American Specialty Foods Co wins prestigious Westford Award for Business Excellence
Dubai: American Specialty Foods Co has been honored with the prestigious Westford Award for Business Excellence in the Food & Beverage category. The award was presented at a grand ceremony held at Madinat Jumeirah, Mina Al Salam, Dubai, on January 24, 2025.
The award was received by the company's Founder and CEO, Hany M. Haneef, along with Co-founder and Director, Shahanaz Haneef. Expressing his gratitude, Haneef stated, "I am truly honored to receive this award. It belongs to our incredible team, partners, and supporters. Success is built on dedication, teamwork, and excellence. This is just the beginning; there is so much more ahead."
Established in 2013, American Specialty Foods Co has grown into a leading provider of premium global food solutions. Headquartered in Maryland, USA, the company also has offices in New York, Mexico, the UK, and the UAE. With a distribution network spanning over 50 countries, the company offers more than 20 specialty food categories and actively participates in major international food trade events worldwide.
The Westford Awards recognize outstanding business achievements across various industries, providing winners with greater visibility and networking opportunities. “This recognition further cements American Specialty Foods Co’s position as a leader in the specialty food and beverage sector,” a statement from the company added.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
