Davos forum seeking 'reset button' on global crisis mode while drawing Iran, Israeli leaders

GENEVA – Conflicts like the war in Syria and getting the world economy back on track will be the focus of next week's gathering of world leaders and power brokers in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.

Organizers of the World Economic Forum say hundreds of public figures are expected to attend including Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, Myanmar's President Thein Sein and British Prime Minister David Cameron.

The forum's founder, Klaus Schwab, told reporters Wednesday the event seeks to "push the reset button" on the world's crisis mode. He expects there to be "cautious optimism" among the attendees, but also realistic expectations about what could be achieved.