The International Monetary Fund trimmed its global growth forecasts on Monday and a survey showed increasing pessimism among business chiefs as trade tensions and uncertainty loomed over the world's biggest annual gathering of the rich and powerful.

The gloomy IMF forecasts, released on the eve of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, highlighted the challenges facing policymakers as they tackle an array of actual or potential crises, from the US-China trade war to Brexit.

"After two years of solid expansion, the world economy is growing more slowly than expected and risks are rising," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told reporters.

"Does that mean a global recession is around the corner? No. But the risk of a sharper decline in global growth has certainly increased," she said, urging policymakers to brace for a "serious slowdown."

In its World Economic Outlook report released on Monday, the IMF predicted the global economy will grow at 3.5 per cent in 2019 and 3.6 per cent in 2020, down 0.2 and 0.1 percentage point respectively from last October's forecasts.

"There are so many variables and so much uncertainty globally, from the trade tension to geopolitical changes, so a lot of market activity and market sentiment are out of our control," Laura Cha, chair of the Hong Kong stock exchange, told Reuters Television.

The IMF downgrades mainly reflected signs of weakness in Europe, with its export powerhouse Germany hurt by new fuel emission standards for cars and with Italy under market pressure due to Rome's recent budget standoff with the European Union.

The global lender also cited a bigger-than-expected slowdown in China's economy and a possible "No Deal" Brexit as risks to its outlook, saying these could worsen market turbulence.

A survey by auditing and accounting giant <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/global-business-leaders-predict-fall-in-world-economic-growth-bet-heavy-on-artificial-intelligence-report-191914">PwC of nearly 1,400 chief executives</a> found that 29 per cent believe global economic growth will decline over the next 12 months, the highest percentage since 2012.

While the most pronounced shift was among business leaders in the United States, the share of CEOs who expected growth to slow increased significantly across every region, it showed.

"It's quite a reversal from last year and the gloomier mood cuts across just about everywhere in the world," said Bob Moritz, global chairman at PwC.

"With the rise of trade tension and protectionism, it stands to reason that confidence is waning."

Tim Ryan, US Chairman at PwC, told Reuters: “We were a little bit spoiled by the environment the past six to eight years after the financial crisis," describing an uncertain economy as the new normal.

"People are getting used to the volatility."

CHINA GLOOM WIDENS

Fears of a global slowdown have jolted markets and forced the US Federal Reserve Bank to signal a pause in its interest rate hike cycle, as investors fret about increasing weak signs in China and the fallout from Sino-US trade frictions.

Data released on Monday showed China's economy cooled in the fourth quarter on faltering domestic demand and bruising US tariffs, dragging 2018 growth to the lowest in nearly three decades.

"Sometimes we spook ourselves, so it remains to be seen how slow is slow, how bad is bad, let's see how the first quarter looks," said Cha.

Analysts polled by Reuters also saw a higher chance Japan will slide into a recession, keeping the country's central bank under pressure to maintain its massive stimulus.

The IMF cut its growth projections for the eurozone and developing countries while maintaining its forecast for a 2.5 per cent expansion in the United States this year.

It also kept its China growth forecast at 6.2 per cent in both 2019 and 2020 but said economic activity could miss expectations if trade tensions persist, even with state efforts to spur growth by boosting fiscal spending and bank lending.

"As seen in 2015–16, concerns about the health of China's economy can trigger abrupt, wide-reaching sell-offs in financial and commodity markets that place its trading partners, commodity exporters, and other emerging markets under pressure," it said.

Britain is expected to achieve 1.5 per cent growth this year though there is uncertainty over the projection, which is based on the assumption of an orderly exit from the EU, it said.

The International Monetary Fund trimmed its global growth forecasts on Monday and a survey showed increasing pessimism among business chiefs as trade tensions and uncertainty loomed over the world's biggest annual gathering of the rich and powerful.

The International Monetary Fund trimmed its global growth forecasts on Monday and a survey showed increasing pessimism among business chiefs as trade tensions and uncertainty loomed over the world's biggest annual gathering of the rich and powerful. The gloomy IMF forecasts, released on the eve of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, highlighted the challenges facing policymakers as they tackle an array of actual or potential crises, from the US-China trade war to Brexit. "After two years of solid expansion, the world economy is growing more slowly than expected and risks are rising," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told reporters. "Does that mean a global recession is around the corner? No. But the risk of a sharper decline in global growth has certainly increased," she said, urging policymakers to brace for a "serious slowdown." In its World Economic Outlook report released on Monday, the IMF predicted the global economy will grow at 3.5 per cent in 2019 and 3.6 per cent in 2020, down 0.2 and 0.1 percentage point respectively from last October's forecasts. "There are so many variables and so much uncertainty globally, from the trade tension to geopolitical changes, so a lot of market activity and market sentiment are out of our control," Laura Cha, chair of the Hong Kong stock exchange, told Reuters Television. The IMF downgrades mainly reflected signs of weakness in Europe, with its export powerhouse Germany hurt by new fuel emission standards for cars and with Italy under market pressure due to Rome's recent budget standoff with the European Union. The global lender also cited a bigger-than-expected slowdown in China's economy and a possible "No Deal" Brexit as risks to its outlook, saying these could worsen market turbulence. A survey by auditing and accounting giant PwC of nearly 1,400 chief executives found that 29 per cent believe global economic growth will decline over the next 12 months, the highest percentage since 2012. While the most pronounced shift was among business leaders in the United States, the share of CEOs who expected growth to slow increased significantly across every region, it showed. "It's quite a reversal from last year and the gloomier mood cuts across just about everywhere in the world," said Bob Moritz, global chairman at PwC. "With the rise of trade tension and protectionism, it stands to reason that confidence is waning." Tim Ryan, US Chairman at PwC, told Reuters: “We were a little bit spoiled by the environment the past six to eight years after the financial crisis," describing an uncertain economy as the new normal. "People are getting used to the volatility." CHINA GLOOM WIDENS Fears of a global slowdown have jolted markets and forced the US Federal Reserve Bank to signal a pause in its interest rate hike cycle, as investors fret about increasing weak signs in China and the fallout from Sino-US trade frictions. Data released on Monday showed China's economy cooled in the fourth quarter on faltering domestic demand and bruising US tariffs, dragging 2018 growth to the lowest in nearly three decades. "Sometimes we spook ourselves, so it remains to be seen how slow is slow, how bad is bad, let's see how the first quarter looks," said Cha. Analysts polled by Reuters also saw a higher chance Japan will slide into a recession, keeping the country's central bank under pressure to maintain its massive stimulus. The IMF cut its growth projections for the eurozone and developing countries while maintaining its forecast for a 2.5 per cent expansion in the United States this year. It also kept its China growth forecast at 6.2 per cent in both 2019 and 2020 but said economic activity could miss expectations if trade tensions persist, even with state efforts to spur growth by boosting fiscal spending and bank lending. "As seen in 2015–16, concerns about the health of China's economy can trigger abrupt, wide-reaching sell-offs in financial and commodity markets that place its trading partners, commodity exporters, and other emerging markets under pressure," it said. Britain is expected to achieve 1.5 per cent growth this year though there is uncertainty over the projection, which is based on the assumption of an orderly exit from the EU, it said.

IMF chief rules out imminent global recession, anticipates sharper decline in global growth

IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath on Monday flagged weakening global growth at a rate higher than expected and said emerging economies are also facing risks triggered by capital flows due to US actions and currency depreciation.

While global growth in 2018 remained close to post-crisis highs, the global expansion is weakening and at a rate that is somewhat faster than expected, Gopinath said here while announcing the latest update to the IMF's World Economic Outlook.

IMF has projected global growth at 3.5 per cent in 2019 and 3.6 per cent in 2020, 0.2 and 0.1 percentage point below its October projections. 
Notwithstanding the modest downward revisions, Gopinath said risks to more significant downward corrections are rising.

While financial markets in advanced economies appeared to be decoupled from trade tensions for much of 2018, the two have become intertwined more recently, tightening financial conditions and escalating the risks to global growth, she added.

The US expansion continues, but the forecast remains for a deceleration with the unwinding of fiscal stimulus.

Economic activity in emerging and developing economies is also projected to tick down to 4.5 per cent in 2019, with a rebound to 4.9 per cent in 2020.

The outlook for emerging markets and developing economies reflects the continued headwinds from weaker capital flows following higher US policy rates and exchange rate depreciation, even though they have become less extreme, she said.

Across emerging economies, some of the pickups in inflation reversed towards the end of 2018, she added.

An escalation of trade tensions and a worsening of financial conditions are key sources of risk to the outlook. Higher trade uncertainty will further dampen investment and disrupt global supply chains, Gopinath added.

A more serious tightening of financial conditions is particularly costly given the high levels of private and public sector debt in countries, IMF's first woman chief economist said with Managing Director Christine Lagarde sitting by her side.

China's growth slowdown could be faster than expected, especially if trade tensions continue, and this can trigger abrupt sell-offs in financial and commodity markets as was the case in 2015-16, Gopinath said.

In Europe, the Brexit cliffhanger continues, and the costly spillovers between sovereign and financial risk in Italy remain a threat. In the US, a protracted US federal government shutdown poses downside risks.

IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath on Monday flagged weakening global growth at a rate higher than expected and said emerging economies are also facing risks triggered by capital flows due to US actions and currency depreciation.

IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath on Monday flagged weakening global growth at a rate higher than expected and said emerging economies are also facing risks triggered by capital flows due to US actions and currency depreciation. While global growth in 2018 remained close to post-crisis highs, the global expansion is weakening and at a rate that is somewhat faster than expected, Gopinath said here while announcing the latest update to the IMF's World Economic Outlook. IMF has projected global growth at 3.5 per cent in 2019 and 3.6 per cent in 2020, 0.2 and 0.1 percentage point below its October projections. Notwithstanding the modest downward revisions, Gopinath said risks to more significant downward corrections are rising. While financial markets in advanced economies appeared to be decoupled from trade tensions for much of 2018, the two have become intertwined more recently, tightening financial conditions and escalating the risks to global growth, she added. The US expansion continues, but the forecast remains for a deceleration with the unwinding of fiscal stimulus. Economic activity in emerging and developing economies is also projected to tick down to 4.5 per cent in 2019, with a rebound to 4.9 per cent in 2020. The outlook for emerging markets and developing economies reflects the continued headwinds from weaker capital flows following higher US policy rates and exchange rate depreciation, even though they have become less extreme, she said. Across emerging economies, some of the pickups in inflation reversed towards the end of 2018, she added. An escalation of trade tensions and a worsening of financial conditions are key sources of risk to the outlook. Higher trade uncertainty will further dampen investment and disrupt global supply chains, Gopinath added. A more serious tightening of financial conditions is particularly costly given the high levels of private and public sector debt in countries, IMF's first woman chief economist said with Managing Director Christine Lagarde sitting by her side. China's growth slowdown could be faster than expected, especially if trade tensions continue, and this can trigger abrupt sell-offs in financial and commodity markets as was the case in 2015-16, Gopinath said. In Europe, the Brexit cliffhanger continues, and the costly spillovers between sovereign and financial risk in Italy remain a threat. In the US, a protracted US federal government shutdown poses downside risks.

Emerging economies facing headwinds from weaker capital flows, currency dips: IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath

WION Dispatch, 21st January, 2019

Dispatch: Davos braces for World Economic Forum 2019

Global rich-poor gap is widening, fuelling anger: Reports

Klaus Schwab, who founded <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indian-economy-doing-well-but-one-cant-be-complacent-world-economic-forum-president-to-wion-171077">the World Economic Forum (WEF)</a>, has said his childhood during World War II inspired him to build an organisation that would make the world a better place.

His foundation, which hosts many of the world's most powerful, famous and wealthy people at its annual meeting in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, has clearly made an impact.

But questions have grown about whether the organisation is meeting its declared goal of "improving the state of the world", with resentment rising against the pro-business Davos agenda, and voters turning instead to populist leaders.

One persistent criticism is that WEF meetings, including this week's main annual gathering in Davos, have simply created a safe space for the corporate world to lobby governments without oversight.

Schwab was not available for an interview with AFP but the WEF's managing director, Adrian Monck, said in an email that the organisation "subscribes to the highest standards of governance".

Schwab, born in Ravensburg, Germany, in 1938, was a little-known business professor at the University of Geneva when in 1971 he founded the WEF's precursor, the European Management Forum.

He later broadened the conclave by inviting US business leaders, assembling a prestigious Rolodex as he turned the gathering into a showcase for networking and exchange of ideas.

In a 2018 book, two Stockholm University professors chronicled the WEF's evolution, as over time politicians joined the business executives in Davos to give the forum the air of a United Nations, with a few celebrities thrown in.

"Against the backdrop of what is perceived to be malfunctioning global governance institutions and stalled international policymaking, the WEF presents itself as offering an alternative," Christina Garsten and Adrienne Sorbom write in "Discreet Power: How the World Economic Forum Shapes Market Agendas".

Over the years, success has bred success for the WEF as many of the world's movers and shakers vie to rub shoulders in the Swiss Alps at panel discussions and apres-ski socialising. Newer regional meetings have joined the Davos calendar.

The WEF's "fragile authority" relies on proving "that if you want to be part of the global nobility, then you have to be here," Sorbom told AFP.

She said the organisation appears to offer something lacking in other international bodies: a venue where the heads of business and government can meet "and possibly come up with some good ideas". But it has "troublesome aspects", she added.

With dozens of heads of state and government coming to Davos each year, the WEF can be seen as a body "without a legal mandate to influence global governance yet with an ambition to do so", Garsten and Sorbom write.

Oliver Classen of the Swiss NGO Public Eye, which has spearheaded protests and other campaigns to counter the Davos meeting, said the WEF has always been "fully dependent" on the 1,000 companies that support the foundation.

Membership to the Forum ranges from the equivalent of $ 60,000 (53,000 euros) to $ 600,000, fees that allow company representatives to attend Davos and other meetings throughout the year.

"Schwab seems to have a firm belief that making people talk to each other is an objective that justifies pretty much everything," Classen said. "What he does not realise is that... When the large majority of those people have commercial interests then it is about deal-striking and nothing else."&nbsp;

Monck, however, said that for the WEF, "multi-stakeholder engagement... Means respecting the opinions and interests of others".

The Davos meeting reportedly faced an existential threat in the early 2000s after sustained protests stretched the patience of the local community. In response, Schwab opened the meeting to more civil society groups while widening media access to an event that had previously been mostly held behind closed doors.

That move was not "voluntary", said Christian Dorer, the editor-in-chief of Swiss media group Blick, who recently had rare access to Schwab for a profile.

Schwab "realised he had to, otherwise the Forum would be dead," Dorer told AFP, also saying that the WEF founder had changed over the years.

"He was really only attached to the business world, and now he is much more open." Sorbom said her research showed an organisation that tolerated some dissent, up to a point.

"You can voice criticism, but if you are too critical, then you are out, unless you are Bono," she said.

Monck told AFP that if the principle of multi-stakeholder engagement is "not one you can sign up to, then the Forum is not the best platform for your engagement".&nbsp;

One persistent criticism is that WEF meetings, including this week's main annual gathering in Davos, have simply created a safe space for the corporate world to lobby governments without oversight.

Klaus Schwab, who founded the World Economic Forum (WEF), has said his childhood during World War II inspired him to build an organisation that would make the world a better place. His foundation, which hosts many of the world's most powerful, famous and wealthy people at its annual meeting in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, has clearly made an impact. But questions have grown about whether the organisation is meeting its declared goal of "improving the state of the world", with resentment rising against the pro-business Davos agenda, and voters turning instead to populist leaders. One persistent criticism is that WEF meetings, including this week's main annual gathering in Davos, have simply created a safe space for the corporate world to lobby governments without oversight. Schwab was not available for an interview with AFP but the WEF's managing director, Adrian Monck, said in an email that the organisation "subscribes to the highest standards of governance". Schwab, born in Ravensburg, Germany, in 1938, was a little-known business professor at the University of Geneva when in 1971 he founded the WEF's precursor, the European Management Forum. He later broadened the conclave by inviting US business leaders, assembling a prestigious Rolodex as he turned the gathering into a showcase for networking and exchange of ideas. In a 2018 book, two Stockholm University professors chronicled the WEF's evolution, as over time politicians joined the business executives in Davos to give the forum the air of a United Nations, with a few celebrities thrown in. "Against the backdrop of what is perceived to be malfunctioning global governance institutions and stalled international policymaking, the WEF presents itself as offering an alternative," Christina Garsten and Adrienne Sorbom write in "Discreet Power: How the World Economic Forum Shapes Market Agendas". Over the years, success has bred success for the WEF as many of the world's movers and shakers vie to rub shoulders in the Swiss Alps at panel discussions and apres-ski socialising. Newer regional meetings have joined the Davos calendar. The WEF's "fragile authority" relies on proving "that if you want to be part of the global nobility, then you have to be here," Sorbom told AFP. She said the organisation appears to offer something lacking in other international bodies: a venue where the heads of business and government can meet "and possibly come up with some good ideas". But it has "troublesome aspects", she added. With dozens of heads of state and government coming to Davos each year, the WEF can be seen as a body "without a legal mandate to influence global governance yet with an ambition to do so", Garsten and Sorbom write. Oliver Classen of the Swiss NGO Public Eye, which has spearheaded protests and other campaigns to counter the Davos meeting, said the WEF has always been "fully dependent" on the 1,000 companies that support the foundation. Membership to the Forum ranges from the equivalent of $ 60,000 (53,000 euros) to $ 600,000, fees that allow company representatives to attend Davos and other meetings throughout the year. "Schwab seems to have a firm belief that making people talk to each other is an objective that justifies pretty much everything," Classen said. "What he does not realise is that... When the large majority of those people have commercial interests then it is about deal-striking and nothing else." Monck, however, said that for the WEF, "multi-stakeholder engagement... Means respecting the opinions and interests of others". The Davos meeting reportedly faced an existential threat in the early 2000s after sustained protests stretched the patience of the local community. In response, Schwab opened the meeting to more civil society groups while widening media access to an event that had previously been mostly held behind closed doors. That move was not "voluntary", said Christian Dorer, the editor-in-chief of Swiss media group Blick, who recently had rare access to Schwab for a profile. Schwab "realised he had to, otherwise the Forum would be dead," Dorer told AFP, also saying that the WEF founder had changed over the years. "He was really only attached to the business world, and now he is much more open." Sorbom said her research showed an organisation that tolerated some dissent, up to a point. "You can voice criticism, but if you are too critical, then you are out, unless you are Bono," she said. Monck told AFP that if the principle of multi-stakeholder engagement is "not one you can sign up to, then the Forum is not the best platform for your engagement".

Has Davos made the world better?

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mahagathbandhan-is-not-against-me-but-people-of-india-pm-modi-in-gujarat-191429">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> on Saturday said films and society are a reflection of each other and like cinema, India too is changing with times.&nbsp;

The prime minister was speaking at the inauguration of the National Museum of Indian Cinema here.

"The country is changing and finding its own solutions. If there are a million problems, there are also a billion solutions," the PM said.&nbsp;

"Films have an important role in India's soft power," Modi said while narrating how he was struck by the popularity of Indian films overseas when he met and interacted with the leaders of foreign countries.

He assured the film industry that effective steps are being taken to curb piracy and "camcording".

"A single-window system for obtaining permissions for film shoots and related matters are on the anvil," he said.

Like the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, there could be a global film summit in India, the prime minister suggested.

"Films also play a big role in the growth of the tourism sector, which gives employment to even the poorest people, even 'chaiwala' makes money when tourism grows," he said.

The prime minister was speaking at the inauguration of the National Museum of Indian Cinema here.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said films and society are a reflection of each other and like cinema, India too is changing with times. The prime minister was speaking at the inauguration of the National Museum of Indian Cinema here. "The country is changing and finding its own solutions. If there are a million problems, there are also a billion solutions," the PM said. "Films have an important role in India's soft power," Modi said while narrating how he was struck by the popularity of Indian films overseas when he met and interacted with the leaders of foreign countries. He assured the film industry that effective steps are being taken to curb piracy and "camcording". "A single-window system for obtaining permissions for film shoots and related matters are on the anvil," he said. Like the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, there could be a global film summit in India, the prime minister suggested. "Films also play a big role in the growth of the tourism sector, which gives employment to even the poorest people, even 'chaiwala' makes money when tourism grows," he said.

For million problems in India, there are billion solutions: PM Modi

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-discussed-missile-defence-cooperation-with-india-pentagons-missile-defence-review-2019-191084">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-discussed-missile-defence-cooperation-with-india-pentagons-missile-defence-review-2019-191084"> discussed missile defence cooperation with India: Pentagon's missile defence review 2019</a>

Pentagon's missile defence review (MDR) 2019 has said the United States has discussed "potential missile defence cooperation" with India. The MDR 2019 said the discussion is part of "natural outgrowth" of India’s status as a major defence partner and "a key element of our Indo-Pacific Strategy."

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-cancels-us-delegations-trip-to-davos-amid-shutdown-191091">Trump cancels US delegation's trip to Davos amid shutdown</a>

President Donald Trump on Thursday cancelled the&nbsp;US delegation's trip to the annual&nbsp;international conference at Davos, saying the officials were needed in Washington to tackle the shutdown of the federal government.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ministry-of-home-affairs-to-get-satellite-from-isro-to-strengthen-border-security-191102">Ministry of Home Affairs to get satellite from ISRO to strengthen border security</a>

A satellite for exclusive use by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will be launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)The satellite will be used for the purpose of utilising space resources for security, operational planning and border infrastructure development.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/food-surpluses-have-led-to-dip-in-farmers-income-jaitley-191111">Food surpluses have led to </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/food-surpluses-have-led-to-dip-in-farmers-income-jaitley-191111">dip</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/food-surpluses-have-led-to-dip-in-farmers-income-jaitley-191111"> in farmers' income: Arun Jaitley</a>

Amid speculation that the BJP-led central government may introduce an income support scheme, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday said food surpluses have caused both food prices and farmers' income to plunge, posing a policy challenge.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uks-prince-philip-97-escapes-unhurt-from-car-crash-191090">UK's Prince Philip escapes unhurt in car crash</a>

Queen Elizabeth's 97-year-old husband&nbsp;Prince&nbsp;Philip escaped uninjured from a car crash while driving on Thursday near the Sandringham estate in eastern England.

&nbsp;

US discussed missile defence cooperation with India: Pentagon's missile defence review 2019 Pentagon's missile defence review (MDR) 2019 has said the United States has discussed "potential missile defence cooperation" with India.

US discussed missile defence cooperation with India: Pentagon's missile defence review 2019 Pentagon's missile defence review (MDR) 2019 has said the United States has discussed "potential missile defence cooperation" with India. The MDR 2019 said the discussion is part of "natural outgrowth" of India’s status as a major defence partner and "a key element of our Indo-Pacific Strategy." Trump cancels US delegation's trip to Davos amid shutdown President Donald Trump on Thursday cancelled the US delegation's trip to the annual international conference at Davos, saying the officials were needed in Washington to tackle the shutdown of the federal government. Ministry of Home Affairs to get satellite from ISRO to strengthen border security A satellite for exclusive use by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will be launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)The satellite will be used for the purpose of utilising space resources for security, operational planning and border infrastructure development. Food surpluses have led to dip in farmers' income: Arun Jaitley Amid speculation that the BJP-led central government may introduce an income support scheme, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday said food surpluses have caused both food prices and farmers' income to plunge, posing a policy challenge. UK's Prince Philip escapes unhurt in car crash Queen Elizabeth's 97-year-old husband Prince Philip escaped uninjured from a car crash while driving on Thursday near the Sandringham estate in eastern England.

News brief: Big stories of the day

British Prime Minister Theresa May will miss next week's annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos to focus on Brexit negotiations, sending ministers in her place, Downing Street said on Thursday.

"She will not be going to Davos. She will be focused on matters here," May's spokeswoman said, adding that "there will be government ministers attending".

Downing Street noted May's absence at the yearly gathering of world and industry leaders in the Swiss Alps resort was not unprecedented for a British premier.

Former prime minister David Cameron also missed the 2013 and 2015 events, the spokeswoman said.

The prime minister is scrambling to put together a new Brexit strategy after lawmakers on Tuesday sparked political turmoil by rejecting her draft withdrawal agreement with the EU.

Britain is scheduled to leave the bloc after 46 years on March 29.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will miss next week's annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos to focus on Brexit negotiations, sending ministers in her place, Downing Street said on Thursday.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will miss next week's annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos to focus on Brexit negotiations, sending ministers in her place, Downing Street said on Thursday. "She will not be going to Davos. She will be focused on matters here," May's spokeswoman said, adding that "there will be government ministers attending". Downing Street noted May's absence at the yearly gathering of world and industry leaders in the Swiss Alps resort was not unprecedented for a British premier. Former prime minister David Cameron also missed the 2013 and 2015 events, the spokeswoman said. The prime minister is scrambling to put together a new Brexit strategy after lawmakers on Tuesday sparked political turmoil by rejecting her draft withdrawal agreement with the EU. Britain is scheduled to leave the bloc after 46 years on March 29.

Britain's May to miss Davos to focus on Brexit: Downing Street

President Donald Trump on Thursday cancelled the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-blocks-pelosi-trip-as-tensions-mount-over-government-shutdown-191083"> US delegation's trip to the annual</a> international conference at Davos, saying the officials were needed in Washington to tackle the shutdown of the federal government.

"Out of consideration for the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-government-shutdown-starting-to-hurt-trumps-financial-deregulation-agenda-191010">800,000 great American workers</a> not receiving pay and to ensure his team can assist as needed, President Trump has canceled his delegation's trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland," said a statement from Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin had been due to head the five-strong delegation that also included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, US trade representative Robert Lighthizer and assistant to the president Chris Liddell.

The decision to scrap the Davos trip came after Trump hit his chief Democratic opponent Nancy Pelosi with a last-minute cancellation of her plan to take an air force plane to Afghanistan, citing the four-week-old shutdown as a motive.

Some 800,000 federal employees and many more government contractors are affected by the partial shutdown, triggered by Trump's refusal to sign off on funding for a host of departments.

This was in retaliation for the refusal of Democrats, who control the lower house of Congress, to approve his plans for a US-Mexico border wall.

Trump last week cancelled his own participation in Davos, also citing the row over his proposed wall. 
&nbsp;

President Donald Trump on Thursday cancelled the US delegation's trip to the annual international conference at Davos, saying the officials were needed in Washington to tackle the shutdown of the federal government.

President Donald Trump on Thursday cancelled the US delegation's trip to the annual international conference at Davos, saying the officials were needed in Washington to tackle the shutdown of the federal government. "Out of consideration for the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay and to ensure his team can assist as needed, President Trump has canceled his delegation's trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland," said a statement from Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin had been due to head the five-strong delegation that also included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, US trade representative Robert Lighthizer and assistant to the president Chris Liddell. The decision to scrap the Davos trip came after Trump hit his chief Democratic opponent Nancy Pelosi with a last-minute cancellation of her plan to take an air force plane to Afghanistan, citing the four-week-old shutdown as a motive. Some 800,000 federal employees and many more government contractors are affected by the partial shutdown, triggered by Trump's refusal to sign off on funding for a host of departments. This was in retaliation for the refusal of Democrats, who control the lower house of Congress, to approve his plans for a US-Mexico border wall. Trump last week cancelled his own participation in Davos, also citing the row over his proposed wall.

Trump cancels US delegation's trip to Davos amid shutdown

Trump cancels his participation at Davos Economic Forum

PM Modi prefers all kinds of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-meet-swiss-president-berset-today-at-davos-30341">food, provided it is vegetarian</a>, the chief chef accompanying the prime minister at Davos said today.

A group of 32 chefs including <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/look-forward-to-first-visit-at-world-economic-forum-pm-modi-30319">managers catering to Indian </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/look-forward-to-first-visit-at-world-economic-forum-pm-modi-30319">adda</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/look-forward-to-first-visit-at-world-economic-forum-pm-modi-30319"> </a>and India reception will be available for the Indian delegation during the World Economic Forum at Davos.

PM&#39;s private kitchen will be serving food for nearly 12,000 people, according to reports.&nbsp;

Iss thand me bhajia aur samosa mil jaye toh kya baat hai( in winters, if we get bhujia and samosa, it is great), chief chef Raghu Deora said before leaving for the World Economic Summit.

Ghar ka swad Davos mein, 1,000 kg masala le ke aye hai Davos mein(the taste of home in Davos, we have 1,000 kg masala for the summit), the chief chef said.

PM Modi will be having food at three different venues with the cuisine set to change every day.

PM Modi will be having food at three different venues with the cuisine set to change every day

PM Modi prefers all kinds of food, provided it is vegetarian, the chief chef accompanying the prime minister at Davos said today. A group of 32 chefs including managers catering to Indian adda and India reception will be available for the Indian delegation during the World Economic Forum at Davos. PM's private kitchen will be serving food for nearly 12,000 people, according to reports. Iss thand me bhajia aur samosa mil jaye toh kya baat hai( in winters, if we get bhujia and samosa, it is great), chief chef Raghu Deora said before leaving for the World Economic Summit. Ghar ka swad Davos mein, 1,000 kg masala le ke aye hai Davos mein(the taste of home in Davos, we have 1,000 kg masala for the summit), the chief chef said. PM Modi will be having food at three different venues with the cuisine set to change every day.

Watch: PM Modi's kitchen carrying 1,000 kg masala to Davos

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan attended a celebrity event before the official start of the World Economic Forum&#39;s annual event at Davos on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The 52-year-old actor spoke against discrimination against women and sexism.&nbsp;

&quot;From them, I have learned how courage can catalyse victimhood into heroism,&quot; he said, referring to the acid victims.&nbsp;

&quot;We, the powerful, need to get out of the way, to pick the barriers apart, the ones that give us names and races and colours and hierarchies,&quot; he said.

&quot;That is what I have learned from my beautifully scarred women,&quot; he added.

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Extremely charged that I&#39;ve had this amazing opportunity, this award, being recognized like this for minuscule work that I did, I&#39;d like to do it with even more fervor. What is even more pleasant is that India is here in full power: Shah Rukh Khan in Davos <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldEconomicForum2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldEconomicForum2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/aWQI99YAE3">pic.twitter.com/aWQI99YAE3</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/955530330638659584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Raees actor also received an award for his charitable work for acid attack victims.

Other international celebrities in attendance included actress Cate Blanchett and singer Sir Elton John.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterMoments?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TwitterMoments</a> 
 
World Renowned Star Shah Rukh Khan ( <a href="https://twitter.com/iamsrk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iamsrk</a> ) &amp; Hollywood Actress Cate Blanchett Clicked Together at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldEconomicForum2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldEconomicForum2018</a> DAVOS CrystalAwards .. 
 
Recognised by WEF for Humanatarian Cause globally ????????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WEF18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WEF18</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldEconomicForum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldEconomicForum</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Davos2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Davos2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CrystalAwards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CrystalAwards</a> <a href="https://t.co/IktnBm2lfH">pic.twitter.com/IktnBm2lfH</a>
&mdash; World Economic Forum (@DavosWef) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavosWef/status/955574592302587904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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You make India proud always ❤️ <a href="https://twitter.com/iamsrk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iamsrk</a> gets honored at the World Economic Forum for his humanitarian work.. <a href="https://t.co/wc4zFoUT9z">pic.twitter.com/wc4zFoUT9z</a>
&mdash; Pooja Dadlani (@pooja_dadlani) <a href="https://twitter.com/pooja_dadlani/status/955552366945816576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The Australian actress received an award for her work with refugees while the legendary British singer was felicitated with an award for his campaign on HIV/AIDS.

This year&#39;s Davos meet brings over 3,000 delegates from business, politics and civil society.

The forum will see a host of events and sessions discussing how to &quot;make the world a better place&quot;.

Other issues of significance at this year&#39;s event include gender equality, sexual harassment.&nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

The 'Raees' actor also received an award for his for his charitable work for acid attack victims.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan attended a celebrity event before the official start of the World Economic Forum's annual event at Davos on Tuesday. The 52-year-old actor spoke against discrimination against women and sexism. "From them, I have learned how courage can catalyse victimhood into heroism," he said, referring to the acid victims. "We, the powerful, need to get out of the way, to pick the barriers apart, the ones that give us names and races and colours and hierarchies," he said. "That is what I have learned from my beautifully scarred women," he added. Extremely charged that I've had this amazing opportunity, this award, being recognized like this for minuscule work that I did, I'd like to do it with even more fervor. What is even more pleasant is that India is here in full power: Shah Rukh Khan in Davos #WorldEconomicForum2018 pic.twitter.com/aWQI99YAE3 — ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2018 × The Raees actor also received an award for his charitable work for acid attack victims. Other international celebrities in attendance included actress Cate Blanchett and singer Sir Elton John. @TwitterMoments World Renowned Star Shah Rukh Khan ( @iamsrk ) & Hollywood Actress Cate Blanchett Clicked Together at #WorldEconomicForum2018 DAVOS CrystalAwards .. Recognised by WEF for Humanatarian Cause globally ????????#WEF18 #WorldEconomicForum #Davos2018 #CrystalAwards pic.twitter.com/IktnBm2lfH — World Economic Forum (@DavosWef) January 22, 2018 × You make India proud always ❤️ @iamsrk gets honored at the World Economic Forum for his humanitarian work.. pic.twitter.com/wc4zFoUT9z — Pooja Dadlani (@pooja_dadlani) January 22, 2018 × The Australian actress received an award for her work with refugees while the legendary British singer was felicitated with an award for his campaign on HIV/AIDS. This year's Davos meet brings over 3,000 delegates from business, politics and civil society. The forum will see a host of events and sessions discussing how to "make the world a better place". Other issues of significance at this year's event include gender equality, sexual harassment. (With inputs from AFP)

We the powerful need to get out of the way to pick barriers apart: Shah Rukh Khan at Davos

US President Donald Trump strode into the lion&#39;s den to confront the world&#39;s political and business elite on Thursday, as his &quot;America First&quot; administration executes an anti-globalist manifesto in trade, taxes and currency rates.

A year after taking office, Trump joined the World Economic Forum in Davos with foreign exchange markets in turmoil and Washington&#39;s trading partners in uproar.

Taking on one storm, he insisted that he wants to see &quot;a strong dollar,&quot; after comments by his treasury secretary appearing to signal the opposite sent the US currency plunging to three-year lows and provoked anger in Europe.

Trump smiled and waved on his arrival at the gathering in the Swiss Alps, as crowds of onlookers held up camera phones. One woman admirer grabbed Trump&#39;s autograph while other delegates muttered -- out of his earshot -- about wanting to pelt him with fruit.

The former property mogul held one-on-one meetings with the British and Israeli prime ministers. Then, having demonised the globalist Davos crowd on his unorthodox march to the White House, he went on to a gala reception and dinner with European business chiefs attending the gathering.

Interviewed on CNBC, Trump said there was no contradiction between his populist campaign and his decision to come to the headquarters of the global elite.

&quot;When I decided to come to Davos, I didn&#39;t think in terms of elitist or globalist, I thought in terms of lots of people that want to invest lots of money and they&#39;re all coming back to the United States, they&#39;re coming back to America,&quot; he said.

Basking in near-daily highs on Wall Street and accelerating US growth, he added: &quot;It&#39;s about coming to America, investing in money, creating jobs, companies coming in, we&#39;re setting records every week, every day, we&#39;re setting records.&quot;

Anti-Trump messages 
Seeking to demonise the president in turn was Swiss activist group Campax, which hung a giant banner on an Alpine peak near Davos reading &quot;Trump not welcome&quot;, and Greenpeace, which beamed anti-Trump laser messages onto another mountain.

At an annual dinner he hosts in Davos, billionaire financier George Soros was equally blunt. &quot;I consider the Trump administration a danger to the world,&quot; he said. &nbsp;

Trump is due to address the forum on its closing day Friday, at the end of a week that saw his administration announce a new package of trade tariffs targeting China and South Korea, and spark upheaval on the currency markets.

&quot;I think the most fascinating thing with President Trump is that he has the capacity to surprise, and I&#39;m sure we will be surprised tomorrow,&quot; Alexander Stubb, former prime minister of Finland and the new vice president of the European Investment Bank, told AFP in Davos.

Forex rows 
Traders and US partners already had one surprise in Davos this week when Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin appeared to back away from decades of support by his predecessors for a &quot;strong dollar&quot; policy. He declared &quot;a weaker dollar is good for us&quot;, flouting US commitments in international fora such as the G20.

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde on Thursday urged Mnuchin to &quot;clarify&quot; his stance on the dollar. European Central Bank head Mario Draghi reminded trading partners to &quot;refrain&quot; from language that could cause currency volatility.

A weak dollar would potentially boost US exporters but cause headaches for all other trading nations.

In comments to CNBC that helped the dollar recover some lost ground, Trump said Mnuchin had been misquoted.

The Treasury secretary told reporters Thursday: &quot;We are not concerned with where the dollar is in the short term, it is a very liquid market and we believe in free currencies.&quot;

But Mnuchin&#39;s apparently hands-off approach was taken as reinforcing a broad offensive in trade built on the &quot;America First&quot; platform.

It drew the ire of French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire.

&quot;We want exchange rates to reflect economic fundamentals... and we shouldn&#39;t play with these rates,&quot; Le Maire said in Davos.

Business leaders in Davos have this week offered a broad welcome to controversial tax reforms enacted by Trump&#39;s Republicans, which slashed the headline rate of US corporate tax. But European political leaders fear a &quot;race to the bottom&quot; as the United States jockeys for an edge among foreign investors.

Nice or nasty? 
A year ago, the Davos spotlight was claimed by China&#39;s communist leader Xi Jinping, who took up the torch of global trade to the delight of the well-heeled audience then anxious about Trump&#39;s inauguration.

The Davos elite are keen now to see which version of Trump will speak on Friday -- the business-friendly tycoon or the leader who berated the rest of the world at the UN General Assembly last September.

&quot;I think they&#39;ve already built down their expectations so far that anything he may say that&#39;s conciliatory, they&#39;ll be grateful for,&quot; Robert Kaplan, senior fellow at Washington&#39;s Center for a New American Security, told AFP at the forum.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel &quot;stole the show&quot; at Davos already, Kaplan added, after the European leaders used separate speeches on Wednesday to push back hard against the Trump manifesto.

Trump smiled and waved on his arrival at the gathering in the Swiss Alps, as crowds of onlookers held up camera phones

US President Donald Trump strode into the lion's den to confront the world's political and business elite on Thursday, as his "America First" administration executes an anti-globalist manifesto in trade, taxes and currency rates. A year after taking office, Trump joined the World Economic Forum in Davos with foreign exchange markets in turmoil and Washington's trading partners in uproar. Taking on one storm, he insisted that he wants to see "a strong dollar," after comments by his treasury secretary appearing to signal the opposite sent the US currency plunging to three-year lows and provoked anger in Europe. Trump smiled and waved on his arrival at the gathering in the Swiss Alps, as crowds of onlookers held up camera phones. One woman admirer grabbed Trump's autograph while other delegates muttered -- out of his earshot -- about wanting to pelt him with fruit. The former property mogul held one-on-one meetings with the British and Israeli prime ministers. Then, having demonised the globalist Davos crowd on his unorthodox march to the White House, he went on to a gala reception and dinner with European business chiefs attending the gathering. Interviewed on CNBC, Trump said there was no contradiction between his populist campaign and his decision to come to the headquarters of the global elite. "When I decided to come to Davos, I didn't think in terms of elitist or globalist, I thought in terms of lots of people that want to invest lots of money and they're all coming back to the United States, they're coming back to America," he said. Basking in near-daily highs on Wall Street and accelerating US growth, he added: "It's about coming to America, investing in money, creating jobs, companies coming in, we're setting records every week, every day, we're setting records." Anti-Trump messages Seeking to demonise the president in turn was Swiss activist group Campax, which hung a giant banner on an Alpine peak near Davos reading "Trump not welcome", and Greenpeace, which beamed anti-Trump laser messages onto another mountain. At an annual dinner he hosts in Davos, billionaire financier George Soros was equally blunt. "I consider the Trump administration a danger to the world," he said. Trump is due to address the forum on its closing day Friday, at the end of a week that saw his administration announce a new package of trade tariffs targeting China and South Korea, and spark upheaval on the currency markets. "I think the most fascinating thing with President Trump is that he has the capacity to surprise, and I'm sure we will be surprised tomorrow," Alexander Stubb, former prime minister of Finland and the new vice president of the European Investment Bank, told AFP in Davos. Forex rows Traders and US partners already had one surprise in Davos this week when Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin appeared to back away from decades of support by his predecessors for a "strong dollar" policy. He declared "a weaker dollar is good for us", flouting US commitments in international fora such as the G20. International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde on Thursday urged Mnuchin to "clarify" his stance on the dollar. European Central Bank head Mario Draghi reminded trading partners to "refrain" from language that could cause currency volatility. A weak dollar would potentially boost US exporters but cause headaches for all other trading nations. In comments to CNBC that helped the dollar recover some lost ground, Trump said Mnuchin had been misquoted. The Treasury secretary told reporters Thursday: "We are not concerned with where the dollar is in the short term, it is a very liquid market and we believe in free currencies." But Mnuchin's apparently hands-off approach was taken as reinforcing a broad offensive in trade built on the "America First" platform. It drew the ire of French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire. "We want exchange rates to reflect economic fundamentals... and we shouldn't play with these rates," Le Maire said in Davos. Business leaders in Davos have this week offered a broad welcome to controversial tax reforms enacted by Trump's Republicans, which slashed the headline rate of US corporate tax. But European political leaders fear a "race to the bottom" as the United States jockeys for an edge among foreign investors. Nice or nasty? A year ago, the Davos spotlight was claimed by China's communist leader Xi Jinping, who took up the torch of global trade to the delight of the well-heeled audience then anxious about Trump's inauguration. The Davos elite are keen now to see which version of Trump will speak on Friday -- the business-friendly tycoon or the leader who berated the rest of the world at the UN General Assembly last September. "I think they've already built down their expectations so far that anything he may say that's conciliatory, they'll be grateful for," Robert Kaplan, senior fellow at Washington's Center for a New American Security, told AFP at the forum. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel "stole the show" at Davos already, Kaplan added, after the European leaders used separate speeches on Wednesday to push back hard against the Trump manifesto.

Trump touts 'America First' to sceptical Davos elite

The king of romance is in Switzerland. Shah Rukh Khan will be receiving the prestigious Crystal award on the first day at the World Economic Forum summit Davos.&nbsp;Musician Elton John and Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett will also receive the award along with Khan.&nbsp;

In a series of tweets, Khan expressed his excitement at being in Davos for the event and stated that he felt honoured to be sharing the stage with John and Blanchett. Calling it his &#39;fan moment&#39;, the actor tweeted,&quot;Honoured to receive the <s>@</s>wef&rsquo;s 24th Crystal Award, together with <s>@</s>eltonofficial and Cate Blanchett. My fan moment!!(sic)&quot;&nbsp;

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Honoured to receive the <a href="https://twitter.com/wef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wef</a>&rsquo;s 24th Crystal Award, together with <a href="https://twitter.com/eltonofficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@eltonofficial</a> and Cate Blanchett. My fan moment!! 
 
Watch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/crystalawards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#crystalawards</a> via <a href="https://t.co/rILPgHRgtL">https://t.co/rILPgHRgtL</a> at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wef18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wef18</a> meeting in Davos.
&mdash; Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamsrk/status/955381454430588929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The actor struck his signature pose for a photo in Swiss ski resort. The actor captioned the photo as, &quot;Switzerland main aake yeh na kiya toh kya kiya...?! Loving being at the Davos, now to get ready for the Crystal Award Ceremony. <s>#</s>DavosDiaries(sic).&quot;

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Switzerland main aake yeh na kiya toh kya kiya...?! Loving being at the Davos, now to get ready for the Crystal Award Ceremony. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DavosDiaries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DavosDiaries</a> <a href="https://t.co/c95SwSR0v2">pic.twitter.com/c95SwSR0v2</a>
&mdash; Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamsrk/status/955429331165040641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Annual Crystal Awards ceremony, which opens the World Economic Forum summit in the Swiss ski resort, celebrates the achievements of outstanding artists who have shown exemplary commitment to improving the state of the world.

SRK received the award for &quot;his leadership in championing children&#39;s and women&#39;s rights in India,&quot; the World Economic Forum (WEF) said. 
 
The past awardees from India include Amitabh Bachchan, Mallika Sarabhai, A R Rahman, Shabana Azmi, Ravi Shankar and Amjad Ali Khan.&nbsp;

The actor will be honoured for his philanthropic work.

The king of romance is in Switzerland. Shah Rukh Khan will be receiving the prestigious Crystal award on the first day at the World Economic Forum summit Davos. Musician Elton John and Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett will also receive the award along with Khan. In a series of tweets, Khan expressed his excitement at being in Davos for the event and stated that he felt honoured to be sharing the stage with John and Blanchett. Calling it his 'fan moment', the actor tweeted,"Honoured to receive the @wef’s 24th Crystal Award, together with @eltonofficial and Cate Blanchett. My fan moment!!(sic)" Honoured to receive the @wef’s 24th Crystal Award, together with @eltonofficial and Cate Blanchett. My fan moment!! Watch the #crystalawards via https://t.co/rILPgHRgtL at the #wef18 meeting in Davos. — Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) January 22, 2018 × The actor struck his signature pose for a photo in Swiss ski resort. The actor captioned the photo as, "Switzerland main aake yeh na kiya toh kya kiya...?! Loving being at the Davos, now to get ready for the Crystal Award Ceremony. #DavosDiaries(sic)." Switzerland main aake yeh na kiya toh kya kiya...?! Loving being at the Davos, now to get ready for the Crystal Award Ceremony. #DavosDiaries pic.twitter.com/c95SwSR0v2 — Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) January 22, 2018 × The Annual Crystal Awards ceremony, which opens the World Economic Forum summit in the Swiss ski resort, celebrates the achievements of outstanding artists who have shown exemplary commitment to improving the state of the world. SRK received the award for "his leadership in championing children's and women's rights in India," the World Economic Forum (WEF) said. The past awardees from India include Amitabh Bachchan, Mallika Sarabhai, A R Rahman, Shabana Azmi, Ravi Shankar and Amjad Ali Khan.

Shah Rukh Khan in Davos; to receive Crystal award along with Elton John, Cate Blanchett

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a&nbsp;stopover in Zurich on Monday on his way to Davos to attend the World Economic Forum meeting.

During the meet, Modi would be sharing his vision for India&#39;s future engagements with the international community.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
As Modi marks first Indian prime minister presence in last 20 years, the Indian presence would be the largest ever with over 130 participants in the summit which will be attended by more than 3,000 world leaders from business, politics, art, academia and civil society.

The theme for this year&#39;s summit is &#39;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World&#39;. 
&nbsp; 
Besides delivering his keynote address today, Modi is scheduled to interact with global business community members.

On Monday, Modi hosted a roundtable meeting of the top CEOs before a dinner meet which was attended by 40 CEOs of global companies and 20 from India. &nbsp; 
 
While narrating India&#39;s growth story, Modi said that India means business and presents an exciting opportunity for the global businesses.&nbsp;

He was also accompanied by top government officials including Vijay Gokhale, Jai Shankar and Ramesh Abhishek.&nbsp;

On the sidelines of the event, Modi also met Swiss President Alain Berset and discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties.

Sources said the two leaders are also believed to have discussed the progress on automatic exchange of tax information.

Berset said the discussions marked the meeting of the biggest and the oldest democracies in the world.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Thanking Modi, the Swiss President said he would continue to strengthen &#39;our relations&#39; with India.

(With inputs from PTI)

During the meet, Modi would be sharing his vision for India's future engagements with the international community.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a stopover in Zurich on Monday on his way to Davos to attend the World Economic Forum meeting. During the meet, Modi would be sharing his vision for India's future engagements with the international community. As Modi marks first Indian prime minister presence in last 20 years, the Indian presence would be the largest ever with over 130 participants in the summit which will be attended by more than 3,000 world leaders from business, politics, art, academia and civil society. The theme for this year's summit is 'Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World'. Besides delivering his keynote address today, Modi is scheduled to interact with global business community members. On Monday, Modi hosted a roundtable meeting of the top CEOs before a dinner meet which was attended by 40 CEOs of global companies and 20 from India. While narrating India's growth story, Modi said that India means business and presents an exciting opportunity for the global businesses. He was also accompanied by top government officials including Vijay Gokhale, Jai Shankar and Ramesh Abhishek. On the sidelines of the event, Modi also met Swiss President Alain Berset and discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties. Sources said the two leaders are also believed to have discussed the progress on automatic exchange of tax information. Berset said the discussions marked the meeting of the biggest and the oldest democracies in the world. Thanking Modi, the Swiss President said he would continue to strengthen 'our relations' with India. (With inputs from PTI)

PM Modi, Swiss President discuss tax information in Davos: Sources

The Swiss army and police said on Monday, January 22, the Swiss Alpine town of Davos was ready for US President Donald Trump and the security challenges he brings with him when he comes to address the World Economic Forum.

The annual meeting begins on Tuesday, January 23. Trump&#39;s visit to Davos is the first by a sitting US president since Bill Clinton attended in 2000.

Grisons Cantonal police, who coordinate WEF&#39;s $9.3 million security measures and are liaising with US officials, said at a news conference on Monday they were ready.

A total of 4,400 soldiers have been deployed, an increase of 100 from last year, and airspace is open only to aircraft ferrying participants to the forum.

The Swiss army has begun erecting checkpoints on roads leading into town and armed hillside bivouacs down the valley, scenes to those of previous post-September 11 WEF meetings where security has been paramount.

Trump&#39;s policies, including his intention to exit the 2015 Paris climate accord and his &quot;America First&quot; policy, may not sit well with all of Switzerland, which backs the global climate pact and whose economy relies on global trade.

This has prompted some critics to suggest Trump&#39;s polarising persona could resurrect the violent anti-WEF protests seen in the early 2000s. An online petition is circulating telling Trump he is not welcome.

Although an anti-Trump demonstration is planned for Zurich on Tuesday, Swiss police say poor weather could stop protesters planning a demonstration when Trump arrives on Thursday, January 25. He is scheduled to speak on the last day of the forum on Friday, January 26.

The Swiss army and police said on Monday, January 22, the Swiss Alpine town of Davos was ready for US President Donald Trump and the security challenges he brings with him when he comes to address the World Economic Forum

The Swiss army and police said on Monday, January 22, the Swiss Alpine town of Davos was ready for US President Donald Trump and the security challenges he brings with him when he comes to address the World Economic Forum. The annual meeting begins on Tuesday, January 23. Trump's visit to Davos is the first by a sitting US president since Bill Clinton attended in 2000. Grisons Cantonal police, who coordinate WEF's $9.3 million security measures and are liaising with US officials, said at a news conference on Monday they were ready. A total of 4,400 soldiers have been deployed, an increase of 100 from last year, and airspace is open only to aircraft ferrying participants to the forum. The Swiss army has begun erecting checkpoints on roads leading into town and armed hillside bivouacs down the valley, scenes to those of previous post-September 11 WEF meetings where security has been paramount. Trump's policies, including his intention to exit the 2015 Paris climate accord and his "America First" policy, may not sit well with all of Switzerland, which backs the global climate pact and whose economy relies on global trade. This has prompted some critics to suggest Trump's polarising persona could resurrect the violent anti-WEF protests seen in the early 2000s. An online petition is circulating telling Trump he is not welcome. Although an anti-Trump demonstration is planned for Zurich on Tuesday, Swiss police say poor weather could stop protesters planning a demonstration when Trump arrives on Thursday, January 25. He is scheduled to speak on the last day of the forum on Friday, January 26.

Swiss army, police say Davos ready for Trump

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/73-of-wealth-in-india-rests-with-richest-1-oxfam-report-30281">Richest 1% own 73% of India&#39;s wealth: Report</a>

According to an international study published by the Oxfam group, close to 73% of India&#39;s wealth was cornered by India&#39;s richest 1%.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cji-led-bench-of-supreme-court-to-hear-justice-loya-death-case-today-30275">CJI-led bench of Supreme Court to hear Justice Loya death case today</a>

The Supreme Court will today hear pleas filed by three petitioners seeking probe by a Special Investigation Tribunal (SIT) into the alleged mysterious death of CBI judge Justice BH Loya in 2014.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-leave-for-davos-today-for-world-economic-forum-30284">PM Modi to leave for Davos today for World Economic Forum</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today leave for Davos, Switzerland for the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-troops-tanks-enter-syria-to-fight-kurdish-militia-30274">Turkish troops, tanks enter Syria to fight Kurdish militia</a>

Turkish troops and tanks entered Syria on Sunday to push an offensive against Kurdish militia as rockets hit border towns in apparent retaliation and the United States urged Ankara to show restraint.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-senate-postpones-vote-on-ending-shutdown-to-noon-monday-30288">US Senate postpones vote on ending shutdown to noon Monday</a>

The US Senate adjourned late Sunday without reaching a deal on re-opening government, as the Republican leadership postponed a vote on ending the shutdown until noon on Monday.

Richest 1% own 73% of India's wealth: Report According to an international study published by the Oxfam group, close to 73% of India's wealth was cornered by India's richest 1%. CJI-led bench of Supreme Court to hear Justice Loya death case today The Supreme Court will today hear pleas filed by three petitioners seeking probe by a Special Investigation Tribunal (SIT) into the alleged mysterious death of CBI judge Justice BH Loya in 2014. PM Modi to leave for Davos today for World Economic Forum Prime Minister Narendra Modi today leave for Davos, Switzerland for the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. Turkish troops, tanks enter Syria to fight Kurdish militia Turkish troops and tanks entered Syria on Sunday to push an offensive against Kurdish militia as rockets hit border towns in apparent retaliation and the United States urged Ankara to show restraint. US Senate postpones vote on ending shutdown to noon Monday The US Senate adjourned late Sunday without reaching a deal on re-opening government, as the Republican leadership postponed a vote on ending the shutdown until noon on Monday.

WION Morning News Brief, January 22, 2018

President Donald Trump&#39;s dinner with a European business delegation in Davos on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting was attended by three Indian-origin CEOs.

They included Vas Narasimhan from Novartis, Rajeev Suri from Nokia and Punit Renjen from Deloitte.

Narasimhan was named Novartis CEO in September 2017. Singaporean citizen Suri is now based in Finland. He is the student of Manipal Institute of Technology.

Rohtak-born Punit Renjen has been CEO of Deloitt since June 2015.

Trump, in all, had invited 15 top European CEOs to discuss business and encourage them to invest in the US as part of his efforts to strengthen the American economy.

During the dinner, he spoke about the thriving US economy ?- crediting his tax policies, deregulation and his role as a cheerleader for American business.

The American delegation was attended by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielson, National Security Advisor H R McMaster and Dire of the National Economic Council Gary Cohen.&nbsp;

The CEOs included Vas Narasimhan from Novartis, Rajeev Suri from Nokia, and Punit Renjen from Deloitte

President Donald Trump's dinner with a European business delegation in Davos on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting was attended by three Indian-origin CEOs. They included Vas Narasimhan from Novartis, Rajeev Suri from Nokia and Punit Renjen from Deloitte. Narasimhan was named Novartis CEO in September 2017. Singaporean citizen Suri is now based in Finland. He is the student of Manipal Institute of Technology. Rohtak-born Punit Renjen has been CEO of Deloitt since June 2015. Trump, in all, had invited 15 top European CEOs to discuss business and encourage them to invest in the US as part of his efforts to strengthen the American economy. During the dinner, he spoke about the thriving US economy ?- crediting his tax policies, deregulation and his role as a cheerleader for American business. The American delegation was attended by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielson, National Security Advisor H R McMaster and Dire of the National Economic Council Gary Cohen.

Three Indian-origin CEOs dine with Trump at Davos

As he <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-leaves-for-davos-for-world-economic-forum-30284">left for Davos</a>, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Facebook, a picture of himself on a poster in the Swiss city captioned &quot;India means business.&quot;

The poster has been placed outside a hotel in the snow-capped town.

The prime minister also wrote on Facebook that he looked forward to &quot;my first visit to the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos, at the invitation of India&rsquo;s good friend and Founder of the WEF, Prof Klaus Schwab.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;I look forward to my first visit to the World Economic Forum at Davos, at the invitation of India&rsquo;s good friend and Founder of the WEF, Prof Klaus Schwab. The theme of the Forum, &ldquo;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World&rdquo; is both thoughtful and apt.

The existing and emerging challenges to the contemporary international system and global governance architecture deserve serious attention of leaders, governments, policy makers, corporates and civil societies around the world.

In recent years, India&rsquo;s engagement with the outside world has become truly and effectively multi-dimensional covering the political, economic, people to people, security and other spheres,&quot; read PM Modi&#39;s Facebook post.

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PM Modi is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on Tuesday.&nbsp;

PM Modi will also hold bilateral talks with the President of Swiss Confederation, Alain Berset, besides holding a series of meetings with business leaders and addressing the international business council.

The prime minister wrote on Twitter yesterday that he looked forward &quot;to sharing my vision for India&rsquo;s future engagement with the international community.&quot; He also wrote that he was confident that the bilateral meetings would be &quot;fruitful&quot;.&nbsp;

PM Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister to participate in the World Economic Forum in two decades after HD Deve Gowda who visited Davos in 1997.

 
&nbsp;

The prime minister also wrote on Facebook that he looked forward to 'my first visit to the World Economic Forum at Davos, at the invitation of India’s good friend and Founder of the WEF, Prof Klaus Schwab'

As he left for Davos, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Facebook, a picture of himself on a poster in the Swiss city captioned "India means business." The poster has been placed outside a hotel in the snow-capped town. The prime minister also wrote on Facebook that he looked forward to "my first visit to the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos, at the invitation of India’s good friend and Founder of the WEF, Prof Klaus Schwab." "I look forward to my first visit to the World Economic Forum at Davos, at the invitation of India’s good friend and Founder of the WEF, Prof Klaus Schwab. The theme of the Forum, “Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World” is both thoughtful and apt. The existing and emerging challenges to the contemporary international system and global governance architecture deserve serious attention of leaders, governments, policy makers, corporates and civil societies around the world. In recent years, India’s engagement with the outside world has become truly and effectively multi-dimensional covering the political, economic, people to people, security and other spheres," read PM Modi's Facebook post. × PM Modi is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on Tuesday. PM Modi will also hold bilateral talks with the President of Swiss Confederation, Alain Berset, besides holding a series of meetings with business leaders and addressing the international business council. The prime minister wrote on Twitter yesterday that he looked forward "to sharing my vision for India’s future engagement with the international community." He also wrote that he was confident that the bilateral meetings would be "fruitful". PM Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister to participate in the World Economic Forum in two decades after HD Deve Gowda who visited Davos in 1997.

Look forward to first visit at World Economic Forum: PM Modi

PM Modi left for Davos today <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-leaves-for-davos-for-world-economic-forum-30284">to attend the World Economic Forum</a>. The Indian prime minister will be arriving on Monday evening(local time in India) and will be meeting the Swiss President Alain Berset.

PM Modi and President Berset are expected to discuss investment opportunities for Switzerland in India and the free trade agreement between India and European Free Trade Association(EFTA).

A welcome reception for the Indian prime minister will also be held after his talks with the Swiss president.

The highlight of the evening is expected to be PM Modi&#39;s roundtable meeting with the CEOs in the evening. 
&nbsp;

A welcome reception for the Indian prime minister will also be held after his talks with the Swiss president

PM Modi left for Davos today to attend the World Economic Forum. The Indian prime minister will be arriving on Monday evening(local time in India) and will be meeting the Swiss President Alain Berset. PM Modi and President Berset are expected to discuss investment opportunities for Switzerland in India and the free trade agreement between India and European Free Trade Association(EFTA). A welcome reception for the Indian prime minister will also be held after his talks with the Swiss president. The highlight of the evening is expected to be PM Modi's roundtable meeting with the CEOs in the evening.

PM Modi to meet Swiss president Berset today at Davos

&quot;Artificial intelligence and robots will kill many jobs.&quot;&nbsp;

It&#39;s a depressingly blunt statement for anyone to make, but even more so as it is the prediction of Jack Ma, CEO of the Chinese online sales giant Alibaba.&nbsp;

The rise of AI -- its huge potential and fears over its potentially negative consequences -- is just one of the big issues discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, along with breaches of personal data and fake news.

But it is probably artificial intelligence and the ability of machines to not only interact with but manipulate human beings that raises the most suspicion.&nbsp;

Aware of growing governmental and public distrust, the giants of tech are trying to address the issues.

&quot;Technology should always give people new opportunities, not remove them,&quot; Ma said.

But when IBM President Ginni Rometty admits that &quot;100 percent of jobs will be somehow affected by technology,&quot; it might be a tough sell.

It&#39;s not just about jobs.

&quot;People want to trust technology, as long as they know who is behind it,&quot; said Neelie Kroes, now a member of the Open Data Institute, after having been for years the European commissioner in charge of digital issues.&nbsp;

In recent months, US-based Uber, which connects individuals with drivers through an application, found itself in the hot seat after several murders perpetrated by its chauffeurs, notably in the United States and in Lebanon.

&quot;You have to remember that the rating of a driver evaluates his driving but cannot predict if he is a serial killer,&quot; Uber director Dara Khosrowshahi told a panel at this week&#39;s economic gathering in the Swiss resort of Davos.

&quot;In this situation, who is responsible, the individual or the platform?&quot; wondered Rachel Botsman, an expert on the issue and author of the book &quot;Who Can We Trust?&quot;

Uber is the best-known example of a fast-growing company with a bruised reputation: accused of bad working conditions and sexual harassment it has faced chaotic legal proceedings and massive data piracy, which have sapped the firm.

&quot;For a long time, the answer of many digital companies has been to say: we are only the software, the platform, but technology now penetrates every aspect of our lives, our trades, our homes, our relationships,&quot; said Zvika Krieger, who leads digital projects for the World Economic Forum, the organiser of the Davos meeting.

&quot;Our response is no longer audible,&quot; he said.

&nbsp;&#39;Too slow&#39; 
&nbsp;&nbsp;

In Davos, there was also concern about Internet giants hoovering up huge amounts of personal data, sometimes illegally and sometimes sharing it with authorities.

&quot;The danger is that we are too slow and that the world is destroying us while we are still asking who really owns our data,&quot; said German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her Davos speech.

In the same way, attitudes towards social networks and search engines are changing.&nbsp;

&quot;The main question is whether Facebook and Google are technology companies or editorial companies, it is a question that remains unresolved,&quot; said Martin Sorrell, CEO of the British advertising giant WPP.&nbsp;

Amid the mistrust, Davos heard unique proposals from the digital world, which mostly rejects too much oversight by governments, believing it would stifle innovation.

Marc Benioff, the outspoken CEO and founder of Salesforce, a major cloud services company, called plainly for more regulation of the sector.

&quot;We&#39;re the same as any other industry,&quot; Benioff told CNBC in Davos.

Much like &quot;financial services, consumer product goods, food -- in technology, the government&#39;s going to have to be involved,&quot; he said.

Observers hailed what they saw as a change of heart by the titans of tech.

&quot;Regulatory authorities in Europe have been complaining for years that big digital companies are not responding when they&#39;re called,&quot; said WEF&#39;s Zvika Krieger.

&quot;Let&#39;s say they&#39;re picking up the phone now.&quot;

The rise of AI -- its huge potential and fears over its potentially negative consequences -- is just one of the big issues discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, along with breaches of personal data and fake news.

"Artificial intelligence and robots will kill many jobs." It's a depressingly blunt statement for anyone to make, but even more so as it is the prediction of Jack Ma, CEO of the Chinese online sales giant Alibaba. The rise of AI -- its huge potential and fears over its potentially negative consequences -- is just one of the big issues discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, along with breaches of personal data and fake news. But it is probably artificial intelligence and the ability of machines to not only interact with but manipulate human beings that raises the most suspicion. Aware of growing governmental and public distrust, the giants of tech are trying to address the issues. "Technology should always give people new opportunities, not remove them," Ma said. But when IBM President Ginni Rometty admits that "100 percent of jobs will be somehow affected by technology," it might be a tough sell. It's not just about jobs. "People want to trust technology, as long as they know who is behind it," said Neelie Kroes, now a member of the Open Data Institute, after having been for years the European commissioner in charge of digital issues. In recent months, US-based Uber, which connects individuals with drivers through an application, found itself in the hot seat after several murders perpetrated by its chauffeurs, notably in the United States and in Lebanon. "You have to remember that the rating of a driver evaluates his driving but cannot predict if he is a serial killer," Uber director Dara Khosrowshahi told a panel at this week's economic gathering in the Swiss resort of Davos. "In this situation, who is responsible, the individual or the platform?" wondered Rachel Botsman, an expert on the issue and author of the book "Who Can We Trust?" Uber is the best-known example of a fast-growing company with a bruised reputation: accused of bad working conditions and sexual harassment it has faced chaotic legal proceedings and massive data piracy, which have sapped the firm. "For a long time, the answer of many digital companies has been to say: we are only the software, the platform, but technology now penetrates every aspect of our lives, our trades, our homes, our relationships," said Zvika Krieger, who leads digital projects for the World Economic Forum, the organiser of the Davos meeting. "Our response is no longer audible," he said. 'Too slow' In Davos, there was also concern about Internet giants hoovering up huge amounts of personal data, sometimes illegally and sometimes sharing it with authorities. "The danger is that we are too slow and that the world is destroying us while we are still asking who really owns our data," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her Davos speech. In the same way, attitudes towards social networks and search engines are changing. "The main question is whether Facebook and Google are technology companies or editorial companies, it is a question that remains unresolved," said Martin Sorrell, CEO of the British advertising giant WPP. Amid the mistrust, Davos heard unique proposals from the digital world, which mostly rejects too much oversight by governments, believing it would stifle innovation. Marc Benioff, the outspoken CEO and founder of Salesforce, a major cloud services company, called plainly for more regulation of the sector. "We're the same as any other industry," Benioff told CNBC in Davos. Much like "financial services, consumer product goods, food -- in technology, the government's going to have to be involved," he said. Observers hailed what they saw as a change of heart by the titans of tech. "Regulatory authorities in Europe have been complaining for years that big digital companies are not responding when they're called," said WEF's Zvika Krieger. "Let's say they're picking up the phone now."

'Job-killing' robots, Artificial intelligence under scrutiny in Davos

With e-commerce growing, Chinese giant Alibaba&#39;s chief Jack Ma on Wednesday predicted the future will be about &#39;made on the internet&#39; and not labels like &#39;made in China&#39; or &#39;made in America&#39;.

Speaking at a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on &#39;Enabling e-commerce: Small enterprises, global players&#39;, Ma said in the future, every young person and small business will be able to buy, sell, pay and travel globally.

&quot;This is the trend - no one can stop it,&quot; he said.

The session discussed how e-commerce could give small businesses access to global markets that were once reserved for multinationals, yet just 7 per cent of global e-commerce trade takes place across borders.

It explored how new digital policies could break down barriers to international e-commerce and support the next generation of entrepreneurs to rise.

Jack Ma said that even without a perfect logistics system, payments system or blockchain, e-commerce has grown remarkably.

Alibaba would be the 21st largest economy in the world if it were a country, he said. Imagine what will happen when those challenges are solved, he added.

In the same session, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo said governments still have rules and regulations that apply to 20th century trade.

&quot;That&#39;s going to disappear,&quot; he averred.

Jack Ma predicted that in the future there will be no &#39;made in China&#39;, &#39;made in America&#39;, or &#39;made in Peru&#39;.

&quot;It&#39;s going to be &#39;made on the internet&#39;,&quot; he said.

The Alibaba founder was speaking at a session at the World Economic Forum on 'Enabling e-commerce: Small enterprises, global players'.

With e-commerce growing, Chinese giant Alibaba's chief Jack Ma on Wednesday predicted the future will be about 'made on the internet' and not labels like 'made in China' or 'made in America'. Speaking at a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on 'Enabling e-commerce: Small enterprises, global players', Ma said in the future, every young person and small business will be able to buy, sell, pay and travel globally. "This is the trend - no one can stop it," he said. The session discussed how e-commerce could give small businesses access to global markets that were once reserved for multinationals, yet just 7 per cent of global e-commerce trade takes place across borders. It explored how new digital policies could break down barriers to international e-commerce and support the next generation of entrepreneurs to rise. Jack Ma said that even without a perfect logistics system, payments system or blockchain, e-commerce has grown remarkably. Alibaba would be the 21st largest economy in the world if it were a country, he said. Imagine what will happen when those challenges are solved, he added. In the same session, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo said governments still have rules and regulations that apply to 20th century trade. "That's going to disappear," he averred. Jack Ma predicted that in the future there will be no 'made in China', 'made in America', or 'made in Peru'. "It's going to be 'made on the internet'," he said.

Forget 'made in China', future will be about 'made on Internet': Jack Ma in Davos

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-gurugram-to-mumbai-violent-protests-rock-cities-ahead-of-padmaavat-release-30621" target="_blank">&nbsp;Watch: From Gurugram to Mumbai, violent protests rock cities ahead of </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-gurugram-to-mumbai-violent-protests-rock-cities-ahead-of-padmaavat-release-30621" target="_blank">Padmaavat</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-gurugram-to-mumbai-violent-protests-rock-cities-ahead-of-padmaavat-release-30621" target="_blank"> release</a>

As Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s magnum-opus&nbsp;Padmaavat is all set to hit theatres on January&nbsp;25, violence erupted in several parts of the country with buses being torched and cinema halls being vandalised.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/china-welcomes-pm-modis-speech-at-davos-looks-forward-to-working-with-india-30649" target="_blank">China welcomes PM Modi&#39;s speech at Davos, looks forward to working with India</a>

China welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-world-economic-forum-pm-modi-arrives-in-zurich-set-to-land-in-davos-shortly-30369">&nbsp;Davos speech</a>&nbsp;against protectionism as being &ldquo;as dangerous as terrorism,&rdquo; saying that the two countries can fight this practice together.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-claims-attack-on-jalalabad-in-afghanistan-30653" target="_blank">Islamic State claims attack on Jalalabad in Afghanistan</a>

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an attack that hit Afghanistan&rsquo;s eastern city of Jalalabad on Wednesday, according to the militant group&rsquo;s news agency Amaq, though it did not provide immediate evidence for the claim.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/office-of-profit-caseoffice-of-profit-case-delhi-hc-orders-ec-to-make-no-bypoll-announcement-until-29-january-30636" target="_blank">Office of profit: Delhi High Court asks Election Commission not to make </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/office-of-profit-caseoffice-of-profit-case-delhi-hc-orders-ec-to-make-no-bypoll-announcement-until-29-january-30636" target="_blank">bypoll</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/office-of-profit-caseoffice-of-profit-case-delhi-hc-orders-ec-to-make-no-bypoll-announcement-until-29-january-30636" target="_blank"> announcement until January 29</a>

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to pass any interim order on staying the Centre&#39;s notification disqualifying 20 AAP MLAs in &#39;Office of Profit&#39; case. The court also asked the Election Commission not to make any announcement regarding bypolls in Delhi until January 29, the next date of hearing in the case.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/15-taliban-militants-killed-during-airstike-in-afghanistan-30646" target="_blank">15 Taliban militants killed during </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/15-taliban-militants-killed-during-airstike-in-afghanistan-30646" target="_blank">airstike</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/15-taliban-militants-killed-during-airstike-in-afghanistan-30646" target="_blank"> in Afghanistan</a>

At least 15 Taliban militants were killed and around 10 were left wounded in an airstrike in Afghanistan&#39;s northern province of Sari Pul on Wednesday, reports said.&nbsp;

Watch: From Gurugram to Mumbai, violent protests rock cities ahead of Padmaavat release As Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum-opus Padmaavat is all set to hit theatres on January 25, violence erupted in several parts of the country with buses being torched and cinema halls being vandalised. China welcomes PM Modi's speech at Davos, looks forward to working with India China welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Davos speech against protectionism as being “as dangerous as terrorism,” saying that the two countries can fight this practice together. Islamic State claims attack on Jalalabad in Afghanistan Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an attack that hit Afghanistan’s eastern city of Jalalabad on Wednesday, according to the militant group’s news agency Amaq, though it did not provide immediate evidence for the claim. Office of profit: Delhi High Court asks Election Commission not to make bypoll announcement until January 29 The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to pass any interim order on staying the Centre's notification disqualifying 20 AAP MLAs in 'Office of Profit' case. The court also asked the Election Commission not to make any announcement regarding bypolls in Delhi until January 29, the next date of hearing in the case. 15 Taliban militants killed during airstike in Afghanistan At least 15 Taliban militants were killed and around 10 were left wounded in an airstrike in Afghanistan's northern province of Sari Pul on Wednesday, reports said.

WION Evening News Brief, January 24, 2018

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