Connect with us
Anglostratits

Business

Like Riding Through a Masterpiece: Over 2,000 Cyclists Chase Their Dreams in Changping!

Published

on

Changping

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 May 2025 – On May 18, the final race day of the 2025 China Road Cycling League (Beijing Changping) and the Changping International Road Cycling Challenge took place. More than 2,000 professional cyclists and enthusiasts gathered in Changping to compete in the men’s, women’s, and mass-participation individual races along a scenic cycling route that seemed like a living painting.

As a pioneering event that blends a national-level cycling league with locally inspired races, this successful gathering marks a milestone in Changping’s pursuit of becoming the “Beijing Cycling Demonstration Zone.” Jointly hosted by the Chinese Cycling Association and the Changping District People’s Government, with support from the Changping District Sports Bureau, the event aims to use competitive sports as a bridge to connect the district’s ecological landscapes and cultural heritage, setting a new benchmark for the integrated development of “sports + cultural tourism.”

At 8:30 a.m., the sound of a whistle signaled the official start of the race. Participants in each category dashed from the starting line, chasing the wind and their dreams amid Changping’s natural beauty, reveling in the joy of sport. Crowds lined the route, cheering enthusiastically for the riders and creating a vibrant, electric atmosphere.

The day’s route extended up to 181.1 kilometers. Riders in the men’s, women’s, and amateur races set off from the Nanshao Cultural Plaza in Changping and battled along a course that spanned eight towns and subdistricts. The route passed through key roads such as Chaoxin Road, East Reservoir Road, Chichang Road, Huaichang Road, Wangbai Road, and Taoxia Road, linking riverside scenery, tree-lined tunnels, terraced hillsides adorned with wildflowers, and fragrant orchards. It was hailed as a “mobile exhibition gallery” of Changping’s all-encompassing cultural and tourism experience. While cyclists enjoyed the sweeping views of Changping’s natural beauty at full speed, spectators along the route immersed themselves in the region’s cultural charm through themed tourism activities.

According to reports, the event lasted four days starting from May 15. In the earlier stages, the men’s and women’s individual time trials, as well as the mixed team time trial, took place in Liucun Town. The race course, designed to wind through the mountainous terrain of Liucun, started at Liucun Primary School and passed by the shimmering waters of Wangjiayuan Reservoir, the ancient charm of Baiyangcheng Village, and the lush landscapes of the “Hundred-Mile Corridor.” As the cyclists raced through these areas, they were treated to a poetic panorama of the countryside on the outskirts of Beijing.

The urban circuit elimination race for amateur riders was set along the “Round Ming Tombs Reservoir” route. This course blended the lush mountains of the Yanshan range, the sparkling waters of the reservoir, and the profound cultural heritage of the Ming Tombs. It offered participants an immersive experience of Changping’s unique identity as a place of “mountains, waters, city, and tombs.”

The cycling race served not only as a platform for cyclist competition, but also as a key branding event to boost the integration of culture, tourism, and sports in the Changping region. With more than 3,000 participants in total, the event marked a major initiative in Changping’s efforts to establish itself as a “cycling-friendly city.” It also served as a vivid example of integrated development across sectors such as culture, tourism, agriculture, business, and sports.

With 48.7% of its territory covered in forest and over 60% designated as mountainous, Changping offers an ideal terrain for cycling events. In recent years, the district has proposed a strategic goal of becoming a “Beijing Cycling Demonstration Zone,” integrating road accessibility, facility friendliness, industry support, cultural integration, and service excellence into the urban development blueprint.

Leveraging its outstanding geographical resources, Changping has developed a “one-horizontal and four-vertical” cycling route network. It has introduced routes such as the Ming Tombs Reservoir loop and the “Green Oxygen Art Tour of Changping,” and established 141 officially designated cycling service stations. High-level events like the Western Loop Cycling Race have also been successfully held, significantly driving the integrated development of culture, tourism, agriculture, commerce, and sports. The cycling economy in the region is now thriving with new vitality.

As a cycling event that merges a national-level league with regional specialty races, the successful hosting of this event marks a significant step forward in Changping’s journey toward becoming a “Beijing Cycling Demonstration Zone.” In the future, Changping will continue to integrate its ecological, cultural, and industrial resources. Using the demonstration zone as a strategic platform, the district will harness the event’s ability to attract traffic and stimulate consumption, transforming audience engagement into economic momentum. This will inject fresh energy into Beijing’s—and the nation’s—culture-tourism-sports economy, helping the “wheels” of integrated development roll even farther.

Business

Aurionpro expands its multi-country transaction banking engagement with Diamond Trust Bank (DTB)

Published

on

Aurionpro

Aurionpro’s upgraded iCashpro platform for DTB delivers a unified digital experience across payments, trade, virtual accounts, and real-time reporting, enhancing straight-through processing, visibility, and control for both the bank and its corporate customers

MUMBAI, India, April 30, 2026/APO Group/ –Aurionpro Solutions Limited (www.AurionPro.com) (BSE: 532668 | NSE: AURIONPRO)a global leader in banking technology, announced the expansion and upgrade of its transaction banking engagement with Diamond Trust Bank (DTB), to modernize and enhance the bank’s corporate transaction banking capabilities across multiple countries.

Download Document: https://apo-opa.co/4edHUaC

This multi-country transaction banking upgrade covering Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania aligns with DTB’s intent to enhance customer experience, streamline operations, and support growing transaction volumes as it expands its regional corporate banking footprint. DTB continues to focus on building a more agile, ‘digital-first’ banking experience, particularly around payments for its corporate customers across Africa, and is now well positioned to scale these capabilities. As part of its broader transformation agenda, the bank has been steadily investing in platforms that enhance scale, reliability, and service consistency across markets.

Through this partnership, we are proud to lead the next era of transformation in transaction banking, helping DTB enhance operational agility

Aurionpro’s upgraded iCashpro platform for DTB delivers a unified digital experience across payments, trade, virtual accounts, and real-time reporting, enhancing straight-through processing, visibility, and control for both the bank and its corporate customers. By enabling DTB to standardize and scale its transaction banking operations across countries, the platform ensures consistent service levels, stronger control, and improved efficiency. It also supports enhanced user experience, advanced security, and the flexibility to introduce new features as DTB expands its regional transaction banking footprint.

Murali Natarajan (https://apo-opa.co/48trPdk), Managing Director & CEO, DTB Kenya   commented: “We are delighted to strengthen and broaden our partnership with Aurionpro Solutions as part of DTB’s ongoing digital transformation journey across multiple markets. Our focus on innovation, operational excellence, and customer-centricity continues to guide our technology investments. This upgrade strengthens our transaction banking capabilities, enabling us to deliver greater value to our customers through robust digital channels and seamlessly integrated experiences.”

Ashish Rai, Group CEO, Aurionpro Solutions, commented: “We are pleased to deepen our multi-country engagement with Diamond Trust Bank and support the next phase of its transaction banking modernization. As DTB continues to scale across markets, platform resilience and consistency become paramount. Through this partnership, we are proud to lead the next era of transformation in transaction banking, helping DTB enhance operational agility, deliver superior experiences to corporate customers, and create long-term value across geographies.”

He added, “Aurionpro’s iCashpro lays a strong digital foundation for transaction & wholesale banks across the globe to grow their corporate and SME client portfolio today, while creating a clear roadmap for next- generation capabilities in AI-driven insights, advanced automation and API-led connectivity for businesses in Kenya and across Africa.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Aurionpro Solutions Ltd.

 

Continue Reading

Business

Minerals Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joins African Mining Week (AMW) as South Africa Improves Sectorial Investment Climate

Published

on

Energy Capital

Minerals Council CEO to share insights on policy, infrastructure and investment trends shaping South Africa’s mining industry

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 30, 2026/APO Group/ –The upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) conference will feature Mzila Mthenjane, CEO of the Minerals Council of South Africa, as a speaker. Scheduled for October 14 – 16, 2026 in Cape Town, the event will bring together global investors, policymakers and industry leaders, with Mthenjane’s participation highlighting the council’s commitment to engaging international stakeholders and promoting investment across South Africa’s mining sector.

His participation comes at a critical moment as the Minerals Council works closely with government on finalizing the Mineral Resources Development Bill 2025, a policy framework aimed at strengthening the country’s mining investment climate and the sector’s contribution to GDP. According to the council, the revised legislation will support new investment across the value chain as South Africa seeks to mobilize R2 trillion over the next five years to unlock its critical minerals potential.

The policy reforms come amid shifting production trends in the sector. In 2025, South Africa recorded declines in gold and platinum group metals output of 1.9% and 4.1%, respectively. The new regulatory framework is expected to strengthen public-private partnerships and stimulate investment, enabling South Africa to increase production and capitalize on strong global commodity prices. Increased private sector investments is crucial with South Africa seeking targeting to unlock an estimated R40 trillion in untapped iron ore potential as well as maintain its position as the world’s leading producer of chrome and manganese.

At AMW 2026, Mthenjane is expected to outline these trends, providing insights into how the council is contributing to addressing challenges disrupting the sector. Infrastructure and energy costs remain key concerns for industry players. To support the energy-intensive sector, South Africa approved a 35% reduction in electricity tariffs for major ferrochrome producers, helping stabilize an industry that has faced significant cost pressures after electricity prices surged by roughly 900% since 2008.

Logistics constraints are also a priority area for reform. South Africa’s economy is losing an estimated R1 billion per day due to inefficiencies across rail and port infrastructure. As a result, the government is considering measures supported by the Minerals Council to increase private sector participation in logistics. Planned reforms include rail modernization initiatives targeting 250 million tons of freight capacity by 2029, alongside port upgrades and private operator participation aimed at strengthening mineral exports and improving supply chain efficiency.

Beyond infrastructure and policy reforms, the Minerals Council is advocating for stronger exploration investment to support long-term industry growth.

At AMW, Mthenjane is expected to highlight these developments and outline the steps required to reinforce South Africa’s position in the global minerals supply chain. His insights will offer investors and stakeholders a timely perspective on opportunities within the country’s mining sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Continue Reading

Energy

Seychelles Targets Energy Investment Push as Minister Jérémie Joins African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as a Speaker

Published

on

African Energy Chamber

Seychelles energy minister will speak at AEW 2026, positioning her to highlight reforms, renewable projects and investment opportunities as the island nation advances its transition toward a diversified energy system

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –Marie-May Jérémie, Minister of Environment, Climate, Energy and Natural Resources for Seychelles will participate as a speaker at this year’s African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, taking place from October 12–16 in Cape Town. Her participation underscores the country’s growing role in shaping Africa’s small-island energy transition agenda.

Minister Jérémie’s presence at AEW 2026 comes at a critical time as Seychelles accelerates efforts to reduce its heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels. The event provides a platform to attract investment, strengthen policy alignment and showcase bankable projects, positioning the country as a viable destination for private-sector participation in island energy systems.

Seychelles is demonstrating how policy reform and innovation can unlock investment in constrained environments

In May last year, international finance institution the World Bank approved the Renewable Energy Acceleration Program, a seven-year initiative aimed at modernizing the grid and increasing renewable energy penetration to 15% by 2030. The program focuses on unlocking private capital while strengthening transmission infrastructure to accommodate variable renewable energy sources.

Project development is gaining traction in the country, particularly in innovative technologies suited to Seychelles’ land constraints. The 5.8 MW Seysun Lagoon floating solar PV project, developed by independent renewable power producer Qair, is under construction and expected online in 2026.

Alongside renewables, Seychelles continues to pursue upstream opportunities to diversify its economy. The government approved new exploration entrants in 2025 and extended exiting petroleum agreements, while securing an infrastructure partnership with China. Multilateral estimates suggest over $800 million in investment will be required over the next 25 years.

Regulatory reform is central to this transition, with Seychelles introducing an independent power producer framework to open the market to private developers. Standardized power purchase agreements, grid access reforms and strengthened public-private partnership structures are being implemented to improve transparency, reduce risk and accelerate project bankability across solar, storage and emerging wind opportunities.

“Minister Jérémie’s participation highlights the strategic importance of island nations in Africa’s broader energy transition,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber. “Seychelles is demonstrating how policy reform and innovation can unlock investment in constrained environments. Her insights will be critical to advancing dialogue on resilient, low-carbon energy systems across the continent.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Continue Reading

Trending