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Watad Energy & Communications Unveils “Mulhem,” First Locally Trained Arabic-Language Large Language Model in Saudi Arabia

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In a significant development for the Arabic-speaking AI sector, Watad Energy & Communications today announced the launch of “Mulhem,” the first Saudi domain-specific AI model, trained exclusively on Saudi data, embodying the nation’s commitment to technological advancement and digital transformation.

“Today marks a significant milestone for the AI industry in Saudi Arabia,” said Muhammad Al-Mutairi, CEO of Watad. “Mulhem’s exceptional performance capabilities signal a new era for customer applications in the region. This achievement aligns with our commitment to contributing to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by pushing the boundaries of technological innovation and digital transformation.”

Watad CTO Anton Alexander commented, “The development of Mulhem was both a challenge and a triumph. We built one of the largest Arabic databases in the world and developed our own tokenizer, as part of our commitment to creating a model that not only understands the Arabic language but also embodies the rich cultural heritage of the Arab world. While leveraging NVIDIA’s cutting-edge technology has been instrumental in our development, our philosophy is to remain agile, always ready to embrace the best solutions available to meet our objectives.”

Key Highlights of Mulhem:

Unparalleled Dataset: Mulhem has been trained on an extensive and diverse dataset, comprising more than 70,000 Saudi-specific Q&A data points and over half a million Arabic single turn, multi-turn, preference data sets, along with specialized datasets for context retrieval and offline data systems. This rich dataset ensures that Mulhem offers unparalleled accuracy and relevance in its responses and insights, specifically tailored to the Saudi context.

Bilingual Capabilities: With a training foundation of 90 billion Arabic and 90 billion English tokens, Mulhem is not just the first of its kind in terms of regional specificity but also in linguistic versatility. This dual-language capability ensures that Mulhem can serve a wide range of applications, from international business to local cultural projects.

Local Training and Development: Proudly trained and developed in Saudi Arabia, Mulhem leverages the latest in AI research and development practices, including Supervised Fine-tuning and Direct Preference Optimization. This local focus not only underscores Watad Energy and Communication’s commitment to national talent and resources but also ensures that Mulhem is perfectly aligned with the needs and nuances of the Saudi market.

Innovative Technology: Embracing cutting-edge technologies, Mulhem is equipped with advanced AI features that enable it to perform a wide array of tasks, from natural language processing and context-aware communication to complex data analysis and retrieval tasks, all with exceptional accuracy and efficiency.

Commitment to Open Innovation: In the spirit of innovation and community collaboration, Watad Energy and Communication is exploring avenues to make Mulhem accessible to a broader audience, including potential open-source initiatives. This approach aims to foster a vibrant ecosystem of developers, researchers, and businesses, all contributing to and benefiting from Mulhem’s capabilities.

A Milestone for Saudi Arabia: Mulhem’s launch underscores Saudi Arabia’s emerging role as a hub for technological innovation and AI development, showcasing the nation’s commitment to investing in homegrown technologies with the potential to influence the global tech landscape.

About Watad Energy & Communications

Watad Energy and Communication is at the forefront of technological innovation in Saudi Arabia, committed to driving innovation and digital transformation in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Specializing in the development of advanced AI technologies, Watad is dedicated to enhancing the technological landscape of the region and beyond.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2355087/Watad.jpg

Contact:  
Teodora Pantu,
PR Manager,  
teodora@dizrupt.us 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/watad-energy–communications-unveils-mulhem-first-locally-trained-arabic-language-large-language-model-in-saudi-arabia-302080084.html

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BCE reports results of Series S and T preferred share conversions

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MONTRÉAL, Oct. 19, 2026 /CNW/ — BCE Inc. (TSX: BCE) (NYSE: BCE) today announced that 400 of its 4,798,333 fixed-rate Cumulative Redeemable First Preferred Shares, Series T (“Series T Preferred Shares”) have been tendered for conversion on November 2, 2026, on a one-for-one basis, into floating-rate Cumulative Redeemable First Preferred Shares, Series S (“Series S Preferred Shares”). In addition, 676,765 of its 1,866,877 Series S Preferred Shares have been tendered for conversion on November 2, 2026, on a one-for-one basis, into Series T Preferred Shares. Consequently, on November 2, 2026, BCE will have 5,474,698 Series T Preferred Shares and 1,190,512 Series S Preferred Shares issued and outstanding. The Series T Preferred Shares and the Series S Preferred Shares will continue to be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols BCE.PR.T and BCE.PR.S, respectively.

The Series T Preferred Shares will pay on a quarterly basis, for the five-year period beginning on November 2, 2026, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of BCE, a fixed cash dividend based on an annual fixed dividend rate of 5.523%.

The Series S Preferred Shares will continue to pay a monthly floating adjustable cash dividend for the five-year period beginning on November 2, 2026, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of BCE. The monthly floating adjustable dividend for any particular month will continue to be calculated based on the prime rate for such month and using the Designated Percentage for such month representing the sum of an adjustment factor (based on the market price of the Series S Preferred Shares in the preceding month) and the Designated Percentage for the preceding month.

About BCE
BCE is Canada’s largest communications company1, leading the way in advanced fibre and wireless networks, enterprise services and digital media. By delivering next-generation technology that leverages cloud-based and AI-driven solutions, we’re keeping customers connected, informed and entertained while enabling businesses to compete on the world stage. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca.

1 Based on total revenue and total combined customer connections.

Media inquiries:
Ellen Murphy
media@bell.ca

Investor inquiries:
Krishna Somers
krishna.somers@bell.ca

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bce-reports-results-of-series-s-and-t-preferred-share-conversions-302913268.html

SOURCE BCE Inc.

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3M announces collaboration with GSEO to advance Expanded Beam Optical manufacturing and development

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ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 3M (NYSE: MMM) today announced a collaboration with Genius Electronic Optical Co., Ltd. (GSEO, Taiwan: 3406), an optical technology company, to advance technology development and manufacturing for 3M’s Expanded Beam Optical (EBO) solutions. In support of these efforts, 3M expects to make a strategic investment to acquire approximately 4.7% of GSEO’s common shares as part of the company’s private placement of newly issued shares, subject to customary closing conditions.

The collaboration brings together 3M’s EBO technology leadership, optical interconnect expertise, materials science, manufacturing scale and customer relationships with GSEO’s precision optics manufacturing capabilities and production scale. Together, the companies aim to support EBO commercialization and long-term capacity expansion to meet growing demand from hyperscale data centers and other advanced connectivity applications.

“3M is investing in capabilities and partnerships that can accelerate innovation for our customers,” said William Brown, 3M Chairman and CEO. “By selecting GSEO as a manufacturing partner and investing in the company, we are strengthening the path to scale next-generation optical connectivity solutions for high-performance data center infrastructure.”

GSEO’s existing precision optics manufacturing capabilities and technical development experience are expected to support manufacturing readiness for 3M’s EBO ferrules, co-packaged optics solutions and related optical interconnect applications. The collaboration is part of 3M’s broader EBO ecosystem strategy, which includes continued work with customers and partners across the optical interconnect market.

“GSEO is pleased to expand its relationship with 3M as we work together to advance optical interconnect solutions for next-generation data center infrastructure,” said Micro Kuo, GSEO CEO and President. “This collaboration brings together complementary technology and manufacturing strengths to support continued innovation and help meet the performance demands of high-growth connectivity markets.”

3M expects the strategic investment to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release are considered “forward-looking statements” under the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and are intended to enjoy the protection of those laws. Forward-looking statements may appear throughout this release and are typically identified by the words “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “evaluate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “goal,” “guidance,” “impact,” “initial,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “probable,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “strategy,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and other words that are similar to, or have the opposite meanings of, those words. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, 3M assumes no duty to update those statements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of those statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events and trends that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including those described in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” of 3M’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.

About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.

Contacts
3M
Investor Contact:
Diane Farrow, 612-202-2449
Media Contact:
3MNews@mmm.com 

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SOURCE 3M Company

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Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers Announces Second Annual Operation Fur-Ever Home Pet Adoption Event at Lafreniere Park

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NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers is excited to announce the return of its second annual Operation Fur-Ever Home, a free community pet adoption event taking place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Lafreniere Park in Metairie, Louisiana.

The free, family-friendly event will give attendees the opportunity to meet adoptable pets from local animal shelters, learn about responsible pet ownership, and potentially welcome a new furry companion into their homes. Those who preregister for the event will also be entered for a chance to win a Soundcore speaker and a free pet adoption.

“Last year’s event was everything we hoped it would be, and we are incredibly excited to bring Operation Fur-Ever Home back for a second year,” said David Vicknair, founding partner of Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers. “There is something special about watching a family meet a pet that could become part of their lives for years to come. We wanted to create another opportunity to make those connections while supporting the organizations that work tirelessly to care for animals in our community.”

Building on the success of the first event, this year’s event continues the firm’s commitment to supporting local animal shelters and creating meaningful opportunities for families throughout Southeast Louisiana.

“Giving back to our community has always been an important part of who we are as a firm,” said Vicknair. “Whether we are helping students prepare for school, recognizing deserving teachers, or supporting local animal shelters, our goal is to make a positive difference in the communities we serve.”

Operation Fur-Ever Home is free and open to the public. Families, animal lovers, and anyone interested in adopting a pet are encouraged to attend and preregister.

About Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers

Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers is a New Orleans-based personal injury firm committed to providing exceptional legal representation while also investing in the communities it serves. Their experienced team of dedicated attorneys specializes in car accidents, personal injury, and wrongful death cases in New Orleans. With diverse personal and professional backgrounds, they craft legal strategies tailored to each client’s specific case and needs.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scott-vicknair-personal-injury-lawyers-announces-second-annual-operation-fur-ever-home-pet-adoption-event-at-lafreniere-park-302913183.html

SOURCE Scott Vicknair Personal Injury Lawyers

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