Mosque Named after King Salman to Be Built at Int’l Islamic University in Pakistan

A mosque named after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques will be built at the International Islamic University in Islamabad. (SPA)
A mosque named after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques will be built at the International Islamic University in Islamabad. (SPA)
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Mosque Named after King Salman to Be Built at Int’l Islamic University in Pakistan

A mosque named after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques will be built at the International Islamic University in Islamabad. (SPA)
A mosque named after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques will be built at the International Islamic University in Islamabad. (SPA)

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz approved on Friday the building of a mosque after his name at the International Islamic University in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Mosque will be located at the new university city.

At a cost of 32 million dollars and covering an area of 41,200 square meters, the mosque will include a prayer hall for men accommodating 4,000 worshipers, and another for women accommodating 2,000 worshipers, in addition to outdoor yards that can accommodate 6,000 people.

The project also includes a museum on Islamic history and a library named after King Salman.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will have a conference hall and an administrative area named after him.



Labubu Toy Sculpture Sold for $150,000 at China Auction

A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
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Labubu Toy Sculpture Sold for $150,000 at China Auction

A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

A Beijing auction house has sold a four-foot-tall sculpture of a viral plush toy character for more than $150,000, as global demand for the Chinese-designed Labubu dolls reaches fever pitch.

The rabbit-like figures sporting mischievous grins began as a character created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, and are made by Beijing-based toy brand Pop Mart.

They have been endorsed by celebrities such as Rihanna and Dua Lipa, and fans have queued overnight outside stores hoping to snag one, with analysts pointing to the phenomenon as evidence of China's growing soft power, AFP reported.

On Tuesday, a teal sculpture depicting a Labubu character with a furry body and head fetched an eye-watering 1.08 million yuan ($150,260) at an auction held in Beijing, according to the auction house's app.

The sculpture is "the only piece of its kind in the world", according to Yongle International Auction.

It was offered alongside other Labubu paraphernalia including a brown statue that sold for 820,000 yuan.

Pop Mart has over 400 stores globally, including 30 US branches.

The worldwide frenzy has seen people go to desperate lengths to acquire their own Labubu.

Last month a London branch of Pop Mart suspended in-store sales of the toys, fearing violence from would-be buyers who failed to get their hands on the limited-edition Labubus.

In Singapore, CCTV footage captured a family stealing Labubu dolls from a claw machine, according to Singaporean online media outlet AsiaOne.

Burglars broke into a store in California last week and took several Labubu dolls along with electronics and other valuables, American news outlet ABC reported.

In China, the toys have been promised as freebies for new bank customers -- an incentive quickly shut down by local regulators, according to Chinese media reports.

The toys have spawned a booming resale market as well as an online community of fans sharing tips on how to customize their dolls.

Knockoffs -- many of which are also made in China -- have flooded online platforms, dubbed "Lafufus" by social media users.