January 18, Wednesday, 2023 (1:30 p.m.) Newsline

1.Politicians, business leaders, academics and activists are weighing in on global issues from a resort town in the Swiss Alps. They have descended on Davos for the world Economic Forum. Ukraine’s first lady says some leaders have failed to use their influence to help stop the fighting. Olena Zelenska says, if her country loses, the war could ignite wider crises.
2.A US Defense Department spokesperson says the US military has begun training Ukrainians to use and maintain the Patriot missile defense system. The US-produced Patriot is a mobile surface-to-air missile system designed to intercept ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as aircraft. The Dutch defense ministry on Tuesday said it was also ready to provide Ukraine with the Patriot system.
3.A former commander with Russia’s private military contractor Wagner has reportedly fled to Norway and is seeking asylum there. Norwegian human rights group Gulagu.net released an interview with Medvedev in which he explained his reasons for defecting.