Bearys Chamber of Commerce and Industries felicitates MLC Ivan D'Souza in Mangaluru
The Bearys Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) hosted a grand felicitation event for MLC Ivan D'Souza on Saturday, 6th July 2024, at the Ocean Pearl Hotel in the city. The event celebrated D'Souza's election to the Karnataka Legislative Council for a second term.
The program commenced with a welcome speech by BCCI General Secretary Mohammed Imthiyaz.
Haji SM Abdul Rasheed, the chairman of BCCI presided over the event and urged support from Muslim communities from across the region to BCCI as it works towards economic upliftment of Muslims.
He presented a detailed report on the organization's achievements and outlined ambitious plans for expanding BCCI's presence in various countries.
Imthiyaz emphasized the importance of unity and collaboration within the Muslim business community, drawing parallels with the Gujarati community, known for their strong business acumen and cooperative spirit. He highlighted that the Beary and Navayath communities, renowned for their trading skills, must work together to achieve greater success. He warned that selfishness and lack of cooperation could harm the community's economic prospects.
He further elaborated on the BCCI's significant role in supporting entrepreneurs and businesses within the community. Imthiyaz noted that the organization has successfully helped numerous entrepreneurs establish their ventures across the country and globally, contributing to the economic growth of the community.
Following the felicitation ceremony, MLC Ivan D'Souza addressed the gathering. He began by reflecting on the transient nature of political power, stressing that those elected to positions of authority must remain mindful of the sentiments and emotions of the people they represent. D'Souza urged politicians to adhere to principles of social and community work to earn and maintain respect in political circles.
D'Souza emphasized that the power of the people is the only permanent force, noting that elected officials can easily be replaced if they fail to serve their constituents effectively. He spoke candidly about the challenges of political life, likening it to a mountain that appears smooth from a distance but is challenging to navigate up close.
Reflecting on his political journey, D'Souza highlighted his accomplishments during his first term, including maintaining a perfect attendance record, for which he received commendation from the government at the time. He pledged to continue serving humanity and his constituents with dedication.
D'Souza also discussed various projects he has been involved in and shared his vision for future initiatives. He expressed gratitude to the BCCI for the honor and reassured the audience that the Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka is committed to the development of all sectors and communities in the state.
In his presidential address, Haji SM Abdul Rasheed praised MLC Ivan D'Souza for his service and thanked him for attending the event on short notice. He highlighted the simplicity with which D'Souza and his family lead their lives, always willing to help and serve the community. Rasheed also discussed the BCCI's future plans and expansion strategies.
The event began with a recitation of the Quran by Hafiz Hasan Asheeq Abdullah, followed by a welcome speech by Haji Mumtaz Ali Krishnapura. The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks by BCCI General Secretary Mohammed Imthiyaz, marking the end of a memorable and inspiring event. Abdul Jaleel Krishnapura, nominated member to Mangaluru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), was also felicitated in the event.
Vice-president Zakariya Jokatte, Office bearer Sheikh Karnire, Secretary Ashraf Karnire, Joint secretary Nisar Mohammed Fakeer and treasurer Mansoor Ahmed, Abdulla Monu Moideen Qatar, Asif Home Plus were present.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
French prosecutors summon Elon Musk over allegations of child abuse images and deepfakes on X
Paris (AP): Elon Musk has been summoned to Paris on Monday, where investigators are looking into allegations of misconduct related to the social media platform X, including the spread of child sexual abuse material and deepfake content.
The world's richest man and Linda Yaccarino — the former CEO of X — have been summoned for “voluntary interviews," while other employees of the platform are scheduled to be heard as witnesses throughout this week, the Paris prosecutor's office said.
It remains unclear whether Musk and Yaccarino will travel to Paris. A spokesperson for X did not respond to questions from The Associated Press and Yaccarino's current company, eMed, did not answer a request sent to the press email.
French prosecutors also suspect that controversy around the platform's AI system Grok's deepfakes was concocted to boost the value of Musk-owned companies ahead of a key market listing, and alerted US authorities. Musk welcomed a report that US justice officials refused to help French investigators, posting on X, “This needs to stop.”
The reason for summoning Musk
----------------------------------
Musk was summoned after a search took place in February at the French premises of X as part of an investigation opened in January 2025 by the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor's office. Musk and Yaccarino have been invited in their capacities as managers of X at the time of the events investigated. Yaccarino was CEO from May 2023 until July 2025.
“These voluntary interviews with the executives are intended to allow them to present their position regarding the facts and, where appropriate, the compliance measures they plan to implement,” prosecutors said. “At this stage, the conduct of this investigation is part of a constructive approach, with the ultimate objective of ensuring that platform X complies with French law, insofar as it operates within the national territory.”
The Paris prosecutor's office said Musk and Yaccarino's potential no-show on Monday “is not an obstacle for investigations to continue.”
What is being investigated
---------------------------
French authorities opened their investigation after reports from a French lawmaker alleging that biased algorithms on X likely distorted the functioning of an automated data processing system. It expanded after the AI system, Grok, generated posts that allegedly denied the Holocaust, a crime in France, and spread sexually explicit deepfakes.
It's looking into alleged “complicity” in possessing and spreading pornographic images of minors, sexually explicit deepfakes, denial of crimes against humanity and manipulation of an automated data processing system as part of an organized group, among other charges.
Grok, which was built by xAI and is available through X, sparked global outrage this year after it pumped out a torrent of sexualized nonconsensual deepfake images in response to requests from X users.
Grok also wrote in a widely shared post in French that gas chambers at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp were designed for “disinfection with Zyklon B against typhus” rather than for mass murder — language long associated with Holocaust denial.
In later posts on X, the chatbot reversed itself and acknowledged that its earlier reply was wrong, saying it had been deleted, and pointed to historical evidence that Zyklon B was used to kill more than 1 million people in Auschwitz gas chambers.
French prosecutors alert US authorities
-----------------------------------------
In March, the Paris prosecutor's office alerted the US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) — the US federal agency responsible for regulating and overseeing financial markets — suggesting "that the controversy surrounding sexually explicit deepfakes generated by Grok may have been deliberately orchestrated to artificially boost the value of the companies X and xAI — potentially constituting criminal offenses," prosecutors said.
The Paris prosecutor's office said this could have been done "ahead of the planned June 2026 stock market listing of the new entity formed by the merger of Space X and xAI, at a time when company X was clearly losing momentum.”
Justice Department brushes off French call
---------------------------------------------
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Justice Department told French law enforcement authorities it wouldn't facilitate their efforts to investigate Musk's X. The newspaper reported that the Justice Department's Office of International Affairs, in a two-page letter last week, accused the French of inappropriately using its justice system to interfere with an American business.
The letter also said France's requests for US assistance “constitute an effort to entangle the United States in a politically charged criminal proceeding aimed at wrongfully regulating through prosecution the business activities of a social media platform.”
French judicial authorities didn't respond to requests for comments.
Investigations launched into several internet platforms
---------------------------------------------------------
The cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor's office has launched in recent years a series of investigations focusing on internet platforms' suspected illegal activities.
French-language website Coco, which was cited in the landmark trial that turned Gisèle Pelicot into a global icon against sexual violence, closed in 2024 as its manager is accused of complicity in spreading child pornography and trafficking of children for sexual purposes, among other things.
Pavel Durov, the founder of the Telegram messaging app, was handed preliminary charges and placed under judicial supervision for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the platform, including child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking.
The Paris prosecutor's office opened last year an investigation into TikTok over allegations that the platform allows content promoting suicide and that its algorithms may encourage vulnerable young people to take their own lives.
Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said it has lodged a new complaint against X with the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor's office targeting "the platform's policies that allow disinformation to flourish.''
_vb_10.jpeg)
