Riyadh: Alif International School in Riyadh has achieved a remarkable milestone by officially entering the Guinness World Records.

The school successfully organized the largest creative writing event, an initiative titled 'Book Bloom 500,' which featured an astonishing unveiling of 506 student-authored books on a single stage.

The record was formally confirmed by a Guinness World Records official present at the venue, who presented the certificate to the school. The initiative saw participation from students of Grades 1 to 10, resulting in published works across ten literary genres and written in multiple languages including English, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, Kannada and Tamil.

Ustadz Khalid Al Maeena, a prominent media analyst and former Arab News Chief Editor, inaugurated the program and lauded the school’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of literary talent.

The event, which was attended by leaders from various community, education and business sectors, highlighted the school’s commitment to innovative education.

Usthad Ali Abdurahman, Chairman of the Alif Group of Schools, Luqman Ahmed, CEO of Alif Group of Schools, and Principal Mohammed Musthafa addressed the gathering, expressing pride in introducing hundreds of young authors to society and setting a new benchmark in creative education. Abdul Nasser Haji (Stronglite), Director, Alif Group of Schools, and Mohammed Ahmed, Director, Alif Global School, were also present. 

Principal Mohammed Musthafa highlighted the school’s ‘Read and Rejoice’ programme, a flagship initiative under the motto ‘a school with a smile’, aimed at making education a joyful experience. CEO Luqman Ahmed noted that the programme encourages students to treat books as companions that sharpen thinking, enrich language, calm the mind and strengthen emotional intelligence.

School Administrator Ali Bukhari, Headmaster Noushad Nalakath and Coordinator Sundus Sabir Chaudhry were among the key officials who ensured the smooth conduct of the event.













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Jammu (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said India can play a meaningful role in de-escalation in West Asia, given Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong relations with the warring countries and their neighbours.

He said Pakistan was leveraging ties with Iran and the United States, and that any effort towards ending the war should be welcomed.

"As I said in the House (Assembly), we would like the war to end as soon as possible. The role that the prime minister can play may not be possible for anyone else because of his good relations with all these countries," Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

He, however, said any escalation would not be easy to manage.

"Any such move by US President Donald Trump, despite the long history of Iran resisting external domination, would not be easy," the chief minister said.

Asked about Pakistan mediating in the war, he said, "I will simply say that if any country can play a role in preventing this war, no one should have any objection to it."

He added, "I will repeat what I said … our prime minister has good and close relations with all countries — whether it is Israel, the United States, Iran, or the countries around Iran. If those relationships can be used to make some progress and help ease the situation, it would be a good thing."

Abdullah said attacks by terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in India, as suggested by a report from the United States, are not unlikely.

Meanwhile, he asserted that any efforts to end the war, be it from Pakistan, must not be resisted.

"Pakistan is using its good relations with Iran and the United States to its advantage, and it has done so. How can we object to that? If that angle helps in stopping the war, would you want them not to act and let the war continue? We want the war to stop. If any country can play a role in that, it should. And if we can play an even better role, then we should do so," he said.

On unemployment in J-K, the chief minister said the issue cannot be resolved overnight, and government jobs alone are not the solution.

He stressed the need to explore alternative avenues, highlighting the importance of Mission Yuva in promoting entrepreneurship.

"Mission Yuva provides not just funding but also support in preparing DPRs and post-startup assistance, such as marketing. In just nine months, distributing Rs 1,000 crore and approving numerous schemes is a significant achievement," he said.

Abdullah credited the coordination between the government and Jammu and Kashmir Bank for the scheme's progress.