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Riyadh Metro Opens Its Doors to the Public Sunday

This comes following the inauguration by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on November 27, 2024 - SPA
This comes following the inauguration by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on November 27, 2024 - SPA
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Riyadh Metro Opens Its Doors to the Public Sunday

This comes following the inauguration by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on November 27, 2024 - SPA
This comes following the inauguration by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on November 27, 2024 - SPA

Riyadh Metro, operated by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), opened its doors to passengers on Sunday.
The metro is now serving commuters on three of its six lines: the Blue Line (Al-Olaya-Al Batha), the Yellow Line (King Khalid International Airport Road), and the Purple Line (Abdulrahman bin Aauf Street–Sheikh Hassan bin Hussain bin Ali Road).
The remaining three lines will follow a sequential operation plan. The Red Line (King Abdullah Road) and the Green Line (King Abdulaziz Road) will start on December 15, 2024, while the Orange Line (Madinah Road) will start being operational on January 5, 2025.
According to SPA, stations on the Blue Line, Al-Olaya-Al Batha, will open to passengers before the end of 2024.

These stations include Ministry of Interior, Qasr Al-Hukm, Sulaiman Al Habib, Al Murooj, Murabba, Wurud 2, Bank Albilad, King Fahd District, King Fahd Library, National Museum, Al Batha, and Al-Aziziyah.
An Naseem Station on the Purple Line, along Abdulrahman bin Aauf Street–Sheikh Hassan bin Hussain bin Ali Road will open during the same timeframe.
Passengers can specify their destinations and buy tickets using the "darb" mobile app or directly from vending machines at the stations.

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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
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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.