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American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Holding Out of the Darkness Campus Walks Throughout Illinois

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College and high school communities join the fight against suicide

CHICAGO, Feb. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Students from high schools and colleges, along with faculty, staff and school communities across Illinois, will join the fight against suicide in local Out of the Darkness Campus Walks this spring, sponsored by the Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The walks provide an opportunity for people impacted by suicide to come together to connect and support one another, as well as raise awareness and funds for AFSP.

This spring, Campus Walks will be held at several colleges and high schools, including:

Illinois Institute of Technology Campus Walk, 1:30 p.m., March 30, Keating Sports Center, 3040 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago, ILLewis University Campus Walk, 10:00 a.m., April 26, St. Charles Borromeo, 101 Airport Road, Romeoville, ILStillman Valley High Campus Walk, 12:30 p.m., May 4, Stillman Valley High School, 425 S. Pine Street, Stillman Valley, ILNorthwestern University, 11:30 a.m., May 10, Northwestern University Lakefill, 70 Arts Cir Drive, Evanston, ILFor information on campus walks: www.afsp.org/ILCampus

In 2022, suicide was the third leading cause of death for people in Illinois ages 10-34, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2023, 78 percent of communities in Illinois did not have enough mental health providers to serve residents, based on federal guidelines.

“The life-saving work we do at AFSP – research, mental health education, advocacy, and support – is funded by events like our Out of the Darkness Campus Walks,” said Angela Cummings, executive director of AFSP-Illinois. “However, these walks are about bringing people together to not only fight suicide, but to share their stories and bring hope to all those impacted by suicide.”

AFSP works to prevent suicide through education, advocacy and support for those impacted by suicide. The Out of the Darkness Campus Walks raise awareness of these efforts and funds, which are split between Illinois and national efforts.

“The theme for the campus walks this year is ‘Hope Walks Here,’ and on walk day, you can truly feel the hope,” said Diana Cazares, Special Events Manager, AFSP-Illinois. “It’s so amazing to see students supporting each other and encouraging open dialogue, letting their fellow walkers know they are not alone.”

Since the first campus walk was held in 2009, these walks have provided a platform to create awareness about mental health issues. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to individuals affected by suicide.

There is no fee to register for an Out of the Darkness Walk. Individuals wishing to participate can find the registration page for their local walk at www.afsp.org/ILCampus. Register today and be part of the movement coming #TogetherToFightSuicide.

To find out more about the nearest local campus walk, check www.afsp.org/ILCampus.

About the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to individuals affected by suicide. The organization creates a culture that is smart regarding mental health through educational programs, advocation for suicide prevention, and providing support for those affected by suicide. All donations go towards these efforts with the goal to greatly reduce the national suicide rate.  

AFSP and its Illinois chapter are dedicated to improved research, education, and advocacy. Through its statewide network of volunteers, AFSP Illinois offers prevention education programs that emphasize the importance of research-proven self-care techniques as well as the value of engaging professional support.

About Out of the Darkness Campus Walks:
The mission of The American Foundation of Suicide Prevention’s Campus Walks is to allow a platform for individuals to come together in support of suicide prevention. Held in hundreds of cities across the country, these events give people the courage to open up about their own connections to suicide, and also provide an easier venue for mental health discussion across diverse backgrounds.

Suicide Prevention Resources: www.afsp.org/resources
Suicide Warning Signs: www.afsp.org/signs
Media: Reporting on Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org/reporting-on-suicide-prevention

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, please call or text 988 for the Suicide Crisis Lifeline.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-foundation-for-suicide-prevention-holding-out-of-the-darkness-campus-walks-throughout-illinois-302381632.html

SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

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Hexagon Composites ASA: Eirik Løhre appointed permanent CFO

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May 5, 2026

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OSLO, Norway, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement dated 11 November 2025, where Eirik Løhre was appointed interim CFO in Hexagon Composites.

The Company is pleased to inform that Eirik Løhre has been appointed permanently to the role of CFO in Hexagon Composites, effective today.

Eirik Løhre has been with the Company since 2021 and prior to his role as interim CFO, he served as EVP Corporate Development on the Executive Team.  

“Eirik has demonstrated strong financial leadership and execution, and he has been instrumental in strengthening our financial performance. I look forward to continuing our work together to develop and position Hexagon in this next phase of growth,” said Philipp Schramm, CEO, Hexagon Composites. 

For more information:
Berit-Cathrin Høyvik, Senior Director, Communications, Hexagon Composites
Tel: +47 988 92 161, berit-cathrin.hoyvik@hexagongroup.com

About Hexagon Composites ASA
Hexagon delivers safe and innovative solutions for a cleaner energy future. Our solutions enable storage, transportation and conversion to clean energy in a wide range of mobility and industrial applications. Learn more at www.hexagongroup.com and follow @HexagonASA on LinkedIn.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/hexagon-composites-asa/r/hexagon-composites-asa–eirik-lohre-appointed-permanent-cfo,c4344308

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hexagon-composites-asa-eirik-lohre-appointed-permanent-cfo-302762250.html

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LONGPORT Whale Enters Malaysian Market with Next Generation Trading Infrastructure for Local Brokerages

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May 5, 2026

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LONGPORT Whale, with proven track record across 100+ institutional clients in Asia, makes its Malaysia debut at Bursa Malaysia Stockbroking Trade Fair 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LONGPORT Whale, a provider of AI-Ready securities trading infrastructure, is making its entry into the Malaysian market at the Bursa Malaysia Stockbroking Trade Fair 2026. The move comes as Malaysia’s Capital Market Masterplan 2026–2030 (CMP4) continues to hone in on local brokerages to modernise core systems, balancing investor experience, regulatory compliance, and operational resilience simultaneously.

Malaysian brokerages are increasingly confronted by a challenge that goes beyond front-end upgrades. Legacy architectures struggle to keep pace with digital-native investor expectations, rising cybersecurity standards, and the demand for multi-market expansion simultaneously. For many such brokerages, the question is no longer whether to modernize, but how to do so without adding complexity or disrupting the business continuity that clients depend on.

Zhong Hua, CEO, LONGPORT Whale, said, “Core trading infrastructure must support continuous evolution — in investor experience, compliance, and AI readiness — without adding unnecessary complexity. The brokerages that lead the next decade won’t be the ones with the best system today; they’ll be the ones whose systems are designed to keep getting better. LONGPORT Whale aims to bring its Asia-proven experience to help Malaysian brokers strike that balance.”

Built on a cloud-native microservices architecture and trusted by more than 100 institutional clients in Asia, Whale’s platform is engineered by industry professionals and refined through years of first-hand operational experience. For the Malaysian market, it addresses four priorities: a best-in-class trading experience validated across competitive, highly regulated markets in Asia; system resilience and performance built for institutional scale, with high system performance and output, real time risk management, and low system latency; global market connectivity spanning Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, US, and Japan without requiring system rebuilds; and an API-first, data-unified architecture that gives brokerages a practical foundation for AI adoption.

Hong Kong SAR and Singapore, where Whale serves online brokers, traditional banking firms, banks and wealth management institutes in a stringent regulatory environment, serve as the primary reference market for its Malaysia expansion. The company said it aims to work with local industry participants as both an infrastructure partner and a contributor to broader conversation on responsible modernization under CMP4.

About LONGPORT Whale

LONGPORT Whale provides integrated securities trading infrastructure to brokers, banks, fund houses, wealth managers, and family offices across Asia. Its cloud-native platform supports multi-market, multi-asset trading across front-, middle-, and back-office workflows, with a deployment model designed for regulatory alignment and long-term scalability. Website: www.longportwhale.com

Media Contact
LONGPORT Whale PR Team
Email: media@longportwhale.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/longport-whale-enters-malaysian-market-with-next-generation-trading-infrastructure-for-local-brokerages-302761411.html

SOURCE LONGPORT Whale

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Thunes and Vodacom Tanzania Unite to Power Cross-Border M-Pesa Payments Across China and Uganda

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May 5, 2026

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Collaboration revolutionises trade & financial convenience for Tanzanian merchants and consumers

SINGAPORE, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world, has joined forces with Vodacom Tanzania, the country’s leading telco company, to transform cross-border trade and digital financial inclusion with Vodacom’s new M-Pesa Global Payment solution. Thanks to the collaboration, Vodacom customers in Tanzania can now seamlessly pay merchants in Uganda and China directly from their mobile phones.

This milestone solution responds to growing demand from Tanzanian traders who engage in commerce with Ugandan and Chinese markets but often face challenges with costly, slow, and insecure payment methods. With this innovation, leveraging the Thunes Direct Global Network, Vodacom aims to bridge those gaps, offering secure, real-time digital payments across borders and reinforcing its leadership in mobile money innovation in Africa.

The solution supports trade with two key markets for Tanzania. For eight consecutive years, China has been Tanzania’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade hitting $8.8 billion in 2024. In the same year, bilateral trade between Tanzania and Uganda reached approximately $2.23 billion, an increase of 64% on the previous year.

Epimack Mbeteni, M-Pesa Director at Vodacom Tanzania said: “This is more than just a payment feature, it is a catalyst for economic empowerment and a gateway for small and medium businesses and entrepreneurs in Tanzania to compete and thrive in regional and global markets. Through Thunes’ expansive and trusted Network we are enabling seamless, secure, and affordable cross-border payments that empower people, fuel trade and place M-Pesa at the center of Africa’s digital commerce future.”

Through Thunes’ Direct Global Network, customers can now send payments to merchants in Uganda using MTN MoMo and to Chinese merchants through the Alipay network, all through the M-Pesa USSD menu or the M-Pesa Super App. The process is secure, user-friendly, and eliminates the burden of traditional banking barriers for everyday traders and businesses.

Dawei Wang, SVP Network at Thunes, added: “Vodacom Tanzania joining the Thunes Direct Global Network to digitise cross-border payments is a game changer for local businesses. By combining Vodacom’s technology with Thunes’ trusted and proprietary Network, Tanzanian customers can pay partners in China and Uganda in real time. This innovation accelerates interoperability along with international trade and business growth and supports our vision of connecting the next billion end users to the global economy.”

This initiative stands as a strategic enabler for consumers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) who need reliable and quick financial tools such as mobile money. A 2025 GeoPoll survey on Tanzania Financial Services and Usage found that 94% of the survey’s respondents use mobile money.

The Thunes and Vodacom Tanzania alliance is set to transform the lives of millions of consumers by dismantling cross-border barriers. By hyper-connecting Tanzania to global powerhouses like China and streamlining intra-African trade, the collaboration is helping to build an inclusive economy and grow Tanzania’s role as a force in the global market.

About Vodacom Tanzania

For more information, visit: https://www.vodacom.co.tz/

About Thunes

For more information, visit: https://www.thunes.com/

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/thunes-and-vodacom-tanzania-unite-to-power-cross-border-m-pesa-payments-across-china-and-uganda-302760085.html

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