You are here

  • Home
  • National Day: LuLu sets world record for largest flower pot mosaic

National Day: LuLu sets world record for largest flower pot mosaic

National Day: LuLu sets world record for largest flower pot mosaic
1 / 3
National Day: LuLu sets world record for largest flower pot mosaic
2 / 3
National Day: LuLu sets world record for largest flower pot mosaic
3 / 3
Short Url

https://arab.news/b4b62

Updated 3 min 3 sec ago
Follow

National Day: LuLu sets world record for largest flower pot mosaic

National Day: LuLu sets world record for largest flower pot mosaic
Updated 3 min 3 sec ago
Follow

In a dazzling display of creativity and national pride, LuLu has officially secured the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest flower pot mosaic. This stunning floral masterpiece, spanning 94 square meters, was unveiled in celebration of Saudi Arabia’s 94th National Day, crafted with an incredible 125,000 fresh flowers. This world record event was held under the patronage of Governorate of Jeddah, Amana Jeddah, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and the Lenobadir volunteering initiative, and in partnership with Comfort, a fabric softener brand.

The achievement was recognized during a ceremony held at ROSHN Waterfront Jeddah, where Guinness World Records adjudicator Mbali Masechaba Nkos presented the certificate to LuLu’s western region team. The event was attended by Ahmed Alqarni, director general of the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture — Makkah region. 

“This record-breaking event stands as a testament to LuLu’s commitment to fostering national pride and embodies the spirit of unity of the nation,” said Shehim Mohammed, director of LuLu Saudi.

The floral mosaic, crafted with meticulous attention to detail, showcases the theme “Dream and Achieve,” capturing the aspirations and hopes of the Saudi people. The event gathered numerous attendees who marveled at the display, celebrating national pride. Attendees also got the opportunity to participate in various activities and win exciting prizes, including iPhones, AirPods, televisions, and exclusive annual gym memberships.

LuLu hosted the event in association with ROSHN, and Rotana SN. Rafeek Muhammed Ali, regional director, Lulu — western region, and other senior officials were also in attendance.

Pakistan PM extends condolences to Iran after coal mine blast kills over 30

Pakistan PM extends condolences to Iran after coal mine blast kills over 30
Updated 1 min 38 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan PM extends condolences to Iran after coal mine blast kills over 30

Pakistan PM extends condolences to Iran after coal mine blast kills over 30
  • The explosion injured 16 people, while 17 miners were still missing and their fate remained unknown, Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said
  • Rescue teams were still 400 meters away from the likely location and were expected to reach there by Monday after removing rubble and excess gas
Updated 1 min 38 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday extended his condolences to President Masoud Pezeshkian and the Iranian people after a coal mine blast killed more than 30 people in the country.
The gas explosion in a coal mine in Iran’s South Khorasan province killed at least 31 people and injured 16 others, according to Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni.
Seventeen miners were still missing as rescue teams were still 400 meters away from the likely location and were expected to reach it by Monday after removing rubble and excess gas.
In his message on X, Sharif extended condolences to President Pezeshkian and the Iranian people on the loss of precious lives.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” he said. “Pakistan stands with its Iranian brethren during this time.”
There were 69 workers present in blocks B and C at the time of the explosion at the privately-owned mine operated by the Madanjoo company, state TV reported.
“Seventy-six percent of the country’s coal is provided from this region and around 8 to 10 big companies are working in the region including Madanjoo company,” Ali Akbar Rahimi, governor of the South Khorasan province, told state TV on Sunday.
The mine went through inspections last month and complied with all safety regulations, Labour Minister Ahmad Meydari told state media, denying any case of negligence and adding that such “sudden events also happen in the most advanced mines globally.”
An investigation into the incident has been ordered by the country’s public prosecutor.

Topics: iran coal mine accident

Egypt expresses concern at developments in southern Lebanon

Egypt expresses concern at developments in southern Lebanon
Updated 2 min 5 sec ago
Gobran Mohamed
Follow

Egypt expresses concern at developments in southern Lebanon

Egypt expresses concern at developments in southern Lebanon
  • Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty holds talks with US Special Envoy Amos Hochstein in Washington
Updated 2 min 5 sec ago
Gobran Mohamed

CAIRO: Egypt reiterated its full solidarity with Lebanon at what it called “this critical time” as Israel and Hezbollah exchanged heavy fire on Sunday.

A statement by the Foreign Ministry in Cairo said it was following “with great concern the grave escalation in southern Lebanon, which has witnessed intensive Israeli airstrikes on the region that undermine the unity and sovereignty of Lebanese territory.”

Egypt said it “reiterates its warning that this unjustified Israeli escalation places the region at a dangerous crossroads, which may lead to catastrophic consequences for regional stability and potentially plunge it into a comprehensive regional war from which no country in the region would be immune to its repercussions.”

Cairo “condemns all unilateral actions, targeting of civilians, and violations of international humanitarian law,” the statement added.

It said Egypt “reaffirms the necessity of an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, considering it the primary reason for the tension and escalation in the region.”

The Egyptian statement came as Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met on Friday with US Special Envoy for Lebanon Amos Hochstein in Washington.

Abdelatty emphasized the critical importance of continuing efforts to contain the escalation in southern Lebanon and to avoid slipping into a scenario of widespread regional war.

He highlighted Egypt’s persistent efforts to calm the region, particularly in southern Lebanon, and stressed the priority of achieving a comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza as key to regional de-escalation.

Abdelatty reviewed the extensive communications the Egyptian side undertook with various regional and international parties to halt the escalation.

The minister noted the importance of continuing joint efforts to fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to maintain the security and stability of the Lebanese-Israeli border and to ensure respect for Lebanese sovereignty.

Abdelatty reiterated the warning regarding the grave and rapidly evolving developments occurring in Lebanon over the past few days, indicating that the region was facing a dangerous turning point due to irresponsible unilateral actions.

He cautioned that these actions could lead to consequences that would overshadow the stability of the entire region, and emphasized the importance of international support for the Lebanese government and various state institutions to help Beirut overcome its political and economic crises.

Topics: War on Gaza Israel Palestine Lebanon Egypt Gaza Hamas Hezbollah

Related

Egypt’s foreign minister and UN Gaza aid chief discuss relief measures
Middle-East
Egypt’s foreign minister and UN Gaza aid chief discuss relief measures
Gaza rescuers say Israeli strike on school shelter kills 7
Middle-East
Gaza rescuers say Israeli strike on school shelter kills 7

Pakistani-origin boxer Hamzah Sheeraz wins European middleweight title

Pakistani-origin boxer Hamzah Sheeraz wins European middleweight title
Updated 27 min 42 sec ago
Follow

Pakistani-origin boxer Hamzah Sheeraz wins European middleweight title

Pakistani-origin boxer Hamzah Sheeraz wins European middleweight title
  • Sheeraz floored Tyler Denny with a flash left hook in the opening seconds of the first round before finishing the job with another headshot in the second
  • The 25-year-old made it 15 successive stoppage victories to improve his record to 21-0 (17 knockouts) as one of British boxing’s rising world title contenders
Updated 27 min 42 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Hamzah Sheeraz, a British boxer of Pakistani descent, on Saturday defeated Tyler Denny at Wembley Stadium in London to clinch the European middleweight title, British media reported.
The 25-year-old made it 15 successive stoppage victories to improve his record to 21-0 (17 knockouts) as one of British boxing’s rising world title contenders.
Sheeraz floored Denny with a flash left hook in the opening seconds of the first round before finishing the job with another dazing headshot in the second as the referee brought the contest to a halt, Britain’s Sky Sports broadcaster reported.
“I’m a very humble man, humble in life, but I feel great. Massive thank you to everybody for coming out to support me,” Sheeraz was quoted as saying by the broadcaster.
“I always leave it down to my team. This wasn’t a banana skin for me, they got me in here for a reason and I delivered.”
Denny recovered well after being toppled by Sheeraz’s left hook just seconds into the first round and operated low and worked hard to take the fight on the inside. Sheeraz retained his dominance in the second round, operating on the front foot and offering Denny few if any openings.
Sheeraz caught Denny by a sharp combination that left him on the canvas once more, with referee Mark Bates waving off the contest much to the disappointment of the defending champion.
“I’m tired of calling for world title fights now,” Sheeraz said. “Whoever is put in the ring with me, I’m knocking them out. It means everything and more (to be fighting here).”

Topics: Hamzah Sheeraz

UN adopts pact that aims to save global cooperation at Summit of the Future

UN adopts pact that aims to save global cooperation at Summit of the Future
Updated 29 min 9 sec ago
Reuters
Follow

UN adopts pact that aims to save global cooperation at Summit of the Future

UN adopts pact that aims to save global cooperation at Summit of the Future
  • The agreement came after nine months of negotiations
Updated 29 min 9 sec ago
Reuters

NEW YORK CITY: The United Nations General Assembly adopted a “Pact for the Future” on Sunday, which UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described as a landmark agreement that is a “step-change toward more effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism.”

The pact, which also includes an annex on working toward a responsible and sustainable digital future, was adopted without a vote at the start of a two-day Summit of the Future. The agreement came after some nine months of negotiations.

“We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink,” Guterres told the summit.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT

Guterres long-pushed for the summit and the pact, which covers themes including peace and security, global governance, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations. It lays out some 56 broad actions that countries pledged to achieve.

KEY QUOTES FROM THE PACT FOR THE FUTURE

“We recognize that the multilateral system and its institutions, with the United Nations and its Charter at the center, must be strengthened to keep pace with a changing world. They must be fit for the present and the future – effective and capable, prepared for the future, just, democratic, equitable and representative of today’s world, inclusive, interconnected and financially stable.

“Today, we pledge a new beginning in multilateralism. The actions in this Pact aim to ensure that the United Nations and other key multilateral institutions can deliver a better future for people and planet, enabling us to fulfil our existing commitments while rising to new and emerging challenges and opportunities.”

CONTEXT

Global crises have spotlighted the need for UN reform and overhauling international financial systems. These challenges include ongoing wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan; lagging climate change mitigation efforts; widespread national debt issues; and concerns over technology advancing without governance.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Vershinin criticized the negotiations and adopting the pact.

Russia failed in its bid to include an amendment — backed by North Korea, Syria, Nicaragua, Belarus and Iran — that would have spelled out that “the United Nations and its system shall not intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state.”

Topics: UNGA79 United Nations UNGA

Related

Crown prince’s vision empowers youth, women, UN forum told
Saudi Arabia
Crown prince’s vision empowers youth, women, UN forum told
UN advisory body makes seven recommendations for governing AI
World
UN advisory body makes seven recommendations for governing AI

New Marxist president vows to ‘rewrite Sri Lankan history’

New Marxist president vows to ‘rewrite Sri Lankan history’
Updated 22 September 2024
AFP
Follow

New Marxist president vows to ‘rewrite Sri Lankan history’

New Marxist president vows to ‘rewrite Sri Lankan history’
  • Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, 55, was declared winner of weekend’s poll with nearly 1.3 mln more votes than closest rival
  • The once-fringe leader saw a surge of support as the economic meltdown forced widespread hardships upon Sri Lankans
Updated 22 September 2024
AFP

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Marxist president-elect on Sunday invited his compatriots to help him “rewrite” history in the cash-strapped island nation after winning a vote colored by discontent over an unprecedented financial crisis.
Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, the 55-year-old leader of the People’s Liberation Front, was declared the winner of the weekend’s poll with nearly 1.3 million more votes than his nearest rival.
The once-fringe leader, whose party won less than four percent of the vote in parliamentary elections four years ago, saw a surge of support as the economic meltdown forced widespread hardships upon Sri Lankans.
“The dream we have nurtured for centuries is finally coming true,” he said in a statement shortly after the announcement.
“This victory belongs to all of us,” he added. “Millions of eyes filled with hope and expectation push us forward, and together, we stand ready to rewrite Sri Lankan history.”
Outgoing President Ranil Wickremesinghe — who took office at the peak of the 2022 economic collapse and imposed tough austerity policies per the terms of an IMF bailout — was a distant third in the contest with 17 percent of the vote.
“History will judge my efforts, but I can confidently say that I did my best to stabilize the country during one of its darkest periods,” he said in a statement.
He congratulated Dissanayaka on the win and said he was “confident” the politician would “steer Sri Lanka on a path of continued growth and stability.”
Dissanayaka will be sworn in on Monday morning at the colonial-era President Secretariat in Colombo, election commission officials said.
Economic issues dominated the eight-week campaign, with widespread public anger over the belt-tightening measures imposed by Wickremesinghe since the peak of the island nation’s bruising financial crisis.
Dissanayaka would “not tear up” the IMF deal but would seek to modify it, a party politburo member told AFP.
“It is a binding document, but there is a provision to renegotiate,” said Bimal Ratnayake.
He said Dissanayaka had pledged to reduce income taxes that were doubled by Wickremesinghe and slash sales taxes on food and medicines.
“We think we can get those reductions into the program and continue with the four-year bailout program,” he said.
Dissanayaka’s once-marginal Marxist party led two failed uprisings in the 1970s and 1980s that left more than 80,000 people dead.
But Sri Lanka’s crisis has proven an opportunity for Dissanayaka, who has seen a surge of support based on his pledge to change the island’s “corrupt” political culture.
Around 76 percent of Sri Lanka’s 17.1 million eligible voters cast ballots in Saturday’s poll.
Dissanayaka’s party sought to reassure India that any administration he led would not be caught up in geopolitical rivalry between its northern neighbor and China, the country’s largest lender.
New Delhi has expressed concerns over what it sees as Beijing’s growing influence in Sri Lanka, which sits on vital shipping lanes criss-crossing the Indian Ocean.
“Sri Lankan territory will not be used against any other nation,” Ratnayake told AFP.
“We are fully aware of the geopolitical situation in our region, but we will not participate.”
Wickremesinghe sought re-election to continue the austerity policies that stabilized the economy and ended months of food, fuel and medicine shortages during Sri Lanka’s economic meltdown.
His two years in office restored calm to the streets after civil unrest spurred by the downturn saw thousands storm the compound of his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who then fled the country.
But Wickremesinghe’s tax hikes and other measures imposed under the $2.9 billion IMF rescue package he secured last year left millions struggling to make ends meet.
Official data showed that Sri Lanka’s poverty rate doubled to 25 percent between 2021 and 2022, adding more than 2.5 million people to those already living on less than $3.65 a day.
Thousands of police were deployed to keep watch over voting on Saturday.
A temporary curfew was imposed after polls closed, despite police reporting that there had been no violence during or after balloting.
No victory rallies or celebrations are permitted until a week after the final results are declared.

Topics: Sri Lanka election 2024

Latest updates

Egypt expresses concern at developments in southern Lebanon
Egypt expresses concern at developments in southern Lebanon
UN adopts pact that aims to save global cooperation at Summit of the Future
UN adopts pact that aims to save global cooperation at Summit of the Future
Marxist leader Dissanayake wins Sri Lanka’s presidential election 
Marxist leader Dissanayake wins Sri Lanka’s presidential election 
Egypt’s foreign minister and UN Gaza aid chief discuss relief measures
Egypt’s foreign minister and UN Gaza aid chief discuss relief measures
McLaren’s Lando Norris wins Singapore Grand Prix to narrow F1 title race
McLaren’s Lando Norris wins Singapore Grand Prix to narrow F1 title race

Search form

Print Edition
Read pdf version Subscribe now
© 2024 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.