Latest news with #ALPA
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
When Shilpa Shetty Kundra opened up about suffering from an autoimmune condition: ‘I had a couple of miscarriages'
Shilpa Shetty Kundra has often been candid about life with her followers and fans. In a similar vein, the actor once opened up about suffering from APLA, or Antiphospholipid Antibodies, a group of antibodies that increase the risk of blood clots, due to which she sustained miscarriages before opting for surrogacy for the birth of her second child in 2020. 'After Viaan, I did want to have another child for the longest time. But I suffered from an autoimmune disease called APLA, and that came into play every time I got pregnant. So I had a couple of miscarriages, so it was a genuine issue,' she told Pinkvilla in 2020. 'I didn't want Viaan to grow up as a single child, because I'm also one of two, and I know how important it is to have a sibling. Coming from that thought, I did explore other ideas as well, but that didn't pan out well. At a time when I wanted to adopt, I had put in my name, and everything was underway. But then, the Christian missionary shut down because they had a tiff with CARA. I waited for nearly four years, and then I was so irritated and we decided to try the surrogacy route,' said Shilpa Shetty. But what exactly is ALPA, and how does it affect a woman's chances of full-term pregnancy? Dr Surabhi Siddhartha, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospital, Kharghar, explained that APLA is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks normal proteins in the blood, leading to abnormal blood clotting. 'This condition becomes especially concerning, mainly during pregnancy, as it can cause clots in the placenta, reducing blood flow to the baby. Unfortunately, this causes repeated miscarriages, stillbirths, or complications like preeclampsia and preterm delivery. Women with APLA often don't realise they have it until they experience recurrent pregnancy losses or unexplained blood clots,' said Dr Surabhi. Dr Rashmi Niphadkar, fertility specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, Baner, Pune, explained that there may be issues with the embryo getting implanted in the uterus, and women with APLA may also have low quantities and quality of eggs. 'In men, the antibodies may have been linked to penile and testicular abnormalities,' said Dr Rashmi. Diagnosis is done through blood tests. 'Early diagnosis of APLA is critical, and this becomes crucial especially when planning for pregnancy. If women are repeatedly having miscarriages, it is ideal to consult a fertility specialist who can further check if any autoimmune disorder test is needed,' said Dr Rashmi. With proper treatment consisting of blood thinners, many women with APLA can conceive successfully and fulfill the dream of motherhood, emphasised Dr Surabhi. 'Moreover, women should keep in mind that it is necessary to inform their doctor about any history of miscarriage, clotting, or autoimmune conditions. Close monitoring and early diagnosis can make a big difference and help with successful conception,' Dr Surabhi noted. Women with APLA should be under the care of a high-risk pregnancy specialist to ensure both mother and baby stay healthy. DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Sharjah 24
21-05-2025
- Science
- Sharjah 24
ALPA reviews academic cooperation with University of Sharjah
The association's delegation was headed by Dr. Aisha Al Ghais, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, and included Dr. Jamal Yousef Al Zarouni, Secretary, and Professor Mohammed Shuaib Al Hammadi, Financial and Administrative Director. They were received from the University of Sharjah by Dr. Maryam Balajid, Head of the Arabic Language and Literature Department, and lecturer Hamda Al Awadhi from the same department. Promoting the use of the Arabic language in academic and community activities The meeting, held Tuesday addressed a number of key topics related to the status of the Arabic language in academic fields. Discussions centred on ways to expand cooperation between the two sides, particularly with regard to initiatives targeting students and researchers, and opening new horizons for promoting the use of the Arabic language in academic and community activities. Enhancing Arabic language in light of rapid digital transformations The possibility of ALPA participating in the "Arabic Language and Artificial Intelligence" conference was also discussed, contributing to its scientific and practical aspects. This would achieve cognitive integration with contemporary developments and enhance the status of the Arabic language in light of rapid digital transformations. The University of Sharjah expressed its keenness to strengthen its relationship with ALPA, welcoming proposals for cooperation and exchange of expertise in areas of common interest. For their part, the Association's representatives affirmed their readiness to study the proposed initiatives and engage with them in a manner consistent with the Association's mission to preserve the Arabic language and enhance its presence in various fields. At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties emphasised the importance of continued institutional communication and coordination, affirming their aspiration to build an effective partnership that will contribute to the advancement of the Arabic language and make it a key element in the knowledge industry and future planning.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I'm a Sunrise Movement Activist. Yes, I'm Proud My Dad's an Airline Pilot
All products featured on Teen Vogue are independently selected by Teen Vogue editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission. Courtesy of Finn Does and ALPA Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take As a kid, airplanes felt magical. Standing at the edge of a runway, the metallic scent of jet fuel in the air, I watched my dad point out aircraft as they roared past. In his crisp pilot's uniform, he seemed like a hero, teaching me the names of different models and filling my imagination with stories of flight. But today, that magic has dimmed. The same metallic scent now reminds me of the fossil fuels stealing my generation's future. Airplanes may be awe-inspiring, but the industry is part of the system driving worsening hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts, and contributing to rising sea levels. My dad's job — a career that has provided for our family for decades — relies on burning fossil fuels. It's a personal tension that mirrors the larger fight between sustaining livelihoods and tackling the climate crisis. As a climate organizer fighting for a Green New Deal, green union jobs, stronger public schools, and worker power, I've learned that this tension isn't a barrier to solutions but a pathway to them. To win climate action, we must topple the fossil fuel industry. But this fight isn't about vilifying workers like my dad. It's about dismantling a system that exploits both labor and the planet for profit. Corporate greed and corruption, not workers, are the common enemy. The global airline industry burns tens of billions of gallons of jet fuel annually, contributing millions of tons of CO2 to the atmosphere. Airline CEOs rake in astronomical salaries while our schools burn and our workers face grueling conditions. In 2023, Delta CEO Ed Bastian earned more than $34.2 million, receiving a massive one-time bonus for shepherding the company through the COVID pandemic. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby made almost $18.6 million while United's workers were on strike. And ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods raked in $36.9 million in 2023; yet in the years since, our taxpayer dollars have gone toward battling the estimated $250 billion-plus in damages and economic losses caused by the recent Los Angeles wildfires and the nearly $80 billion from Hurricane Helene in the Southeast, costly disasters fueled by the very industry he profits from. This is part of a larger pattern: Across the airline and fossil fuel industries CEOs rake in billions while their workers struggle with toxic air, unsafe conditions, and inadequate pay. The same forces driving the climate crisis are exploiting the labor that keeps the world running. This reality is personal for me. My dad has worked in aviation for over 25 years, starting at Continental Airlines in 1999, he told me in a phone conversation. 'For much of that time, I worked under broken labor contracts, earning a shockingly low income despite grueling schedules that kept me away from home for days on end.' It's a story that's all too common in industries tied to fossil fuels. These workers — whether they're flight attendants, mechanics, fuel handlers, or truckers— make our world run, yet they've been left behind by the climate movement. For years, I hid my dad's job in climate organizing spaces, fearing judgment. The reactions are exhausting to deal with. I recall a meeting where someone blamed airline workers for climate change. I bit my tongue, but later, I called my dad. 'Do you ever feel like people blame you for the climate crisis?' I asked. He paused, then told me that most of his colleagues want the same things my peers and I are fighting for — clean air and water, a better world for our children. But in the meantime, he said, we have to pay health insurance, rent, et cetera. His words stuck with me. That disconnect I've lived in my organizing — between workers and the climate movement — is exactly what the fossil fuel industry wants because a fractured movement can't win. To build a better future, we need a united front. The climate movement must center workers and their needs, showing that climate action isn't about job loss; it's about job creation and putting power back into the hands of laborers. This means embracing policies like the Green New Deal. It's about making clear, tangible connections between climate action and economic security. For example, transitioning to renewable energy could create millions of good-paying union jobs in industries like wind and solar, while investments in public transit could provide stable employment for workers currently tied to polluting industries. We've already seen what solidarity can achieve. Airline unions have fought to improve safety standards, secure better contracts, and protect jobs. In August 2024, flight attendants at one major airline voted 99.99% to authorize a strike if leadership wouldn't meet their demands for fair treatment and better pay. Across the country, union petitions rose by 27% in the 2024 fiscal year, with workers in industries from retail to transportation taking bold action. These fights show that workers are waking up to their power. Now, they need allies in the climate movement. As an organizer with the Sunrise Movement, I've seen how powerful these alliances can be. In January, I helped organize a protest outside Chevron's Richmond, California, refinery demanding the corporation help pay for the schools, homes, and businesses lost to the Los Angeles fires. To our surprise, oil and gas truck drivers honked in support as they drove by. Later that day, I called my dad to tell him about it. 'You know,' he said, 'most of us, even those of us in these industries, agree the system needs to change. But it's hard to see a way out when your paycheck depends on it.' His words reminded me that we're not fighting against workers; we're fighting alongside them. The climate movement must actively support labor by showing up for picket lines, advocating for stronger unions, and demanding corporate accountability. This includes lifting up workers across industries, from the Amazon Teamsters to the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) to my dad's union, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). It means listening to their concerns, addressing their fears, and building solutions that prioritize their well-being. Together, we can create a world where every worker has a good-paying job, every family breathes clean air, and no one is left behind. To win this fight, we need everyone — climate organizers, labor unions, and everyday people — standing shoulder to shoulder. We can build a better system, one that supports workers, the planet, and generations to come. Let's get to work. Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more Teen Vogue climate coverage? 17 Young People on the Moment the Climate Crisis Became Real to Them 7 Ways to Manage Climate Anxiety Why Activists Go on Hunger Strikes In California, Incarcerated Teens Help Fight Wildfires
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pilots' union calls WestJet's use of Temporary Foreign Worker program 'problematic'
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) is calling out WestJet Airline Ltd.'s use of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program, and the government's approval of the company's application, to fill vacancies during what the industry says is a pilot labour shortage. Tim Perry, who leads the Canadian arm of the group, said the pilots union is deeply concerned that WestJet is citing an inability to attract Canadian pilots to its airline as the rationale for hiring temporary foreign pilots. 'Their request to hire foreign pilots is problematic and short-sighted and will cause irreparable damage to labour relations,' he said on Friday. The pilots union said WestJet's management team has failed to address the issue of career progression and job security for pilots within the company. It said there are more practical solutions to attracting and retaining skilled professional pilots that do not involve utilizing the program. ALPA, which represents 95 per cent of professional Canadian pilots, reached a collective bargaining agreement with WestJet in May 2023, bumping its pilots' pay by 24 per cent over four years. At the time, several North American airlines were also set for negotiations with pilots amid labour shortages. The group said there should be considerations required when assessing highly skilled, licensed, unionized workers employed under terms set out through collective bargaining. Flair cancels summer Nashville route as state blames trade war Ottawa lays out path for pensions to invest in Canada's airports 'As we have said before, ALPA Canada supports legal immigration, which includes a stable pathway to citizenship, with labour mobility rights. However, we do not support the status of these employees in Canada when it is under the control and subject to the whims of an employer,' Perry said. • Email: dpaglinawan@ Sign in to access your portfolio
