The KOF Economic Barometer decreases in June. After a moderate increase in the previous month, it now falls to its lowest level so far this year. The outlook for the Swiss economy deteriorates.
In June, the KOF Economic Barometer decreases by 2.5 points to a level of 96.1 (after revised 98.6 in the previous month). The negative developments are reflected in the majority of the indicator bundles included in the KOF Economic Barometer. In particular, the indicator bundle for manufacturing is considerably under pressure. The negative perspectives are slightly cushioned by the indicator bundle for foreign demand which shows an improved outlook this month.
Within the producing industry (manufacturing and construction), the sub-indicators for different aspects of business activity exhibit predominantly negative developments. The sub-indicators for the general business situation show a particularly strong downward tendency. Also weakened are the sub-indicators for production activity, stockpiling of intermediate goods, order backlogs, and stocks of finished products. Slightly positive, but almost unchanged, are the perspectives for the exports sub-indicators.
The predominantly negative developments are present along the majority of sub-indicators within manufacturing. Particularly weakened are the sub-indicators for the wood, glass, stone and earth segment, the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, as well as the metal industry. The sub-indicators for the textile industry remain nearly unchanged.
Hear how Australians from sport, entertainment and social enterprise turned doubt into action – as part of CommBank’s refreshed brand platform championing everyone to fulfil their personal potential.
Doubt is something we all face, but it’s how we respond that defines us.
CommBank’s new campaign, Doubt Never Did, shares the real stories of Australians from all walks of life who have faced self-doubt, setbacks and uncertainty – and kept going. From personal reinvention to pushing through rejections, doubt is part of the turning point that helped them succeed.
Jo Boundy, CommBank Chief Marketing Officer, said: “Doubt can hold us back – whether it’s taking the first steps to start a business or savings goal, or hitting a roadblock further along in your journey. This campaign shows Australians they’re not alone, and that doubt can be a powerful turning point. Back yourself and know that with CommBank in your corner, you can.”
Meet the Australians who turned doubt into something more
From elite sport to the stage and kitchen, the inspiring Australians who feature in the national campaign have each faced down their own moments of doubts. Hear conversations with:
Mary Fowler, CommBank Matilda’s superstar – who rose from Cairns to the world stage, overcoming pressure and expectation to become one of the most exciting talents in global football; Zoe Karatzovalis, Yellow Wiggle, inclusivity champion and business owner of inclusive dance studio, Infinite Abilities Performance Arts; and Shaun Christie-David, social entrepreneur, Founder of Plate it Forward and Colombo Social;
From today, see these stories on billboards across the country with QR codes to listen to the full audio interviews hosted by podcaster Matty J.
Mary Fowler, CommBank Matildas superstar, said: “Doubt has been a constant presence in my journey.”
Mary grew up in Cairns and quickly made her mark on football, playing professional overseas while still a teenager. But even as her career accelerated, self-doubt followed – especially during setbacks and injury.
“Sometimes the situations we’re in and the problems that we’re facing… they feel so big to overcome that it seems like there’s no way through them.”
Now, Mary is focused on flipping the mindset. “I really hate the idea of being a victim… As much as I can, I just try to flip the perspective on a lot of these things. That actually helps me see a lot more positives in what I’m doing and makes it a bit easier to get through it without feeling sorry for myself.”
Mary’s advice? “Everyone experiences doubt. I think it’s a normal part of our journey. The thing to try change is not doubt itself, but the way you react to it and how quickly you can counter it. Don’t let doubt hold you back and keep believing in yourself.”
Zoe Karatzovalis, Yellow Wiggle and Founder of Infinite Abilities Performance Arts, said: “I doubted myself more than everyone did. I think everyone believed in me more than I did… I just didn’t really know what I was doing.”
Zoe grew up in Port Lincoln, where her passion for dance started early. But it was her brother, Costa, who shaped her purpose. “My brother, Costa, he’s on the autism spectrum… we always connected through music and dance. He was a big inspiration in my life… I really wanted to be the change and to inspire others too.”
After moving to Sydney to pursue a professional dance career, Zoe faced pressure and rejection. “I felt like I was this small fish in this huge pond… I struggled to make fri
28 June, Gaza: The Israeli-US food distribution scheme in Gaza, launched one month ago, is degrading Palestinians by design, forcing them to choose between starvation or risking their lives for minimal supplies. With over 500 people killed and nearly 4,000 wounded while seeking food, this scheme is slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid and must be immediately dismantled. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) calls on the Israeli authorities and their allies to lift the siege on food, fuel, medical, and humanitarian supplies and to revert to the pre-existing principled humanitarian system, coordinated by the UN.
This disaster has been orchestrated by the Israeli-US proxy operating under the name Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The way supplies are distributed forces thousands of Palestinians, who have been starved by an over 100 day-long Israeli siege, to walk long distances to reach the four distribution sites and fight for scraps of food supplies. These sites hinder women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities from accessing aid and people are killed and wounded in the chaotic process. Yet each renewed atrocity now happens with barely a shrug, let alone condemnation, from an international community seemingly resigned to its role in allowing and perpetuating a campaign consistent with patterns of genocide. This cannot be allowed to continue.
“The four distribution sites, all located in areas under the full control of Israeli forces after people had been forcibly displaced from there, are the size of football fields surrounded by watch points, mounds of earth and barbed wire. The fenced entrance gives only one access point in or out,” says Aitor Zabalgogeazkoa, MSF emergency coordinator in Gaza. “GHF workers drop the pallets and the boxes of food and open the fences, allowing thousands in all at once to fight down to the last grain of rice.
“If people arrive early and approach the checkpoints, they get shot. If they arrive on time, but there is an overflow and they jump over the mounds and the wires, they get shot,” says Zabalgogeazkoa. “If they arrive late, they shouldn't be there because it is an 'evacuated zone', they get shot.”
Every day, MSF teams see patients who have been killed or wounded trying to get food at one of these sites.
“A lot of people were getting directly shot at. This is not aid – it's a death trap,” says Hani Abu Soud, a community member at Al-Mawasi primary healthcare centre. “They were going to kill us one by one. We were hungry, we were just trying to feed our children. What else can I do? A bag of lentils costs around 30-40 shekels [€6 – €10]”.
“We do not have that kind of money. Death has become cheaper than survival.”
As the distributions have continued, medical teams have noticed a stark increase in the number of patients with gunshot wounds. In the MSF field hospital in Deir Al-Balah the number of patients with gunshot wounds increased by 190 per cent the week of 8 June, compared to the week before. The still barely functioning hospitals in Gaza are devastated; running on minimal supplies of pain relief, anaesthetic and blood. Fully functioning hospitals would struggle to cope with such a high number of trauma patients flooding emergency rooms every day.
Injured patients seek help at basic healthcare clinics or field hospitals, since larger hospitals better equipped to provide treatment for violent trauma have been damaged by Israel's attacks on healthcare facilities, with many no longer functioning. The MSF clinic in Al Mawasi, which is not typically equipped to treat trauma patients, has received 423 people wounded from the distribution sites since 7 June. Ten or more patients with violent injuries arrive from distribution sites each day. These injuries require immediate life-saving treatment, like blood transfusions or surgery, that our medical teams cannot provide in a basic healthcare clinic. Patients are referred to the few remaining hospitals still functioning like Nasser hospital, but with healthcare so scarce, MSF has received reports of people wounded at aid distribution sites dying from their injuries before they can receive treatment.
With no food in the tent he shared with his family, seventeen-year-old Ashraf went to a distribution site on 23 June. “I told him it was too dangerous. He said he wanted to get something for his sister,” says Hanan, Ashraf's mother. “Thirty minutes later he called me, crying for help. He had been shot. This 'aid' is soaked in blood.”
Ashraf was being treated at Al Mawasi basic healthcare clinic.
Aid must not be controlled by a warring party to further its military objectives. The Israeli authorities have used a deliberate tactic of food deprivation against Palestinians in Gaza. They have weaponised food supply by denying it to people, then by limiting it to a trickle, in a complete violation of international humanitarian law. Humanitarian principles exist to enable the facilitation of aid to those who need it most, with dignity. Aid must be delivered at scale, consistent with these principles. The people of Gaza are in vital and immediate need of the re-establishment of a genuine aid system, and a sustained ceasefire, for their very survival.
MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au
In an Australian banking first, CommBank is collaborating with cyber-intelligence firm Apate.ai to harness near real-time scam intelligence and help protect Australians from harm.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CommBank) today unveiled a new weapon in the fight against scams: a fleet of thousands of AI-powered bot profiles, deployed by Apate.ai – a cyber-intelligence firm and spin-out from Macquarie University. These AI-bots are engineered to engage scammers, gather critical intelligence and disrupt scam operations – with near real-time scam intelligence harnessed by CommBank to safeguard both our customers and the wider Australian community.
“This is about flipping the script,” said James Roberts, CommBank’s General Manager of Group Fraud. “Scammers are increasingly using AI to target Australians – we’re turning the tables by using AI to fight back. Every minute a scammer is engaging with a bot, is a minute they're not targeting an Australian. The near real-time intelligence being gathered is a game-changer in how we help to protect our customers and the broader community.”
Every day, Apate.ai deploys thousands of conversational AI bots to disrupt scammers targeting unsuspecting Australians, via text-based conversations and voice calls. This expanded and increasingly sophisticated bot network follows a successful pilot program announced by Macquarie University in late 2024.
When a scammer calls or texts, sophisticated bots engage them in extended conversations, gather intelligence, and feed near real-time insights directly into CommBank’s scam control systems and the broader cross-sector anti-scam ecosystem.
“We’re on a mission to dismantle the business models of scammers around the world. Our bots share near real-time intelligence to our partners like CommBank to fight scams, helping to shield consumers and businesses and making it harder for scammers to operate,” said Professor Dali Kaafar, CEO & Founder of Apate.ai.
“Our system is based on a “Honeypot” strategy. In collaboration with our telco partners, Apate.ai operates a vast and constantly growing network of dedicated telephone numbers connected to the telcos networks and designed specifically to be discovered and targeted by scammers. When a scammer dials or messages one of these numbers, they actually engage in conversations with one of our AI-powered bots and not a person,” Professor Kaafar added.
Mr Roberts emphasised that protecting Australians from scams requires a united, cross-sector approach.
“At CommBank, we’re focused on investing in innovative technologies to help combat scams and strengthen Australia’s broader anti-scam ecosystem. Our initiatives focus on enhancing cybersecurity, raising public awareness, and collaborating with industry leaders to build a safer digital environment for all Australians.”
Phone and text scams remain Australia’s biggest threat
In 2024, phone scams accounted for the highest overall financial losses and were more likely to result in significant individual losses, according to National Anti-Scams Centre data about contact methods used by scammers.1
During the same period, text messages were the second most common contact method used by scammers, with investment scams responsible for the highest losses via this channel.2
Intelligence in action
CommBank is using intelligence gathered by Apate.ai in near real-time to help protect our customers and the broader Australian community.
This intelligence helps CommBank to identify emerging scam tr
27 JUNE 2025 – The name of the UK North Sea’s largest independent oil and gas producer has been revealed today, marking a major milestone in the creation of the new company.
Equinor and Shell made the joint announcement to staff this afternoon – with Adura chosen as the bold new presence for their incorporated joint venture (IJV).
With a long-standing presence in the North Sea, the two companies have collaborated closely to identify the new name – rooted in their respective heritage and focused on shaping the future of the basin in the years ahead. Adura has been created to bring together the A of Aberdeen and the dura of durability. It’s a company built on firm foundations, much like the strong granite synonymous with the city.
The creation of Adura follows the announcement in December 2024 that Equinor and Shell would be combining their UK offshore oil and gas assets and world-class expertise to form a new company.
Adura will sustain domestic oil and gas production and security of energy supply in the UK and beyond, headquartered at the Silver Fin building in Aberdeen city centre.
Aberdeen, the UK’s energy capital and a major centre of global engineering and supply chain excellence, is at the heart of operations and central to the name of Adura, alongside an enduring commitment to the future of energy from the North Sea.
Work continues towards securing regulatory approvals, with launch of the IJV expected by the end of this year.
Camilla Salthe, Senior Vice President Equinor UK Upstream, said:
“We are so pleased to have reached this major milestone in the creation of the new company with Shell. For us, the name Adura represents the very heart of this company and speaks to its people and place within the energy community anchored in Aberdeen, alongside its longevity and commitment to the North Sea.”
Simon Roddy, Senior Vice President Shell UK Upstream, said:
“Adura takes an exciting step forward today as we unveil its new name – rooted in a proud history in the North Sea and looking forward with confidence to delivering secure energy for the UK for many years to come.When Adura launches later this year it will become the UK’s largest independent producer. Through combining assets and expertise, we will create a robust portfolio, with a shared purpose, to unlock long term value.”
Notes
In the UK, Equinor currently produces approx. 38,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day; Shell UK produces over 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Adura is expected to produce over 140,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025. On deal completion, Adura will be jointly owned by Equinor (50%) and Shell (50%) Adura will include Equinor’s equity interests in Mariner, Rosebank and Buzzard; and Shell’s equity interests in Shearwater, Penguins, Gannet, Nelson, Pierce, Jackdaw, Victory, Clair and Schiehallion. A range of exploration licences will also be part of the transaction. Equinor will retain ownership of its cross-border assets, Utgard, Barnacle and Statfjord and offshore wind portfolio including Sheringham Shoal, Dudgeon, Hywind Scotland and Dogger Bank. It will also retain the hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, power generation, battery storage and gas storage assets. Shell UK will retain ownership of its interests in the Fife NGL plant, St Fergus Gas Terminal and floating wind projects under development – MarramWind and CampionWind. Shell UK will also remain Technical Developer of Acorn, Scotland’s largest carbon capture and storage project. Equinor employs around 300 people in oil and gas roles in the UK, while Shell employs approximately 1000 supporting its oil and gas business in the UK.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Pacific Defense, the leading provider of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) products, announced it has secured the inaugural launch for its Moonraker MOSA space Radio Frequency (RF) payload on board the K2 Space Gravitas Mission in February 2026. The mission includes a series of multi-orbit Space Situational Awareness (SSA) demonstrations showcasing the payload's mission flexibility.
Moonraker is a RF sensing and high-performance computing (HPC) Payload for Space Situational Awareness (SSA). The payload demonstrates the rapidly deliverable, mission-flexible modular open systems approach (MOSA).
Moonraker is a 3U Open VPX multi-function, RF payload with application software capable of performing a range of RF missions that fundamentally changes the cost, schedule, and deployment concept for responsive space missions. Designed for SSA, Moonraker payload architecture fully supports a range of receive and transmit Electromagnetic Spectrum Operation (EMSO) functions to command the electromagnetic operational environment.
“We're thrilled to take the United States Department of Defense's MOSA initiative to new heights with Moonraker,” said Bryan Terlecky, Vice President of Space Systems at Pacific Defense. “As global space competition intensifies, there is a pressing need for adaptable, software-driven solutions that can rapidly evolve to counter emerging threats. This mission marks a significant step in our commitment to providing innovative and flexible solutions for space control”.
Pacific Defense is purpose-built to drive the open systems transformation necessary to unlock rapid innovation and the power of commercial technology. Specializing in C5ISR and Electronic Warfare (EW) solutions for mission-critical environments, Pacific Defense leverages Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) standards to deliver innovative, adaptable technology that enables faster response to emerging threats and evolving mission requirements. Learn more at https://pacific-defense.com
Source: United Nations – Convention to Combat Desertification
Food, water, energy crises, human tragedies in 2023-2025 detailed in sweeping analysis by U.S. National Drought Mitigation Center and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
Fuelled by climate change and relentless pressure on land and water resources, some of the most widespread and damaging drought events in recorded history have taken place since 2023, according to a UN-backed report launched today.
Says UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw: “Drought is a silent killer. It creeps in, drains resources, and devastates lives in slow motion. Its scars run deep.”
“Drought is no longer a distant threat,” he adds. “It is here, escalating, and demands urgent global cooperation. When energy, food, and water all go at once, societies start to unravel. That’s the new normal we need to be ready for.”
“This is not a dry spell,” says Dr. Mark Svoboda, report co-author and NDMC Founding Director. “This is a slow-moving global catastrophe, the worst I've ever seen. This report underscores the need for systematic monitoring of how drought affects lives, livelihoods, and the health of the ecosystems that we all depend on.”
“The Mediterranean countries represent canaries in the coal mine for all modern economies,” he adds. “The struggles experienced by Spain, Morocco and Türkiye to secure water, food, and energy under persistent drought offer a preview of water futures under unchecked global warming. No country, regardless of wealth or capacity, can afford to be complacent.”
A wide-ranging crisis
The new report synthesizes information from hundreds of government, scientific and media sources to highlight impacts within the most acute drought hotspots in Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia), the Mediterranean (Spain, Morocco, Türkiye), Latin America (Panama, Amazon Basin), Southeast Asia, and beyond.
Africa:
Over 90 million people across Eastern and Southern Africa face acute hunger. Some areas have been enduring their worst ever recorded drought.
Southern Africa, already drought-prone, was devastated with roughly 1/6th of the population (68 million) needing food aid in August 2024.
In Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi, maize and wheat crops have failed repeatedly. In Zimbabwe alone, the 2024 corn crop was down 70% year on year, and maize prices doubled while 9,000 cattle died of thirst and starvation.
In Somalia, the government estimated 43,000 people died in 2022 alone due to drought-linked hunger. As of early 2025, 4.4 million people – a quarter of the population – face crisis-level food insecurity, including 784,000 expected to reach emergency levels.
Zambia suffered one of the world's worst energy crises as the Zambezi River in April 2024 plummeted to 20% of its long-term average. The country’s largest hydroelectric plant, the Kariba Dam, fell to 7% generation capacity, causing blackouts of up to 21 hours per day and shuttering hospitals, bakeries, and factories.
Mediterranean:
Spain: Water shortages hit agriculture, tourism, and domestic supply. By September 2023, two years of drought and record heat caused a 50% drop in Spain’s olive crop, causing its olive oil prices to double across the country.
Morocco: The sheep population was 38% smaller in 2025 relative to 2016, prompting a royal plea to cancel traditional Eid sacrifices.
Türkiye: Drought accelerated groundwater depletion, triggering sinkholes that present hazards to communities and their infrastructure while permanently reducing aquifer storage capacity.
Latin America:
Amazon Basin: Record-low river levels in 2023 and 2024 led to mass deaths of fish and endangered dolphins, and disrupted drinking water and transport for hundreds of thousands. As deforestation and fires intensify, the Amazon risks transitioning from a carbon sink to a carbon source.
Panama Canal: Water levels dropped so low that transits were slashed by over one-third (from 38 to 24 ships daily between October 2023 and January 2024), causing major global trade disruptions. Facing multi-week delays, many ships were rerouted to longer, costlier paths via the Suez Canal or South Africa’s infamous Cape of Good Hope. Among the knock-on effects, U.S. soybean exports slowed, and UK grocery stores reported shortages and rising prices of fruits and vegetables.
Southeast Asia:
Drought disrupted production and supply chains of key crops such as rice, coffee, and sugar. In 2023-2024, dry conditions in Thailand and India, for example, triggered shortages leading to a 8.9% increase in the price of sugar in the US.
“A Perfect Storm” of El Niño and climate change
The 2023–2024 El Niño event amplified already harsh climate change impacts, triggering dry conditions across major agricultural and ecological zones. Drought’s impacts hit hardest in climate hotspots, regions already suffering from warming tr
Sometime, probably around October this year, a person will step off aircraft somewhere in Australia in the last stage of their journey way from conflict or persecution.
This person will be the one millionth refugee settled in Australia since the end of World War II.
The Department of Home Affairs says Australia has successfully settled more than 985,000 refugees and humanitarian entrants since the country's first humanitarian intake occurred in 1947.
With 20,000 refugee places currently allocated for each financial year, the million milestone is due to be reached in the early months of the 2025-26 financial year.
Based on these figures, it is expected the one-millionth arrival to occur sometime between September and November 2025.
The milestone represents a million individual journeys toward refuge and a million stories of people rebuilding their lives in safety with hope for the future.
Since the 1930s, Australia has welcomed refugees fleeing global conflicts — from Jewish refugees before and after World War Two, to Southeast Asians after the Vietnam War.
Following World War Two, Australia entered formal agreements with international bodies to accept displaced people from Europe.
In November 1947, more than 800 people from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania arrived in Fremantle. They were the first of 170,000 displaced persons resettled in Australia after World War Two.
Later decades saw more structured resettlement, particularly in response to major global conflicts.
Over the past 40 years, Australia has continued to resettle people from conflict-riven regions, including the Southeast Asia the Middle East, Africa and Myanmar.
Today, refugees from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Iraq, Syria, Myanmar and countries in the Horn of Africa continue to arrive under the humanitarian program.
In two recent emergency situations, Australia evacuated 4100 refugees from Afghanistan following the return of the Taliban to power in 2021 and around 4,000 Ukrainians, mostly women and children, who initially arrived on tourist visas after the Russian invasion are new transitioning to permanent protection visas.
CEO of AMES Australia Cath Scarth said the million-refugee mark was a reflection of Australia's proud history of affording refugee to people fleeing war, conflict or persecution.
“Australia has a generous and sophisticated refugee settlement program that not only offers refuge to people fleeing war or persecution but also equips them to build successful lives and become contributors,” Ms Scarth said.
“We are an example to the world at a time when more than 122 million people are displaced due to war, conflict or persecution,” she said.
Australia is a leading refugee resettlement country, ranking among the top few resettlement countries on a per capita basis.
The United States has historically accepted the greatest number of refugees, but its program has recently been effectively shuttered by the Trump administration, meaning the loss of 100,000 annual resettlement places.
Among refugees who have come to Australia in recent years are:
Iraqi doctor Asseel Yako who, in his homeland, tended to battlefield wounds suffered by soldiers or militia members fighting ISIS or patching up women children horrifically injured in explosions of gunfire.
Ten years later he is still saving lives working a consultant physician, specialising in internal medicine at Warragul Hospital, in Gippsland, Victoria.
The job is the culmination of years of hard work, striving to get his qualifications recognised in Australia.
He had studied and worked as a doctor for almost twenty years before arriving in Australia, but he was forced to jump through extraordinary hoops to be able practice medicine again.
Cambodian refugee Chan Uoy has helped breathe new life into the struggling regional town of Dimboola, in Victoria's west.
Chan has opened the Dimboola Imaginarium, an eclectic and exotic gift shop and Air BnB recently featured in the high-end magazine Conde Nast Traveller. Chan has also recently become the deputy mayor of the local Hindmarsh Shire.
The Dimboola Imaginarium is a stimulating space with a cornucopia of exotic wares, including an almost life-size giraffe, oversize world globes, and colourfully painted rocking horses. The five Air BB bedrooms have differing but exotic and indulgent décor.
He has also launched the Wimmera Steampunk Festival, which this year is expected to attract 5000 visitors to the town.
Young soccer star Yaya Dukuly is the embodiment of refugee aspiration and success.
The 22-year-old Adelaide United soccer star was born into a refugee family in Guinea. His father is a Liberian and his mother is from Guinea.
Yaya arrived in Australia with his family as a child and grew up in Adelaide. Now a professional footballer and Australian under-23 representative, he is also an emerging community leader and role model.
Yaya brought is powerful and authentic new voice in the multicultural sector, supporting newly arrived refugees and advocating for their communities.
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.
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.
