Court of Appeal of Singapore rules that Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano are not the same cheese
SINGAPORE: In a finding that impacts how cheese can be marketed in Singapore, the Court of Appeal on Friday ( Nov 22 ) ruled that Parmesan is not the same as Parmigiano Reggiano.
According to Justices Tay Yong Kwang, Belinda Ang, and Judith Prakash, Singapore’s users do not believe Parmesan cheese to be made only in the specific region of Italy where Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is produced.
Instead, local customers have been influenced by how Parmesan is promoted and sold in Singapore as a butter that can and does come from abroad.
The Court of Appeal gave its decision after an appeal by Fonterra Brands ( Singapore ) Pte Ltd, a , subsidiary of a cooperative owned by 10, 000 dairy farms in New Zealand.
Fonterra, which sells different types of cheese under the Perfect Italiano brand, was contesting a lower court’s finding that” Parmesan” is a translation of” Parmigiano Reggiano”.
” Parmigiano Reggiano” is a type of geographical indication ( GI ). GI labels cannot be applied to products that do n’t originate from those specific territories because they identify products that are produced there.
The counties of Modena, Parma, and Reggio Emilia in Italy are represented by the GI for the cheese that comes from” the region of the county of Bologna to the left of the River Reno, the region of Mantua to the right of the River Po.”
The Gastrointestinal” Parmigiano Reggiano” was registered in Singapore in June 2019 by the , Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano , – a collaboration of manufacturers of the cheese.
The Consorzio is tasked by Italy ‘s , Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies to protect interests relating to Parmigiano Reggiano.
According to European Union law, the Consorzio also holds the designation” Parmigiano Reggiano” as a protected designation of origin ( PDO ).
In September 2019, Fonterra filed an application to specify that the Gastrointestinal” Parmigiano Reggiano” does not include the name” Parmesan” as the conditions are not equal.
The company argued that Parmesan had not come from Italy, is not regulated in the same manner as Parmigiano Reggiano, and varies in milk information, regulations, style, color and texture.
When the secretary of GIs allowed Fonterra’s program, the Consorzio filed an opposition to it. A Principal Assistant Registrar granted the criticism, and a High Court judge upheld it.
Fonterra next launched this charm.
” Thoughts DO NOT EXIST IN A VACUUM”
The dispute pitted dictionary definitions of” Parmesan”, put forth by the Consorzio, against examples of how the term is used in the Singapore market, put forth by Fonterra.
The , Consorzio used extracts from the Collins Dictionary, the , Larousse Italian-French Dictionary and the , Cambridge Italian-English Dictionary to argue that” Parmigiano Reggiano” translates to” Parmesan” in both English and French.
Top Justice Prakash, deliving the judge’s view, said the extracts may provide some assistance for the Consorzio’s case, but were not clear.
Because they were compiled by foreign publishers, who might not be aware of the use of” Parmesan” in Singapore.
” Put differently, these definitions are not written in ( and were not designed to reflect ) the language used by visitors in Singapore”, she said.
Words do not occur in a vacuum, she added, and how a certain word is used and the significance or interpretations it holds over time may change depending on the specific environment and local circumstances in which it is used.
She added that the judge was concerned about how the general public perceives Singaporeans and inhabitants as” consumers, not just people passing through.”
She claimed that this typical customer is not a member of Singapore’s expat or European community and that she lacks” special knowledge of cheese.”
In contrast, Fonterra argued that it is” customary” in Singapore for Parmesan to refer to” a hard, dry, easy to grate, or grated cheese with a sharp, slightly sweet, salty flavour”, and for this not to be linked to Parmigiano Reggiano.
More convincing was Fonterra’s argument, which included at least 10 item listings that demonstrated that Parmesan cheese products were sold in Singapore and had clear evidence that they were produced outside of Italy.
They observed noticeable differences in Parmigiano Reggiano and Parmigiano Reggiano items ‘ overall physical characteristics and obverse displays of Parmesan’s country of origin.
Additionally, Fonterra’s information included online catalogs for local stores and Amazon Singapore that categorize Parmigiano Reggiano butter in a different way from Parmesan butter.
The courts and Fonterra concurred that native users have been influenced by how investors categorize Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano as” two distinct kinds of cheese products.”
They ruled in favor of Fonterra and placed a restriction on the use of the term” Parmesan” in the Register of GIs, stating that the protection of the GI” Parmigiano Reggiano” should not be used.
The judges also ordered the Consorzio to pay S$ 100, 000 ( S$ 74, 204 ) in costs to Fonterra.
Flash floods hit Yishun, Potong Pasir as northern Singapore records one of highest daily rainfalls since 1978
SINGAPORE: The northern part of Singapore received about half of November’s average monthly rainfall on Friday ( Nov 22 ), marking one of the highest daily rainfalls , in over 45 years. Two flash floods occurred at , Thin Tho Avenue, which is in the Potong Pasir place,  , and Yishun AvenueContinue Reading
Social media activist faces arrest for false iCon story
Allegation of B8bn crypto shift was well-intentioned, says Ekkapop Luangprasert
A social press activist was given an arrest warrant for supposedly making false statements about a crypto deal that the Criminal Court approved on Friday because it was related to the creator of the direct sales business The image Group, which is accused of operating a pyramid scheme.
After speaking with a witness to the police about a alleged incident that occurred before iCon founder Warathaphon” Boss Paul” Waratyaworrakul was detained, founder of the Sai Mai Tong Rod ( Survive ) Facebook page Ekkapop Luangprasert is in the limelight.
On his social media page, he also shared information about the alleged bribe-taking and crytocurrency shift.
He asserted that just one hour prior to Mr. Warathaphon’s arrest, there was proof that more than 8 billion baht had been transferred to get Ethereum. He requested that the CPPD authorities check whether the image founder had a connection to the transaction.
Although Mr. Ekkapop insisted he had good purposes to assist those who had fallen prey to the direct sales company, authorities after refuted his statements as misleading.
Mr Warathaphon, 41, was remanded in custody last month along with 17 different defendants, including artists, on charges of common scams and inputting phony information into a computer program. All have denied the claims.
The Technology Crime Suppression Division’s officers requested an order on Friday evening to grant Mr. Ekkapop’s arrest warrant because he had violated the Computer Crime Act.
Mr Ekkapop, a former adviser to Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, told investigators that he was not aware of the permit. In any case, he said,” He was going to report to authorities authorities.”
He claimed that his actions were intended for the general public, noting that he had never met any logo managers.
He claimed that the arrest warrant was unimportant and that fairness may be served by police. If he is detained, he has prepared resources for his attorney to deposit as loan guarantee.
Mr Ekkaphop, a rescue charity, founded the Instagram page with eight companions in 2019 to help people in need in Sai Mai city of Bangkok. Since then, it has gained notoriety in the city and beyond as a catalyst for disaster preparedness and closing the gap between the police and the general public. The site has almost 110, 000 followers. ( Story continues below )
On October 18, officers escort Waraphon” Boss Paul” Waratyaworrakul, the founder and CEO of The image Group, from the Central Investigation Bureau to the Bangkok Criminal Court. ( Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut )
Detention extended
In a associated growth, the Criminal Court on Friday approved the Department of Special Investigation’s ask to hold the 18 image suspects for another 12 weeks.
Under the rules, suspects may be detained for seven 12-day times, or 84 days in total, before officers have to fully tap costs.
The defendants were not present at the court.
Financial transactions and other types of data were the subject of DSI authorities ‘ requests to question 4, 500 additional prosecution witnesses and 400 additional suspects ‘ testimony.
The investigators opposed bail, claiming that the charges imposed severe penalties and that about 9, 000 victims had lost an estimated$ 2.95 billion baht as a result. The suspects even posed a journey danger, they said.
Additionally, investigators have brought in extra charges for operating a direct sales company without authorization, borrowing money in a deceptive method, and persuading customers to visit a direct-sales system by promising benefits based on the number of new hires they employ, and running a direct sales system without authorization.
Even in prison is Kritanong Suwannawong, who was acting on behalf of 89 sign patients. She allegedly extorted money from Mr. Warathaphon while also allegedly stealing 20 % of the profits from the scam patients.
Western leaders on their guard with China ahead of Trump return
STRANGER Not Extra China’s state media recently criticized Beijing for ingraining US meddling in international matters while portraying their nation as a pillar of true multilateralism and globalization. On Friday, the editorial page of the republican Global Times tabloid claimed that Xi’s trip to Brazil had “precious clarity in theContinue Reading
What is Singapore doing to protect people from floods?
Citizens SHOULD BE READY FOR FLOODS.
People must take action to make for floods, according to Mr. Neo, while PUB works to protect the nation.
For engineers, it means designing houses to PUB’s requirements and ensuring that drainage systems are maintained, he said. He advised those in well-known flood-prone regions to collaborate with the organization to develop the best plan of action.
He urged the general public to register for PUB’s storm alerts on messaging services like Telegram and social media as a first stage toward preparing for such a situation.
On its element, the company keeps an eye on the amount of rainfall in Singapore.
This is crucial because we want people to be prepared for floods and stay away from landslides before they get too wet, according to Mr. Neo.
” I’ll be able to build my people’s first to the floor to aid the public with this first forecast and warning.”
In addition to being in disaster areas like Cavenagh Road/Karamat Lane and Hougang Ave 8, PUB has designated 700 homes and businesses as being in flood-prone regions like Beach Road and Lorong Buangkok.
Flood-prone places refer to low-lying sites with a record of flood, while spots are areas that are not low-lying but have experienced display storms.
Second Australian dies after Laos poisoning
As the death toll from contaminated alcohol rises to six, the owner of a Vietnam dormitory is detained.
PUBLISHED: 22 Nov 2024 at 17: 31
A second American girl has passed away from suspected alcohol poisoning, bringing the total number of international tourists who have passed away in Laos to six.
The two young Australians who had been staying at the backpacker hostel before becoming violently ill were detained by police in Laos, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp ( ABC ) reported.
The home of Holly Bowles, 19, said they were “heartbroken” to confirm her death at Bangkok Hospital in the Thai money, more than a week after she fell ill in the tourist town of Vang Vieng.
Her companion Bianca Jones, even 19, and the American attorney Simone White, 28, from London, were confirmed to have died on Thursday.
An unknown American male and two Swedish girls, aged 19 and 20, are also among the subjects of the suspected poison.
Holly’s family said in a statement to the media on Friday that she had “brought so much joy and happiness to so many folks” as relaxation.
When she became ill, they continued, claiming that she had been living “her best existence traveling through Southeast Asia, meeting new people, and having amazing encounters.”
Holly Bowles ‘ horrible departure may be heartbreaking to all Australians, according to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in a statement. ” Only yesterday, Holly lost her best friend, Bianca Jones”.
After failing to check out of their dormitory in Vang Vieng, which is located about two days northeast of the Chinese capital, on Wednesday, November 13, the two Australians were taken to a hospital in Vientiane.
After their circumstances worsened, they were transferred to institutions in Thailand: Bianca to Udon Thani and Holly to Bangkok.
On November 12th, the Australians were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which claims to have provided free whiskey pictures to around 100 customers.
No other customers have developed illness, according to the hostel’s manager, according to the US news agency The Associated Press. He claimed earlier to ABC that his table did not serve the coffee. He argued that those who developed illness may have drank the poison at a different area bar.
Although little information has been revealed thus far, Australian authorities are pressing Thai authorities for a thorough and impartial investigation into what transpired.
Authorities were gathering information and see accounts following the foreigners ‘ deaths due to suspected” ingestion of contaminated adult beverages,” according to the Chinese state-run media company KPL on Friday. Immediately, an formal declaration was anticipated.
In Laos, counterfeits of well-known alcoholic beverages and dessert souls are a concern. Australian and British people have issued a warning to consumers when drinking alcohol that.
On Friday, the US embassy in Laos issued a warning to its members to stay on the lookout for potential alcohol poison in spirit-based beverages and to check for any evidence of tampering or counterfeiting.
Methanol is a harmful alcohol used in commercial and home items like coolant, photocopier liquid, paint thinner, gloss and windshield wiper fluid.
It can sometimes be used in cheap house drink despite being toxic to people.
BigBang’s Taeyang joins Yuewen Music Festival 2024 in Singapore, will perform on same day as Daesung
The future Singapore Yuewen Music Festival is now even more exciting. BigBang’s renowned K-pop artist Taeyang has been named as the newest artist to attend the event. Taking position at Sentosa’s Siloso Beach on Dec 28, 29, and 31,  , Yuewen Music Festival 2024 may have many K-pop and regional works including , Itzy, Red Velvet’s Irene and Seulgi, and Lala Hsu.
On December 29th, Taeyang and his groupmate Daesung will ignite the step. Does this imply that the stage may house a mini-BigBang collection?
Holly Bowles sixth to die of suspected methanol poisoning in Laos
Beaumaris Football ClubA second American girl has passed away from suspected alcohol poisoning, bringing the total number of international tourists who have passed away in Laos to six.
The home of Holly Bowles, 19, said they were “heartbroken” to confirm her death, more than a month after she fell ill in the tourist town of Vang Vieng.
Her companion Bianca Jones, even 19, and English lawyer Simone White, 28, from south-east London, were confirmed to had died on Thursday.
An unknown US gentleman and two Swedish women, aged 19 and 20, are also among the victims of the suspected poison, believed to be connected to illegal booze.
Holly’s family said in a statement to the media on Friday that she had “brought so much joy and happiness to so many folks” as relaxation.
When she became ill, they continued, claiming that she had been living “her best existence traveling through South East Asia, meeting new people, and having outstanding experiences.”
The horrible crossing of Holly Bowles may be heartbreaking for all Australians, according to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Her family and friends are in my heart of hearts.
Holly and Bianca were taken to hospital on Wednesday, 13 November, after they failed to check out of their dormitory in the tiny, creek town of Vang Vieng, about two hours north of the money Vientiane.
Getty ImagesAccording to reports and testimony from witnesses, the tourists may have ingested alcohol, a fatal substance frequently found in illegal liquor.
The Nana Backpacker Hostel, where the American youngsters were staying, claimed to provide free shots to around 100 guests the night before.
The hostel’s manager told news agency Associated Press that no other guests had become unwell.
The hostel’s supervisor has since been taken into custody for questioning by the police.
Another American woman is reportedly in a hospital after being treated for the event, which is also reported to have resulted in another American woman being treated.
Authorities in both New Zealand and the Netherlands both claimed to be keeping an eye on national-related incidents.
Vang Vieng, is a hotspot for tourists travelling across south-east Asia. It’s house to the Banana Pancake Trail- a famous traveling road extending Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
What ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu does and doesn’t mean – Asia Times
The International Criminal Court ( ICC ) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader, Mohammed Deif. The court claims that since Hamas ‘ October 7 attack on Israel, both sides have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Israel has claimed Deif was killed in an airstrike in July despite the release of a permit for him. Hamas has not, however, confirmed or refuted this assertion. If they were ever to become judged at the ICC, a judgment is probable.
Netanyahu faces serious charges from the judge. The three-judge board universally said that he and Gallant are” co-perpetrators for committing the war murder of hunger as a method of war, and the crimes against humanity of death, persecution, and another cruel works”.
The judges even “found fair grounds for believing that they are criminally responsible” for the war crime of intentionally attacking the population. The International Court of Justice‘s investigation, which determined that it is “plausible” that Israel has committed a crime against the Gaza Genocide Convention, supports the allegations.
If arrested, Netanyahu would go through a trial, and he could therefore be acquitted, or convicted. In the latter event, Netanyahu may join the ranks of officials considered perpetrators of crimes against humanity, such as Charles Taylor of Liberia, Hissène Habré of Chad, Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Augusto Pinochet of Chile, Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia, Radovan Karadžić of Serbia, Idi Amin of Uganda, Pol Pot of Cambodia, Joseph Stalin of the former Soviet Union, Mao Zedong of China, and Adolf Hitler of Germany.
]embedded information]
Subsequent steps
The execution of the arrest permits depends on the actions of ICC member state. And this is by no means a foregone conclusion. Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, has been wanted by , the jury since 2023 , for his role in directing attacks on civilians in Ukraine and the unlawful imprisonment of Russian children.
Putin was recently in Mongolia, a position that is a member of the ICC, after the Mongolian government assured him that he would be healthy. However, he was unable to go to South Africa when the BRICS financial bloc’s leaders, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, convened in Johannesburg in 2023.
This was due to the practice in South Africa of past Syrian leader, Omar Al-Bashir. Bashir, for whom the ICC granted arrest warrants in 2009 and 2010 for supposedly directing a campaign of mass killing, rape and pillage against citizens in Darfur, traveled to South Africa in 2015 to enter an African Union conference. But because he was afraid of being arrested, he had to abandon immediately.
South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal ruled in 2016 that the government’s failing to assault him was unconstitutional. And South Africa was penalized by the ICC for” terrible failure” to arrest Bashir the next year. He was even able to travel freely to other ICC part states, including Chad, Kenya and Jordan.
In a military coup in 2019, Bashir was put in jail. He has been subject to an investigation for his role in the revolt that brought him to strength and has been found guilty of corruption in Sudan.
The ICC, which already has a poor track record of trials, is damaged if offenders are not arrested. For instance, after former president of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagb, was charged next acquitted. However, it also negates a sizable option for major crime victims to obtain justice.
Serious political implications
Netanyahu’s chances of appearing at the Hague are slim. He is the first president of a European nation to be accused of being indicted by the ICC. But the social implications of the arrest warrants for Netanyahu are, at any rate, serious.
Netanyahu was aware that he would be held accountable for his social choices by the ICC, which is why he opposed the ICC’s membership in 2015.
In reality, Netanyahu could gain even more of his own country’s validity than he has now lost with some organizations. Israeli civil society organizations are carefully following the ICC’s activities.
B’Tselem, a Jerusalem-based non-profit firm that documents human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories, has said that the ICC action and ICJ rulings “are a chance for us, Israelis, to understand that … upholding a regime of supremacy, violence and oppression always involves crimes and serious violation of human rights”.
In addition, he will have a limited range of travel options and be viewed as a pariah in many of the 124 ICC says. Most rulers of Western nations, including Germany, would agree on this position. In May, a government spokesman suggested that if permits were issued, Germany would jail Netanyahu.
The EU’s current global human rights restrictions program, which allows targeted sanctions against foreigners who are deemed to be responsible for flagrant human rights violations, is unlikely to be used by the EU.
This is because uniformity across the alliance is required, and some states such as Austria, Czechia, Hungary and Germany may become reluctant to agree to this. Perhaps the French foreign ministry director said:” It’s a place that is officially complex”. There will be pressure on the institutions of all Union nations to operate against Netanyahu because the EU is a strong supporter of the ICC.
Netanyahu is not the only one with regard to this decision’s social relevance. Since October 7, pro-Palestinian protests have occurred at more than 500 US institutions. And the UK has now joined most EU states in supporting Netanyahu’s imprisonment.
Due to its lack of support for international laws, the US is currently largely isolated among the West. On the other hand, the ICC is becoming more and more prominent as it seeks to bring about global justice for patients.
Catherine Gegout is associate professor in foreign relationships, University of Nottingham
The Conversation has republished this essay under a Creative Commons license. Read the original content.
Ex-DBS employee jailed for accessing customer data, passing details to moneylender and bookie
A former DBS contract worker was jailed on Friday ( Nov 22 ) for allegedly unauthorized access to the bank’s customer information.
On five events, Huang Pin Wen, 27, made an illegal lender or bookmakers request to do so. Other times, he did so to” show off” to others that he could get the information, the prosecutor said.
Huang faced 122 fees. He pleaded innocent to 13 crimes, with the remaining taken into consideration for punishment.
Huang’s employment opportunity covered the POSB Everyday credit cards. His responsibilities included checking if customers ‘ spending allowed them to receive subsidies and verifying when DBS buyers purchased the card.
To do this, he was issued a computer and granted entry to DBS ‘ customer relationship management structure, which held user data.
He was educated on the Personal Data Protection Act and the confidentiality of bank customer information, and he was aware of the limitations on accessing or disclosing consumer data for non-work-related purposes.
A buyer who provided screenshots of a conversation with an improper moneylender, Kenneth Tan, was the subject of a court hearing in February 2021.
In the talk dated Dec 7, 2020, Tan claimed it had cost S$ 450 to give a DBS personnel to perform a search on the consumer, who owed Tan income. Huang had allegedly accessed the company’s data that day, according to DBS.
DBS suspended Huang and started examinations, which revealed that Huang had accessed the information of 78 banks customers without power from Apr 7, 2020, to Feb 15, 2021.
When DBS questioned Huang about this, he denied any wrongdoing. In March of that year, the banks reported him to the authorities and fired him from his position.
According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Eunice Chew, Huang began illegally accessing client information on his computer when he began working from home at the” loop breaker” period of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He accessed his son’s friend’s data out of curiosity, and after boasting to his son’s companion that he could.
In order to perform a trick on a friend’s sister and mother, he even accessed their information.
Similar incidents, according to the prosecutor, were “less malignant” than the ones where Huang retrieved information from Tan and a bookmaker who had been a member of their illegal football team.
Through this common companion, Huang and Tan first connected with one another in the months of August and September of this year. At a meeting, Tan complained that he was unable to retrieve money from some consumers.
Huang informed Tan that he was employed by DBS and may assist in the investigation of owed income donors.
Tan contacted Huang via common friend on October 16, 2020, asking for assistance in obtaining a debtor’s tackle and bank account information.
Huang emailed their mutual friend who forwarded the photos to Tan after looking up their client profile on his cellphone.
Tan then gave the woman’s address to debt lovers, who went to the house to demand payment.
Within a month, Tan passed Huang S$ 100 to thank him for the details. For this, Huang was given a S$ 100 charges that he paid after his conviction on Friday.
Huang remained with Tan for three more times in this capacity. Additionally, he assisted their mutual friend, the unlawful bookmakers, in obtaining a bank customer’s account details.
With this knowledge, the bookmakers knew that the buyer had money in his bank accounts, and he asked people to demand payment.
Ms Chew, the counsel, sought a prison term of eight weeks and seven months to 10 weeks and two days for Huang.
She said Huang had abused his status as a DBS staff and was “extremely frequent” in his crimes, which were very difficult to detect.
Mumtaj Banu, the defense attorney, requested the prosecution’s most extreme statement possible.
She said Huang committed the crimes “out of folly” and to please people, and did not use the customer information for individual gain.
Additionally, Ms. Banu claimed that Huang only benefited from the$ 100 that would be exchanged for money.
In imprisonment, District Judge Ow Yong Tuck Leong said that Huang’s steps had damaged Singapore’s status as an internationally respected financial center.
Tan also admitted guilt in 2023 and was imprisoned for three months for gratifying Huang with$ 100.