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Davos 2019 Day 2: Shinzo Abe, Angela Merkel address forum

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Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel addressing the World Economic Forum attendees. (Screenshot/WEF)
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rince William, Duke of Cambridge and New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern join a panel discussing mental health. (Screenshot/WEF)
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Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, revealed further details of a Saudi investment deal at the Davos forum. (WEF)
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The second day of panels and addresses is taking place in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday. (WEF)
Updated 25 January 2019
Arab News
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Davos 2019 Day 2: Shinzo Abe, Angela Merkel address forum

  • The second day of panels and addresses is taking place in Davos, Switzerland
  • Highlights include addresses by Japanese PM and German chancellor
Updated 25 January 2019
Arab News

DAVOS: The second day of panels and addresses is taking place in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday. Follow Arab News' live coverage below...

17:45 - If you want an alternative view of the comings and goings at Davos, you couldn't do much better than our reporter Frank Kane's 'Davos Diary' for a more tongue-in-cheek look at the World Economic Forum...

Davos Diary: From chalets to snow boots, how to master the WEF logistics

Davos Diary: An evening in the life of WEF, from Brexit to biodiversity

Davos Diary: Central Lounge — the networking hub of the universe

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17:10 - Missed the address by German Chancellor Angela Merkel earlier? Don't worry, you can read/watch everything she had to say by clicking here...

16:45 - Earlier on Wednesday, Giuseppe Conte dismissed fears Italy is headed for a recession, insisting that the country's economic growth could climb as much as 1.5 percent and said there was no need for a budget adjustment to meet targets. He was speaking to Bloomberg on the sidelines of Davos.

16:30 - Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte is speaking now on stage. Follow live below:

15:30 - A fascinating conversation on mental health and the discussions now happening around the world and what is being done to help those suffering...

15:10 - Prince William says he found that one thing linked all the different charitable causes he had worked on - mental health. Speaks about how breaking down barriers and removing the stigma was key to what he wanted to achieve...

15:00 - Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern join a panel discussing mental health - one in four people will experience mental illness in their lives, costing the global economy an estimated $6 trillion by 2030. What can the global community do to promote mental health across all facets of society? Find out by watching the panel live below:

14:30 - Wang Qishan has proven to be a bit spiky with some of his answers to Klaus Schwab's questioning during this panel, and has made some very odd references. He even manages a sly dig at European economies and corruption throughout history via Charles Dickens' Tale of Two Cities - slightly awkward, if compelling, viewing...

14:15 - We now have a special address by Wang Qishan, the Vice-President of China. Watch his address and comments below:

13:55 - Merkel departs the stage, staying tight-lipped about her future after politics and when told she is welcome back at Davos anytime, she quips: "Well, you have me today - be grateful for what you have." Fiesty...

13:30 - Angela Merkel has defended global institutions set up in the aftermath of World War II, saying they have made the world a better place - and says the current global system will only be maintained if political compromises are made. She also says confidence in global financial systems has been shaken and must be restored.

"For a long time emerging countries like China and India influenced the world economy in a very strong way and when an existing system takes too long to react the consequences are that others (countries) make themselves noticeable through new institutions." 

13:15 - Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel takes to the stage, watch her special address below...

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13:05: Meanwhile, now time for some Saudi Arabia-focused Davos news - according to Kirill Dmitriev, boss of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, a quarter of Saudi Arabia’s pledged $10 billion investment in Russia has been deployed, he said on Wednesday. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) in 2015 signed an agreement to invest up to $10 billion in Russia through a partnership with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).

READ MORE: Davos 2019: Saudi investment in Russia ‘hits $2.5bn’

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12:50 - Ethiopia's PM Abiy Ahmed is discussing the rapid transformation the country has gone through in such a short space of time, something the panel host says leaders in Europe could learn from. Talking about the wider, regional influence Ethiopa could have, he quotes: "If you want to go first, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

12:30 - Change of pace now, as we go over to a conversation with newly appointed Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is talking about the country's rapid pace of reform and what will be needed to realize Ethiopia's potential. Watch live below:

12:15 - Jack Ma has just spoken about the potential of Africa - he says he can sense a fear of future in Europe, but not so in Africa (or China) where there is a great optimism for the future. He says Africa, and developing countries, need the 'Four Es' in order to suceed - "entrepreneurs, education, e-frastructure (internet access) and e-government." 

"Africans want change, the continent has many smart young people. Europeans always wants to keep yesterday. When you worry about the future, you will never be an entrepreneur."

12:00 - Alibaba founder Jack Ma is speaking to young people, technology experts and Global Shapers - the first question he is posed regards whether or not he ever had doubts whether his company would be a success. He says he definitely had fears and doubts, but he says he was completely "transparent" about that with his team and that helped build trust with the group that would make it a success. Watch it live here:

11:45 - As pretty as Davos looks in the previous update, it appears the reality is much like anywhere else in the world - traffic on the morning commute, as our reporter Frank Kane discovered...

11:30 - So much of the action in Davos happens indoors, and we rarely see outside the conference center - but what is the Swiss resort actually like? We've assembled a small collection of images for you, so you can see. Rather pretty, really...(All images: AFP)

11:15 - So what do we have coming up for you today? Shortly, Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, will be making a special address. Then we will have German Chancellor Angela Merkel on stage. She will be talking about growing uncertainty in Europe over the impending Brexit after British lawmakers last week voted down Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the European Union. Will Britain crash out of the bloc without a deal or will it end up extending its date of departurefrom the current March 29?

The trade conflict between the US and China will also be in focus when China's vice president, Wang Qishan, addresses the conference later. On Tuesday, Mike Pompeo said he was "optimistic" that there will be a "good outcome" in upcoming trade discussions with China in Washington. A high-level Chinese delegation is due to arrive in the US capital on Jan. 30 as the two sides seek to strike an accord to end their trade conflict.

READ MORE: Mideast CEOs turn gloomy on global economy, PwC study finds

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10:35 - Shinzo Abe has delivered an engaging and interesting address (not something you can say about everyone at the forum...) and this line about tackling Climate Change being a potentially profitable, rather than costly, exercise stood out...

10:20 - Shinzo Abe's address is all about his policies that have helped raise wages in Japan, put two million women into work and helping the notoriously elderly population transition into an evolving workforce. The fact he is addressing Davos in English is also particularly impressive - a sign of his hopes to open up Japan to the world a bit more?

10:15 - Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe begins his address to the forum...

10:00 - Haifaa Al-Mansour, the first female filmmaker in Saudi Arabia and a winner at this year's WEF Crystal Awards, was speaking this morning. The acclaimed director spoke about her dedication to breaking boundaries and shaping new stories, at a panel entitled “An Insight, An Idea with Haifaa Al-Mansour.”

You can watch a recap of her discussion here

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09:45 - Another bit of news from the first day was the meeting between Dubai's crown prince Sheikh Hamdan and WEF founder Klaus Schwab, you can read about their meeting here...

09:30 - More senior world leaders will take to the stage today, with the Japanese prime minister, the German chancellor and the prime minister of Ethiopia all on the agenda. Stay tuned to keep track of all Wednesday's action.

One of the highlights of the first day was the story and impassioned plea of refugee Mohammed Hassan Mohamud - a Somalian displaced person currently in a camp in Kenya.

Topics: Davos 2019 Davos Switzerland World Economic Forum (WEF) WEF WEF19

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Eritrean president warns Ethiopia against waging war

Updated 6 sec ago
AFP
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Eritrean president warns Ethiopia against waging war

  • At the heart of the current tension, according to the Eritrean government, is landlocked Ethiopia’s long-held desire for a seaport.
Updated 6 sec ago
AFP

NAIROBI: Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki has warned neighbor Ethiopia against launching a new war between the bitter foes, with tensions high in the Horn of Africa region.
Eritrea and Ethiopia have had fraught relations since the former declared independence in 1993, with tens of thousands of people killed in a war between the two from 1998 to 2000.
At the heart of the current tension, according to the Eritrean government, is landlocked Ethiopia’s long-held desire for a seaport.
Afwerki, who has ruled Eritrea with an iron fist since independence, warned Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed that he would not be able to simply overwhelm his country by weight of numbers — Ethiopia’s population is 130 million, compared to just 3.5 million people living in Eritrea.
“If he thinks he can overwhelm (Eritrean forces) with human wave attack, (he is mistaken),” Afwerki told state television channel Eri-TV.
“Before dragging the people of Ethiopia into unwanted wars or using them for another political agenda, the country’s internal problems must be first addressed and solved,” he said.
He called Abiy’s actions a “reckless” attempt to “divert attention” from domestic problems.
Abiy signed a peace deal with Afwerki shortly after coming to power in 2018, but a violent conflict erupted in Ethiopia’s Tigray province from 2020 to 2022 as Eritrea’s forces backed rebels there fighting Ethiopian troops.
At least 600,000 people were killed in the conflict, according to an African Union estimate.
Although a peace deal ended the fighting, Eritrea has maintained a military presence in Tigray and relations between the neighbors have deteriorated.
Abiy has repeatedly said Ethiopia must have access to the sea, but by peaceful means.
Last month, a report by a US monitoring group accused Eritrea of rebuilding its army and destabilising its neighbors.
Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Ghebremeskel criticized the report by NGO The Sentry and blamed “the new tension in the region” on Ethiopia.
Eritrea had been under US arms sanctions that were lifted after the 2018 peace deal.
Eritrea is a single-party state which consistently ranks among the worst in the world for rights — in last place for press freedom, according to Reporters Without Borders, and 175th out of 183 for human development in 2022, according to the United Nations.

Topics: Eritrea Ethiopia war

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Tsunami alert after powerful quakes strike off coast of Russia: USGS

Updated 20 July 2025
AFP
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Tsunami alert after powerful quakes strike off coast of Russia: USGS

  • Earlier 5.0-magnitude and 6.7-magnitude earthquakes did not initially trigger a tsunami alert
Updated 20 July 2025
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MOSCOW: Three powerful earthquakes struck off the coast of Russia’s far east on Sunday, triggering a tsunami alert, the US Geological Survey said.
Earlier 5.0-magnitude and 6.7-magnitude earthquakes did not initially trigger a tsunami alert, but were followed by a 7.4-magnitude quake at 0849 GMT, prompting the USGS to warn that “hazardous tsunami waves are possible” within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the epicenter in the Pacific, off the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Topics: Russia US earthquake alert

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Russia says it downed 142 Ukrainian drones, including 27 over Moscow region

Updated 20 July 2025
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Russia says it downed 142 Ukrainian drones, including 27 over Moscow region

  • The drones were reportedly shot down over a number of regions in the European part of Russia, as well as over the Black Sea
Updated 20 July 2025
Reuters

MOSCOW: Russia’s defense ministry and the mayor of Moscow said it had downed 142 drones overnight, including 27 over the Moscow region.

The drones were reportedly shot down over a number of regions in the European part of Russia, as well as over the Black Sea.

The latest attacks included four drones headed toward the Russian capital, which were downed on Sunday morning, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram around 1000 local time (0700 GMT).

According to Russia’s aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia, four major airports serving Moscow – Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovskiy – were affected, resulting in 134 flights being redirected.

By 1000 Moscow time, only two airports remained closed to air traffic – Vnukovo in the Moscow region and Grabtsevo in the Kaluga region.

Topics: Russia-Ukraine Conflict Russia Ukraine

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Heavy rains in South Korea leave 14 dead and 12 others missing

Updated 20 July 2025
AP
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Heavy rains in South Korea leave 14 dead and 12 others missing

  • Since Wednesday, southern regions have received up to about 600-800 millimeters of rain
Updated 20 July 2025
AP

SEOUL: Torrential rains that slammed South Korea for five days have left 14 people dead and 12 others missing, the government said Sunday.

One person was killed on Sunday after their house collapsed during heavy rain and another person was found dead after being swept by a swollen stream in Gapyeong, a town northeast of Seoul, the Interior and Safety Ministry said.

The ministry said eight people were discovered dead and six others were reported missing in the southern town of Sancheong on Saturday after heavy downpours caused landslides, house collapses and flash floods there.

A ministry report said that six people remain missing in Gapyeong and the southern city of Gwangju.

Earlier last week, three people were found dead in a submerged car, and a person was also killed when their car was buried by soil and concrete after a retaining wall of an overpass collapsed in Osan, just south of Seoul, during heavy rain.

As of 9 a.m. on Sunday, about 3,840 people remain evacuated from their homes, the ministry report said. The rain stopped in most of South Korea on Sunday, and heavy rain alerts have been subsequently lifted throughout the country, ministry officials said.

Since Wednesday, southern regions have received up to about 600-800 millimeters (24-31 inches) of rain, according to the ministry report.

Topics: weather South Korea

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Tearful relatives await news from Vietnam wreck rescue

Updated 20 July 2025
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Tearful relatives await news from Vietnam wreck rescue

  • The Wonder Sea boat was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members
  • Rescue workers saved 11 people, and recovered the dead near the site of the capsizing
Updated 20 July 2025
AFP

HALONG BAY, Vietnam: Relatives anxiously sat beside ambulances on the wharf of one of Vietnam’s most popular tourist sites on Sunday, waiting for news of loved ones who were on a tourist boat that capsized killing dozens.

Fruits and flowers were laid on the coast for the at least 37 killed in the wreckage on Saturday in what some called Ha Long Bay’s worst-ever disaster.

As rescuers worked into Sunday morning to salvage the sunken boat, a handful of people were still missing.

The tourist vessel called “Wonder Sea” had been carrying 53 people, including more than 20 children, around the UNESCO World Heritage Site, according to state media.

Hoang Quang rushed from Hanoi to Quang Ninh province at 2:00 am on Sunday for news of his cousin and her family who were on the boat when it capsized.

The couple – a housewife and fruit seller married to a bus driver – had “tried their best” to afford the trip around the world-famous bay.

“They found the body of (the husband), not my cousin yet,” Hoang said.

He was “so shocked” when he heard news of the incident and immediately went to the wharf with other worried family members.

“Suddenly the victims were my relatives – anyone would be scared. We didn’t know what to do, except to keep waiting,” he said.

“We think that as we are all here, she knew and she would show up. We are all so anxious... We just wish and pray for her to come back here to us.”

At Ha Long city’s main funeral home, AFP journalists saw bodies wrapped in red cloth being carried in on stretchers, as friends and relatives cried in front of more than a dozen coffins.

A 68-year-old man, who asked not to be named, rushed to the scene at 3:00 am, only to discover that his relatives – a young family of four, including two boys – had died in the capsizing.

“We were all so shocked,” he said tearfully. “This was a very sudden accident. They were just taking the kids out to the bay for summer holidays and it ended up terrible.”

The bodies of the mother and children had been recovered, but he was awaiting news of the father to be able to cremate them together.

“We know there is no hope,” he said.

The friend of another victim, a firefighter who had taken the trip with colleagues, said they had known each other since university.

“He was still single. We brought his body back to (his hometown) for burial early this morning,” the friend said.

He praised the rescue efforts and said provincial authorities had given families 25 million dong ($955) for each victim.

By early Sunday, the wreckage had been towed into the wharf and 11 people had been taken to a nearby hospital, where one more died later in the day.

Security guard Nguyen Tuan Anh spent the night on the wharf where ambulances were waiting to carry the bodies away – a scene he described as “painful.”

“I don’t think I have experienced this scene before. This maybe the worst accident ever in Ha Long Bay,” he said, adding it had been “unpredictable and also I think unpreparable.”

“The whirlwind came so sudden and so big. The wind blew off the framework of a big stage for a grand music show nearby,” he said.

Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most popular tourist destinations, with millions of people visiting its blue-green waters and rainforest-topped limestone islands each year.

Several hundred rescuers including professional divers, soldiers, and firefighters joined the search for survivors through the night and heavy rain, state media said.

“The whirlwind came just so sudden,” a rescue worker, who asked not to be named, said on Saturday.

“As the boat turned upside down, several people were stuck inside the cabin. Me and other rescuers pulled up two bodies and rescued one,” he said.

“The accident was so devastating.”

Topics: Vietnam Ha Long Bay

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