- Japan's former empress Michiko discharged after surgey: reports
- Israel widens Lebanon strikes as troops fight Hezbollah along border
- Bowlers' graveyards: Pakistan's placid pitches under fresh fire
- 'Little Gregory' murder haunts France 40 years on
- Vietnam, China to expand rail links, cross-border payments
- Americans get their belief back as Pochettino makes his mark
- Vietnam, China to boost economic, defence cooperation
- Winning start for Pochettino's American adventure
- Tariffs, tax cuts, energy: What is in Trump's economic plan?
- Amazon wants to be everything to everyone
- US firms brace for more tariffs as election approaches
- Winning start for Poch's American adventure
- Morocco's tribeswomen see facial tattoo tradition fade
- Centre-left set to win as pro-Ukraine Lithuania votes
- Colombia guerilla group urges delegations not to attend COP16 in Cali
- Pakistan frets over security ahead of SCO summit
- Ronaldo scores 133rd Portugal goal in Nations League win over Poland
- 40 nations contributing to UN Lebanon peacekeeping force condemn 'attacks'
- Eight dead as heavy rain thrashes Brazil after long drought
- Jewish school in Canada hit by gunfire for second time
- Morocco crush Central African Republic, Guirassy scores hat-trick
- Dupont scores quickfire hat-trick on Toulouse Top 14 return
- Ronaldo scores in Portugal's Nations League win as Spain sink Denmark
- Interim boss Carsley has not applied for England job
- Mets hurler Senga ready to take on Dodgers in game one of NL Championship Series
- Ronaldo on target again as Portugal defeat Poland in Nations League
- Guardians rip Tigers 7-3 to advance in MLB playoffs
- AFP, BBC win top French war reporting awards
- Carsley goes back to basics as humbled England face Finland
- Alex Salmond: the man who took Scotland to the brink of independence
- Scotland's former leader Alex Salmond dies aged 69: party
- UN warns of catastrophe as Israel fights a two-front war
- Croatia extend Scotland's losing streak
- South Africa, New Zealand boost T20 World Cup semi-final hopes
- 'Very challenging': Israel faces Hezbollah in tricky terrain
- Farrell begins to feel at home as Racing 92 beat Toulon
- South Africa boost T20 World Cup semi-final hopes with Bangladesh win
- Samson ton powers India to T20 series sweep after record total
- Djokovic to face Sinner in Shanghai final with 100th title in sight
- UN peacekeepers to remain in Lebanon: spokesman
- Pro-Conquest film fuels debate in Mexico over colonial legacy
- Samson ton powers India to record 297-6 in Bangladesh T20
- New Zealand enjoy perfect start to America's Cup defence over Britain
- Pogacar emulates icon Coppi with fourth straight Il Lombardia triumph
- UN warns against 'catastrophic' regional conflict
- New Zealand crush Ineos Britannia in America's Cup opener
- Djokovic to face Sinner in blockbuster Shanghai Masters final
- With medical report Harris seeks to play health card against Trump
- Sri Lanka seeks to match success in W.Indies T20s
- Sinner reaches Shanghai final, will end year number one
After long trek to Davos, Ukrainians await more Western aid
Ukraine's foreign minister, lawmakers and mayors made long journeys by car, train and plane to the Swiss Alps to convince global elites to send more help to repel Russian invaders.
As the four-day World Economic Forum in Davos wrapped up on Thursday, they were returning home without the heavy weapons they desperately want or the new sanctions they demand against Moscow.
But while major announcements were not expected in Davos, the summit gave the Ukrainians a chance to press the world's political and business leaders face-to-face for urgent help after three months of fighting.
Ivan Fedorov, the mayor of the southeastern city of Melitopol, drove from Zaporizhzhia to Warsaw, then by plane to Zurich, and again by car from Zurich to Davos -- a two-day trek.
"It's very important for us (to come to Davos) because for a long time Russian propaganda and diplomacy worked very well," Fedorov told AFP.
"Civilised countries must be united with Ukraine... not with their words but with their deeds," said Fedorov, who was held for several days by Russian forces in March.
President Volodymyr Zelensky led the pleas in a headline speech via videolink at the start of the confab, while the Ukrainian delegation included the star power of Kyiv mayor, Vitali Klitschko, and his brother Wladimir, the former heavyweight boxers.
"Usually, Davos is considered a place where people only talk, but we took the opportunity to also discuss and agree on some issues with our counterparts," said Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who travelled by train, car and plane.
- 'Russian War Crimes House' -
The gathering was also a chance for Ukraine to push its case to gain candidate status to join the European Union.
Ukrainian officials and lawmakers took the opportunity to meet corporate chief executives as Kyiv seeks help to rebuild the country.
Another major concern raised in Davos was the Russian blockade preventing Ukraine, once the world's breadbasket, from exporting its wheat to countries that depend on it.
Kuleba said Ukraine was in talks with the United Nations on the idea of opening a safe passage for ships out of the port of Odessa, which would require de-mining the harbour and getting security guarantees from Moscow.
But the main refrain in Davos was Kyiv's more immediate need for military help to defeat a better-armed Russia.
To press their case, they reminded the world of the atrocities of conflict.
With Russians banned from attending this year's meeting, Ukraine took over Moscow's usual residence in Davos, turning the "Russia House" into the "Russian War Crimes House" and covering its walls with images of dead bodies.
Zelensky used Davos to urge the West to show more unity with Ukraine, singling out Hungary for holding up an EU embargo on Russian oil, while Kuleba lamented that some are "dragging their feet" on providing heavy weapons.
Washington and European countries have poured billions of dollars' worth of arms into Ukraine, but Kuleba appealed for multiple-launch rocket systems to match Russian firepower.
- 'Full-court press' -
The Ukrainians also made it clear that the endgame of the war should be defeating Russia, not ceding territory as former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger suggested in a video appearance at the WEF.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who addressed the forum on its last day, said Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be allowed to dictate peace in Ukraine.
"Our goal is crystal clear -- Putin must not win this war. And I am convinced that he will not win it," Scholz said.
Scholz, however, did not directly address Ukrainian criticism that Berlin was not moving fast enough in supplying tanks and armoured vehicles.
Alexander Stubb, the former prime minister of Finland, said he had advised Ukrainian delegates that they should use Davos as a "communication exercise".
"The West is strongly on their side, but there's always the risk of war fatigue," Stubb told AFP, adding that the Ukrainians should use a "full-court press".
"I do think Davos is the right place to communicate," said Stubb, now the director of the School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute.
The lobbying may have worked, with Kuleba saying that "some weapons that we discussed here... will be on their way pretty soon."
He conceded, however, that he "will arrive in Kyiv before new weapons arrive or new sanctions are introduced".
"But this is the political process," he said. "It takes time."
P.M.Smith--AMWN