Latest news with #Haya
Business Recorder
23-05-2025
- Business Recorder
‘Safe Children, Safe Punjab': Home Dept launches ‘Good Touch Bad Touch Awareness Campaign'
LAHORE: The Punjab Home Department has launched an awareness campaign for younger children under the vision "Safe Children, Safe Punjab". The Home Department has developed a special animated series to raise awareness about "Good Touch and Bad Touch," and its first episode is released on Thursday. The animated series introduces two lead characters "Haya" and "Bahadur", the young children who will spread awareness and will educate all the children on how to protect themselves from any kind of sexual abuse. Haya and Bahadur will guide children in understanding appropriate and inappropriate physical behavior. A powerful message aimed at empowering children has been promoted as part of the campaign: 'We won't fear those who attempt a bad touch; we'll confront them.' The spokesperson for the Home Department Punjab said that the campaign will play a vital role in protecting children from abuse and sexual exploitation. 'After proper education and awareness, children can recognize inappropriate behavior and report it in time,' the spokesperson added. Punjab Home Secretary Noor ul Amin Mengal directed the Child Protection & Welfare Bureau to actively lead the awareness drive for children protection. The department has previously recommended the inclusion of content on "Good Touch, Bad Touch" in the school curriculum, a move that emphasizes the government's commitment to long term child safety. It stressed the urgent need to educate children about personal safety and called upon parents, teachers and all segments of the society to take part in this critical effort. 'Victims of child sexual abuse often suffer lifelong trauma, making immediate awareness initiatives a necessity,' he added. The campaign also appeals to the public to engage actively and help make children safer while ensuring that perpetrators of abuse are held accountable by the law. Parents and educators are being encouraged to use the materials from the campaign to teach children how to recognize and report abuse, whether it occurs at home or outside. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
22-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Animated series on child protection launched
The Punjab Home Department has initiated a province-wide child protection awareness campaign titled 'Safe Children, Safe Punjab'. As part of the initiative, am animated series focusing on the concept of 'Good Touch and Bad Touch' has been developed, with the first episode released on Thursday. The series features two main characters, Haya and Bahadur — young, relatable protagonists who educate children about identifying and responding to inappropriate physical behaviour. The campaign delivers a message, "We won't fear those who attempt a bad touch; we'll confront them." According to a spokesperson, the campaign is a step in equipping children with the knowledge they need to protect themselves from abuse and sexual exploitation. "Through education and awareness, children will be able to recognise inappropriate conduct and report it in a timely manner." The spokesperson called upon parents, educators and all segments of society to actively support the initiative. "Child victims of sexual abuse often endure trauma for life. Early awareness is not optionalit is essential," the spokesperson added.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Haya banks $65M to scour the ‘dark genome' for new drugs
This story was originally published on BioPharma Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily BioPharma Dive newsletter. Scientists long believed the human genome consisted mostly of useless DNA. These sequences, after all, aren't translated into proteins, making them appear as bits of genetic material with no biological purpose. They were often referred to as 'junk.' Accumulating academic research over the last decade or so has proven otherwise. That 'junk' is transcribed into so-called long non-coding RNAs, which are key cogs of the molecular machinery that switches genes on or off. Mining them for drug targets might yield a way to control those switches and, in the process, help treat an array of diseases. The promise has tantalized venture capitalists for awhile now, leading to the formation of several companies startups — among them Rome Therapeutics and NextRNA Therapeutics — to sift through this 'dark genome' for different types of drugs. While research remains early and hasn't led to an approved medicine, investment has continued, with a fresh financing serving as the latest example. Biotechnology startup Haya Therapeutics disclosed Thursday that it raised $65 million in Series A funding to probe for drug targets in this large portion of the genome. The financing will propel Haya's lead program, for an inherited heart condition called non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, into clinical testing. It will also support earlier programs in development for other conditions, including pulmonary fibrosis and obesity, as well as an expansion of the company's research efforts. Sofinnova Partners and Earlybird Venture Capital led the round, which involved Eli Lilly, Alexandria Venture Investments and eight other investment firms. The funding follows a $25 million seed round raised by the firm in 2021 and an obesity-focused partnership with Lilly last September. Haya is using computing tools to build an internal 'atlas' of the dark genome that can help it identify drug targets as well as 'RNA-guided therapeutics' that can impact them. In a statement, co-founder and CEO Samir Ounzain claimed Haya's treatments should 'reprogram disease-driving cell states into healthy ones.' Haya's first test of that theory is a drug aimed at a long non-coding RNA dubbed 'Wisper' that's overexpressed in certain cardiovascular conditions — among them hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In 2022, Bristol Myers Squibb brought to market the first drug for the 'obstructive' and most common form of this condition, which causes a potentially deadly stiffening of the heart muscles. But the pharmaceutical giant recently failed to prove its drug could effectively treat people with the 'non-obstructive' form, giving others, such as Cytokinetics, Edgewise Therapeutics and Haya a chance to compete. Bristol Myers;, Cytokinetics' and Edgewise's medicines are all designed to make the heart's contractions less forceful. The failure of Bristol Myers' Camzyos, though, raised questions as to whether that approach is helpful in non-obstructive disease. Haya's drug, named HTX-100, works differently, as it's supposed to reduce the dangerous heart tissue thickening by suppressing Wisper. In an email to BioPharma Dive, Ounzain noted how non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is primarily driven by mechanisms, such as progressive buildup of scar tissue, that current therapies 'do not adequately target.' Haya's drug is 'designed specifically to address these underlying drivers,' he wrote, noting Wisper plays a 'central role' in the fibrosis that occurs. A paper outlining the approach was co-authored by Ounzain and published in Science Translational Medicine in 2017, the year Haya was founded, but the company hasn't proven it works in humans yet. Ounzain said Haya's first clinical trial in non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy will start 'in the near future.' Cytokinetics and Edgewise's medicines are in or nearing Phase 3 testing. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Khaleej Times
11-03-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
From boxing rings to golf swings: Nicola Adams has first golf lessons
Nicola Adams, a double Olympic gold medalist and now a resident of Dubai, has officially swung into the world of golf. The former boxing champion recently took her first official shots at Golftec Dubai in City Walk, marking the exciting start of her golfing adventure. Adams is a British former professional boxer who competed from 2017 to 2019. She retired with an undefeated record and held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) female flyweight title in 2019. Embracing her new challenge, Adams said, 'When I commit to something, I really commit, as my boxing career shows. I'm excited to start this golfing journey with Haya.' She is taking a group of 10 lessons in a 'Buddy Golf Programme,' along with Golftec franchise owner for the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Saudi businesswoman, Haya AlSulaiman. The duo is being guided by Diarmaid Fraser, a certified Golftec coach based in Dubai. Haya expressed her excitement about Nicola's participation in the program, telling Khaleej Times, "We are excited to have Nicola at Golftec learning golf. She has had a brilliant sporting career, winning Olympic Gold Medals in the 2012 Games in London and retaining the title in 2016 in Rio. I am sure she will adapt to golf easily, and I'm looking forward to sharing her story and her journey with me. Together, we will learn the game of golf." Diarmaid shared his enthusiasm for the unique coaching model, saying, "I'm excited by this project. 'Buddy coaching' is the way forward for beginners. "Golf is a challenge at all levels and can be intimidating for any newcomer. I am convinced the Golftec model can fast-track the learning process for a determined starter. We all have bad days on the course, but having a 'Buddy' means learners can share both their successes and their setbacks." He continued, "We look forward to sharing the story of Haya and Nicola in the months ahead. Nicola had her assessment lesson last week, and not surprisingly, she showed huge potential. As a top athlete who remains incredibly fit, she is demonstrating the attributes that make her a natural for golf. With her 'Buddy' package, she has 24/7 access to practice in one of our five bay studios at City Walk, including a left-handed bay, perfect for Nicola. I'm confident Nicola will be the best at practice between lessons—that's what she does, and has always done." Nicola herself shared her thoughts on starting this new chapter, saying, "I've tried golf a bit before, including at Topgolf at Emirates Golf Club. I really like the game, and when I commit to something, I really commit, as my boxing career shows. I'm excited to start this golfing journey with Haya. 'It's a strange mix of me as an Olympian from England and Haya as a Saudi businesswoman. We'll start our lessons next week and keep everyone updated on how we're doing. Thanks to Haya, Golftec, and Diarmaid for all their support."
Arab News
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Bands Seera and Garwasha flourish in Saudi Arabia's community-driven music scene
DHAHRAN: Two Saudi bands, Seera and Garwasha, are taking advantage of the flourishing underground music scene in the country by performing at local cultural hubs. While the big hitters such as the MDLBEAST-organized SOUNSTORM in Riyadh and Balad Beast in Jeddah draw the crowds — and international superstars — year on year, it is the beloved meeting spots in the country's urban hubs that have become stages for rising Saudi talents. One of those spots is Khobar's Bohemia Café & Records, where Seera and Garwasha played a packed out gig this past weekend. Long known as a cultural hub for music lovers, the meeting place played host to Seera, an all-women band formed in 2022 in Riyadh, who entertained the crowd with their unique sound. 'A lot of people are intrigued; they want to know what we sound like. They've been so supportive, honestly, especially people in the music scene. We've had a lot of help from people around. And there's the people who criticize, but that's just noise we block out,' Seera's Meesha told Arab News. Members of the band prefer to go by their first name. A post shared by (@seera_music) Merging Arabic melodies and rock, the band navigated complex musical landscapes, evoking a gothic energy that resonated with their listeners. Seera's set featured standout tracks 'Share3 Al Buhturi' and 'Al Fanaa.' Bassist Meesha shared the beginning of Seera's journey as a band, stating, "The singer is my sister, and we've always wanted to start a band together. I would post covers of myself on Instagram, and Haya, the guitarist, found me and said, 'You! I want to start a band with you.' We were all really excited; we wrote ten songs in one night." 'And then our missing link was the drummer, whom we met at a French music night she organized. The rest is history,' she later told Arab News. Following Seera's stirring performance, Garwasha took to the stage to showcase their new album, released in November 2024. This instrumental Alternative Fusion band, also hailing from Riyadh, is known for blending smooth, synthesizer-laden jazz with a robust Arabic flavor. A post shared by GARWASHA (@_garwasha_) Guitarist Mazen Lawand, who studied at Berklee College of Music, sub-keyboard player Fawaz Waleed, sub-bass player Saud Alsheikh, and drummer Hassan Alkhedher delivered a thrilling performance with tracks like 'Consolacao' and 'Batt Habibi.' 'I describe our music as a characterization of our experiences and influences,' Lawand explained. This sentiment was evident throughout their performance as they weaved together a tapestry of sounds that reflected their backgrounds and the rich culture of Saudi Arabia. As the night continued, one thing became clear; support for local musicians is ever-growing.
