian spies disguised as plumbers to bug the World Economic Forum in Davos where world leaders including Donald Trump are meeting this week.

Detectives questioned two Russian men in the luxury resort last August after they aroused suspicions during their three-week stay.

At least one of the men told police he was a plumber, Swiss paper Tages-Anzeiger reported today.

But suspicions were raised when the pair were found to be carrying diplomatic passports and could not explain how they got them.

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More News On Reports That The Swiss Police Believed They Foiled A Russian Attempt To Bug Davos

Swiss police reportedly believe Russian spies posed as plumbers to bug Davos -- CNBC
Swiss police found ‘Russian spies’ in Davos last year -- The Guardian
Swiss uncovered suspected Davos spy plot by Russian 'plumbers': paper -- Reuters
Swiss police stopped alleged Russian spy plot at Davos: report -- The Hill
Swiss police 'exposed Russian spies in Davos' -- BBC
Russian ‘Plumbers’ Questioned at Davos Over Espionage Suspicions – Report -- Moscow Times

The Swiss Prepare For The Arrival Of President Trump

Die Ankunft des US-Präsidenten wird morgen, 21.01. zwischen 8-10 Uhr auf Piste 16 erwartet. Darum öffnen wir die Zuschauerterrasse B bereits um 7 Uhr. Start der Air Force One ist am frühen Mittwochnachmittag vorgesehen. Alle Angaben sind ohne Gewähr. #WEF20 #AirForceOne #loveZRH pic.twitter.com/M8kXx6kIzU

— Zurich Airport (@zrh_airport) January 20, 2020

Aviation 24: Zurich Airport prepares for Air Force One and President Trump, who will visit Davos, Switzerland

The arrival of Air Force One carrying President Trump will not go unnoticed at Zurich Airport, tomorrow 21 January. President Trump will visit the yearly World Economic Forum in Davos, located in the Eastern Alps region of Switzerland.

Air Force One’s arrival is expected on Zurich’s runway 16 between 08:00 and 10:00 (UTC +1). For the occasion, Zurich Airport will open the spotters terrace already from 07:00. President Trump is set to depart again early Wednesday afternoon.

“There are US Secret Service agents in the tower,” a spokesman for the Swiss air traffic controller, Skyguide, confirmed to the NZZ am Sonntag.

According to the newspaper, it is unusual for foreign security agents to be allowed into areas that are usually off-limits. “It’s not the general rule,” said the spokesman in the article.

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Update: Trump gets Swiss army security as climate protesters trek to Davos (Reuters)

WNU Editor: Here is an easy prediction. Trump is going to dominate the summit.

President Trump's Davos Speech (Transcript and Video)

WNU Editor: The transcript of President Trump's speech is here .... FULL SPEECH: At Davos, Trump touts reforms: 'America is open for business' (The Hill)

The media is critical of the President .... Why Donald Trump's boring speech at Davos was a win for him (Chris Cillizza, CNN). My interpretation is different .... I watch these things religiously .... and in regards to President Trump, his arrival caused an enormous amount of buzz at this event, and during his stay almost all of the CEOs who were present clearly liked the message that President Trump was giving. Even though this is an event that appeals to globalists and free-trades, .... this was a big win for the President, and he exceeded everyone's expectations (mine included).

President Trump Has Arrived At Davos

Daily Mail: Trump storms Davos: The President lands in Switzerland to defend his America First policy in a flurry of meetings with world leaders and billionaire CEOs

* President Donald Trump has arrived to Switzerland to participate in the Davos economic conference
* Members of his cabinet arrived in advance and joined in panels and interviews
* He will push his 'America First' agenda and seek more fair, reciprocal trade between the US and its allies
* Trump met the British Prime Minister Theresa May after canceling a visit to the UK earlier this month
* The president and Prime Minster shook hands after reaffirming the 'Special Relationship' between the nations
* Trump said that he would 'fight' for Britain and said that any rumors of a fracture in relations were false
* Met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who thanked Trump for recognizing Jerusalem as capital
* He will also attend a reception the White House has said will be held in his honor and meets with CEOs
* Trump said before departing that he was 'looking forward' to speaking to special counsel Robert Mueller
* President is expected to push his America First agenda among the 'globalists' he bashed during the election

President Donald Trump landed Thursday in Switzerland, where his outsized personality and determination to push an 'America First' agenda is already upending the annual Davos conference.

To an extent, the annual confab of billionaires and CEOs was already centering around Trump even before Air Force One touched down in Zurich, then flew aboard Marine One to Davos in the Swiss Alps.

Trump waved to a bank of cameras when he arrived, before being immediately whisked away to the annual gathering of heads of state and business leaders where he will have a one-on-one meeting with Theresa May.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel took on isolationism and protectionism in her remarks here Wednesday, while French President Emmanuel Macron took a dig at Trump over global warming.

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More News On President Trump Arriving At Davos

Trump meets with May in Switzerland at economic summit -- AP
Trump takes his America First policies to Davos globalists -- Reuters
Trump the populist descends on globalist Davos -- CBC
Trump promotes 'America First' agenda to 'World First' elite gathered in posh Swiss resort -- USA TODAY
In Davos, Trump looks to sell 'America First' to global elite -- NBC
Trump arrives in Davos, set to promote his 'America First' policy -- Fox News
Will Donald Trump Be Delivering Davos Speech To An Empty Room? Attendees Plan To Walk Out Of Address -- Newsweek
White House press secretary makes Trump's helicopter the star of Davos by sending out Alpine action shots and images of picturesque lakes -- Daily Mail

Who's Going To Davos

Zero Hedge: Who's Going To Davos

This year’s edition of the World Economic Forum begins on Tuesday in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos.

According to the organizers, some 3,000 visitors will attend this year's meeting.

As our infographic shows most of them come from the United States.

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WNU Editor: The World Economic Forum begins on Tuesday, and if President Trump does show up, he will steal the show.

According To The World Economic Forum In Davos These Are The Biggest Risks Facing The World In 2018

Daily Mail: Fears of an attack with weapons of mass destruction tops list of the world's greatest concerns for 2018, global risk survey finds

* Survey finds weapons of mass destruction tops list of this year's global worries
* There are also fears over extreme weather, cyber attacks and infectious disease
* The 2018 Global Risks survey has been released by the World Economic Forum
* Forum is holding its annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland, from January 23

Fears of an attack with weapons of mass destruction tops a list of the world's greatest concerns for 2018, a global risks survey has revealed.

There has also been a rise in 'charismatic strongman politics' across the world amid a continued threat of conflict on the Korean peninsula and the Middle East, a study found.

The risk of political and economic confrontations between major powers, including outright military conflicts, has also risen sharply, according to the survey released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) days before its annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland.

The Global Risks Report highlighted the top ten risks in terms of their potential impact, with weapons of mass destruction heading the list.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Global Risks Report is here.

More News On The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report

World entering 'critical period of intensified risks' in 2018, WEF says -- CNBC
Nuclear war, extreme weather top list of 2018 threats in global survey -- USA TODAY
WEF 2018: Weapons of mass destruction and climate change top list of global worries -- The National
Conflict among world powers a growing concern, experts say -- Washington Post
Davos paper attacks Trump's views on trade -- Reuters
The Global Risk Report: rating the dangerous... -- DW

Trump Is On Everyone's Mind At Davos

Politico: Trump fear and loathing in Davos

The ‘globalists’ gathered in the Swiss Alps don’t know whether to cry, panic or laugh about the incoming American president.

DAVOS, Switzerland — At a closed-door session at the World Economic Forum, one of the panelists asked the self-styled global elite in the audience a question: How many of you think Donald Trump won’t even finish one term in the White House?

About half the hands shot up. “There’s a lot of wishful thinking about Trump here,” deadpanned Moisés Naím, the former editor of Foreign Policy magazine, who posed the question.

Neither Trump — nor, aside from a brief appearance by Anthony Scaramucci, any of his advisers — is mixing it up with the liberal cosmopolitan crowd at Davos this year. But, even with an agenda packed with Brexit and Syria and migration crises and big elections coming in Europe this year, the new American president is sucking up most of the thin Alpine air.

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WNU Editor: Not everyone is feeling gloomy at Davos .... Oil and Trump: Russians full of optimism in Davos (Reuters).

Chinese President Xi Jinping Defends Globalization In His First-Ever Speech At The World Economic Forum At Davos

Reuters: In Davos, Xi makes case for Chinese leadership role

Chinese President Xi Jinping offered a vigorous defense of free trade at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday in a speech that underscored Beijing's desire to play a greater global role as the United States turns inward.

In the first appearance by a Chinese leader at the annual meeting of political leaders, CEOs and bankers in the Swiss Alps, Xi also cautioned other countries against blindly pursuing their national interests, in an apparent reference to the "America first" policies of Donald Trump.

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WNU Editor: If you have an hour to spare .... his speech at Davos is below.

More News On Chinese President Xi Jinping's Davos Speech

Xi addresses Davos forum for first time to advance global growth, governance -- Xinhuanet
As US looks inward, China seeks a lead role on world stage -- AP
China's Xi Jingping Defends Globalization at Davos -- US News and World Report
China’s Xi Jinping Seizes Role as Leader on Globalization -- WSJ
China’s Xi Lectures Trump on Globalization and Climate Change -- NBC
China's Xi Jinping Defends Globalization In First-Ever Speech At World Economic Forum -- NPR
Davos: China's Xi invokes Gettysburg Address in defense of free trade -- USA Today
Xi vs. Trump: Chinese leader praises globalization, warns of trade wars at tony Davos summit -- Washington Times
Chinese president defends globalization, free trade -- The Hill
China’s President Supports Free Trade at World Economic Meeting -- VOA
World leaders find hope for globalization in Davos amid populist revolt -- Max Ehrenfreund, Washington Post

Update: President Xi's full speech is below.

China Wants To Promote It's Version Of The 'New World Order'

China's President Xi Jinping looks on before meeting with former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (not pictured) at the Great Halll of the People in Beijing, China December 2, 2016. REUTERS/Nicolas Asouri

Reuters: China's Xi to promote globalization at Davos, not 'war and poverty'

China's President Xi Jinping will promote "inclusive globalization" at this month's World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos and will warn that populist approaches can lead to "war and poverty", Chinese officials said on Wednesday.

This year's forum, from Jan. 17-20, is expected to be dominated by discussion of a surge in public hostility toward globalization and the rise of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, whose tough talk on trade, including promises of tariffs against China and Mexico, helped win him the White House. Trump will be sworn in on Jan. 20.

Xi is the first Chinese president to ever attend the WEF's annual forum in Davos, which brings together top-level political and business leaders.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: For Chinese President Xi to succeed in promoting this approach .... China will need to open its markets, eliminate its protectionist policies, stop being a currency manipulator, establish a legal system that respects contract law, and remove many of the measures that limits foreign investment into the country. My prediction .... China will make a public commitment to do it (and probably at the Davos summit) .... but if history is any indication .... the Chinese are notoriously slow in implementing such measures .... and that is if they do it.

The World Economic Forum Releases Its Top Global Risks For 2017

CNBC: Top five global risks for 2017: WEF

The World Economic Forum's (WEF) flagship annual report surveyed 750 experts to identify the most significant global concerns. Here are the top five:

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Update: Zero Hedge has a good summary .... These Are The Top Global Risks For 2017 According To The World Economic Forum (Zero Hedge).

WNU Editor: The World Economic Forum's report is here.

World Economic Forum Chairman: Refugee Crisis Could Be Precursor to Something Much Bigger

Klaus Schwab Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg

Bloomberg: Davos Boss Warns Refugee Crisis Could Be Precursor to Something Much Bigger

* Growing economic woe could set millions on the road to Europe
* We must “restablish a sense that we all are in the same boat”

As the crash in commodities prices spreads economic woe across the developing world, Europe could face a wave of migration that will eclipse today’s refugee crisis, says Klaus Schwab, executive chairman of the World Economic Forum.

“Look how many countries in Africa, for example, depend on the income from oil exports,” Schwab said in an interview ahead of the WEF’s 46th annual meeting, in the Swiss resort of Davos. “Now imagine 1 billion inhabitants, imagine they all move north.”

Whereas much of the discussion about commodities has focused on the economic and market impact, Schwab said he’s concerned that it will also spur “a substantial social breakdown.”

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WNU Editor: It is refreshing to hear someone like Klaus Schwab say the same thing that this blog has been saying for the past year .... deteriorating economic conditions have resulted in the biggest migration of people since the Second World War, and this human cost is only increasing exponentially. An increase that .... as I have said more than once .... we in the West are completely unprepared for.

North Korea Not Welcomed At Davos

Financial Times: North Korea no longer invited to Davos

An invitation for a North Korean delegation, led by the communist state’s foreign minister, to attend the World Economic Form in Davos has been revoked after the country earlier this month announced that it had detonated a mini hydrogen bomb.

It may come as a surprise to some that North Korea had been invited to attend the annual gathering in the Swiss ski resort in the first place, writes Nathalie Thomas.

Read more ....

More News On North Korea Being Dis-invited From The World Economic Forum At Davos

World Economic Forum Revokes Invite to North Korea for Davos -- NYT/AP
In fast U-turn, Davos forum cancels invitation to N.Korea -- Reuters
Davos forum uninvites North Korea after nuclear test -- AFP
North Korea Uninvited to Davos Economic Forum After Nuclear Test -- Bloomberg
North Korea mission in Geneva confirms invitation for Davos forum revoked -- TASS
World Economic Forum Revokes Davos Invitation To North Korea After Nuclear Test -- IBTimes

5,000 Swiss Army Troops Will Be Mobilized To Protect The World's Top 1% At Davos

Zero Hedge: 5,000 Swiss Army Troops Will Protect World's Billionaires During Annual Davos Boondoggle

With a new wave of terrorism, mass shootings and unprecedented social violence around the globe now a part of the daily routine for billions of people across both developed and developing nations, one group wants to be certain there is no chance of "close encounters", violent or otherwise, with the peasantry during its upcoming annual boondoggle at the World Economic Forum in Davos. According to Swissinfo, when the world's billionaires land their private jets in the gorgeous Swiss town (which at 1,560 m is also the highest town in Europe) on January 20, they will have up to 5,000 Swiss army troops protecting them.

WNU Editor: 5,000 soldiers in that town .... wow .... security is going to be everywhere. The World Economic Forum website and their theme for this year is here.

A Small Peak At How The World's Elite Rule Over Us

Alpha-Status in Davos for Billionaire Means AA Car Access -- Bloomberg

Billionaire Rahul Bajaj is obsessed with his Davos car pass.

The 74-year-old chairman of Pune, India-based Bajaj Auto Ltd. (BJAUT), the nation’s second-largest motorcycle company and maker of the country’s popular three-wheeled auto rickshaw, has come to the Swiss Alpine resort town to attend the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting every year since 1979. The sticker is one of the perks of being a veteran -- and a friend of the conference’s founder, Klaus Schwab.

“There are three kinds of people who get cars in Davos,” he said while riding in a brown Audi A8 to the forum’s Congress Centre from the Centralsport Hotel a half mile away. “The first are prime ministers and political leaders. The second are double-As, who can get into the private entrance. The third can drive around, but don’t have access to much. I’m a double-A.”

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My Comment: It must be good to be on top.

World Economic Forum Begins In Davos

Inflation, Food Prices Top Davos Agendas -- Wall Street Journal

DAVOS, Switzerland—With the risks of a double-dip recession apparently receding in most parts of the world, another economic challenge is emerging: inflation.

Rising prices for food, energy and other commodities are reducing the disposable incomes of poor people across the planet, providing a trigger for street protests in North Africa and posing a deep conundrum for policy makers world-wide.

Read more ....

More News On The World Economic Forum At Davos

Medvedev uses Davos meet as defiant show against terror -- Yahoo News/AFP
Dmitri Medvedev’s Davos Keynote: Complete Transcript -- Forbes

Davos consensus: we're out of the woods, but... -- AP
Cautious CEOs counting on BRICs for growth -- Reuters
Davos 2011: Global economy in recovery mode -- BBC
Emerging economies, new norms dominate Davos forum -- Xinhuanet
China's economic micromanaging unsustainable: Belgian minister -- Reuters
Trade unions team up with Davos leaders on job creation strategy -- The Guardian
Wall Street Partying in Davos as Crisis Angst Fades -- Bloomberg
Davos ‘One Crazy, Exciting Circus’ -- New York Times
Global Development crashes the Davos party -- Reuters
Davos: Soros Speaks -- Yahoo Finance
Davos Summit Brings Together Big Leaders, Big Ideas, Big Expense Accounts -- NPR
The high Davos pricetag -- Elizabeth Dickinson, Foreign Policy
Davos Woman -- Joshua Keating, Foreign Policy
Davos: The Global Village and the Local Community -- Eboo Patel, Washington Post
The Davos barometer: Risks ahead -- Erwann Michel-Kerjan, Washington Post
Will Davos heed the warning signs? -- Larry Elliott, The Guardian

Davos Roundup: The Anti-Davos Edition -- Wall Street Journal
Davos Diary: Day One -- Nancy F. Koehn, Huffington Post
Davos 2011: Day 1 as it happened -- BBC
Day One: Davos -- FOX News

What`s On The Agenda At Davos During The World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum in Davos: A Changed Global Reality -- Time Magazine

Say this for the young century: we live in interesting times. Not quite 2 1⁄2 years ago, the world economy tipped into the most severe downturn since the Great Depression in the 1930s. World trade slowed sharply. Unemployment lines grew longer, especially in the old industrial economies. Financial institutions that had seemed as solid as granite disappeared as if they were no more substantial than a bunch of flowers in the hands of an old-style magician.

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More News On The World Economic Forum In Davos

At Davos, a litany of problems awaits leaders -- AP
DAVOS-Alarming array of risks faces leaders in Davos -- Reuters
At Davos, a litany of problems awaits leaders -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Davos 2011: adjusting to the world's new power balance -- BBC
Top bankers return to Davos -- Financial Times
What’s on the agenda at Davos? -- Financial Times
Davos Forecast: Crowded With a Chance of Optimism -- Wall Street Journal
Davos 2011: Who needs a World Economic Forum? -- BBC
Davos WEF 2011: Does all that talk make a difference? -- The Telegraph
A Hefty Price for Entry to Davos -- Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times

Davos Economic Forum In Switzerland Would Be Happy To Have Wikileaks Founder Assange As A Guest

Davos Economic Forum Wants Assange As Guest -- Montreal Gazette/AFP

The head of the Davos economic forum said yesterday he would have liked WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to attend next month's summit of world political and business elites in the Swiss ski resort.

"I should invite him," Klaus Schwab, head of the World Economic Forum, told Sunday newspaper SonntagsZeitung. "But it is not possible as he is not allowed to leave Britain."

Assange spent yesterday, his third full day under "mansion arrest," at a supporter's house in Britain while he fights extradition to Sweden to face questioning in connection of allegations of sexual assault.

"I will wait until Swedish justice clears him," Schwab said.

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My Comment: If he was able to show up, I am sure that if his presentation will be to an audience in which standing room only will be available.