Latest news with #ATM
The Star
a day ago
- Politics
- The Star
ATM urges calm and child-centred approach amid allegations involving Kaamilah Paulse
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has called for calm and responsibility in the wake of public allegations against prominent Cape Town attorney Kaamilah Paulse, stressing the need to prioritise the rights and well-being of children entangled in ongoing legal disputes. In a media statement released Tuesday, ATM President Vuyo Zungula said the party was deeply concerned about the emotional and psychological toll the matter may have on the children involved. 'At the heart of this issue are the lives and well-being of children,' Zungula said. 'It is essential that all public discourse and legal processes keep their best interests as the top priority.' The statement comes amid mounting controversy following a ruling by the Legal Practice Council (LPC) Appeals Tribunal, which found prima facie evidence of professional misconduct by Paulse. She stands accused of using legal tactics to alienate a Johannesburg father, Asif Casoojee, from his children. Paulse is currently a senior attorney at Herold Gie Attorneys. Casoojee complained about being denied access to his children over a four-year legal battle with his ex-wife, whom Paulse represents. The Tribunal ruled in March that Paulse had improperly obtained a protection order without ensuring due process and had actively contributed to restricting Casoojee's access to his children, including their school and medical records. The Tribunal labelled her actions as 'parental alienation' and criticised her for failing to adequately respond to serious allegations, including her involvement in a WhatsApp group where confidential financial information about Casoojee was shared. ATM has urged the Legal Practice Council to continue holding legal professionals to the highest standards. 'Our justice system depends on ethical conduct and public trust,' said Zungula. 'The LPC must act with integrity and transparency, especially when the lives of children are impacted.' Retired judge and Legal Services Ombud Siraj Desai also weighed in, saying he would be monitoring the proceedings closely. 'This is a sensitive matter involving allegations of undue influence in family litigation,' Desai said. 'Such complaints are unfortunately common, and we will ensure that this one is handled thoroughly and fairly.' In a response submitted to The Star , Herold Gie Attorneys defended Paulse, saying they 'strongly disagree' with the Tribunal's findings and confirmed she intends to challenge the allegations at the Disciplinary Committee. 'No final determination has been made,' the firm stated. In her own brief comment, Paulse said, 'I have served with integrity for over a decade and stand by my conduct. I trust the process and will fully cooperate.' Meanwhile, fathers' rights groups have rallied behind Casoojee, calling for reform in the family law system and decrying what they say is a systemic bias against paternal rights. ATM concluded its statement with a broader appeal to society: 'Let us not forget that at the centre of this story are children. Their rights, safety, and emotional well-being must be the guiding principle in how we respond as a nation.' The matter is now before the LPC's Disciplinary Committee, and may yet return to the High Court — where the future of one father's relationship with his children, and the ethical standing of a legal professional, hangs in the balance.
IOL News
a day ago
- Politics
- IOL News
ATM urges calm and child-centred approach amid allegations involving Kaamilah Paulse
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has called for calm and responsibility in the wake of public allegations against prominent Cape Town attorney Kaamilah Paulse, stressing the need to prioritise the rights and well-being of children entangled in ongoing legal disputes. In a media statement released Tuesday, ATM President Vuyo Zungula said the party was deeply concerned about the emotional and psychological toll the matter may have on the children involved. 'At the heart of this issue are the lives and well-being of children,' Zungula said. 'It is essential that all public discourse and legal processes keep their best interests as the top priority.' The statement comes amid mounting controversy following a ruling by the Legal Practice Council (LPC) Appeals Tribunal, which found prima facie evidence of professional misconduct by Paulse. She stands accused of using legal tactics to alienate a Johannesburg father, Asif Casoojee, from his children. Paulse is currently a senior attorney at Herold Gie Attorneys. Casoojee complained about being denied access to his children over a four-year legal battle with his ex-wife, whom Paulse represents. The Tribunal ruled in March that Paulse had improperly obtained a protection order without ensuring due process and had actively contributed to restricting Casoojee's access to his children, including their school and medical records. The Tribunal labelled her actions as 'parental alienation' and criticised her for failing to adequately respond to serious allegations, including her involvement in a WhatsApp group where confidential financial information about Casoojee was shared. ATM has urged the Legal Practice Council to continue holding legal professionals to the highest standards. 'Our justice system depends on ethical conduct and public trust,' said Zungula.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
EU explains what comes next for Ukraine as trade liberalisation nears expiry
Transitional measures approved by the European Commission on 22 May will take effect from 6 June 2025 following the end of the autonomous trade measures (ATM), which provide a preferential trade regime for Ukrainian exporters. These measures will grant access to tariff quotas within the existing Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between Ukraine and the EU. Source: European Commission spokesperson Balazs Ujvari, as reported by a correspondent of European Pravda Details: Ujvari said the transitional measures will take effect on 6 June to replace the trade visa-free regime with Ukraine, returning Ukrainian exporters to tariff quotas within the framework of the existing free trade area between Ukraine and the EU. "The Commission is currently working on the review of the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Trade Area (DCFTA), with a view to offering longer-term predictability and stability to EU and Ukrainian operators, including in the perspective of the accession of Ukraine to the EU," he said. Ujvari notes that transitional measures will remain in place until Ukraine and the EU complete negotiations on amendments to the existing DCFTA. The revised agreement will include long-term conditions for Ukrainian exporters to the EU, incorporating elements of trade liberalisation. "In order to avoid a possible cliff-edge scenario on 5 June when the ATMs expire, the Commission has prepared transitional measures that will be in place until the DCFTA review negotiations are finalised. These measures take the form of an Implementing Act, which Member States voted on today [22 May] at a meeting of the Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets," the spokesperson said. This act, the text of which is available to European Pravda, will provide access to tariff quotas for products originating from Ukraine under the current DCFTA. "The volumes of the quotas available until the end of 2025 will amount to 7/12 of the normal yearly volumes, given that they will be open as of 6 June only and therefore be open for 7 months only this year," Ujvari said. "Additionally, the management of certain quotas normally managed with licences will temporarily switch to a lighter management mode ('first come first served') to ensure that imports from Ukraine benefit from the preferential trade regime under the DCFTA as of the first day the ATM ceases to apply (6 June)," he added. In simple terms, Ukrainian products that required export licences to the EU before 2022 are temporarily exempt from this requirement. Quotas will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and will be exhausted as Ukrainian exporters conduct foreign economic operations. Background: European Pravda previously reported that the European Commission adopted a list of transitional measures on Ukrainian exports to the EU on 22 May, which will take effect on 6 June 2025 following the expiry of autonomous trade measures for Ukraine. Back in late April, European Pravda reported that the European Commission did not plan to extend the ATM regime for Ukraine, which remains in effect until 5 June, but would ensure a smooth transition to a new scheme in which all trade liberalisation conditions will be embedded in the EU-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement. The European Parliament voted in favour of introducing a preferential regime for the export of Ukrainian steel and iron from 6 June 2025. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Euronews
2 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
EU countries frustrated by Commission's delay on Ukraine trade deal
With an existing temporary trade agreement between the EU and Ukraine set to expire on 5 June, member states have registered discontent with the European Commission's inconclusive negotiation of a future arrangement with the war-torn state. Tensions surfaced during a closed-door session of the EU's monthly gathering of agriculture ministers in Brussels on Monday, during which member states' representatives expressed frustration with the Commission for its failure to clinch a deal with Ukraine, despite having had ample time to do so, two people familiar with the meeting told Euronews. Several ministers said they were unhappy that a stabler and permanent agreement with Ukraine was not reached, according to one of the people. Others emphasised that finding a long-term solution for trade liberalisation with Ukraine should have been a priority for the Commission, which holds exclusive competence for negotiating trade deals, another person said. Currently, trade between the EU and Ukraine is governed by Autonomous Trade Measures (ATMs), which temporarily suspend all tariffs and quotas on Ukrainian agricultural exports. These measures were introduced in response to Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. However, the ATM scheme is set to expire next week and cannot be renewed again, having already been extended once. With its expiry looming, the Commission has been working unsuccessfully since late 2024 to establish a formal replacement. 'It's no secret that talks between the Commission and Ukraine are underway. Let's say they are still at an initial stage,' Polish agriculture minister, Czesław Siekierski, who currently holds the chairmanship of the EU Agrifish Council, acknowledged during a subsequent press conference. To bridge the gap left by the stalled trade talks, the Commission has prepared transitional arrangements that will apply until a review of the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) is completed and a revised deal is ready. These interim measures were approved last week as a precaution by EU ambassadors. Siekierski noted that the new measures, which replicate the terms of Ukraine's pre-war association agreement with the EU, are 'much less definite' than the ATM scheme regarding limits on Ukrainian agricultural imports. In the meeting, the Commission reiterated its intention to move away from temporary solutions and establish a more stable trading framework. 'Farmers and stakeholders on both sides need predictability to plan ahead,' EU agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen told ministers, according to briefing notes shared by Commission spokespersons. Hansen added that the Commission is in active contact with Ukrainian officials to swiftly reach a balanced agreement that reflects the interests of both sides. Agriculture remains the most sensitive issue. The ATM arrangement has triggered backlash in several EU countries, particularly in France and Poland, where farmers have protested against the surge in Ukrainian imports since trade barriers were lifted. On this point, the Commissioner reassured ministers that the transitional measures do not introduce new quotas or increase allowed import volumes for Ukrainian products. The meeting began with an address from Vitalii Koval, Ukraine's minister of agrarian policy and food, who urged the EU to swiftly agree on a new free trade mechanism and find a balanced solution 'based on numbers', according to an EU source. Koval reminded EU ministers that Ukraine is fighting to uphold European values and highlighted the recent toll of three consecutive nights of Russian attacks, which have severely strained the country's infrastructure. In his presentation, Koval underlined how critical the agricultural sector is to Ukraine. The EU source noted that Ukraine's agriculture is seven times more significant to the economy of Ukraine than any EU country, with one in five Ukrainians employed in the sector. Koval also cited a 20.5% drop in available farmland due to occupation, and referenced World Bank figures showing Ukraine has suffered €83.9 billion in agricultural damages and losses due to the war. While the Commission's current position is to reduce the market access levels previously allowed under the ATMs, Ukraine hopes to retain the same degree of access to the EU market. Koval pointed out that 66% of Ukraine's imports come from the EU and argued that if Ukraine were an EU member state, it would rank ninth in terms of agricultural exports within the bloc. He also said he has been holding talks with EU farmers' associations to address concerns about the high volume of Ukrainian imports, as part of Ukraine's push to secure a future agreement with the Commission. Hundreds of farmers descended on Paris on Monday, bringing their tractors - and their frustration - straight to the gates of the French National Assembly. Their goal was to support a divisive piece of legislation tabled by far-right MP Laurent Duplomb. The Duplomb agricultural bill promises to ease what many in the agricultural field see as suffocating administrative constraints. It would make it easier to obtain construction permits for livestock facilities and water reservoirs, and re-authorise the temporary use of certain pesticides such as acetamiprid; a neonicotinoid insecticide banned in France since 2018. While still allowed in other European Union countries, acetamiprid has raised alarms among environmentalists and beekeepers due to its impact on pollinators and potential health risks for humans. The bill was scheduled for debate, followed by a vote in the lower house of parliament on Monday. But opposition lawmakers, mostly from the green and left-wing parties, submitted around 3,500 amendments in an attempt to delay proceedings. With debate threatened by legislative gridlock, centrist, conservative, and far-right lawmakers passed a motion to dismiss debating the bill in parliament. The proposal now moves to a joint committee of seven senators and seven members of parliament (MPs) - most of them supportive of the farmers' demands. The committee will have to agree on a common version that will then be subjected to a final vote by MPs - this time, without the possibility of any amendments. The move has infuriated the left, which has announced plans to file a no-confidence motion against the government in response. For many of the farmers present at the protest, this bill represents a chance to ease mounting pressures, both economic and regulatory. Clément Patoir, a 19-year-old grain farmer, described how bureaucratic red tape is driving young people away from the craft. "There are fewer young people who want to become farmers nowadays. Many children of farmers have to constantly hear about their parents struggling with regulations. It is a complicated job, you work long hours, and you're not necessarily rewarded." "The majority of French farmers are trying to survive. What we all want is to live and not survive. So, fewer constraints and simplification would be much appreciated," Patoir told Euronews. Another young sugar beet farmer, Pierrick, said that the bill is about maintaining production levels. The acetamiprid pesticide is considered essential by many sugar beet and hazelnut producers. "Today, all the methods of production to produce as much as we can are gradually being taken away from us. In addition, we always have administrative constraints that add to our workload ... But to maintain the levels of production that we have, no, there is no alternative today that works," he explained. Supporters of the bill argue that easing restrictions will be critical to avoiding reliance on imports and keeping France's agricultural sector competitive. But environmentalists and left-wing lawmakers see the bill as dangerous. Among those gathered in Paris to oppose it was Gabriel Bertein, a left-wing mayor, who warned of long-term damage to biodiversity and soil health. "If this kind of bill does pass, this will be a sign we are going backwards. We open the doors to more use of pesticide products that we know are dangerous to life," he told Euronews while being heckled by a group of farmers. He added that state funding should shift toward more sustainable farming practices. "We must stop helping and subsidising a type of intensive agriculture that is not going in the right direction. There is an urgent need to change direction, to focus on these topics." Demonstrations are also planned in Brussels next week, targeting the EU's environmental rules and green policy agenda.
Borneo Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- Borneo Post
Sarawak women to tackle ATM in Selangor rugby tourney semi-final
The trail blazing Sarawak squad. KUCHING (May 27: Sarawak women's rugby team is all set to face ATM in the semi-finals of the Majlis Sukan Negara Selangor-Kesatuan Ragbi Selangor (MSNS-KRS) League at Padang Astaka, Selangor on June 14. The young side under coaches Stephen Patrick and Shahradi Libiki Iskandar Ridhuan will be eager to exact revenge on ATM for the 5-29 defeat in an earlier league match. They reached the last four after a resounding 38-7 victory over KL Tigers RFC for their second win in the league. This is the first women's 15-a-side from the state to play in a league at the national level. They had outplayed Barbarian Warriors 35-5 to record their first win. The third match saw Sarawak losing 0-52 to tournament favourites Cobra Venom. The other semi-final will be between Cobra Venom and KL Tigers RFC. The league matches ended with Cobra Venom topping the table standings with 12 points followed by ATM (nine points), Sarawak (six points), KL Tigers RFC (three points), and Barbarian Warriors which lost all their four matches.
