advertisement

The Latest: Pope urges Davos forum to promote social justice

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) - The Latest on the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland (all times local):

8:30 p.m.

Pope Francis is urging political and business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos to create the conditions "for building inclusive, just and supportive societies."

Francis sent meeting participants a message after he returned from a weeklong visit to Chile and Peru on Monday.

He wrote: "We cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of millions of people whose dignity is wounded, nor can we continue to move forward as if the spread of poverty and justice had no cause."

The pope said "selfish lifestyles" full of "opulence" have boosted unemployment, increased poverty, created new forms of slavery and widened the socio-economic gap in many places.

By rejecting "throwaway" culture and a "mentality of indifference," Francis said entrepreneurs have the potential to effect substantial changes such as "creating new jobs, respecting labor laws, fighting against public and private corruption and promoting social justice."

___

6:30 p.m.

With stock markets booming and global growth picking up, CEOs are a lot more confident about the future.

In its annual survey of business leaders, consulting firm PwC said a record-breaking proportion of CEOs are optimistic about the global economy, at least in the short term.

According to its survey of almost 1,300 CEOs worldwide, PwC said 57 percent believe global economic growth will improve in the next 12 months, almost double last year's 29 percent. It's the largest-ever increase since PwC began surveying views on global growth in 2012.

PwC singled out the U.S., with optimism recovering strongly following the recent focus on regulation and tax reform by the Trump administration.

PwC's global chairman, Bob Moritz, said "it's no surprise CEOs are so bullish."

The firm's findings chime with others, including the International Monetary Fund, which earlier Monday revised up its global growth forecast for 2018 to a 7-year high of 3.9 percent.

___

5:15 p.m.

Bob Moritz, chairman of accounting firm PwC, says another Oscar mishap involving his company could really dent the company's brand.

Speaking to The Associated Press at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Moritz said a brand's reputation "can be lost in an instant but it takes decades to create."

Last year, PwC's reputation suffered when actors Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty wrongly announced the top Oscar went to "La La Land," instead of "Moonlight." The presenters, it turned out, had been given the wrong envelope by a partner from PwC.

Moritz conceded that the PwC brand was "damaged on a temporary basis by a human error and we quickly took responsibility for that."

For this year's 90th Academy Awards on March 4, Moritz said PwC is taking additional measures "so we have the confidence that we won't have that problem again."

___

5:00 p.m.

The White House says a delegation of Cabinet members is delaying their departure for this year's World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland amid the federal government shutdown.

Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday that they will determine what to do "as the day goes on and as we see how the next couple of hours go."

Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin (mih-NOO'-shin) is leading the delegation of Cabinet members and top aides and was scheduled to leave Monday. President Donald Trump was planning to leave later in the week.

Asked if Trump would attend if the government is still shutdown, Sanders said: "I don't know that that's very likely. I wouldn't imagine it is."

___

4:35 p.m.

The head of Switzerland's Young Socialists is accusing Swiss authorities of bowing to "global elites" by rejecting a request to protest in the town of Davos this week against President Donald Trump's visit.

Tamara Funiciello told The Associated Press on Monday: "I find it scandalous! It's unbelievable."

The authorities said heavy snowfall had limited the space available for a demonstration in Davos on Thursday, the day before Trump is due to address the World Economic Forum.

Funiciello said the move was "a way of hiding behind the power of global elites," adding that the authorities "need stronger spines."

She added: "If they really wanted to give people the space to demonstrate, it would have been possible." She accused the authorities of trampling on Swiss democracy.

Funiciello said her group was searching for other ways of registering their opposition to Trump's visit, such as by airing a live web stream from Davos and refocusing their attention on an anti-Trump demonstration Tuesday in Zurich, Switzerland's largest city.

___

2:40 p.m.

Authorities in Davos, Switzerland, have rejected a request by left-wing groups to stage a protest during the World Economic Forum, saying heavy snowfall means there's not enough space.

Davos officials said in a statement Monday that "the extremely tight space situation due to the enormous amount of new snow doesn't allow for a rally in the coming days."

Members of Switzerland's Social Democratic Party and Green Party had requested permission to stage a protest Thursday.

The Alpine resort's inability to cope with the mid-winter glut of snow means that protesters won't get to stage their demonstration a day before U.S. President Donald Trump is due to speak at the meeting of top political and economic leaders.

___

12:50 p.m.

The Swiss military is stationing 4,377 troops in and around Davos, Switzerland, to provide security for this year's meetings at the World Economic Forum, which is set to be headlined by U.S. President Donald Trump.

General Aldo Schellenberg told The Associated Press that the number was not changed following the announcement that Trump would be the first serving president U.S. president to attend in nearly 20 years. He also said the security detail is similar to that provided in the past few years.

Around 93 percent of the military on display are conscripts. The Swiss air force is providing 2,580 troops, while 1,600 are infantry and 187 are from the military police.

In light of the heavy snow that's falling around Davos, military and police officials are not sure how many people are preparing to protest against Trump's visit.

There is some uncertainty about Trump's attendance, however, in light of the government shutdown in Washington.

___

11:15 a.m.

The founder of the World Economic Forum has told The Associated Press that he hopes President Donald Trump's planned visit to a gathering of world decision-makers and elites in Davos later this week will "provide him even better with a global perspective."

Klaus Schwab declined to comment whether the U.S. government shutdown might spoil Trump's plans to attend the event in the Alpine snows and deliver a speech on Friday.

Schwab said Monday: "It's good to have the president here, if the snow conditions and the situation in Washington allow us."

The White House has said Trump plans to detail his "America First" policy in Davos. More than 60 heads of state and government, plus hundreds of business leaders, academics, policy advocates and celebrities are expected for the Tuesday-Friday meeting.

People walk through the congress center on the eve of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Monday, Jan. 22, 2018. The meeting brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, chief executives and political leaders from Jan. 23 to 26. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) The Associated Press
Followed by a television team and assistants Klaus Schwab, center, founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, walks through the meeting's conference center in Davos, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018. The meeting brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, chief executives and political leaders from Jan. 23 to 26. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) The Associated Press
The letters Davos are covered with snow at a hotel roof near the congress center where the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum takes place in Davos, Switzerland, Monday, Jan. 22, 2018. The meeting brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, chief executives and political leaders from Jan. 23 to 26. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) The Associated Press
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.