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Gebrüder Weiss is once again the a Centauri Solar Racing Team's logistics partner / Branches in Zurich, Wolfurt, and Adelaide ensure seamless transport of the custom-built solar-powered racing car.

Wolfurt, June 26, 2025. Logistics company Gebrüder Weiss is once again supporting the students of the a Centauri Solar Racing Team from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich as they travel to Australia for the World Solar Challenge 2025. At this year's international solar vehicle race, the Swiss students are aiming to improve on their 12th place debut result from 2023, having developed a vehicle with improved aerodynamics and a larger solar surface area. To ensure that everything runs smoothly before the race begins in Darwin on August 24, the team has once again entrusted Gebrüder Weiss with the complex transport.

“We are delighted to be accompanying the aCentauri team from ETH Zurich again this year. Such collaborations are in line with our understanding of partnership: long-term, trusting, and focused on a sustainable future for mobility,” explains Frank Haas, Head of Communications at Gebrüder Weiss. “The students already demonstrated in 2023 that solar mobility works, and we wish them every success in reaching the top ten.”

The technical equipment was shipped to Australia by sea freight back in May. Now, the vehicle itself is embarking on its journey by air freight, after a live presentation at the Gebrüder Weiss location in Wolfurt. After completing a final test drive in front of press representatives, the vehicle was prepared for air transport at the IATA-certified terminal.

Certification from the IATA (International Air Transport Association) means that the Air & Sea Terminal at Wolfurt is an officially recognized air freight terminal where shipments can be prepared for air transport in accordance with IATA standards – including special packaging, security checks, and all required inspection processes. The flight will then depart for Australia via Frankfurt Airport without any intermediate steps.

Upon arrival in Australia, the logistics experts at the new Gebrüder Weiss location in Adelaide will take charge of the next stage of the process: They will coordinate the import formalities and transport to the University of Adelaide.

The World Solar Challenge starts on August 24, 2025, and covers 3,000 kilometers across the Australian outback. First held in 1987, the race promotes innovation in the areas of sustainable mobility and renewable energies.

As a company with a history spanning over 500 years, Gebrüder Weiss is eager to play an active role in shaping the future of mobility. Since 2021, the company has been involved in relevant projects, working closely with universities, research teams, and start-ups. In addition to logistics, Gebrüder Weiss promotes exchange between project partners and raises the profile of forward-thinking ideas. The aim is to implement new technologies at an early stage.

Further background information on the projects can be found at: https://www.gw-world.com/company/sustainability/future-of-mobility, or via the logistics company's social media channels.

About Gebrüder Weiss

Gebrüder Weiss Holding AG, based in Lauterach, Austria, is a globally operative full-service logistics provider with about 8,600 employees at 180 company-owned locations. The company generated revenues of 2.71 billion euros in 2024. Its portfolio encompasses transport and logistics solutions, digital services, and supply chain management. The twin strengths of digital and physical competence enable Gebrüder Weiss to respond swiftly and flexibly to customers' needs. The family-run organization – with a history going back more than half a millennium – has implemented a wide variety of environmental, economic, and social initiatives. Today, it is also considered a pioneer in sustainable business practices. www.gw-world.com

Governments across Asia and the Pacific today reached a landmark decision to ensure that all births are registered and all deaths are recorded by 2030, bringing the vision of universal, inclusive and resilient civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems one step closer to reality.

This renewed pledge, adopted at the conclusion of the Third Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) in Asia and the Pacific, ushers in the next chapter of the CRVS Decade. It strengthens regional momentum and aligns more closely with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reinforcing the shared vision of inclusive development for all.
 
The Ministerial Declaration reaffirms the shared vision that all people in Asia and the Pacific will benefit from universal and responsive CRVS systems, essential for ensuring legal identity, protecting human rights, enabling good governance, strengthening public health and driving sustainable development. The Declaration also highlights the importance of marriage registration and the urgent need to build resilient and inclusive CRVS systems that can withstand future crises and reach everyone, especially the most vulnerable.
 
Over the past decade, Asia and the Pacific has made remarkable progress: The number of unregistered children under five has dropped to 51 million today from 135 million in 2012, a reduction of more than 60 per cent. Twenty-nine countries now register over 90 per cent of births within a year, while 30 countries achieve the same for death registration. The quality of cause-of-death reporting has also significantly improved, thanks to sustained efforts to strengthen civil registration and health systems.
 
But despite this progress, an estimated 14 million children across the region still do not have their births registered by their first birthday. And each year, approximately 6.9 million deaths go unrecorded, most often those occurring outside health facilities or in remote communities.
 
“These numbers are more than statistics, they represent lives without legal recognition and families left without support,” said Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). “This week has been a powerful call to action. We have seen inspiring examples of countries reaching the most marginalized, embracing digital innovation and strengthening legal and institutional frameworks.”
 
The Declaration sets out a bold and ambitious roadmap to 2030, one that places people at the centre. It calls for inclusive and accessible service delivery, harnesses the power of digital transformation, strengthens legal foundations and builds integrated interoperable data systems. Governments across the region also committed to improving gender equity in registration processes, safeguarding personal data and privacy and ensuring the continuity of CRVS services even in times of crises.
 
The renewed commitment marks a powerful regional pledge to leave no one behind. It signals a united drive to close the remaining gaps, build resilient and inclusive CRVS systems and ensure that every person – regardless of gender, location or circumstance – is counted, protected and visible in public policy.

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the most inclusive intergovernmental platform in the Asia-Pacific region. The Commission promotes cooperation among its 53 member States and 9 associate members in pursuit of solutions to sustainable development challenges. ESCAP is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations.
 

Jackpot! Gold from e-waste opens a rich vein for miners and the environment – An interdisciplinary team of experts in green chemistry, engineering and physics at Flinders University has developed a safer and more sustainable approach to extract and recover gold from ore and electronic waste.

Explained in the leading journal Nature Sustainability, the gold-extraction technique promises to reduce levels of toxic waste from mining and shows that high purity gold can be recovered from recycling valuable components in printed circuit boards in discarded computers.

The project team, led by Matthew Flinders Professor Justin Chalker, applied this integrated method for high-yield gold extraction from many sources – even recovering trace gold found in scientific waste streams.

The progress toward safer and more sustainable gold recovery was demonstrated for electronic waste, mixed-metal waste, and ore concentrates.

“The study featured many innovations including a new and recyclable leaching reagent derived from a compound used to disinfect water,” says Professor of Chemistry Justin Chalker, who leads the Chalker Lab at Flinders University’s College of Science and Engineering.

“The team also developed an entirely new way to make the polymer sorbent, or the material that binds the gold after extraction into water, using light to initiate the key reaction.”

Extensive investigation into the mechanisms, scope and limitations of the methods are reported in the new study, and the team now plans to work with mining and e-waste recycling operations to trial the method on a larger scale.

“The aim is to provide effective gold recovery methods that support the many uses of gold, while lessening the impact on the environment and human health,” says Professor Chalker.

The new process uses a low-cost and benign compound to extract the gold. This reagent (trichloroisocyanuric acid) is widely used in water sanitation and disinfection. When activated by salt water, the reagent can dissolve gold.

Next, the gold can be selectively bound to a novel sulfur-rich polymer developed by the Flinders team. The selectivity of the polymer allows gold recovery even in highly complex mixtures.

The gold can then be recovered by triggering the polymer to “un-make” itself and convert back to monomer. This allows the gold to be recovered and the polymer to be recycled and re-used.

Global demand for gold is driven by its high economic and monetary value but is also a vital element in electronics, medicine, aerospace technologies and other products and industries. However, mining the previous metal can involve the use of highly toxic substances such as cyanide and mercury for gold extraction – and other negative environmental impacts on water, air and land including CO2 emissions and deforestation.

The aim of the Flinders-led project was to provide alternative methods that are safer than mercury or cyanide in gold extraction and recovery.

The team also collaborated with experts in the US and Peru to validate the method on ore, in an effort to support small-scale mines that otherwise rely on toxic mercury to amalgamate gold.

Gold mining typically uses highly toxic cyanide to extract gold from ore, with risks to the wildlife and the broader environment if it is not contained properly. Artisanal and small-scale gold mines still use mercury to amalgamate gold. Unfortunately, the use of mercury in gold mining is one of the largest sources of mercury pollution on Earth.

Professor Chalker says interdisciplinary research collaborations with industry and environmental groups will help to address highly complex problems that support the economy and the environment.

“We are especially grateful to our engineering, mining, and philanthropic partners for supporting translation of laboratory discoveries to larger scale demonstrations of the gold recovery techniques.”

Lead authors of the major new study – Flinders University postdoctoral research associates Dr Max Mann, Dr Thomas Nicholls, Dr Harshal Patel and Dr Lynn Lisboa – extensively tested the new technique on piles of electronic waste, with the aim of finding more sustainable, circular economy solutions to make better use of ever-more-scarce resources in the world. Many components of electronic waste, such as computer processing units and RAM cards, contain valuable metals such as gold and copper.

Dr Mann says: “This paper shows that interdisciplinary collaborations are needed to address the world's big problems managing the growing stockpiles of e-waste.”

ARC DECRA Fellow Dr Nicholls, adds: “The newly developed gold sorbent is made using a sustainable approach in which UV light is used to make the sulfur-rich polymer. Then, recycling the polymer after the gold has been recovered further increases the green credentials of this method.”

Dr Patel says: “We dived into a mound of e-waste and climbed out with a block of gold! I hope this research inspires impactful solutions to pressing global challenges.”

“With the ever-growing technological and societal demand for gold, it is increasingly important to develop safe and versatile methods to purify gold from varying sources,” Dr Lisboa concludes.

The article, Sustainable gold extraction from ore and electronic waste (2025) by Maximilian Mann, Thomas P Nicholls, Harshal D Patel, Lynn S Lisboa, Jasmine MM Pople, Le Nhan Pham, Max JH Worthington, Matthew R Smith, Yanting Yin, Gunther G Andersson, Christopher T Gibson, Louisa J Esdaile, Claire E Lenehan, Michelle L Coote, Zhongfan Jia and Justin M Chalker has been published in Nature Sustainability. DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01586-w

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-025-01586-w

Funding: The project was supported by generous funding from the Australian Research Council including Fellowships, Discovery Grants and Linkage Projects spanning 2015 to 2025 (DE150101863, DP200100090, DP21010002, DP230100587, LP200301660, LP200301661, FT220100054, and DE250100525). Additional funding was provided by a 2024 Flinders University High Impact Collaboration Grant.

With around 90 per cent of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) having experienced an increase in costs in the past year, keeping up with utilities, supplier and marketing costs is proving ever more challenging.

Key findings:

• New research commissioned by CommBank shows 89 per cent of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) have experienced an increase in business costs in the past 12 months.
• Utility bills, including phone, internet and electricity bills, are by far the greatest contributor to the increased costs (66 per cent), while nearly half (47 per cent) have seen supplier costs soar.
• These increases are followed by marketing (29 per cent), staff (26 per cent), and accounting software costs (25 per cent).
• On average, business costs have increased by 10 per cent, however 40 per cent of SMEs who have experienced a rise report increases of more than 10 per cent.

Justine Dalrymple, owner of Front Room Hair in Sydney’s lower North Shore suburb of Crows Nest, prides herself on not only the high standard of service her salon offers to local customers, but the community she’s been able to build around her business.

“What I love the most about being a small business owner is the opportunity to bring the community together. We are so blessed that we get to make fri

Nouakchott, Mauritania – 25 June, 2025 – Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB), a leading Pan-African multilateral development bank committed to financing and advancing housing, urban, and related infrastructure development, has signed a USD 15 million loan agreement with Banque Mauritanienne de l'Investissement (BMI) to finance affordable housing in Mauritania.

This transaction, signed Monday in Nouakchott, Mauritania, is part of the ShafDB's strategy to promote access to decent housing for low- and middle-income populations in Africa, and will strengthen Mauritania's housing finance ecosystem, particularly for under-served populations.

The loan will be used to co-finance the construction of 1,000 homes in the town of ZOUÉRATT and the servicing of 1,000 plots in the commune of TEVRAGH ZEINA for the diaspora and residents.

Commenting on the agreement, Shelter Afrique Development Bank Managing Director Mr Thierno-Habib Hann noted that ShafDB and the BMI shared a similar vision: to help the diaspora and residents of the town of ZOUÉRATT to build their own homes.

“This partnership with BMI will make it possible to offer affordable and decent housing to low-income households, filling part of the 50,000 housing deficit in Mauritania in a context where urbanisation is growing at a rate of 4%,” said Mr Hann,” said Mr. Hann.

BMI Managing Director Mohamed Yahya Sidi welcomed the agreement, saying his institution was honoured to work with Shelter Afrique Development Bank to finance affordable housing projects in Mauritania.  

“This partnership strengthens our commitment to Mauritania's socio-economic development, broadens our inclusive housing finance solutions, and confirms our support for the country's ambitious urban development programme,” said Mr. Sidi.

Through this partnership, it is estimated that around 5,000 jobs will be created, 12,400 people will benefit from the project and 2,000 households will gain access to housing through self-build or direct purchase.

About Shelter Afrique Development Bank

Established in 1981 in Lusaka, Zambia, Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) is a Pan-African Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) dedicated to promoting and financing sustainable green housing, urban development and related infrastructure. It operates through a shareholding of 44 African governments and two institutional shareholders: African Development Bank (AfDB) and African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa-Re).

The institution is involved in financing housing and related infrastructure across the value chain, both on the demand and supply sides, through its four (4) business lines: Financial Institutions Group (FIG), the Project Finance Group (PFG), the Sovereign and Public-Private partnerships (PPP) Group, and the Fund Management Group (FMG).  

https://www.shelterafrique.org/en/home

About Banque Mauritanienne de l'Investissement (BMI)

Banque Mauritanienne de l'Investissement (BMI) is a leading financial institution in Mauritania, providing innovative Islamic banking services tailored to individuals, SMEs, and corporations. The bank is bank committed to supporting economic growth and social development in Mauritania.  https://bmi.mr/fr/

Recognized international leader in risk management, international affairs, and development policy will head EWC’s mission starting in July

HONOLULU (June 24, 2025) — The East-West Center Board of Governors is pleased to announce the selection of Celeste A. Connors as the institution’s next President, effective July 1. A Hawai‘i-raised leader with over 25 years of global experience in risk management, diplomacy, national security, and development policy, Ms. Connors brings a deep understanding of both international affairs and regional priorities to the role.

Her appointment concludes an extensive search to succeed outgoing Interim President James K. Scott, the former EWC Board chair who has been serving in the presidential post temporarily since the beginning of this year. The Board selected Connors following a robust process engaging a broad range of EWC stakeholders.

Experience across sectors

“Ms. Connors was selected from an impressive applicant pool of talented and experienced individuals,” said EWC Board of Governors Chairman John Waihe‘e. “We feel strongly that her breadth of leadership experience across government, civil society, academia, and business sectors is exactly what the Center requires to carry our mission and legacy forward to a bright new future at this pivotal time in our institution’s proud 65-year history.”

“I’m deeply honored and excited to lead the East-West Center team in continuing to advance regional cooperation,” said Connors. “Strategically based in the Pacific Ocean, the EWC plays a critical role in supporting US engagement in the Indo-Pacific region through convening, expert dialogue, educational exchange, and people-to-people connections. In Hawai‘i and beyond, we seek to support security and prosperity by promoting leadership and partnerships around our shared interests and values.”

“I am delighted with the Board’s selection,” said outgoing Interim President Scott, who will be returning to a fundraising position on the EWC Foundation board. “Celeste is already a close partner to the Center, as well as being one of our adjunct experts, and I know she will devote herself to East-West Center’s continued success with the same passion for our mission that inspires our dedicated staff and community. I look forward to working with her on a seamless transition.”

Insight and inspiration

“The role of leading the East-West Center demands a leader with profound insight into the complex interplay of global, regional, and national dynamics—particularly across Asia and the Pacific,” said Adm. Thomas Fargo (Ret.), former commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command and current Chairman of Hawaiian Electric Industries, where Connors is a board member. “Equally important is a deep appreciation for the diverse cultures, values, and relationships that shape this region. Celeste Connors brings to this position not only these essential qualities, but also a breadth of experience and vision that will serve the Center exceptionally well.”

“Celeste has been an energetic, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and inspirational leader who has put Hawai‘i Green Growth on the local, national, and international map. She is indeed leaving us very large shoes to fill,” added Hawai‘i Green Growth Board Chair Randy Moore, former head of the University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents and a noted educator and business executive. “On the other hand, we cannot think of a better candidate to lead the East-West Center. Celeste has developed strong contacts with leaders of Pacific Island nations, and together with her prior experience in the US Department of State and the White House, she is plugged into a network that will enable the Center to productively serve Hawaiʻi, the nation, and the world. We wish her every success.”

About Celeste Connors

Celeste A. Connors, who was raised in Hawai‘i, is a recognized international leader with more than 25 years of risk management and national security experience. As a former Director on both the National Security Council and the National Economic Council under both Republican and Democratic administrations, she chaired complex interagency processes and advised White House leaders on energy, trade, environment, and technology strategies. She previously gained extensive foreign policy experience while serving as a US diplomat in Saudi Arabia, Greece, Germany, and the US Mission to the United Nations, and as Foreign Policy Adviser to the Mayor of New York City.

June 24 2025 – The volatile developments across the Middle East—culminating in a dramatic US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran—underscore, yet again, a powerful and urgent truth: diversification isn't optional. It's a necessity.

Markets around the world have been on a knife's edge for nearly two weeks, reacting sharply to every twist in the conflict.

Brent crude tumbled nearly 5% after Iran's missile strike on the Al Udeid air base, interpreted by markets as a restrained signal rather than an escalation.

With confirmation of the ceasefire, European stocks have surged—Germany's DAX jumped 2%, the French CAC 40 climbed 1.8%, and futures for the S&P 500 in the US are pointing higher. Yet energy stocks have taken a hit as oil prices slide.

Nigel Green, CEO of global financial advisory deVere Group, said the “whiplash” in prices across commodities, equities, and safe-haven assets is not just a response to geopolitics—it's a “flashing red warning light” for investors with narrow allocations.

“The events of the past two weeks are a textbook case for true portfolio diversification,” he says.

“One day oil is spiking on nuclear fears, the next it's plunging on de-escalation. Stocks swing wildly depending on headlines out of Tehran or Tel Aviv. You can't build or preserve wealth if your investment strategy is overly concentrated in one region, sector, or asset class. That's not a strategy; that's a gamble.”

As the conflict escalated, oil prices spiked on fears of supply disruption. Brent crude surged above $72 before crashing back to near $68 following signs of restraint and the ceasefire announcement. Defence stocks rallied while Middle East-exposed emerging markets sank. Gold flirted with $2,400 as investors scrambled for safety.

Nigel Green says that for investors, this sequence of events should trigger immediate action.

“Every global investor must ask themselves today: Am I protected against geopolitical shocks? Do I have meaningful exposure to counter-correlated assets? Am I truly diversified across sectors, geographies, currencies, and asset classes?”

He adds: “Diversification doesn't mean owning five different tech stocks or parking all your money in a single bond fund. It means uncorrelated positions across the risk spectrum—think gold, infrastructure, dividend-paying stocks, green energy, and alternatives like real estate and digital assets.”

Nigel Green also warns that while the ceasefire offers relief, it doesn't remove risk.

“This truce is fragile. It's politically brokered and militarily uneasy. One wrong move and tensions could flare again, dragging markets down with them. That's the danger of relying too heavily on a single narrative or region in your portfolio.”

The deVere CEO notes that while markets may breathe a sigh of relief in the short term, the deeper issue is structural instability in a critical region for energy, security, and global trade routes.

“The Middle East remains a geopolitical powder keg, and history tells us that calm doesn't last.

“What does last is a properly diversified portfolio, one that absorbs these shocks without falling apart.”

With global equities rallying and oil prices sliding, some investors may be tempted to lean back into familiar strategies. Nigel Green says this would be a critical mistake.

“When markets are jittery, many investors double down on what they know—often increasing risk without realising it. What's needed now is a measured, deliberate shift into broader exposure.”

He concludes: “You diversify when the skies are clear, so that you're protected when the storm breaks.

“But after what we've just seen in the Middle East, the need for real diversification isn't hypothetical, it's immediate.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Responding to recurrent drone strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan that have killed at least 17 people, including five children, this year with the latest deadly strike on Friday, 20 June, Isabelle Lassée, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International said:

“Pakistani authorities have failed to take action to protect the lives and property of civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who continue to pay the price of an escalating number of drone strikes in the province. Last Friday’s drone strike, killing one child, is part of an alarming series of attacks which have escalated since March of this year.

“Use of drones and quadcopters to conduct attacks resulting in unlawful killing of civilians violates international law. Reports that the strikes have hit homes and volleyball games indicate a reckless disregard for civilian life.

“While Pakistani authorities have often denied responsibility for these attacks, they are obligated to conduct prompt, independent, transparent and effective investigations into these attacks and bring all those responsible to justice through fair trials. In cases where the Pakistani authorities are found to be directly responsible or where authorities failed to protect civilians from foreseeable threats, victims and families impacted in the strike must be provided with effective remedies, including compensation and other appropriate reparation.”

BACKGROUND:

Multiple drone strikes have taken place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan, at least four of which have killed or injured civilians since March 2025.

The latest drone strike on 20 June resulted in the death of one child and left five others injured in Dashka, Makeen Tehsil, South Waziristan district. Earlier this year, on 29 March, a strike in Katlang, Mardan district killed at least 11 people. The provincial government, in a press note, acknowledged civilian casualties. On 19 May a strike in Hurmuz, Mir Ali, North Waziristan district killed four children and injured five others. The Pakistani authorities deniedresponsibility, accusing the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of carrying out the attack. On 28 May, a drone struck a volleyball match injuring 22 people, including seven children, in Wana, South Waziristan district. In September last year, a drone strike in Sararogha Tehsil, South Waziristan district killed one person and injured three others.

Drone strikes have been long part of “counterterrorism” efforts in Pakistan.

A landmark national study commissioned by Advance Care Planning Australia reveals that only one in three Australians (33%) have taken steps to plan for their future health care, highlighting a widespread lack of preparation for critical medical decisions.

Dr Catherine Joyce, National Manager for Advance Care Planning Australia says the findings show a major gap in routine health care.

“This study shows that advance care planning is not a standard part of basic health care in Australia with many Australians missing the opportunity to plan ahead and ensure their health care preferences are known and respected,” Dr Joyce said.

This is the first national prevalence study to take a modern approach to advance care planning. Rather than focusing solely on document completion, the research considers other key elements such as talking with loved ones, choosing substitute decision-makers, and overall motivators and attitudes that drive uptake.

“We often think of advance care planning as just filling out a form, but it's much more than that. It's about open communication, understanding your options, and making sure your choices guide your care – especially during life's most difficult moments,” Dr Joyce said.

“While it might feel uncomfortable to think about, planning ahead can be one of the most empowering and compassionate choices you make. It brings peace of mind to individuals. It also reduces the burden on family, fri