Connect with us

Technology

Defender Rally Series and Tata Elxsi Extend their Partnership into the 2024 Season

Published

on

Defender Rally Series and Tata Elxsi extend their partnership for the third consecutive season, facilitating the largest Defender Rally Series yet, featuring both UK and European Baja Championships

BENGALURU, India and LONDON, June 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — For the third season in succession, Defender Rally Series and Tata Elxsi continue their partnership, strengthening a relationship that began with the inaugural championship in 2022.

The 2024 Defender Rally Series is the biggest yet, with the UK Championship and European Baja Championship building on the successful 2022 and 2023 campaigns.

The series includes seven challenging events across the UK and Republic of Ireland, with each round hosting up to 16 competitors. This year, several teams from the 2023 UK Championship have advanced to the European Baja Championship, which consists of four rounds taking place in the UK, France, Spain, and Iceland.

With vehicles competing across some of the toughest rally stages the UK and Europe have to offer, the Defender 90 is built to tackle everything a rally event can throw at it, with all mechanical enhancements, rally support, competition entries and vehicle logistics taken care of by an expert team from Bowler*. 

Global design and technology service provider Tata Elxsi – dedicated to pushing the boundaries of automotive design and technology – will support all UK and international rounds in 2024, having assisted with the development of the rally-prepared Defender 90 more than four years ago.

A high-performance environment with constant demands on teams and support crews defines the Tata Elxsi core principle, ‘Xtreme Engineering’. Defender Rally Series is the ideal partner for Tata Elxsi’s products and services in the modern automotive industry.

James Barclay, Managing Director JLR Motorsport, said: “The Defender Rally Series is now well established, the 2024 season seeing the largest number of competitors to date, and the support of Tata Elxsi from the outset has been integral in making this possible. The Defender Rally Series is not only showcasing the capability of Defender in a motorsport application, but is allowing our customers to enjoy it in a competitive environment. The renewal of our partnership with Tata Elxsi can only further enhance the Series’ potential for the future.”

Calum McKechnie, General Manager, Bowler Motors, said: “Tata Elxsi has played a crucial role in developing the entire Defender Rally Series so it’s fitting to announce it will continue its support throughout this season, as it is proving to be our biggest and most competitive year so far. Each specially prepared Defender 90 is ready for competitive action and our championship goes from strength to strength, helping to develop crews to take on the most demanding off-road events.”

With technical support afforded to all entering the Series, Tata Elxsi logos will adorn every Defender 90 competing in the 2024 season.

Ganesh Kumar, General Manager & JLR Account Director, Tata Elxsi, said, “The Defender Rally Series and Tata Elxsi share a common foundation of Xtreme engineering, thriving in challenging environments, fostering high-performing teams, and utilising next-gen technologies to revolutionise the modern automotive industry. Together, we are not just designing vehicles; we are crafting experiences that resonate with the passion and spirit of adventure inherent in every off-road enthusiast. Our journey with the Defender Rally Series has been a testament to our expertise in bringing robust, cutting-edge solutions to the most challenging terrains, and we look forward to another year of shared success and Xtreme engineering.”

With the first three rounds of both Championships complete, the coming months will see the Defender Rally Series and Tata Elxsi collaborate to ensure drivers, co-drivers, team members and engineers experience a thoroughly enjoyable and competitive year.

Notes to Editors

JLR’s Reimagine strategy is delivering a sustainability-rich vision of modern luxury by design.

We are transforming our business to become carbon net zero across our supply chain, products, and operations by 2039. We have set a roadmap to reduce emissions across our own operations and value chains by 2030 through approved, science-based targets. Electrification is central to this strategy and before the end of the decade our Range Rover, Discovery, Defender collections will each have a pure electric model, while Jaguar will be entirely electric.

At heart we are a British company, with two design and engineering sites, three vehicle manufacturing facilities, an engine manufacturing centre, and a battery assembly centre in the UK. We also have vehicle plants in China, Brazil, India, Austria, and Slovakia, as well as seven technology hubs across the globe.  

JLR is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors Limited, part of Tata Sons.

About Tata Elxsi 

Tata Elxsi is a global design and technology services company across industries including Automotive, Media, Communications, Healthcare and Transportation. Tata Elxsi works with leading OEMs and suppliers in the automotive and transportation industries for R&D, design, and product engineering services from architecture to launch and beyond. It brings together domain experience across artificial intelligence, autonomous, electric, connected vehicle technologies, Software-defined vehicles (SDV) and is supported by a worldwide network of design studios, development centres and offices as well as a global pool of over 13,000 engineers and specialists.

For more information, please visit www.tataelxsi.com & www.tataelxsi.com/bowler

About Defender

Defender embraces the impossible. Each member of the Defender family is purposefully designed, highly desirable and seriously durable. A modern-day hero that respects the past but at the same time anticipates the future.

Available in 90, 110 and 130 body styles, with up to eight seats, each has a charisma of its own.

As part of a sustainability-rich vision of modern luxury by design, Defender 110 is available as an electric hybrid.

Defender Hard Top means business, with 90 and 110 body styles for professional capability.

A beacon of liberty since 1948, Defender supports humanitarian and conservation work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Tusk Trust.

The Defender brand is underpinned by Land Rover – a mark of trust built on 75 years of expertise in technology and world-leading off-road capability. 

Defender is designed and engineered in the UK and sold in 121 countries. It belongs to the JLR house of brands alongside Range Rover, Discovery and Jaguar.

Important notice

JLR is constantly seeking ways to improve the specification, design and production of its vehicles, parts and accessories and alterations take place continually. Whilst every effort is made to produce up-to-date literature, this document should not be regarded as an infallible guide to current specifications or availability, nor does it constitute an offer for the sale of any particular vehicle, part or accessory. All figures are manufacturer’s estimates.

*About Bowler

Bowler was acquired by Jaguar Land Rover in December 2019 and forms a subsidiary division of JLR. It has been granted use of the Defender name under licence from JLR.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/742257/Tata_Elxsi_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/defender-rally-series-and-tata-elxsi-extend-their-partnership-into-the-2024-season-302169210.html

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

Galaxy Digital Inc. Announces Pricing of $3.507 Billion of Senior Secured Notes

Published

on

By

NEW YORK, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Galaxy Digital Inc. (NASDAQ: GLXY) (“Galaxy” or the “Company”), a global leader in digital assets and data center infrastructure, today announced that its indirect wholly owned subsidiary, Galaxy Helios Data Centers II LLC (the “Issuer”), has priced a $3.507 billion private offering (the “Offering”) of 9.875% senior secured notes due 2031 (the “Notes”). The Offering is expected to close on July 28, 2026, subject to market and other conditions.

The Issuer intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to finance a portion of the development and construction of two buildings containing eight data halls with a combined total of 400 megawatts (“MW”) of utility capacity and 260 MW of critical IT capacity (the “Project”) to be built on an approximately 260-acre property in Dickens County, Texas and to fund debt service reserves.

The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 9.875% per annum payable semi-annually in cash in arrears on February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning on February 1, 2027 and will mature on August 1, 2031. The Notes will amortize at a rate of 4.00% per annum of the original principal amount subject to adjustment, with amortization payments payable semi-annually with the first payment date to occur at least ten months after the completion of the Project.

The Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Galaxy Helios II LLC, a wholly owned direct subsidiary of the Issuer (the “Guarantor”), and will constitute the senior secured obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantor. The Notes and related note guarantee will be secured by first-priority liens on (i) substantially all assets of the Issuer and the Guarantor, other than certain excluded property and (ii) all equity interests of the Issuer held by the direct parent company of the Issuer.

The Offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether, when or on what terms the Offering may be completed.

The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. The Notes will be offered only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A under the Securities Act and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Galaxy

Galaxy Digital Inc. (Nasdaq: GLXY) is a global leader in digital assets and data center infrastructure, delivering solutions that accelerate progress in finance and artificial intelligence. Our digital assets platform offers institutional access to trading, advisory, asset management, staking, self-custody, and tokenization technology. In addition, we develop and operate cutting-edge data center infrastructure to power AI and HPC workloads. Our 1.63 GW Helios campus in Texas positions Galaxy among the largest and fastest-growing data center developers in North America. The Company is headquartered in New York City, with offices across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the completion, size and timing of the Offering, the terms of the Notes and the intended use of proceeds. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and includes this statement for purposes of complying with these safe harbor provisions. Forward-looking statements represent the Company’s current expectations regarding future events and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. Among those risks and uncertainties are market conditions, including market interest rates, the satisfaction of the closing conditions related to the Offering and risks relating to the Company’s business, including those described in periodic reports that the Company files from time to time with the SEC. The Issuer may not consummate the proposed Offering described in this press release and, if the proposed Offering is consummated, cannot provide any assurances regarding the final terms of the Offering or the Notes or its ability to effectively apply the net proceeds as described above. The forward-looking statements included in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update the statements included in this press release for subsequent developments, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/galaxy-digital-inc-announces-pricing-of-3-507-billion-of-senior-secured-notes-302833899.html

SOURCE Galaxy Digital Inc.

Continue Reading

Technology

The Finish Line that Changed China: Retracing the Long March to Yan’an

Published

on

By

BEIJING, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on the Long March, and what it means for China today:

 

Every journey has a destination.

But some destinations become the beginning of something even greater.

This is Yan’an.

Over 90 years ago, an army of soldiers embarked from Yudu, Jiangxi Province, on a journey that would go down in history.

They crossed snow-capped mountains, vast grasslands and raging rivers, eventually arriving in northern Shaanxi.

Across this grueling 12,500-kilometer journey, they wrote a magnificent epic in human history with willpower and courage.

Here, their Long March came to a victorious end. But a new chapter of history was only beginning.

In Yan’an, the Red Army found time to recover and rebuild, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China regrouped, gathering strength for the next chapter.

Here, new ideas were debated, new strategies were shaped, and a vision for China’s future gradually took form.

Today, while preserving its revolutionary legacy, Yan’an has grown into a vibrant, modern city — with a greener environment, thriving industries and happier lives for its people.

Nearly 90 years ago, American journalist Edgar Snow came to northern Shaanxi, seeking to uncover a story that few outside China knew. He later chronicled it in his book “Red Star Over China,” which carried the story of the Long March to the world.

Today, people from around the world are once again retracing those steps.

As part of China International Communications Group (CICG)’s “Together on the Long March” international communication project, participants have spent more than a month retracing the route across six key regions.

From Jiangxi to Shaanxi, they followed the Red Army’s journey and witnessed the remarkable changes that have taken place along the way.

I asked them one simple question: What does this journey mean to you?

Zhavier Harris, marketing and communications manager at the Springfield Urban League, said conversations with local residents and descendants of the Red Army made history feel far more immediate than he had expected.

He said history isn’t as distant as we often think. “We’re only one or two generations from these great sacrifices that led to the development and the greatness that we see from the Communist Party of China and China as a whole.”

David Ferguson, honorary chief English editor at Foreign Languages Press under CICG and a recipient of the 2021 Chinese Government Friendship Award, said the journey deepened his understanding of the Long March.

He said the journey helped him understand not only the historical facts, but also what the Red Army endured. “If you see the Long March merely as a military campaign, it ended in Yan’an. But as a spirit, it has never truly come to an end.”

We came to retrace history. We leave with something more: a deeper understanding of China’s past, a clearer view of its present, and perhaps a greater appreciation for the stories that connect us across cultures.

Edgar Snow called the Long March “an Odyssey unequalled in modern times.” He believed that what sustained it was a flame — consisting of an undimmed ardor, an undying hope and an amazing revolutionary optimism.

Ninety years later, that flame still burns.

Passed down through generations, the spirit of the Long March continues to light China’s path forward.

And as it crosses borders and cultures, it offers the world a glimpse of a nation defined by resilience, perseverance and an enduring drive to move forward.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm 

The Finish Line that Changed China: Retracing the Long March to Yan’an
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2026-07/23/content_118614941.shtml

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-finish-line-that-changed-china-retracing-the-long-march-to-yanan-302833900.html

SOURCE China.org.cn

Continue Reading

Technology

Visa and Lianlian Advance Trusted B2B Agentic Commerce Through LoopXPay’s First Live B2B Agentic Transaction

Published

on

By

First live B2B agentic transaction in Greater China highlights how AI-enabled commerce can help SMBs streamline purchasing and payments, supported by Visa’s Agentic Directory for trusted AI agent interactions

SINGAPORE, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Visa (NYSE: V), a global leader in digital payments, and Lianlian DigiTech Co., Ltd. (“Lianlian”), an AI-native global financial infrastructure provider, today announced the first live B2B agentic transaction completed using LoopXPay, Lianlian’s AI agent. 

Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) often lack dedicated procurement teams and spend valuable time sourcing, purchasing and making payments themselves. In the transaction, the LoopXPay agent was used to source a product sample from a supplier and complete the purchase in a single workflow. The agent identified the purchasing requirement, recommended suitable suppliers, compared options, placed the order and securely executed the payment within a single workflow, while operating within pre-defined spending controls and approval parameters.

The milestone highlights how AI-powered commerce experiences can help SMBs simplify purchasing and payment activities while maintaining appropriate controls and oversight. By enabling AI agents to operate within pre-defined spending parameters and approval controls, businesses can reduce manual effort while retaining visibility into commercial decision-making.

As AI agents become more involved in purchasing and payment activities, businesses will require confidence that transactions are being executed by verified participants, within approved parameters and with appropriate oversight. Capabilities aligned with Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol can help provide the identity, transparency and controls needed to support these interactions.

As part of the collaboration, LoopXPay has been registered in Visa’s Agentic Directory, enabling participating businesses and merchants to identify verified AI agents within the ecosystem. Supporting the implementation of Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol, the Agentic Directory helps provide greater transparency into agent-driven interactions and confidence that participating agents have met Visa’s requirements.

“AI-powered commerce experiences can help businesses simplify purchasing and payments while maintaining the controls and oversight they require,” said Darren Parslow, Global Head, Visa Commercial Solutions, Visa. “For SMBs, that means less complexity in managing day-to-day commercial activities and more time focused on growth. As businesses increasingly look to embed intelligence into purchasing and payment experiences, trust will become a critical enabler of adoption. Through our collaboration with Lianlian, we are helping advance the trusted foundations that businesses will need to participate in this next era of commerce with confidence.”

Building on this milestone, Visa and Lianlian are exploring how AI agents can support a broader range of commercial activities, including procurement, digital advertising optimisation and B2B platform payments, helping advance trusted commerce through greater efficiency, transparency and control.

Zhang Zhengyu, Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Lianlian DigiTech, said, “AI is reshaping the entire commercial value chain, where a growing number of business activities will be autonomously executed by AI agents, with payments serving as the critical infrastructure connecting them to global commerce. Leveraging its experience in global cross-border payments, compliance, as well as payment network, LianLian is actively building AI-native financial infrastructure, delivering an integrated suite of capabilities for the Agent Economy, spanning identity verification, transaction authorisation, intelligent payment, and global fund settlement. Through this collaboration with Visa, we aim to combine Lianlian’s AI-native capabilities with Visa’s trusted global network and commercial payment expertise to help businesses transact more securely, intelligently and efficiently in an increasingly agent-driven commerce environment.”

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, sellers, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

About Lianlian

Lianlian DigiTech Co., Ltd. (“Lianlian DigiTech” or “Lianlian”) was founded in 2009 and listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2024 (stock code: 2598.HK). As China’s leading global provider of digital and intelligent payment services, Lianlian adheres to its mission of “Connecting the world, empowering global commerce” and pursues an “AI-Native + Globalization” strategy. The Company is committed to building a trusted global intelligent financial infrastructure, enabling seamless connectivity between Chinese enterprises and global businesses.  As of now, Lianlian has established a global licensing portfolio comprising 68 payment licenses and related qualifications, and holds a VATP license issued by the Hong Kong SFC. It supports services in more than 200 countries and regions and enables transaction settlement in over 140 currencies, connecting over 180 global e-commerce platforms and serving a cumulative total of over 13.3 million customers. Learn more at www.lianlian.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/visa-and-lianlian-advance-trusted-b2b-agentic-commerce-through-loopxpays-first-live-b2b-agentic-transaction-302833916.html

SOURCE Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited

Continue Reading

Trending