Latest news with #MRA
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Worried ISL clubs seek status check and direction from AIFF
FC Goa and Bengaluru FC are among the eight clubs who have signed the letter Panaji: The uncertainty surrounding the start, or even the future, of the Indian Super League (ISL) has prompted eight clubs to collectively write to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) 'with a sense of shared concern and responsibility towards the current status and direction of Indian football. ' This season's edition of ISL was marked to kick off from Sept 14. However, FSDL, the federation's marketing partners and owners of the league, has kept the country's top-tier football league on hold due to lack of clarity over the 15-year Master Rights Agreement (MRA) that ends on Dec 8 later this year. 'In the absence of proper interaction and a lack of taking clubs into confidence, either from the AIFF or its commercial rights holder, clubs now find themselves unable to plan with the level of visibility and certainty that professional football operations require,' the eight clubs wrote in a letter to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey on Tuesday. 'This has impacted not just short-term decisions but is now beginning to affect the structural backbone of our institutions,' they added. The clubs who have called for a "constructive dialogue" with the AIFF president and a meeting at the earliest include Bengaluru FC , Jamshedpur FC , FC Goa , Hyderabad FC, Kerala Blasters FC, NorthEast United FC, Odisha FC and Punjab FC. The three Kolkata giants – Mohun Bagan Super Giant, East Bengal, Mohammedan Sporting – have not signed the letter, while Mumbai City FC and Chennaiyin FC have also stayed away. The eight clubs said activities such as youth development, player recruitment, staffing, budgeting, and grassroots programming, all of which require months of advance planning, have become increasingly difficult to sustain. 'The longer this uncertainty continues, the greater the risk that years of hard-won progress may begin to unravel. 'Worryingly, most clubs have also been forced to paralyse their youth operations due to the current climate; halting scouting, coaching, and academy-related activities. This puts at risk the very developmental structures that have taken years to build and which were intended to serve as a long-term pipeline for Indian football talent.' The clubs have said a constructive dialogue between the AIFF and the participating clubs is critical. 'Our intent is to understand—and to contribute wherever possible to—the process of resolution. As clubs, we remain deeply committed to the growth of the game in India and are prepared to work with the governing body to overcome the current challenges,' the clubs said. Last week, Chaubey assured franchises, players, coaches and other stakeholders that the ISL would take place this season, potentially with a slight delay due to ongoing litigation in the Supreme Court. In April this year, the apex court had verbally asked the AIFF not to take any decision on the renewal of the MRA until the final order.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Centre refutes Congress's allegations on organic cotton in Madhya Pradesh
The Centre on Sunday refuted the Congress's allegations regarding irregularities in organic cotton certification, calling the remarks unfounded and misleading. The commerce ministry said the aspersions cast against the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) were baseless and unwarranted. "Generalised allegations against a robust regulatory system of the country for a particular crop/region/group of operators only serve to undermine the credibility of legitimate regulatory institutions and the broader organic movement in India," the ministry said in a statement. The Congress on Saturday demanded a court-monitored CBI probe into an alleged scam in the sale of normal cotton as organic cotton in Madhya Pradesh. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh alleged that India's image is being hurt globally as the country has lost credibility in the certification of organic products. "It may be mentioned that in a press briefing by an opposition leader yesterday (Saturday), unfounded, unsubstantiated and misleading aspersions are being cast against the Organic Certification programme, the NPOP," it said. The ministry's arm Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), it said, is committed to ensuring that the organic certification system under the NPOP is credible, transparent, and clear. "Wherever credible evidence of non compliances/wilful violation of organic standards have been brought to light, APEDA had undertaken extensive investigation and taken concrete measures. All such matters are subjected to structured investigation following principles of natural justice. Any certification body or operator found violating norms is penalised as per NPOP regulation," the ministry said. The NPOP was launched in 2001 by the ministry to promote exports of organic products and APEDA acts as its secretariat for the implementation. The system of grower group certification was launched in 2005, as it was felt necessary to cater to small and marginal farmers. Third party certification is a mandatory requirement for export of organic products. The NPOP standards for crop production have been recognised by the European Commission and Switzerland as equivalent to their country's standards and are also accepted by Great Britain. There is an MRA for organic products with Taiwan. At present, there are 37 active certification bodies operating in India, which include 14 state certification bodies. "Herein, it is clarified that APEDA or the Department of Commerce does not extend any subsidy to farmers taking up organic cultivation under the NPOP. The figure of Rs 50,000 per hectare and the further wrongly imputed calculations have no basis," it said.
News18
3 days ago
- Business
- News18
Centre refutes Congresss allegations on organic cotton in MP
Agency: New Delhi, July 27 (PTI) The Centre on Sunday refuted the Congress's allegations regarding irregularities in organic cotton certification, calling the remarks unfounded and misleading. The commerce ministry said the aspersions cast against the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) were baseless and unwarranted. 'Generalised allegations against a robust regulatory system of the country for a particular crop/region/group of operators only serve to undermine the credibility of legitimate regulatory institutions and the broader organic movement in India," the ministry said in a statement. The Congress on Saturday demanded a court-monitored CBI probe into an alleged scam in the sale of normal cotton as organic cotton in Madhya Pradesh. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh alleged that India's image is being hurt globally as the country has lost credibility in the certification of organic products. 'It may be mentioned that in a press briefing by an opposition leader yesterday (Saturday), unfounded, unsubstantiated and misleading aspersions are being cast against the Organic Certification programme, the NPOP," it said. The ministry's arm Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), it said, is committed to ensuring that the organic certification system under the NPOP is credible, transparent, and clear. 'Wherever credible evidence of non compliances/wilful violation of organic standards have been brought to light, APEDA had undertaken extensive investigation and taken concrete measures. All such matters are subjected to structured investigation following principles of natural justice. Any certification body or operator found violating norms is penalised as per NPOP regulation," the ministry said. The NPOP was launched in 2001 by the ministry to promote exports of organic products and APEDA acts as its secretariat for the implementation. The system of grower group certification was launched in 2005, as it was felt necessary to cater to small and marginal farmers. Third party certification is a mandatory requirement for export of organic products. The NPOP standards for crop production have been recognised by the European Commission and Switzerland as equivalent to their country's standards and are also accepted by Great Britain. There is an MRA for organic products with Taiwan. At present, there are 37 active certification bodies operating in India, which include 14 state certification bodies. 'Herein, it is clarified that APEDA or the Department of Commerce does not extend any subsidy to farmers taking up organic cultivation under the NPOP. The figure of Rs 50,000 per hectare and the further wrongly imputed calculations have no basis," it said. PTI RR TRB view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 17:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
A Miss Universe who thought it was just a mole, a college cheerleader who loved to tan: 4 women on having melanoma
'I could have detected it earlier — I just wasn't paying attention.' Former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres knew she had a mole on the back of her leg for years, but didn't think much about it. 'I remember people talking to me about it,' she says. 'But because it was on the back of my leg, I would forget.' The Married to Me author finally decided to take action in 2019, when she spotted the mole and realized that it was bigger than ever. Although she was traveling at the time, she was concerned enough to make an appointment to see a doctor in Miami before heading back to her home in Los Angeles. Torres says her doctor was pretty sure it was skin cancer, but when the biopsy confirmed that she had stage 3 melanoma, she was shocked. 'I have two kids, and I was a single mom. It was tough,' Torres tells Yahoo. She had surgery on her leg to remove the mole, along with surrounding areas of skin, which left her with 77 stitches. She started radiation treatment and immunotherapy every 21 days for a year after that. Before her skin cancer diagnosis, Torrres says she didn't know anything about melanoma. After her experience, she decided to speak out about it, regularly sharing updates on her journey on social media. 'I wanted people to know and to understand,' she says. 'Each treatment, I would post a video just to keep people aware of what they should be looking for.' Torres participated in the Melanoma Research Foundation's 'Get Naked' campaign to encourage people to get their moles checked too. 'So many Latinos started doing appointments at their dermatologist because of me speaking out about it,' she says. 'It made me feel good.' The 50-year-old is now diligent about putting on sunscreen before leaving the house, especially on her arms and face. She's also partnered with Coolibar, a brand that makes sun-protective shirts. 'Back in 2019, during my treatment, I was always wearing Coolibar,' she says. Torres says she makes a point to wear a hat and sunglasses while outdoors, and makes sure that 'every product I put on my face has SPF too.' Torres urges other people to see a health care provider if they spot a suspicious spot. 'I could have detected it earlier — I just wasn't paying attention,' she says. 'You should pay attention to your skin. The earlier you detect it, the better the results.' Melanoma can be fatal Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer, but it's highly treatable if it's caught early. According to the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), about 90% of melanomas are caused by exposure to UV (ultraviolet light). Getting five or more blistering sunburns between 15-20 years old can also raise your risk of getting melanoma by 80%, according to the MRA. There's also a genetic component. For some people, melanoma runs in their family, or they have certain traits, like fair skin and red hair, that raise the risk of getting this type of cancer. Also worth noting: Melanoma can crop up anywhere on the body, including the eyes, scalp, nails, mouth and feet, according to the Melanoma Research Foundation. If you've had melanoma once, you're also at a higher risk of having it again, with research suggesting an up to 10% chance of a second melanoma, Dr. Hooman Khorasani, a dermatologic and cosmetic surgeon in private practice in New York City, tells Yahoo. 'This risk underscores the importance of regular full-body skin exams and lifelong skin surveillance,' he says. It's also why Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, always tells his patients to be 'sun smart' by wearing sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily, along with a hat and sunglasses. 'You don't have to be a vampire, but you shouldn't be tanning intentionally,' he tells Yahoo. People who have had melanoma, like Torres, tell Yahoo that they're now conscientious about doing what they can to lower their risk of having cancer again — and they want to help others avoid going through the same thing. 'I had no education or experience with melanoma' As a college cheerleader whose team was sponsored by a tanning salon, Kelly McWhinney tanned regularly in her late teens and early 20s. Like Torres, McWhinney didn't know what melanoma was or that tanning was a risk factor for developing the cancer. She was diagnosed with melanoma for the first time in 2022, followed by a metastatic form of melanoma in 2023. 'The first sign I noticed was a mole on my body that started getting bigger,' she tells Yahoo. 'When I had my recurrence, I noticed a sharp pain in my left breast that was caused by the enlarged lymph node in my armpit.' McWhinney says she was shocked by her original diagnosis. 'I had no education or experience with melanoma and felt like I was left with no knowledge other than what the doctors told me, which at the time was very little,' she says. 'I reacted quickly by finding the best specialist in my area.' She originally had the mole surgically removed, but a year later started having persistent chest pain. The melanoma had spread to her lymph nodes, creating a lymph node 17 times the normal size. McWhinney had it removed and started 26 rounds of immunotherapy treatment, but she had a severe reaction that changed her health. 'The treatment triggered extremely rare autoimmune complications, causing my immune system to attack my organs and resulting in medically induced hypothyroidism and type 1 diabetes,' she says. 'The cascade of treatment-related complications continued even after completing immunotherapy in July 2024, requiring removal of my gallbladder and tonsils, causing heavy menstrual bleeding and ovarian cysts and ultimately forcing me to have tubal ligation, ending my hopes for having more children.' Now she uses sunscreen daily, rotating between Melan, Daily Shade, Sun Bum and Blue Lizard. McWhinney also wears sun-protective clothes by Watskin and Lands' End. 'I always aim for shade when outside,' she says. McWhinney has partnered with the Melanoma Research Alliance to spread awareness of the disease and urges other people to think of getting skin checks as a vital part of their health care. 'It is a necessity. It is equally as important as a Pap or a mammogram,' she says. 'I would also love for others to understand that melanoma will never 'just' be skin cancer. It is a cancer that is quick, sneaky and shows up everywhere, including large organs. Melanoma can change your life in every single way.' 'I started having difficulty breathing' It was Mother's Day when Juanita Taylor felt like something was wrong. 'I was sitting on the sofa and I started having difficulty breathing,' she tells Yahoo. Taylor has a history of heart issues, so she called 911. 'I went to the ER, and they couldn't find anything happening with my heart,' she says. But doctors also did a chest X-ray and discovered that there was a small shadow on the back of her chest. 'Eventually, they saw there was a mass,' she says. A biopsy revealed that she had melanoma. 'I had no outward signs. It's not normal, especially for a person of color,' Taylor says. 'The only thing I'd had previously was a cough.' (While it's not common, melanomas do start in the lungs on rare occasions.) Taylor, who was 61 at the time, had surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center to remove the mass, along with a portion of her lung. 'That was the only treatment I had,' she says. Even though her melanoma was internal, Taylor says she's had friends who have had melanomas on their skin. She's now diligent about sun protection as a result. 'I try not to go out at midday,' she says. 'I have a big sun hat that I wear, even in the wintertime. It covers the upper part of my body.' Taylor also makes a point to use a body lotion with SPF that's certified by the Skin Cancer Foundation. 'Know your own body,' Taylor says. 'When I had shortness of breath, I knew the body was telling me that something was amiss.' 'I've had melanoma four times' Nancy Stokes was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2008. She's had three more since then. Stokes tells Yahoo that she was warned she might develop melanoma after a dermatologist spotted and removed a precancerous lesion from her chest when she was in her 20s. 'I started having annual skin checks after that,' she says. While Stokes says her dermatologist has caught most of her melanomas, she spotted one on her ankle that her doctor initially cleared. 'I actually caught that one,' she says. Stokes says she's grateful that her regular skin checks have identified these cancers early. 'The worst one I had was very early stage, but on my temple. They were worried it was going to damage my temporal nerve and the whole side of my face,' she says, noting that she went to see specialists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for surgery. 'Luckily, somehow it didn't,' she added. Stokes says she's now strict about protecting her skin from the sun. 'For my daily routine, I use Elizabeth Arden Prevage face cream — that has sunscreen in it,' she says. Stokes also uses a tinted moisturizer with SPF. 'For my body, I just cover up,' she says. 'If I'm going to be in the sun, I wear a hat with an SPF liner.' Stokes also wears bathing suits with UPF sleeves (brands like Outdoor Research and Coolibar also make UPF sleeves you can wear with any outfit). And when she's at the beach, Stokes says her husband will set up an umbrella before she gets there to make sure she's in the shade as much as possible. Stokes is also diligent about seeing a dermatologist. 'Getting your skin checked is the name of the game,' she says.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
ISL to go on this season, assures AIFF chief Chaubey; says national head coach appointment in 10 days
All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey on Thursday assured that the Indian Super League (ISL), which has been put on hold for the time being, will be held this season, though he did not specify on a start date of the top-tier domestic competition. He also said that a new head coach of the Indian men's senior football team will be appointed within the next 10 days after the technical committee sent three shortlisted candidates to the AIFF executive committee on Wednesday to pick from. "As AIFF president, I assure you that the league will take place. But time is of the essence, there is an international calendar, FIFA windows, home and away matches, so time is a factor," Chaubey told PTI at the sidelines of a press conference hosted by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). "If the league doesn't take place, it is not only footballers but the people who are associated with football will be affected. It's thousands of people who will be affected. So, we will put our best effort to ensure that the league happens," said Chaubey who is also a joint secretary of the IOA. MRA issues On July 11, ISL organisers FSDL announced that it has put the 2025-26 season "on hold" due to the uncertainty surrounding the renewal of Master Rights Agreement (MRA) signed with the AIFF in 2010. ISL normally runs from September to April, and the current MRA between Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which organises the event, and the AIFF is scheduled to expire on December 8, 2025, by which time the ISL would be into its third month. Following a directive from the Supreme Court, the AIFF has been asked not to negotiate new terms of the MRA with (FSDL), the apex governing body's commercial partner running the ISL, until a final judgment is delivered in the AIFF draft constitution case. The Supreme Court may pronounce its judgment soon. "I am not saying it (ISL) will be delayed, we don't know when the decision is coming. And so as and when it comes, definitely the AIFF will take a call, sit with all the stakeholders and ensure that how smoothly these tournaments, including ISL, can be conducted." Head coach to be announced soon On the appointment of the national team head coach to succeed Manolo Marquez who mutually parted ways with the AIFF earlier this month, Chaubey said, "I think 10 days from now, if all goes smoothly. "We will hold executive committee meeting and thereafter the name of the head coach will be announced," he said. The experienced Anglo-Cypriot Stephen Constantine, Stefan Tarkovic of Slovakia and home-bred Khalid Jamil were among three candidates shortlisted on Wednesday by the technical committee of the AIFF. Out of the three, Jamil appeared to be the frontrunner to get the job. The AIFF had invited applications for the top job on July 4 with July 13 as the deadline. It received 170 applications, which included big names like former Liverpool stars Robbie Fowler and Harry Kewell.
