(AP Photo/Markus Schreiber). 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 ...

(AP Photo/Markus Schreiber). 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 ent...

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

President Donald Trump's trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, appears to be on.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday that if "all things go as expected" with reopening the government, the delegation will travel Tuesday and the president will go later in the week.

A delegation of Cabinet members was scheduled to leave Monday, but it was delayed amid the federal government shutdown. Senate Democrats dropped their objections to a temporary funding bill later in the day.

Trump plans to bring his "America First" message to the gathering of global political and business elites. The event is rarely attended by sitting presidents.

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."

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.

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."

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber). 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 ...

(AP Photo/Markus Schreiber). 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 ent...

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

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 on the day U.S. President Donald Trump is due to arrive at the meeting of top political and economic leaders Friday.

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.

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.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> China’s President Xi Jinping will attend the World Economic Forum next week, becoming the first Chinese head of state to do so at the annual gathering of business leaders, politicians and cultural icons in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos.

As part of an official visit to Switzerland, Xi will attend and open the annual economic meeting in the ski resort of Davos on January 17, accompanied by the largest delegation of officials from China since the world’s most populous country first participated at the forum nearly four decades ago.

 Xi’s attendance comes as China has sought to be more influential globally and present itself as a force for stability and champion of globalization and opponent of protectionism.

The Davos forum takes place during a week when the United States, home to the world’s largest economy, will be focused on Donald Trump’s January 20 inauguration as president.

“We are all aware that we are now in the transition in the world to a multilateral, to a multipolar, geopolitical and geo-economic structure,” World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab told reporters in Geneva today.

“China will equal the United States soon as far as economic power is concerned,” Schwab added, noting a “strong” Chinese business delegation would accompany Xi. “In the spirit of Davos, we want to engage them as much as possible,” he said.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said last month that China would “lead the way amid a shakeup in global governance, we will take hold of the situation amid international chaos, we will protect our interests amid intense and complex games.”

At the same time, while Xi has promised to make the world’s second-largest economy more competitive and productive by giving market forces a bigger role, reform advocates complain Beijing is failing to reduce the dominance of state companies.

Foreign companies say regulators are trying to squeeze them out of technology and other promising fields.

Ministry spokesman Lu Kang says Xi’s January 15-18 trip to Switzerland will also include visits to the offices of the United Nations and the World Health Organization in Geneva,and the International Olympics Committee’s headquarters in Lausanne.

This year’s World Economic Forum, which first took place in 1971 as a business gathering but has expanded to include politics, culture and humanitarian issues, is expected to draw a record 3,000 leaders from government, business and culture.

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Activist Hollywood stars such as Matt Damon and Forest Whitaker are expected to attend along with outgoing US Secretary of State John Kerry and outgoing Vice President Joe Biden, long a Davos devotee.

The presidents of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and South Africa also are expected be there, as is British Prime Minister Theresa May. </s> Uncertainty over President Trump’s trip to the elite Swiss Alps gathering - attended by royals, government heads and celebrities - has been rife. The US President is currently scheduled to make a high-profile speech at the World Economic Forum (WEDF) on Friday at 1pm GMT on the fourth and final day of the conference. Listed as ’Special Address by Donald Trump, President of the United States of America’ on the WEF programme, the speech will be the final address made any by world leader at the event. Earlier, as the US government shutdown crisis escalated into a third day, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders admitted a visit was unlikely to go ahead.

But after US Senators eventually struck a deal in a desperate attempt to lift the political deadlock, the White House confirmed Mr Trump would be attending Davos 2018 after all. The speech itself is under close wraps but The World Economic Forum has given a hint that the the outspoken President will use the opportunity to speak out about US interests. In a statement on its website, the WEF said: “The engagement of the President will allow participants to get a direct perspective on US political and economic priorities. “The US presence in Davos will also comprise key cabinet ministers and a strong participation of the Senate and the House."

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement Mr Trump “looks forward to having a bilateral meeting” with Theresa May at Davos 2018 in order to “further strengthen the US–UK Special Relationship”. This follows the embarrassing ruckus caused by Mr Trump just a couple of weeks ago when he denounced the US Embassy move to south London, labelling Nine Elms as an “off location”. What is the Davos World Economic Forum 2018? The World Economic’s Forum’s 48th Annual Meeting runs from January 23 to 26 at the luxury ski resort of Davos, the highest town in Switzerland.

It will be attended by 2,500 high-flyers from across the realms of politics, business, economics, charities and government agencies. WEF’s mission statement says it is “committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas”. This year’s programme is focused around the theme, Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World. </s> DAVOS, Switzerland — The Latest on the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland (all times local):

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 on the day U.S. President Donald Trump is due to arrive at the meeting of top political and economic leaders Friday.

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 per cent 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.

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. </s> Gov. Jay Inslee will travel to Switzerland this week to participate in the World Economic Forum's Annual meeting.

 

Inslee's office said Monday that the governor is scheduled to speak on several panels at the meeting in Davos, including a climate change one hosted by former Vice President Al Gore.

 

Inslee leaves the state Tuesday, with his first panel to take place Wednesday and a press conference scheduled for Thursday. Inslee returns to Washington Friday. </s> China’s President Xi Jinping will attend the World Economic Forum next week, becoming the first Chinese head of state to do so.

A spokesman of China’s foreign ministry said Tuesday that as part of an official visit to Switzerland, Xi will attend the annual economic meeting in the ski resort of Davos on Jan. 17.

Xi’s attendance comes as China has sought to be more influential globally and present the Asian power as a force for stability and champion of globalization and opponent of protectionism.

Lu Kang, the spokesman, says Xi’s Jan. 15-18 trip to Switzerland will also include visits to the offices of the United Nations and the World Health Organization in Geneva, and the International Olympics Committee’s headquarters in Lausanne. </s> Many of the world's most powerful people are gathering for the annual meeting of the mysterious Bilderberg Group this week. Russia, the Trump administration and 'The war on information' are among key topics up for discussion.This year's gathering takes place in Chantilly, Virginia, less than 30 miles from the White House, and goings on in the Oval Office are top of the agenda for the 131 people who've confirmed they're attending.Many top White House figures will be at the four-day event, including the Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, National Security Advisor HR McMaster and Assistant to the President Christopher Liddell.This year's event marks the 65th meeting of the infamously-secretive group which has met every year since 1954. Denis Healey, Joseph Retinger, David Rockefeller and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands were the group's founders.The group says the conference is "designed to foster dialogue between Europe and North America." Each year it's attended by people from the fields of politics, industry, finance, media and academia. About two thirds of the participants come from Europe and the rest from North America.As well of some of Trump's top brass, other attendees this year include Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, Republican senators Tom Cotton and Lindsey Graham, and Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai.Editors, and chief commentators, from several world famous publications including Bloomberg, The Economist, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera and the London Evening Standard will also be in attendance.Notorious for the lack of information about what happens during the discussions, meetings are closed to the public and to reporting journalists. All of the the meetings are held under the Chatham House Rule, which means that participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speakers can be revealed. Also, no minutes are taken and no report is written.Nobody can buy their way into the meetings, rather they have to be invited. The invited guests are not allowed to bring their partners and the group reportedly never visits the same hotel twice.Among the most famous past attendees are Henry Kissinger (who is going again this year), Bill Gates, numerous members of European royal families, Bill Clinton, and Margaret Thatcher, who both attended before they rose to power. </s> BIARRITZ, France — Leaders of major world economies are meeting to discuss the shaky world economy amid trade disputes and uncertainty over U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies.

Trump tried to play down tensions among Group of Seven leaders after they had dinner Saturday in the southwest French resort of Biarritz. He is worried that the global economic slowdown is spreading to the U.S. before next year’s elections.

The G-7 leaders are meeting Sunday morning to focus on what they can do together to boost the economy. They include the heads of Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Canada and Italy.

Disputes on trade have unsettled the global economy because businesses don’t know where tariffs will be imposed.

Anti-capitalist protesters also plan demonstrations Sunday after clashing with police near Biarritz on the summit’s opening day Saturday.
Various billionaires, world leaders, and investors gather in Davos, Switzerland to discuss economic issues.