Culture
‘I felt a little paralysed,’ says woman who alleges rape and sexual assault by five men
A young woman has described how she was sexually assaulted and raped by five men after she got into their car at the end of a night socialising with friends in the midlands.
She described feeling paralysed, her body and mind going into autopilot, as the man put their hands up her skirt and onto her breasts and eventually forced her into having sex with them.
She told the Central Criminal Court that getting into the men’s car on the night of December 27th 2016 was “a very stupid, snap decision”.
The woman was aged 17 when the alleged assaults and rapes took place at a number of locations in the midlands. The first defendant was aged 17 at the time, with the other four men, three of whom are also on trial, were aged 18 and 19.
The four men have pleaded not guilty to total of 18 counts of sexual assault, rape and false imprisonment. Both the woman and the defendants are entitled to anonymity under the 1981 Rape Act.
On the third day of the trial, the complainant described having a social night out with male and female friends in a midlands town on St Stephen’s Day before going to different fast food outlets in the early hours of the December 27th after the bars and a disco closed.
She said she went to a taxi company and ordered one, but after waiting for 20 to 30 minutes, she decided to walk back to a friend’s house.
“I definitely had a few drinks but I had my wits about me,” she told Lorcan Staines SC, prosecuting. “Ultimately, I was grand.”
‘A stupid thing’
As she walked from the taxi office, she said a car pulled up about a car’s length ahead of her and someone called out her name from inside the car.
“I actually got into the car,” she said. “A stupid thing.”
The woman described how there were two males in the front of the car, a passenger and a driver, and three males in the back. She got into the back by lying across the three, at the suggestion of the occupants who said there were guards about and the car was packed.
Near a roundabout and as the car was moving along the road, the male sitting behind the front seat passenger started putting his hands up her skirt and sexually assaulting her.
“I almost got a reality shock and started getting upset,” the woman said in evidence. “I had tears in my eyes. I was saying ‘what are you doing’?”
She tried to push his hands away. The front seat passenger asked if she wanted to get into the front. The woman did and eased her way forward between the front seats because, she said, she wanted to get away from what was happening to her in the back seat.
However, the man in the front seat, on whose lap she was sitting, started touching her sexually, as did a male in the rear, by putting his arms over the seat and down onto her.
They spoke to each other “as if I wasn’t there”, said the woman.
She said one of the men announced: “We’re getting it all tonight.”
She said there were a lot of hands reaching out and grabbing her and she told them to stop but they did not.
‘Paralysed’
She described being taken to a remote area where she was raped by each of the men in turn. Afterwards, the car was driven back to the midlands town with two of the men being dropped off en route.
The car drove to a car park in a midlands town, where she was again sexually abused by two of the remaining men. She said one man raped her and another orally raped her.
At one stage, some of the men appeared to be filming her on mobile phones as one of them raped her.
“I felt a little paralysed,” she said in evidence. “I felt really shocked. I felt a little bit inanimate, if that makes sense.”
She described repeatedly telling the men to stop what they were doing. At one stage, three demanded she engage in sexual activity with them simultaneously.
“I said no, I just want to go home,” she said in evidence.
Eventually, they let her out of the car at a car park in a midlands town and she ran to the house of a friend whom she had messaged with a phone given to her by the driver of the car.
She said she was hysterical and with her clothes half off her, calling out her friend’s name. When she got to the house, the gardai were called.
Brendan Grehan, SC, defending the driver who was 17 at the time, told the woman that his client asserts that that what happened was consensual. Mr Grehan asked the woman why she had not tried to escape from the car.
“I didn’t know what would happen if I started demanding to get out of the car,” she said. “There was one of me and five of them. It is very intimidating.”
The trial continues on Friday before Justice Tara Burns and a jury.
Culture
Choco: Revolutionizing The FoodTech Industry With Innovation & Sustainability | EU20
By Clint Bailey
— In the rapidly evolving world of food technology, European startup Choco has emerged as a pioneering force. With its website, Choco.com, this Berlin-based company is transforming the way food industry professionals operate by leveraging innovative digital solutions. By linking restaurants, distributors, suppliers, and producers on a single platform, Choco is streamlining the supply chain process while promoting sustainability.
Let’s explore the journey of Choco.com and its impact on the overall foodtech industry.
- Company: Choco Technologies GmbH
- Website: www.Choco.com
- Head Office: Berlin, Germany
- Year Established: 2018
- Founders: Choco was co-founded by Daniel Khachab, Julian Hammer, and Rogerio da Silva.
- Industry: Choco operates in the foodtech industry, specifically focusing on digitizing the supply chain for the food industry.
- Funding: Choco has secured significant funding rounds from investors, including Bessemer Venture Partners & Coatue Management.
- Market Presence: Choco has a strong presence in several European cities, including Berlin, Paris, London & Barcelona.
- Mission: Choco aims to revolutionize the food industry by leveraging technology to simplify supply chain management, promote sustainability, and reduce food waste.
Simplifying Supply Chain Management
One of the core focuses of Choco is to simplify supply chain management for food businesses. Traditionally, the procurement process in the food industry has been cumbersome and inefficient, with numerous intermediaries and manual processes. Choco’s digital platform replaces the traditional paper-based ordering system, allowing restaurants and suppliers to communicate and collaborate seamlessly.
Choco’s platform enables restaurants to place orders directly with suppliers, eliminating the need for phone calls, faxes, or emails. This not only saves time but also reduces the likelihood of errors and miscommunications.
By digitizing the ordering process, Choco improves transparency, making it easier for restaurants to compare prices, track deliveries, and manage inventory efficiently.
Streamlining Operations For Suppliers & Producers
Choco’s impact extends beyond restaurants. The platform also provides suppliers and producers with valuable tools to streamline their operations. By digitizing their product catalogs and integrating them into the Choco platform, suppliers can showcase their offerings to a wide network of potential buyers.
Suppliers benefit from increased visibility, enabling them to reach new customers and expand their market presence. Moreover, Choco’s platform helps suppliers manage their inventory, track orders, and plan deliveries effectively. These features enhance operational efficiency, reduce waste, and ultimately contribute to a more sustainable food system.
Promoting Sustainability & Reducing Food Waste
Choco recognizes the critical importance of sustainability in the food industry. According to the United Nations, approximately one-third of the world’s food production goes to waste each year. By digitizing the supply chain and enabling more efficient ordering and inventory management, Choco actively works to combat this issue.
Choco’s platform facilitates data-driven decision-making for restaurants, suppliers, and producers. By analyzing purchasing patterns & demand, Choco helps businesses optimize their inventory levels, reducing overstocking and minimizing food waste. Additionally, Choco supports local sourcing, enabling businesses to connect with nearby suppliers & promote sustainable, community-based practices.
Expanding Reach & Impact
Since its founding in 2018, Choco has experienced rapid growth and expansion. The startup has successfully secured significant funding rounds, allowing it to scale its operations and establish a strong presence across Europe and other global markets. Today, Choco’s platform is used by thousands of restaurants and suppliers, revolutionizing the way they operate.
Choco’s impact extends beyond operational efficiency or sustainability. By connecting restaurants, suppliers & producers on a single platform, Choco fosters collaboration & encourages the exchange of ideas. This collaborative approach strengthens the overall foodtech ecosystem and creates a supportive community of like-minded aiming to drive positive change within the industry.
Future Of FoodTech
Choco’s rise to prominence in the foodtech industry exemplifies the reach of sustainability, innovation, and community. Through its user-friendly platform, Choco simplifies supply chain management, streamlines operations for restaurants & suppliers, and actively promotes sustainable practices. By harnessing the potential of digital, Choco is disrupting the future of the food industry, making it more efficient and transparent.
As Choco continues to expand its impact and reach, its transformative influence on the foodtech sector is set to inspiring, grow other startups, and established players to embrace technology for a better and more sustainable food system.
We Can’t Thank You Enough For Your Support!
— Compiled by Clint Bailey | Team ‘Voice of EU’
— For More Info. & News Submissions: info@VoiceOfEU.com
— For Anonymous News Submissions: press@VoiceOfEU.com
Culture
The Hat Worn By Napoleon Bonaparte Sold For $2.1 Million At The Auction
Yes, that’s $2.1 million!!
The signature broad, black hat, one of a handful still in existence that Napoleon wore when he ruled 19th-century France and waged war in Europe, was initially valued at 600,000 to 800,000 euros ($650,000-870,000). It was the centerpiece of Sunday’s auction collected by a French industrialist who died last year.
The Hat Worn By Napoleon Bonaparte Sold For $2.1 Million At The Auction
But the bidding quickly jumped higher and higher until Jean Pierre Osenat, president of the Osenat auction house, designated the winner.
‘’We are at 1.5 million (Euros) for Napoleon’s hat … for this major symbol of the Napoleonic epoch,” he said, as applause rang out in the auction hall. The buyer, whose identity was not released, must pay 28.8% in commissions according to Osenat, bringing the overall cost to 1.9 million euros ($2.1 million).
While other officers customarily wore their bicorne hats with the wings facing front to back, Napoleon wore his with the ends pointing toward his shoulders. The style, known as “en bataille,” or in battle, made it easier for his troops to spot their leader in combat.
The hat on sale was first recovered by Col. Pierre Baillon, a quartermaster under Napoleon, according to the auctioneers. The hat then passed through many hands before industrialist Jean-Louis Noisiez acquired it.
The entrepreneur spent more than a half-century assembling his collection of Napoleonic memorabilia, firearms, swords and coins before his death in 2022.
The sale came days before the release of Ridley Scott’s film Napoleon with Joaquin Phoenix, which is rekindling interest in the controversial French ruler.
Culture
The Call for AI Regulation in Creative Industries
THE VOICE OF EU | Widespread concerns have surged among artists and creatives in various domains – country singers, authors, television showrunners, and musicians – voicing apprehension about the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on their professions.
These worries have prompted an urgent plea to the U.S. government for regulatory action to protect their livelihoods from the encroaching threat posed by AI technology.
The Artists’ Plea
A notable rise in appeals to regulate AI has emerged, drawing attention to the potential risks AI poses to creative industries.
Thousands of letters, including those from renowned personalities like Justine Bateman and Lilla Zuckerman, underscore the peril AI models represent to the traditional structure of entertainment businesses.
The alarm extends to the music industry, expressed by acclaimed songwriter Marc Beeson, highlighting AI’s potential to both enhance and jeopardize an essential facet of American artistry.
The Call for AI Regulation in Creative Industries
Copyright Infringement Concerns
The primary contention arises from the unsanctioned use of copyrighted human works as fodder to train AI systems. The concerns about AI ingesting content from the internet without permission or compensation have sparked significant distress among artists and their representative entities.
While copyright laws explicitly protect works of human authorship, the influx of AI-generated content questions the boundaries of human contribution and authorship in an AI-influenced creative process.
The Fair Use Debate
Leading technology entities like Google, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms argue that their utilization of copyrighted materials in AI training aligns with the “fair use” doctrine—a limited use of copyrighted material for transformative purposes.
They claim that AI training isn’t aimed at reproducing individual works but rather discerning patterns across a vast corpus of content, citing precedents like Google’s legal victories in the digitization of books.
The Conflict and Seeking Resolution
Despite court rulings favoring tech companies in interpreting copyright laws regarding AI, voices like Heidi Bond, a former law professor and author, critique this comparison, emphasizing that AI developers often obtain content through unauthorized means.
Shira Perlmutter, the U.S. Register of Copyrights, acknowledges the Copyright Office’s pivotal role in navigating this complex landscape and determining the legitimacy of the fair use defense in the AI context.
The Road Ahead
The outpouring of concern from creative professionals and industry stakeholders emphasizes the urgency for regulatory frameworks to safeguard creative works while acknowledging the evolving role of AI in content creation.
The Copyright Office’s meticulous review of over 9,700 public comments seeks to strike a balance between innovation and the protection of creative rights in an AI-driven era. As the discussion continues, the convergence of legal precedents and ethical considerations remains a focal point for shaping the future landscape of AI in creative industries.
Thank You For Your Support!
— By Darren Wilson, Team VoiceOfEU.com
— For more information & news submissions: info@VoiceOfEU.com
— Anonymous news submissions: press@VoiceOfEU.com
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