What you need to know:Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rescinded previous guidance reaffirming protections for emergency abortion care when medically necessary, creating serious risk for women in states with near and total bans on abortion care.
Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today decried the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) decision to rescind previous guidance reaffirming protections under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) for emergency abortion care when medically necessary. Today’s rescission, effective May 29, 2025, confirms that CMS will not enforce EMTALA when hospitals do not provide emergency abortion care necessary to stabilize a patient’s health.
“Today’s decision will endanger lives and lead to emergency room deaths – full stop. Doctors must be empowered to save the lives of their patients, not hem and haw over political red lines when the clock is ticking. In California, we will always protect the right of physicians to do what’s best for their patients and for women to make the reproductive decisions that are best for their families.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
What this means for patients
While today’s ruling does not impact women in California, where doctors are always legally empowered to put the safety of their patients first, it will likely have an increasingly chilling effect on hospitals and physicians, particularly in states with total abortion bans that do not make exceptions for the health of the pregnant person (Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and South Dakota). Hospitals and physicians in these states are legally prohibited from providing abortion as a stabilizing treatment for women experiencing emergency medical conditions, unless that condition becomes life-threatening.
How we got here
Following the Supreme Court’s decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, President Joe Biden’s administration issued guidance stating that: “A physician’s professional and legal duty to provide stabilizing medical treatment to a patient… preempts any directly conflicting state law or mandate that might otherwise prohibit or prevent such treatment.” The guidance clarified that hospitals and physicians have an obligation to provide stabilizing care, including abortion, if that is necessary to stabilize a patient experiencing an emergency medical condition.
The Biden administration sued the state of Idaho in August 2022 arguing that their near-total abortion ban was in violation of EMTALA. In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling meant that hospitals in Idaho could perform emergency services, including abortions, to save the life of a pregnant woman. At the time, the Court declined to make clear that federal law protects pregnant women in emergency settings. The Trump administration dismissed that lawsuit in March.
California leadership on reproductive health care
California has also already taken multiple actions to protect patients in states with extreme abortion bans, and in California. In the years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Governor Newsom, in partnership with the California Legislature, has built California into a national leader for reproductive freedom and expanded the fight nationwide through the 23-Governor Reproductive Freedom Alliance.
People seeking abortion care or information about reproductive health care in California, should visitAbortion.CA.Gov.
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Following the conclusion of the 83rd (2025) Session of the Nevada Legislature, please see the following statement from Governor Joe Lombardo.
“As the session concludes, I’m proud to report that we’ve made significant progress in our two most critical endeavors this session: combatting the rising cost of housing and improving outcomes in our K-12 education system.
Nevada has a housing crisis, and together, we passed a comprehensive bill that will build more affordable and attainable housing for Nevada families. The Nevada Housing Access and Attainability Act removes bureaucratic red tape, invests in our communities, expedites housing development and energizes the effort to create more inventory at more affordable prices.
We also passed historic education choice and accountability, so that every Nevada student can graduate career or college ready. We implemented open zoning so our children can attend the school that best fits their educational needs, and we provided resources to allow those children trapped in underperforming schools transportation to attend the school of their choice – regardless of their zip code. Simply put, we have instituted more educational accountability measures than during any legislative session in the history of Nevada.
In the coming days and weeks, I look forward to sharing more about the legislative victories we achieved together, and how they will benefit Nevadans across our great state.”
MIAMI—Over Memorial Day weekend, FBI Miami joined the Miami Beach Police Department for a series of drug, firearm, and violent crime arrests and investigations. Called Operation Viper and Operation Starlight, the FBI deployed a team of agents, intelligence analysts and professional staff who specialize in violent crime investigations from May 23-25.
The operation yielded the following enforcement outcomes:
Friday: 4 firearms investigations and 2 drug related arrests.
Saturday: 8 firearms investigations, 2 drug related arrests and 1 armed home invasion robbery investigation.
Sunday: 5 firearms investigations, 4 firearms related arrests and 1 arrest for a stolen vehicle.
These investigations remain ongoing, and some may result in federal charges. As such, the FBI cannot comment further about their status at this time.
“Criminals who commit violent crimes, robberies, and conduct drug trafficking prey on our communities and keep our citizens from enjoying their time off during holiday weekends like Memorial Day,” said Ryan James, assistant special Agent in charge, FBI Miami. “Operation Viper demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to support local law enforcement in their efforts to eliminate violent crime in their neighborhoods.”
“I am extremely proud of the outstanding work carried out by our Street Crimes Section in partnership with FBI Miami, through the implementation of Operation Starlight and Viper.” shared Chief Wayne Jones. “Their coordinated efforts led to the apprehension of violent offenders, the recovery of multiple firearms, and the removal of dangerous narcotics from our streets during this Memorial Day weekend. I’d like to thank our federal law enforcement partners for their steadfast support in keeping our community safe.”
The Miami Beach Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, the FBI Miami’s Violent Crime and Fugitive Task Force, and the FBI continue these investigations.
TORONTO, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ThreeD Capital Inc. (“ThreeD” or the “Company”) (CSE:IDK) (OTCQX:IDKFF), a Canadian-based venture capital firm focused on opportunistic investments in companies in the junior resources and disruptive technologies sectors, congratulates AI/ML Innovations Inc. (CSE: AIML) (“AIML”), on signing a Letter of Intent (“LOI”) between its wholly owned subsidiary, Neural Cloud Health Inc. (“Neural Cloud”), and Circular Health Limited, to integrate and license Neural Cloud’s ECG signal-processing platform, MaxYield™.
Under the terms of the LOI, Circular Health Limited will deploy MaxYield through a cloud-based API during the integration phase leading up to launch. The parties intend to finalize a definitive Software License Agreement and target a commercial launch by September 2025.
ThreeD has invested in AIML and currently holds 20,899,200 common shares and 27,000,000 common share purchase warrants of AIML.
“We are very pleased with the continued momentum demonstrated by AIML,” said Sheldon Inwentash, Chairman and CEO of ThreeD. “This strategic agreement marks a significant milestone and underscores the commercial viability of AIML’s technology. As an early investor, ThreeD believes AIML’s innovative use of artificial intelligence and machine learning has the potential to drive transformative change across the digital health sector.”
ThreeD is a publicly-traded Canadian-based venture capital firm focused on opportunistic investments in companies in the junior resources and disruptive technologies sectors. ThreeD’s investment strategy is to invest in multiple private and public companies across a variety of sectors globally. ThreeD seeks to invest in early stage, promising companies where it may be the lead investor and can additionally provide investees with advisory services and access to the Company’s ecosystem.
For further information:
Jakson Inwentash Vice President Investments info@threedcap.com Phone: 416-941-8900 ext 107
The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively referred to herein as “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of Canadian securities laws including, without limitation, statements with respect to future investments by the Company. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, these forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “believe”, “believes”, “estimate”, “estimates”, “estimated”, “potential”, “open”, “future”, “assumed”, “projected”, “used”, “detailed”, “has been”, “gain”, “upgraded”, “offset”, “limited”, “contained”, “reflecting”, “containing”, “remaining”, “to be”, “periodically”, or statements that events, “could” or “should” occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations.
Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which are inherently uncertain, are based on estimates and assumptions, and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties (both general and specific) that contribute to the possibility that the future events or circumstances contemplated by the forward-looking statements will not occur. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance they will prove accurate. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
VICTORIA, Seychelles, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has announced a partnership with the University of Zurich, the world’s top #3 university (according to Coindesk’s 2021/22 rankings) for blockchain education. The exchange will sponsor the 6th edition of International Summer School—Deep Dive into Blockchain 2025 program at the University of Zurich Blockchain Center (UZH BCC), offering scholarships and career opportunities to blockchain-curious students. This marks a new chapter in Bitget’s commitment to blockchain education and youth empowerment.
The scholarship initiative, part of Bitget’s broader $10M Blockchain4Youth (B4Y) program, aims to make high-impact blockchain education more accessible to bright, motivated students, presenting them with wider opportunities. Deep Dive into Blockchain (DDiB) is the University of Zurich’s flagship international summer school, hosted by the Faculty of Business, Economics, and Informatics in collaboration with the Global Student Experience and organized by the UZH Blockchain Center under the academic leadership of its chairman, Prof. Dr Claudio J. Tessone. The three-week program offers an immersive, interdisciplinary exploration of blockchain from academic, technological, legal, and economic perspectives.
“We are delighted to partner with Bitget for Deep Dive into Blockchain. Their support empowers the next generation of blockchain professionals by making education all around the globe more accessible. This collaboration reflects our shared vision of fostering innovation, diversity, and global talent in the Web3 space,”— Dr Claudio J. Tessone, Professor of Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies, University of Zurich, and Director of Deep Dive into Blockchain.
In an ecosystem often defined by its complexity and speed, education remains the most enduring bridge between innovation and understanding. Built on these beliefs, Bitget is funding scholarships for up to 10 students who meet both the academic and financial criteria set by UZH. More than just a subsidy, the Bitget Blockchain4Youth Scholarship is a belief that the future of blockchain should be built by the most capable minds, not just the most privileged.
Each scholarship will fully cover tuition, accommodation, transportation within Zurich, access to academic materials and site visits, as well as participation in intercultural programs and events. This comprehensive support structure is designed to empower students to focus not on logistics but on learning, and to walk away not only with a certificate but with a deeper perspective.
“As someone who entered this industry from outside the traditional mold, I know what access and opportunity can unlock. This scholarship isn’t just about learning blockchain—it’s about equipping future leaders with the tools to question, to build, and to leave the space better than they found it. That’s the kind of legacy we want to help shape,” said Vugar Usi Zade, COO at Bitget.
“As much as the world needs more developers, lawyers, or economists, it needs more cross-disciplinary thinkers who understand the full societal impact of blockchain,”he added.
The 2025 program will also feature a masterclass by Bitget COO, Vugar Usi Zade, offering students firsthand insight from one of the industry’s leading operators. This academic-industry dialogue enables the long-term strategic partnership between Bitget and UZH, anchored in mutual goals of innovation, education, and responsible development.
With this partnership, Bitget isn’t just funding education. It’s shaping the future of the industry.
For more details and updates, visit the official program page here.
About Bitget
Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 100 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more. Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.
Risk Warning:Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.
ECB report assesses Bulgaria’s progress towards Economic and Monetary Union
Positive assessment with respect to possible euro adoption on 1 January 2026
Bulgaria has made good progress towards economic convergence with the euro area since 2024, according to the Convergence Report of the European Central Bank (ECB) published today.
“This positive assessment of convergence paves the way for Bulgaria to introduce the euro as of 1 January 2026 and become the 21st EU Member State to join the euro area,” said Philip R. Lane, Member of the ECB Executive Board. “I wish to congratulate Bulgaria on its tremendous dedication to making the adjustments needed.”
According to the ECB’s assessment, Bulgaria is within the reference values of the convergence criteria and complies with the legal requirements. Having participated in the exchange rate mechanism (ERM II) and the banking union since 10 July 2020, Bulgaria has made another step towards European integration under challenging economic conditions. Achieving an environment that is conducive to sustainable convergence in Bulgaria requires stability-oriented economic policies and wide-ranging structural reforms. These policies are discussed in more detail in the report.
As regards the price stability criterion, in April 2025, the 12-month average rate of HICP inflation in Bulgaria stood at 2.7%, i.e. just below the reference value of 2.8% (Chart 1). The reference value is based on the three best performing Member States in terms of price stability, i.e. Ireland (1.2%), Finland (1.3%) and Italy (1.4%), taking their average inflation over the past 12 months and adding 1.5 percentage points.
Chart 1
HICP inflation and reference value
(annual percentage changes)
Sources: European Commission (Eurostat) and ECB calculations. Notes: 12-month moving average rounded to one decimal.
Regarding the fiscal criterion, Bulgaria has not been subject to an excessive deficit procedure since 2012. The country’s general government budget deficit stood at 3.0% of GDP in 2024, i.e. at the level of the 3% reference value (Chart 2). Its general government gross debt-to-GDP ratio stood at 24.1%, i.e. well below the 60% reference value, and it has been well below 60% of GDP for the past 20 years.
Chart 2
General government balance and debt
(as a percentage of GDP)
Sources: European System of Central Banks and European Commission (Eurostat).
As regards the exchange ratecriterion, the Bulgarian lev participated in ERM II in the two-year reference period from 20 May 2023 to 19 May 2025. Over the reference period, the lev did not exhibit any deviation from the central rate of 1.95583 levs per euro. Bulgaria has completed almost all of its ERM II post-entry commitments, but further progress is needed to address the outstanding shortcomings in the area of anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.
Long-term interest rates in Bulgaria stood at 3.9%, on average, over the reference period from May 2024 to April 2025 and were therefore below the 5.1% reference value for the interest rate convergence criterion.
As for the compatibility of national legislation, Bulgarian law is compatible with the Treaties and the Statute of the ESCB, as required under Article 131 of the Treaty.
Today’s report was published following Bulgaria’s request, the next regular Convergence Report of the ECB will be published in 2026.
For media queries, please contact Benoit Deeg, tel.: +49 172 1683704.
The Convergence Report of the ECB reviews the economic and legal convergence of non-euro area EU Member States with a derogation every second year or at the request of a specific country. It assesses the degree of sustainable economic convergence with the euro area, whether the national legislation is compatible with the EU legal framework, and whether the statutory requirements are fulfilled for the respective national central banks. Given its “opt-out” clause, Denmark is not covered by this assessment unless this is specifically requested by the country.
The cut-off date for the statistics included in this Convergence Report was 19 May 2025. The reference period for the price stability criterion and the long-term interest rate criterion is from May 2024 to April 2025. Forecasts are based on the European Commission’s Spring 2025 Economic Forecast and other information relevant to a forward-looking assessment of the sustainability of convergence.
Headline: Thales Unveils State-of-the-Art Inflight Entertainment & Services Lab at its Engineering Competence Centre in Bengaluru
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The new lab, dedicated to development of Inflight Entertainment (IFE) solutions and advanced tools for support and services to airlines, reinforces India’s strategic position as an innovation hub for Thales.
Our engineers at Thales in India will design, develop, and test innovative solutions to support the needs of Indian airlines and global customers.
Aligned with Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, the facility will significantly contribute to localisation of R&D activities along with job creation in India.
Thales today unveiled a state-of-the-art Inflight Entertainment (IFE) and Services lab at its Engineering Competence Centre (ECC) in Bengaluru. Aligned with the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, this lab will serve as a hub for the design, development, and testing of next-generation IFE systems. The lab is equipped with advanced tools to support and serve airlines in India and around the world.
The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of Honourable Minister of Industries, Government of Karnataka, Shri MB Patil, Consul General of France in Bengaluru Mr Marc Lamy, executives from Air India, Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry, along with Olivier Flous, Senior Vice President, Engineering and Digital Transformation, and Francois Colonna, Director Engineering Competence Centre, Bengaluru from Thales, among other dignitaries.
Thales’s Engineering Competence Centre in Bengaluru is a key force driving the development of advanced aerospace and defence solutions. With the addition of the new IFE and Services lab, Thales is further expanding its R&D capabilities in India supporting the country’s journey to become a global innovation hub for civil aviation. This state-of-the-art facility replicates an aircraft equipped with an IFE system, allowing for comprehensive testing and an immersive customer experience review. The lab is a hub for software design, development, and rigorous testing crucial for secured aircraft data deployment, alongside meticulous hardware inspection and testing.
Commenting on the inauguration, Hon’ble Minister Shri MB Patil said,“Today’s inauguration of Thales’s Inflight Entertainment and Services Lab at its Engineering Competence Centre reinforces Bengaluru’s position as a global innovation hub. It’s a testament to Karnataka’s robust aerospace and defence ecosystem. Thales’s footprint in India, particularly here in Bengaluru, is already substantial and has been contributing significantly towards the growth of aerospace, defence and cybersecurity & digital identity for years. Their Engineering Competence Centre has become an integral part of the local industry. Many congratulations to the Thales team for this significant milestone that will strengthen the aviation sector not just within Karnataka, but across the nation.”
Mr Marc Lamy, Consul General of France in Bengaluru, said,“Thales is a name synonymous with French excellence, a global leader at the forefront of advanced technologies. The inauguration of this IFE (Inflight Entertainment) and services lab is a moment of immense pride, reflecting the vibrant spirit of innovation and partnership that defines both our nations, France and India. This perfectly embodies the spirit of the upcoming year 2026 designated by President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the ‘Indo-French Year of Innovation’.”
Olivier Flous, Senior Vice President, Engineering & Digital Transformation, Thales, said, “The inauguration of our new lab dedicated to Inflight Entertainment solutions and support and services for airlines marks a significant step towards enhancing both the passenger experience and operational efficiency of carriers. This new facility at our Engineering Competence Centre in Bengaluru underscores our commitment to the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision, developing future-ready aviation technologies in India, for India, and for the world. We look forward to continue leveraging our global technological expertise and India’s vast talent pool to foster a robust local civil aviation ecosystem.”
About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.
The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.
Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.
About Thales in India
Present in India since 1953, Thales is headquartered in Noida and has other operational offices and sites spread across Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru and Mumbai, among others. Over 2200 employees are working with Thales and its joint ventures in India. Since the beginning, Thales has been playing an essential role in India’s growth story by sharing its technologies and expertise in Defence, Aerospace and Cyber & Digital sectors. Thales has two engineering competence centres in India – one in Noida focused on Cyber & Digital business, while the one in Bengaluru focuses on hardware, software and systems engineering capabilities for both the civil and defence sectors, serving global needs. Thales significantly contributes to the growth of India’s aviation sector. Thales provides avionics and IFE systems for many Indian civil aircraft. It also provides solutions to enhance airport security and is working on an advanced UTM system for drone operations. The Group has also established an MRO facility in Gurugram to provide comprehensive avionics maintenance and repair services to Indian airlines.
Headline: China commits USD 600,000 to support WTO accession and least-developed countries
The China Programme — launched in July 2011 under the WTO-led Aid for Trade initiative — aims to enable LDCs to better integrate into the global economy by strengthening their participation in WTO activities and helping those not yet members join the Organization. The signing ceremony was held on the side of a meeting of trade ministers hosted by Australia on the sidelines of the annual Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The China Programme finances activities to support, among others:
An internship programme at the WTO
China Round Tables on WTO accessions
Increasing participation of LDCs in WTO meetings
South-South dialogue on LDCs and development
Follow-up workshops to LDCs’ Trade Policy Reviews
LDCs Experience Sharing Programme
The Programme has also contributed to financing the participation of LDC government officials in WTO ministerial conferences.
More information can be found here.
DG Okonjo-Iweala said: “I warmly welcome the renewal of this programme, which stands as testimony to China’s commitment to facilitating the integration of LDCs into global trade. A substantial part of this programme goes to support LDCs and other economies in the process of acceding to the WTO, an important step in using trade to meet their economic and development objectives. China’s contribution in current challenging times is mostly welcome.”
Minister Wang said: “In the past years, by continuously funding various activities of the China Programme, China has been taking every solid step to help developing members, especially the LDCs, better integrate into the multilateral trading system. Noticing the technical assistance resource constraints WTO is currently facing, China raises its contribution to the China Programme to USD 600,000, demonstrating its firm support to WTO capacity building activities for developing members especially the LDCs. In the future, China is willing to continue making contributions, better operate the China Programme together with the Secretariat, and implement the Global Development Initiative (GDI) with practical actions.”
Each year, the WTO Secretariat and the government of China review the contents and consider the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding on the China Programme.
Since 2008, China has contributed just around USD 11 million (approximately CHF 9.0 million) to assist developing economy members and observers , especially LDCs, in integrating more fully into the multilateral trade system.
Bank interest rates on new loans to, and deposits from, euro area corporations
(percentages per annum)
Data for cost of borrowing and deposit interest rates for corporations (Chart 1)
The composite cost-of-borrowing indicator, which combines interest rates on all loans to corporations, decreased in April 2025. The interest rate on new loans of over €1 million with a floating rate and an initial rate fixation period of up to three months decreased by 13 basis points to 3.54%. The rate on new loans of the same size with an initial rate fixation period of over three months and up to one year fell by 27 basis points to 3.51%. The interest rate on new loans of over €1 million with an initial rate fixation period of over ten years remained broadly unchanged at 3.54%. In the case of new loans of up to €250,000 with a floating rate and an initial rate fixation period of up to three months, the average rate charged fell by 12 basis points to 3.90%. As regards new deposit agreements, the interest rate on deposits from corporations with an agreed maturity of up to one year fell by 17 basis points to 2.15% in April 2025. The interest rate on overnight deposits from corporations fell by 7 basis points to 0.60%. The interest rate on new loans to sole proprietors and unincorporated partnerships with a floating rate and an initial rate fixation period of up to one year decreased by 5 basis points to 4.31%, driven by both the interest rate and the weight effects.
Table 1
Bank interest rates for corporations
i.r.f. = initial rate fixation * For this instrument category, the concept of new business is extended to the whole outstanding amounts and therefore the business volumes are not comparable with those of the other categories. Outstanding amounts data are derived from the ECB’s monetary financial institutions balance sheet statistics.
Data for bank interest rates for corporations (Table 1)
Bank interest rates for households
Chart 2
Bank interest rates on new loans to, and deposits from, euro area households
Data for cost of borrowing and deposit interest rate for households (Chart 2)
The composite cost-of-borrowing indicator, which combines interest rates on all loans to households for house purchase, decreased in April 2025. The interest rate on loans for house purchase with a floating rate and an initial rate fixation period of up to one year decreased by 8 basis points to 3.84%. The rate on housing loans with an initial rate fixation period of over one and up to five years stayed almost constant at 3.48%. The interest rate on loans for house purchase with an initial rate fixation period of over five and up to ten years decreased by 4 basis points to 3.32%, driven by both the interest rate and the weight effects. The rate on housing loans with an initial rate fixation period of over ten years fell by 7 basis points to 3.03%, mainly driven by the weight effect. In the same period the interest rate on new loans to households for consumption showed no change at 7.52%. As regards new deposits from households, the interest rate on deposits with an agreed maturity of up to one year decreased by 13 basis points to 1.96%. The rate on deposits redeemable at three months’ notice stayed almost constant at 1.50%. The interest rate on overnight deposits from households remained broadly unchanged at 0.29%.
Table 2
Bank interest rates for households
i.r.f. = initial rate fixation * For this instrument category, the concept of new business is extended to the whole outstanding amounts and therefore the business volumes are not comparable with those of the other categories; deposits placed by households and corporations are allocated to the household sector. Outstanding amounts data are derived from the ECB’s monetary financial institutions balance sheet statistics. ** For this instrument category, the concept of new business is extended to the whole outstanding amounts and therefore the business volumes are not comparable with those of the other categories. Outstanding amounts data are derived from the ECB’s monetary financial institutions balance sheet statistics.
Data for bank interest rates for households (Table 2)
Further information
The data in Tables 1 and 2 can be visualised for individual euro area countries on the bank interest rate statistics dashboard. Additionally, tables containing further breakdowns of bank interest rate statistics, including the composite cost-of-borrowing indicators for all euro area countries, are available from the ECB Data Portal. The full set of bank interest rate statistics for both the euro area and individual countries can be downloaded from ECB Data Portal. More information, including the release calendar, is available under “Bank interest rates” in the statistics section of the ECB’s website.
For media queries, please contactNicos Keranis, tel.: +49 69 1344 7806
Notes:
In this press release “corporations” refers to non-financial corporations (sector S.11 in the European System of Accounts 2010, or ESA 2010), “households” refers to households and non-profit institutions serving households (ESA 2010 sectors S.14 and S.15) and “banks” refers to monetary financial institutions except central banks and money market funds (ESA 2010 sector S.122).
The composite cost-of-borrowing indicators are described in the article entitled “Assessing the retail bank interest rate pass-through in the euro area at times of financial fragmentation” in the August 2013 issue of the ECB’s Monthly Bulletin (see Box 1). For these indicators, a weighting scheme based on the 24-month moving averages of new business volumes has been applied, in order to filter out excessive monthly volatility. For this reason the developments in the composite cost of borrowing indicators in both tables cannot be explained by the month-on-month changes in the displayed subcomponents. Furthermore, the table on bank interest rates for corporations presents a subset of the series used in the calculation of the cost of borrowing indicator.
Interest rates on new business are weighted by the size of the individual agreements. This is done both by the reporting agents and when the national and euro area averages are computed. Thus changes in average euro area interest rates for new business reflect, in addition to changes in interest rates, changes in the weights of individual countries’ new business for the instrument categories concerned. The “interest rate effect” and the “weight effect” presented in this press release are derived from the Bennet index, which allows month-on-month developments in euro area aggregate rates resulting from changes in individual country rates (the “interest rate effect”) to be disentangled from those caused by changes in the weights of individual countries’ contributions (the “weight effect”). Owing to rounding, the combined “interest rate effect” and the “weight effect” may not add up to the month-on-month developments in euro area aggregate rates.
In addition to monthly euro area bank interest rate statistics for April 2025, this press release incorporates revisions to data for previous periods. Hyperlinks in the main body of the press release lead to data that may change with subsequent releases as a result of revisions. Unless otherwise indicated, these euro area statistics cover the EU Member States that had adopted the euro at the time to which the data relate.
As of reference period December 2014, the sector classification applied to bank interest rates statistics is based on the European System of Accounts 2010 (ESA 2010). In accordance with the ESA 2010 classification and as opposed to ESA 95, the non-financial corporations sector (S.11) now excludes holding companies not engaged in management and similar captive financial institutions.
Headline: WTO upgrades e-Learning platform to enhance user experience and learning outcomes
This upgrade marks a major step forward in expanding access to WTO e-Learning courses. Forming part of the technical assistance programmes delivered by the WTO Secretariat to build trade capacity in developing and least-developed members and observers, these courses are also freely accessible to the wider public across all sectors.
“We are excited to launch the upgraded platform, which reflects our continued commitment to accessible and high-quality trade-related learning,” said Roberto Fiorentino, Head of the WTO e-Learning Unit. “The improvements will enable users to navigate more easily the e-Learning platform, manage their learning more effectively, and engage more deeply with the WTO’s online training.”
Key upgrades to the platform include:
A redesigned user interface featuring intuitive navigation, improved accessibility features and simplified access to the course catalogue, certificates and support resources.
A refined course catalogue with advanced search and filtering options, making it easier to find courses by language, level, topic, training path and duration.
Greater flexibility in assessments, including extended time limits, retake opportunities for final exams, and enhanced dashboard tools for tracking progress.
Strengthened community engagement through updated discussion forums and mobile app notifications to foster collaboration among participants.
Simplified access to learning reports, empowering learners to easily monitor their progress.
A newly developed Help Centre offering comprehensive guidance on technical requirements, registration, eligibility, certification criteria and more.
Enhanced data protection through advanced security measures to safeguard user information and ensure a safe digital learning environment.
The WTO e-Learning platform currently offers 176 free courses covering various WTO agreements and trade-related issues, with additional courses under development. With over 13,000 government officials from developing and least-developed WTO members and observers enrolled in these courses, along with more than 9,000 e-learners from academia, the private sector and other professional communities, the upgraded e-Learning platform is designed to be more user-centric and responsive, ensuring that it meets the evolving needs of its diverse user base.
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, met with the Minister of Finance of Viet Nam, H.E. Nguyen Van Thang, at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, France, on 4 June 2025. They discussed current global economic developments, regional finance cooperation, and the formulation of the forthcoming sectoral plan on finance to support the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026–2030—an integral component of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with the Minister of Finance of Viet Nam appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
A poster featuring an all-white male panel of speakers from Europe, the US and other regions circulated online, promoting a pan-African conference on African Family Values.
The line-up was a tell-tale sign of yet another event underwritten by Global North actors with a clear anti-rights agenda. The organisers were forced to add African panellists after a backlash but, despite outrage from women’s groups and human rights organisations about its harmful content, the conference went ahead.
The main speakers were from organisations such as CitizenGo, Family Watch International, Family Policy Institute and Christian Council International, as well as churches and parliamentarians. These were also among the supporters and sponsors for the event. These organisations are known for conservative family and societal values advocating for what they call “traditional family values”.
At its core the conference promoted opposition to abortion, LGBTI rights, reproductive healthcare and comprehensive sexuality education. Among the organisers’ key issues of concern is that “African nations face pressure to enact policies, sign agreements and treaties that contradict their cultural and religious beliefs”. The conference was aimed to “promote and protect sanctity of life, family values, religious freedoms and values-based education and good governance”. These aims are similar to US-based anti-rights groups.
Event participants not only advocate in their countries on these topics but also at regional forums, including the African Union, and at the international level. Civil society has warned of the potential for increasingly coordinated attacks against the AU by these groups.
This conference comes at a time of increasing authoritarianism where opportunistic populists, seeking to score cheap political points, often tout the idea that LGBTI identities are “un-African” and against “African values”.
Khanyo Farise
The 2025 Convention on Eliminating Violence against Women and Girls is thought to be their next advocacy target. They will probably argue that this treaty promotes gender ideology, a similar strategy adopted by anti-rights groups in Europe against the Istanbul Convention, which is also aimed at preventing and combatting violence against women.
This conference comes at a time of increasing authoritarianism where opportunistic populists, seeking to score cheap political points, often tout the idea that LGBTI identities are “un-African” and against “African values”.
The conference was attended by MPs from Uganda and Malawi and Kenyan lawyers. This is unsurprising since there have long been reports that US groups have financed propaganda about sexual and gender diversity, and have helped shape some of the harshest anti-LGBTI laws in Africa.
The language of ‘African values’ emerged at the regional level in 2018 when the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the continent’s highest human rights body, at the instruction of the African Union, stripped the Coalition of African Lesbians’ observer status.
In 2022 the ACHPR, this time on its own accord, then denied observer status to three human rights groups, claiming that LGBTI identities are “contrary to the virtues of African values”. These decisions ran counter to the historic Resolution passed by the ACHPR in 2014 which was clear that LGBTI identities enjoy full protection under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
But what does it mean to be African? What are African values?
The African Charter empowers the ACHPR to undertake studies and research to address such questions. The ACHPR then uses these studies as a basis for principles and rules to guide African governments. In this vein, in 2023 the African Commission considered and adopted “a paper on African Values”. This paper is not public, so its contents are unknown, but it is probably aimed at explaining what the ACHPR means by “African values”, to guide African governments in their human rights legislation.
In answering this question, there are three key areas the ACHPR should consider.
First is a recognition that African families are incredibly diverse. The drafters of the African Charter acknowledged that African society is far too complex to be neatly compartmentalised. It was for this reason that the charter deliberately fails to define the notion of “peoples”, in clear recognition of the diversity of African families, societies and communities. The ACHPR must likewise not confine African identities to cis-gender and heterosexual, nor restrict the concept of the African family to a nuclear model.
Second is that the principle of non-discrimination permeates the charter and provides the touchstone of the African concept of human rights. The charter affirms that “every individual shall respect and consider his fellow beings without discrimination and to maintain relations aimed at promoting, safeguarding and reinforcing mutual respect and tolerance”.
The charter’s drafters entrenched the idea of non-discrimination because, at the time, African leaders were focused on liberation from colonialism and racism. Indeed, the document broke new ground by prohibiting ethnic discrimination, a prohibition not found in other international agreements at the time. Non-discrimination against LGBTI people is firmly within both the letter and spirit of the African Charter’s values.
And finally that LGBTI identities are firmly ensconced in African values historically. Same-sex sexualities and gender diversity were present in pre-colonial Africa. It was not until colonisation that Africa’s European subjugators imposed anti-LGBTI laws as part of their “civilising mission”. After independence, many African countries — Angola, Botswana, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, to name a few — dismissed those colonial-era laws and now recognise LGBTI people’s rights. Simply put, LGBTI people are as African as anyone else, and deserve the same protection by the African Charter.
With anti-rights actors co-opting African values using neo-colonial tactics, there is greater urgency for the ACHPR to reclaim African values and redefine them in accordance with the African Charter. Drawing on the wisdom of our forebears, the ACHPR must affirm that discrimination has no place in African societies. It should root its approach in both our pre-colonial histories and the present reality of millions of LGBTI Africans who are entitled to the same human rights as anyone else, no matter what opportunistic western anti-rights actors might say. African values must be used to advance inclusion, non-discrimination and equality, not exclusion and discrimination.
Khanyo Farise is a senior researcher on civic space at Amnesty International, East and Southern Africa.
Young ocean advocates are challenging world leaders at the UN Ocean Conference: choose between sink or swim. With threats like acidification, plastic pollution and species destruction, there’s no time to waste. The crisis facing our ocean demands immediate action and meaningful youth participation. UNOC3 is our crucial moment to save our ocean. Learn more: http://sdgs.un.org/conferences/ocean2025.
Press Conference by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, former Foreign Minister of Pakistan, accompanied by a high-level parliamentary delegation, on recent developments in South Asia.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Watch ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons discuss immigration enforcement in the wake of the horrific antisemitic attack in Colorado by an Egyptian national who overstayed his U.S. visa.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Watch as the EMNV team removes two large stacks from the EMAD main building. Completing this work sets the stage for the team to begin demolition of the 100,000 square foot main building.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
The Environmental Management (EM) Nevada Program recently completed the demolition of the largest ancillary structure remaining at the Engine Maintenance, Assembly and Disassembly (EMAD) Facility at the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS). The building brought down in April at the NNSS, was formally known as Building 3901, but more commonly is referred to as the “Train Shed.”
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Teams have been decommissioning and demolishing old facilities as part of the cleanup mission on the Nevada National Security Site. In this video works tear down a water tower that needed removed before teams can begin on the 100,000 square foot main building.
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Sudan
Commissioner of the International Commission Against Impunity/Guatemala
Ninth Austrian World Summit
Human Rights/Climate Emergency
Deputy Secretary-General/Travels
Gaza
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Syria
Ukraine
South Sudan
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Photo Exhibition
World Bicycle Day
Financial Contribution
Briefings – Today
SUDAN
You will have seen the horrific developments in Sudan in which five members of a UN humanitarian convoy were killed last night and several more were injured during an attack near Al Koma in North Darfur.
I can tell you that we condemn in the strongest terms this horrendous act of violence against humanitarian personnel who literally put their lives at risk attempting to reach vulnerable children and families in the famine-impacted areas.
This joint WFP-UNICEF 15-truck convoy had travelled over 1,800 km (just about 1,118 miles) from Port Sudan, and they were carrying food and nutrition supplies. The Agencies were negotiating access to complete the journey to El Fasher when it was attacked. The route was shared in advance, and parties on the ground were notified and aware of the location of the trucks.
Multiple trucks were burned in the attack, and critical humanitarian supplies were damaged. It is devastating the supplies have not reached the civilians in need. This is the first UN humanitarian convoy that was going to make it to El Fasher in over a year.
All attacks on humanitarian personnel, their facilities and vehicles must stop. They are a violation under international humanitarian law. And we call for an urgent investigation and for the perpetrators to be held to account.
We call for safe, secure operating conditions and for international humanitarian law to be respected by all parties, not just in Sudan, but in all conflict-impacted countries. Under international humanitarian law, aid convoys must be protected, and parties have the obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need.
And for those who were killed in line of duty in Sudan, we extend our condolences to their families and loved ones, and we wish a speedy recovery for the wounded. Shirin
COMMISSIONER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION AGAINST IMPUNITY/GUATEMALA
The Secretary-General is concerned about the announcement by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Guatemala regarding the issuance of arrest warrants against former Commissioner of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), Iván Velásquez, former CICIG Head of Investigations Luz Adriana Camargo — now Colombia’s Attorney General — along with 24 other former CICIG national staff and independent justice officials who collaborated with CICIG.
The Secretary-General reiterates that the Commission’s international personnel, under the terms of the agreement between the UN and the Government of Guatemala regarding the establishment of the Commission, enjoys immunity from legal process with respect to acts done in the performance of their mission which continues even after the completion of their employment with CICIG. He recalls that under this agreement, the Government of Guatemala agreed to protect the personnel of CICIG – whether international or national – from abuse, threats, reprisals or acts of intimidation in virtue of their work for CICIG.
The Secretary-General reiterates his concern at the numerous reports that criminal prosecution is being carried out against those who sought to shed light on cases of corruption and worked to strengthen rule of law and the justice system in Guatemala.
NINTH AUSTRIAN WORLD SUMMIT
Today, the Secretary-General addressed the Ninth Austrian World Summit via a video message. He pointed out that we face a triple-whammy of woe, with pollution clogging rivers, contaminating land, and poisoning our ocean, the biodiversity being destroyed at record pace and record levels of greenhouse gases catastrophically disrupting our climate.
The Secretary-General warned that no country, whether rich or poor, can escape these crises, and no country can solve them alone. But together, he said, we can reap the rewards of action, from cheap, secure power, to better health.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=03+June+2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will mark World Environment Day on June 5 by leading a special tree plantation drive at Bhagwan Mahavir Vanasthali Park, New Delhi, as part of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative. The drive forms a crucial component of the ambitious ‘Aravalli Green Wall Project’ aimed at reforesting the 700-km-long Aravalli range.
The Prime Minister will plant a Banyan sapling to symbolise India’s commitment to environmental conservation and afforestation efforts. The Aravalli Green Wall Project targets a 5-km buffer zone around the Aravalli Hills across 29 districts in Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat. It focuses on increasing green cover, restoring biodiversity, improving soil fertility, conserving water bodies, and enhancing climate resilience in the region.
Besides ecological benefits, the project is expected to generate employment and provide livelihood opportunities for local communities through afforestation and restoration activities.
In a parallel move to promote sustainable urban mobility, PM Modi will also flag off 200 electric buses under the Delhi government’s clean transport initiative. The introduction of these electric buses aims to reduce air pollution and boost the adoption of green transportation in the national capital.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal began his official visit to Italy on Wednesday, marking a key step in strengthening India’s economic and strategic ties with one of its important European partners. The two-day visit, scheduled for June 4–5, follows Minister Goyal’s engagements in France aimed at enhancing India–France trade and investment relations.
During his stay, Goyal will co-chair the 22nd Session of the India–Italy Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC) alongside Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy. The JCEC serves as a critical bilateral platform for shaping economic collaboration between the two nations.
This year’s session is set against the backdrop of the India–Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan (JSAP) 2025–2029, which was launched following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024. The JSAP outlines ten key thematic pillars for cooperation, with economic engagement and innovation as central priorities.
The Rome meeting will focus on assessing progress and expanding bilateral cooperation in pivotal sectors such as Industry 4.0, agritech, digital transformation, clean energy, sustainable mobility, and infrastructure development under the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). These discussions are expected to open new doors for strategic industrial partnerships and strengthen economic connectivity between the two nations.
Goyal will lead a high-level Indian business delegation to the India–Italy Growth Forum in Brescia, a leading industrial and innovation hub in northern Italy. The forum is designed to foster dialogue between key businesses, promote investment flows, and boost B2B collaborations in areas such as sustainable manufacturing, circular economy, and advanced engineering.
UNDRR and ISC release an updated overview of hazards to help governments, researchers, and responders to better understand and act on interconnected risks.
Geneva / Paris – 4 June 2025 – The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the International Science Council (ISC) have released an updated edition of their comprehensive hazard guide, offering clear, standardized information on 282 hazards – from wildfires and earthquakes to cyberattacks and pandemics.
The new edition reflects the complex and interconnected nature of today’s global risk landscape. Hazards increasingly occur together, cascade across systems, and amplify one another. In response, the updated profiles emphasize a multi-hazard approach-critical for effective early warning systems, emergency planning, and disaster resilience. Originally launched in 2021 as the first resource of its kind, the hazard definitions and classification provide an authoritative technical foundation for disaster risk reduction efforts worldwide. This updated edition builds on that foundation with:
282 reviewed hazards across 8 types and 39 clusters
Improved, machine-readable format to support their use across digital tools and systems. E.g. the updated hazard taxonomy with standard definitions enables the new generation UNDRR-UNDP-WMO disaster tracking system.
Clearer articulation of hazard interactions and multi-hazard scenarios
User-informed revisions and new content to support real-world planning and response
“From local governments to humanitarian agencies, the need for consistent, science-based hazard information is universal. These profiles reflect the best available scientific understanding of hazards and offer a foundation for evidence-based policies that reduce risk and build resilience,” said Salvatore Aricò, CEO, International Science Council.
“Reliable and standardized hazard data are essential for informing disaster risk reduction strategies. This update helps countries implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to reduce losses by 2030,” said Kamal Kishore, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction.
“This updated edition reflects what we’ve learned: hazards are not standalone events. They are part of a complex web of risk. By bringing together diverse expert and user input, we’ve made these profiles more actionable, more interconnected, and more immediately useful,” said Professor Virginia Murray, Chair of the Hazard Information Profiles Steering Group.
The revision process engaged over 270 experts, reviewers, and users from across sectors and regions. A dedicated User Group, Multi-Hazard Group, and Machine Actionability Group ensured the profiles remain practical, future-ready, and inclusive of diverse perspectives and needs.
Since the initial release, the hazard profiles have been widely used by national disaster management agencies, UN bodies, researchers, and humanitarian organizations for planning, monitoring, risk assessments, and training. This success has prompted the current update to ensure that they remain relevant and up to date.
The HIPs serve as a trusted source of scientifically grounded, standardized hazard information used by governments, agencies, researchers and educators worldwide. They support risk assessment, disaster preparedness, loss tracking and multi-sectoral planning. Above all, they are a practical resource – valued because they are usable, useful and used.
In 2023, UNDRR and the ISC launched a revision of the HIPs, involving experts from organizations including United Nations agencies, scientific disciplinary unions, academia, the private sector and the humanitarian sector. In the end, 330 authors and reviewers from across more than 150 organizations participated. The result is a revised list of 282 hazards grouped into eight hazard types:
This Issue Brief highlights how risk reduction can help to make critical shifts to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and beyond: from short-term reactive responses and to long-term resilience pathways, and from siloed approaches to systems thinking and systems change. It highlights risk reduction opportunities across food systems, education, jobs and social protection, digital systems, energy systems, and nature and climate change.
The Issue Brief also highlights the importance of enablers such as multidimensional risk assessment, integrated and inclusive risk governance, adaptive management and learning, and risk-informed financing for SDGs. It was developed by UNDRR with inputs from 18 UN entities under the UN DRR Focal Points Group, and informed by a call for good practices on risk-informed SDG transitions in December 2024.
The ten actions, pictured and described in further detail below, are important for several reasons.
First, the consultative process to get there was comprehensive and all-inclusive. A total of 130 countries participated across four distinct regions (Africa, Europe and Central Asia, Americas and the Caribbean and Arab States), bringing a diverse set of opinions, needs and expectations. In the end, more than 4,000 individual participants shared their knowledge and expertise.
The agreed-upon actions are representative of this crucial and comprehensive consultation process, with a particular focus on people. For example, Priority Action 9 aims to “Localize recovery through community leadership and empowerment.” Key methods to achieve this goal include strengthening the role of local governments and rural and urban governance in recovery readiness, ensuring they have the authority, resources, and capacity to act effectively as they are in the first line of response.
In addition, creating flexible financing mechanisms that channel funds directly to local actors and frontline responders is also crucial. These tenets of governance and financing were previously discussed in two key webinars in the build-up to WRRC. Finally, the global DRR community must also institutionalize inclusive consultation processes with native and indigenous communities, marginalized and high-risk populations in recovery planning.
A renewed focus on people and human recovery
Similarly, Priority Action 2 emphasizes strengthening the international community’s capacity to “Build and sustain institutional and human capacity for recovery.” In his remarks at the Opening Ceremony for this year’s WRRC, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR Kamal Kishore highlighted that the change in name from World Reconstruction Conference (WRC) to World Resilient Recovery Conference (WRRC) is a part of an intentional “shift in focus from reconstructing physical assets to ensuring human recovery.” He further added that, “It is not just important to reconstruct schools and houses and hospitals that have been damaged in an earthquake or a cyclone, but it is even more important that children have access to safe learning spaces, hospitals provide services [and] infrastructure is built to better standards so that it continues to facilitate livelihoods of communities that it seeks to serve.”
SRSG Kishore also emphasized the importance of Priority 4 of the Sendai Framework and its emphasis on “Build Back Better”, which was echoed by Mr. Hiroaki Hara, Vice Minister for Policy Coordination of the Cabinet Office in Japan, and co-chair of the International Recovery Platform (IRP). In his remarks, Vice Minister Hara noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake in Japan, and that “the recovery from this earthquake generated the initial concept of ‘Build Back Better’ for a disaster-resilient society.” He went on to say that “Today’s conference will set an important milestone by focusing particularly on strengthening recovery readiness at national and local levels.”
Emphasizing implementation and the way forward
Beyond the launch itself, the emphasis now shifts to implementation of the Priority Actions. Several key events in the coming months will offer the DRR community opportunities to track progress. These include the High-level Policy Forum on Recovery in September 2025, Regional Dialogues on Resilient Recovery, and the roll-out of the IRP Recovery Readiness Assessment Framework.
During the closing ceremony of the WRRC, Ms. Paola Albrito, Director of UNDRR, emphasized this way forward when she said that, “The International Recovery Platform will move ahead with implementation in close coordination with member states and other relevant partners. This includes convening a high-level political forum on recovery in September of this year to scale our commitment. At the regional level, we will use the regional dialogues on resilient recovery to ensure the regional perspectives and needs are fully integrated. And at the national level…a top priority will be the roll-out of the recovery readiness assessment to support countries in evaluating and strengthening their preparedness for resilient recovery. Let’s move forward, united in purpose and bold in action.”
UNDRR Director Paola Albrito presents the first five Priority Actions
Ambassador Christian Frutiger, Assistant Director General and Head of the Global Cooperation Domain said, “[I am] very proud to launch the Priority Actions to Enhance Readiness for Resilient Recovery. These are not just technical recommendations. They are a call to action for national and local governments and partners to join hands in enhancing readiness for resilient recovery. It is important to emphasize that the 10 priority actions are not stand-alone measures. They are interconnected pieces of a larger puzzle.” A short intermission between the presentation of the first five and second five priorities featured a performance by the percussion band KomandoBidon, to spur attendees onwards. “Let’s follow the drumbeat to action”, Ambassador Fruitger said. “We leave here with a clear set of priority actions; concrete steps we can put into practice. Now is the moment to invest, in readiness, in partnerships and in people. Let us carry this momentum into the 8th session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. Let us stay connected…and commit to turn our priorities into lasting impact.”
The human cost of disasters includes lost livelihoods, homes, and cultural ties to landscapes. Where livelihoods are already fragile and being eroded, a disaster-induced displacement of even a few days can damage economic opportunities for years to come. So, the human dimension of recovery remains central to discussions as delegates convened for a second day in several preparatory events for the 8th Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR), namely: the World Resilient Recovery Conference, the Third Stakeholder Forum on DRR, and the Global Early Warning for All Multistakeholder Forum (EW4All).
The GPDRR official programme was launched with a high-level roundtable event at lunchtime and a formal opening ceremony in the afternoon, followed by an official reception.
Official programme
Opening
Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, and head of UNDRR, opened the event highlighting the exceptional urgency and importance of delivering on the Sendai Framework. He underscored how communities were coming together and the need to learn from their initiatives, imagination, and resourcefulness, and called for commitment from all actors.
Recalling the recent loss of a Swiss village to a glacier landslide, Amina J. Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, commented that “early warning saves lives but cannot save glaciers from disappearing.” She stressed that disasters and their cascading effects annually cost up to USD 3.2 trillion and noted that record-breaking disasters make entire regions uninsurable. She called for risk-informed development across all sectors; scaled-up public and private investments in resilience; and national financial frameworks that align with adaptation needs.
Ignazio Cassis, Minister, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland, observed that, “Risk today is everywhere. Fires are where wetlands were centuries ago.” Noting that the GPDRR2025 is the last Global Platform before the 2030 deadline, he urged that countries deliver on the Sendai Framework, apply science and artificial intelligence, and adopt risk mitigation metrics to mobilize and foster resources.
Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General.
After a musical performance on the Hang Drum and a choreographed presentation by Sendai4Youth, Patricia Danzi, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, opened the Eighth Session of the GPDRR.
Enhancing national DRR governance by 2030—A dialogue among national platforms for DRR
In opening remarks to this high-level event, Kishore observed that the risk landscape platform is becoming increasingly complex. He recommended strengthening national DRR platforms and embedding risk reduction into national policies and frameworks; ensuring sustainable and predictable finance with policies matching sustainable long-term plans; and having a common risk assessment framework to support national entities with proper data and analytics.
Speaking on behalf of the host country, Franziska Schmid, Swiss National Platform for Natural Hazards (PLANAT), described the work of PLANAT and highlighted challenges, including overlapping reporting mechanisms and strategies among national government entities focused on resilience. She stressed the importance of addressing duplication, developing appropriate tools, such as hazard maps and building permits, and ensuring crisis management provisions are actually functional.
Discussions then followed in a roundtable format, moderated by Paola Albrito, UNDRR. Albrito invited delegates to: describe the demonstrated impact of their National Platforms for DRR, share lessons learned, identify remaining gaps in DRR governance, and highlight ways and opportunities to boost Sendai Framework implementation by 2030.
View of the room during the Dialogue Among National Platforms for DRR.
In their interventions, many called for collaboration among regional and country partners. Speakers included the Deputy Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tajikistan, as well as many ministers and high-level government representatives. They highlighted lessons and challenges, including: enhancing preparedness through strengthening and modernizing approaches; improving planning and promoting concrete analyses from real-life situations at the grassroots; and mobilizing adequate financing and developing technical expertise to adequately prepare communities.
The Stakeholder Forum continued its deliberations throughout the day, concluding in the afternoon with reflections by supporters and participants of the Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism.
Spotlight session—Early warning for all
Moderator Rebecca Murphy, Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), invited the UNDRR Stakeholder Forum and the Multi-Stakeholder EW4All communities to combine efforts in crafting action points for the 2025 Global Platform on DRR.
In the keynote, Gavin White, Risk-informed Early Action Partnership (REAP), summarized common themes in Early Warning, noting that: preparing for disasters is about inclusiveness, honest communication and trusting the person who is providing the guidance; and early warning systems (EWS) can act as a bridge overcoming the silo approaches among different DRR stakeholders. Panelists suggested that: while no system can predict with 100% certainty what shape hazards will take, it is crucial to build trust and understand local contexts; response planners should establish appropriate actions to follow early warnings; emergency systems must be tailored to communities’ experiences so that people can distinguish between different disasters and respond uniquely to each threat; both elderly and youth can inform EWS and response planning; and conflict zones require unique solutions that consider the fragility and power dynamics within communities.
Bridging the gap: Critical media’s role in strengthening alerts and enhancing disaster preparedness
Giacomo Mazzone, Media Saving Lives, moderated the session. Matthieu Rawolle, EBU Media Intelligence Service, shared examples of how terrestrial radio networks remained uninterrupted and accessible during disasters, and are used to inform the public and facilitate emergency response, especially when mobile phone and internet services are interrupted. He concluded that radio is an essential communication medium in times of crisis and requires investment.
Raditya Jati, Deputy Minister of System and Strategy, National Disaster Management Authority, Indonesia, emphasized the need for media to go beyond reporting on casualties and housing collapse, and to incorporate education for people to prepare for disasters.
Event rooms remained full throughout the day.
Noting that UNDRR is the first UN agency that recognized media’s role in crises, Natalia Ilieva, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, described the Media Saving Lives collaboration between the World Broadcasting Unions and UNDRR that focuses on shifting media perspectives from reactive to proactive reporting, showing the real causes for disasters and instructing people on how to avoid harm. Grégoire Ndjaka, African Broadcasting Union, highlighted the reach of radio in Africa extending to places without electricity supply. Orengiye Fyneface, African Broadcasting Union, discussed trust challenges with journalism as a disaster information source in Africa, pointing to bureaucratic hurdles that prevent journalists from reaching scientists.
Shaping a sustainable tomorrow: Aligning the Sendai Midterm Review with the Pact for the Future
Abraham Bugre, University of Regina, moderated this session. In her opening remarks, Toni-Shae Freckleton, UNDRR, called for transitioning from short-term responses to long-term prevention. She stated that the Pact for the Future embeds DRR and resilience building.
Juan Carlos Uribe Vega, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) highlighted gaps in understanding localization and the importance of local-level governance. Jekulin Lipi Saikia, GNDR, called for a focus on listening to and working with communities, improving financial access, and increasing citizen science. Amber Fletcher, University of Regina, emphasized the role of community-driven actions, citizen science, and community engagement in reaching the diverse range of local voices. In the ensuing discussion, attendees identified communication disconnection, lack of funding, and localization among the persistent gaps between global networks and local realities.
Closing session
Tanjir Hossain, UNDRR Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism (SEM), moderated the closing session. Jamie Cummings, SEM, recalled her own experience of disaster when Hurricane Helene struck her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. Describing how volunteers had operated a traditional Appalachian mule brigade to transport life-saving medications to mountain communities after roads were destroyed, she reflected that, “communities who know the land most, hold the solutions.” Martin Schuldes, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), stressed that “the substance and spirit” of the conference must translate into concrete action.
Jilhane El Gaouzi, African Union Commission, urged all concerned to “be realistic and speed up implementation,” given that only five years remain until the Sendai Framework deadline.
View of the panel during the Closing Session of the Stakeholder Forum.
World Resilient Recovery Conference
At the opening of this one-day event, Mutale Nalumongo, Vice-President, Zambia, highlighted Zambia’s promotion of climate-resilient agriculture through promotion of drought-tolerant crop varieties, access to weather-based insurance and investment in EWS, including advisories to farmers. Following further opening remarks by speakers, two plenaries and several thematic sessions took place during the day.
Plenary 1—Taking stock of current recovery practices
Carolina Fuentes Castellanos, Director, Santiago Network Secretariat, moderated the session.
Sujit Mohanty, UNDRR, noted the high costs of reconstruction and the difficulties of countries that are perpetually in a state of recovery from one disaster after another, pointing to the need to address institutional fragmentation.
Renato Umali Solidum, Jr., Department of Science and Technology, Philippines, advocated for greater cohesion between DRR and climate action as being “two sides of the same coin.” He called for transparent grant-based governance to reach at-risk commuities and address both slow-onset and sudden disasters.
Leon Lundy, Minister of State Office, The Bahamas, highlighted the launch of The Bahamas’ National Disaster Risk Management Authority. He drew attention to the 2022 Act mandating public body disaster plans, including continuity plans, restoration timelines, and staff redeployment protocols to ensure essential services can be maintained or rapidly restored after a disaster.
Krishna Swaroop Vatsa, National Disaster Management Authority, India, highlighted allocation of 30% of the Authority’s funds for recovery and reconstruction, which are released through an assessment-based process.
Fuentes Castellanos offered countries the Secretariat’s support for structuring technical assistance requests.
Plenary 2—From commitment to action: Leadership for resilient recovery
Shivangi Chavda, GNDR, moderated the session.
Guangzhe Chen, World Bank, described the World Bank’s recent transition to supporting infrastructure resilience efforts. He invited countries to access the Bank’s preparedness and response toolkit to strengthen their disaster reduction policies, citing recent examples from Malawi, Albania, and Madagascar.
On financial instruments, panelists explored ways to distribute more rapid financial support, including through multi-dimensional approaches.
On displacement following disasters, Rania Sharshr, International Organization for Migration (IOM), emphasized that one of the greatest needs of governments is access to reliable and accurate data on how displaced people have been impacted, and guidance on how to integrate these people into existing communities.
The session concluded with the presentation of the Resilient Recovery Framework by Abhilash Panda, UNDRR.
Thematic sessions
Further sessions took place through the day. Besides the three sessions reported here, delegates took part in other Stakeholder Forum sessions on governance mechanisms, unlocking financial potential, housing reconstruction, and multi-hazard EWS.
Restoring livelihood: Solutions for disaster-induced displacement and resilient recovery
Mona Folkesson, UN Development Coordination Office (DCO), moderated the session.
Emad Adly, Arab Network for Environment and Development, highlighted water scarcity as a key issue for the region and local-level coordination as a key challenge. Alexandra Bilak, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), cited experience from the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal to show how livelihood erosion influences the severity of displacement.
Ibrahim Osman Farah, Vice President, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia, described livelihood restoration during return and resettlement of internally displaced persons, through ensuring cultural access to land, water, schools, and income-generating opportunities as long-term resilience-based approaches.
Tasneem Siddiqui, University of Dhaka, recounted how students were a driving force for the university’s Refugee and Migration Research Unit, which now has formed Adaptation Committees in many local areas and supports implementation of national policies on livelihood diversification and skills training. She urged treating displacement not as a humanitarian issue, but as a human rights one.
Aslam Perwaiz, Executive Director, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, emphasized skill development with local communities and SMEs to create livelihood options for displaced communities.
Driving resilience: The critical role of private sector’s operational readiness for resilient recovery
Moderator, Cedrick Moriggi, Corporate Chief Resilience Officer Network, emphasized connecting the corporate world with the UNDRR world. Ommid Saberi, International Finance Corporation, recommended investing in the “economics of families,” or small businesses, saying even small government incentives can mobilize large funds from the private sector. Dorothee Baumann-Pauly, University of Geneva, said human rights are the enablers for resilience. Jonathan Rake, Swiss Re Solutions, highlighted the need for the private sector to engage locally and to develop and combine social programmes with parametric solutions. Chris Ulatt, Octopus, said upfront investment to boost resilience is the right move, but observed that few investors will remain for the duration of an investment. Kerry Hinds, Department of Emergency Management, Barbados, described an audit tool to ascertain risks and priorities for public-private partnerships, noting the tool helps standardize and trigger business continuity protocols for disaster risk management.
Turning experience into action: learning from large-scale disasters
Dilanthi Amaratunga, Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System, moderated the session.
Banak Joshua Dei Wal, South Sudan’s DRR Focal Point, highlighted the need to work together and identify risks for Sendai Framework implementation to be effective.
Saini Yang, Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), emphasized that China’s National Flood Prevention System has proven effective, with more than an 80% decrease in flood mortality rates over the last 20 years.
Guy Gryspeert, Honeywell, defined resilience as the capability of preventing a crisis by having awareness and planning in place.
Ali Hamza Pehlivan, Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), Türkiye, highlighted the usefulness of their National Disaster Response Plan during the 2023 earthquake. Makiko Ohashi, Cabinet Office of Japan, noted the utility of planning on the assumption that a mega-disaster may occur at any time and of reviewing DDR plans in the aftermath of disasters.
Participants engage in discussions between sessions throughout the day.
Global Early Warning for All (EW4All) Multistakeholder Forum
After thematic sessions during the day, EW4All concluded its discussions. Gavin White, Risk-Informed Early Action Partnership, moderated the closing session. Panelists highlighted the importance of focusing on preparedness and developing trust, the need to shift perspectives toward a systemic approach to EWS, and the need to increase private funding.
In closing remarks, Andrea Hermenejildo, Deputy Secretary General for Risk Management, Ecuador, stressed EWS is not only a technical issue, but also involves social justice. Paola Albrito, Director, UNDRR, emphasized that EW4All is both needed and achievable. Noting the central role of local communities, she underlined that resilience is built with communities.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union, underlined that scaling-up EWS requires partnerships and breaking silos across economic sectors, UN agencies and industries.
Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), stressed that inclusive action and investment in EW4All is essential.
Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), stated that having EWS in just 108 countries is neither sufficient nor acceptable, and called for closing this “justice gap” by providing EWS worldwide and accelerating the transformation needed to protect every person on Earth.
The Priority Actions to Enhance Readiness for Resilient Recovery were officially launched at the World Resilient Recovery Conference (WRRC) on 3 June 2025. They are designed to take joined action to accelerate the implementation of Priority Action 4 of the Sendai Framework: Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
The ten priority actions are critical steps to build a more resilient future for all:
Action 1: Assess recovery readiness and strengthen governance arrangements
Action 2: Build and sustain institutional and human capacity for recovery
Action 3: Secure and enable predictable, inclusive preparedness and recovery financing
Action 4: Foster multi-stakeholder partnerships and innovation for resilient recovery
Action 5: Enhance collaboration with the private sector to bolster resilience and recovery efforts
Action 6: Enable rapid livelihood and economic recovery
Action 7: Enhance resilient post-disaster housing reconstruction and infrastructure recovery
Action 8: Increase public awareness for recovery readiness
Action 9: Localize recovery through community leadership and empowerment
Action 10: Establish adaptive monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems for resilient recovery
At the global level, the International Recovery Platform will spearhead the implementation, in close coordination with Member States and other relevant partners. This includes convening a High-level Policy Forum on Recovery in September of this year, to scale up commitments.
At the regional level, Regional Dialogues on Resilient Recovery will continue to ensure that regional perspectives and needs are fully integrated.
At the national level, a top priority will be the rollout of the Recovery Readiness Assessment, to support countries in evaluating and strengthening their prepardness for resilient recovery. This process will not only, help Member States in identifying gaps.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PHH Mortgage (“PHH” or the “Company”), a subsidiary of Onity Group Inc. (NYSE: ONIT) and a leading non-bank mortgage servicer and originator, today announced that Fitch Ratings has upgraded its residential primary servicer ratings and indicated a Stable Rating Outlook.
Fitch’s most recent ratings upgrades, which are generally considered Above Average, include:
Prime product upgraded to ‘RPS2-’ from ‘RPS3+’
Subprime product upgraded to ‘RPS2-’ from ‘RPS3+’
Alt-A product upgraded to ‘RPS2-’ from ‘RPS3’
Special servicing upgraded to ‘RSS2-’ from ‘RSS3’
Closed-End Second Lien and HELOC products upgraded to ‘RPS3+’ from ‘RPS3’
In addition, Fitch affirmed the Company’s commercial small balance primary and special servicer ratings at ‘SBPS2-’ and ‘SBSS2-’, respectively, and residential master servicing rating at ‘RMS3’.
“The ratings upgrade from Fitch reflects the strength of our balanced and diversified business and our commitment to operational and financial discipline while driving growth across multiple channels,” said Scott Anderson, Executive Vice President and Chief Servicing Officer. “We are extremely proud of the industry top-tier servicing platform we have built and our experienced team that is dedicated to creating positive outcomes for our customers. As the mortgage market and consumer needs evolve, we continue to make purposeful investments to elevate the customer experience and implement innovative technology solutions for the benefit of our customers, clients, investors and employees.”
Key drivers of PHH’s upgraded and affirmed ratings and Stable Outlook:
Reflect the Company’s growth strategy and diversification between Originations and Servicing businesses
Industry recognition for servicing excellence by Fannie Mae STARTM and Freddie Mac SHARPSM programs, and rated a Tier 1 servicer by HUD
Acceleration of the Company’s growth strategy through increased MSR retention, expanded product offerings, and improved recapture rates in its Consumer Direct channel
Utilization of enhanced technology for increased customer engagement and personalized services
Multi-layered enterprise risk management framework with a three lines of defense approach
Highly tenured management team
For more information on Fitch’s ratings announcement, please read here.
About Onity Group
Onity Group Inc. (NYSE: ONIT) is a leading non-bank financial services company providing mortgage servicing and originations solutions through its primary brands, PHH Mortgage and Liberty Reverse Mortgage. PHH Mortgage is one of the largest servicers in the country, focused on delivering a variety of servicing and lending programs to consumers and business clients. Liberty is one of the nation’s largest reverse mortgage lenders dedicated to providing loans that help customers meet their personal and financial needs. We are headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, with offices and operations in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, India and the Philippines, and have been serving our customers since 1988. For additional information, please visit onitygroup.com.
NEW YORK, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RentRedi, the fastest-growing landlord software that makes renting easy for everyone, has launched a new Custom Website Builder. The user-friendly feature is designed to help landlords easily create personalized, professional websites to market their rental properties directly from within the RentRedi platform, providing them with a powerful new way to attract tenants.
No technical expertise is required to use the RentRedi Custom Website Builder, where landlords can centralize their listings, highlight unit features, and provide application access on a branded webpage. Whether managing a single property or a larger portfolio, landlords can use the Custom Website Builder feature to streamline their marketing efforts and increase visibility with prospective tenants through a tailored online presence.
“We built the Custom Website Builder to simultaneously improve and simplify how landlords connect with renters,” said RentRedi Co-founder and CEO Ryan Barone. “By giving landlords the ability to easily create and personalize a professional listing webpage in just a few clicks, we’re helping them stand out in a competitive rental market, while keeping everything they need to promote and manage their rental business in one platform.”
Within the RentRedi dashboard, landlords can enable their custom website with a single toggle, switching it on to create the webpage and keep it visible, and turning it off at any time with the same easy toggle feature when they no longer wish to display the site.
Key features of the RentRedi Custom Website Builder include:
A centralized webpage to showcase all available rental units
Customizable branding, including company name, logo, and theme colors
A live preview mode to view edits in real-time
A unique, shareable URL to promote listings across marketing channels
The Custom Website Builder is now available and marks another step in RentRedi’s mission to empower landlords with accessible, tech-forward tools that simplify the rental process and enhance the tenant experience. For more information, visit rentredi.com/listings.
About RentRedi
RentRedi offers an award-winning, comprehensive property management platform that simplifies the renting process for landlords and renters by automating and streamlining processes. Investors can quickly grow their rental businesses by using RentRedi’s all-in-one web and mobile app for rent collection, market listings, tenant screening, lease signing, maintenance coordination, and accounting. Tenants enjoy the convenience and benefits of RentRedi’s easy-to-use mobile app that allows them to pay rent, set up auto-pay, build credit by reporting rent payments to all three major credit bureaus, prequalify and sign leases, and submit 24/7 maintenance requests.
Founded in 2016, RentRedi is VC-backed and a proven leader in the PropTech market. The company ranks No. 180 on the Inc. 5000 list and No. 13 on the Inc. 5000 Regionals list. It was also named an Inc. Power Partner in 2023 and 2024, and to Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech list in 2024, as well as HousingWire’s Tech100 list in 2025. To date, RentRedi has more than $28 billion in assets under management with nearly 200,000 landlords and tenants using its platform. The company partners with technology leaders such as Zillow, TransUnion, Experian, Equifax, Realtor.com, Lessen, Thumbtack, Plaid, and Stripe to create the best customer experience possible. For more information visit RentRedi.com.
Stuttgart, Germany, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stuttgart, Germany – May 2025 – RIB Software, a global leader in engineering and construction software technology, today announced the launch of its latest global brand campaign: “You See It. Together, We’ll See It Through.” The campaign celebrates the diverse community of industry professionals shaping the built environment – and RIB’s role in empowering them with digital solutions that enable smarter, faster, and more sustainable project outcomes.
“Whether our customers are creating entire cities, infrastructure, or spaces where people live or work, RIB stands beside them from planning to breaking ground and beyond – with tools that reduce costs, save time, and minimize environmental impact,” explains Mads Bording, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer at RIB Software.
The campaign reflects RIB’s belief that the future of the industry depends on more connected, empowered project teams. Its suite of connected solutions helps architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) professionals simplify operations, improve profitability, and deliver sustainable results – whether they’re managing a small-scale development or a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project.
“At RIB, we believe every project starts with a vision,” said René Wolf, CEO of RIB Software. “Our new brand campaign is about showing that we don’t just provide the technology – we commit to the journey. Our customers see the vision, and together, we’re committed to helping them see it through.”
Trusted by leading AEC professionals worldwide, RIB’s tools provide a digital thread across the entire project lifecycle, ensuring more effective collaboration and better outcomes at every stage. No matter the size or complexity of a project, RIB delivers the insights, automation, and support needed to get it over the line, on time and on budget.
Every structure begins with an idea. But it takes more than vision to bring complex builds to life. From architects and estimators to project managers and executives, the engineering and construction industry depends on close collaboration, timely insight, and trusted support. RIB’s technology is built with this in mind – tailored to meet the real-world needs of the people who plan, build, and deliver.
As part of RIB’s Hard Hats & Hi Tech podcast series, customers from around the world have shared their firsthand experience with RIB tools, and how these solutions are helping them meet real challenges on real projects.
“RIB Candy has made my life easier. Everything is integrated, which means I can manage cost reports, payment certificates, and valuations without switching between tools,” said Luscha Matsane, Quantity Surveyor at Tri-Star Construction. “It’s a platform that understands how we actually work on-site, and it’s changed how I collaborate and justify decisions with clients.”
“RIB SpecLink helps me work faster, smarter, and with more confidence,” said Eric Letbetter, specification consultant and founder of Letbetter Ink. “The linking engine automates decisions across the spec set, reduces errors, and lets me focus on quality and context. It’s completely changed the way I approach spec writing—and how I teach others to do it.”
“At RIB, we don’t just build software – we build it the way people in the built environment actually work,” said René. “We understand the pressure of deadlines, the need for precision, and the challenge of coordination across multiple stakeholders. Our role is to help our customers deliver with confidence.”
RIB invites AEC leaders, innovators, and visionaries to explore the campaign and discover how a partnership with RIB can help them realize their boldest ideas.
Driven by transformative digital technologies and trends, RIB is committed to propelling the industry forward and making engineering and construction more efficient and sustainable.
Throughout its 60-year history, the business has expanded its global footprint to incorporate more than 550,000 users and 2,500 talents, with the vision of transforming the operation into a worldwide powerhouse and providing innovative software solutions to its core markets – while placing its people at the heart of everything it does.
Managing the entire project lifecycle, from planning and construction, to operation and maintenance, the development of RIB’s portfolio of software solutions is driven by industry expertise, best practice and a passion to remain at the cutting edge of technology.
Ultimately, it aims to connect people, processes and data in innovative ways to ensure its customers always complete projects within budget, on time and to high quality, while reducing their carbon footprints.
RIB Software is a proud Schneider Electric company.