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Tanzanian Conjoined Twins Arrive in Riyadh

Conjoined twins Hasan and Hussein arrived in Riyadh from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. SPA
Conjoined twins Hasan and Hussein arrived in Riyadh from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. SPA
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Tanzanian Conjoined Twins Arrive in Riyadh

Conjoined twins Hasan and Hussein arrived in Riyadh from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. SPA
Conjoined twins Hasan and Hussein arrived in Riyadh from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. SPA

Conjoined twins Hasan and Hussein, accompanied by their mother, have arrived at King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on a Medevac plane, upon the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

Upon their arrival at the airport on Wednesday, the twins were immediately transferred to King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital in the Ministry of National Guard for further examination of their case and to explore the possibility of performing a surgical separation.

The Advisor at the Royal Court, General Supervisor of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) and the head of the Medical Team, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah, emphasized that these actions demonstrate the Kingdom's deep sense of humanity and solidarity.

He expressed his gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince for their unwavering support towards Saudi Arabia's Conjoined Twins Program and humanitarian efforts in general.

The mother of the Tanzanian twins extended her heartfelt appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince for their kind gesture, as well as for the warm hospitality and generosity they experienced during their stay in the Kingdom.

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Scientists in Japan Develop Plastic that Dissolves in Seawater within Hours 

A researcher shows a sample of ocean-degradable plastic at the Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) of Japanese research institution Riken in Wako, Saitama Prefecture, Japan May 27, 2025. (Reuters) 
A researcher shows a sample of ocean-degradable plastic at the Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) of Japanese research institution Riken in Wako, Saitama Prefecture, Japan May 27, 2025. (Reuters) 
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Scientists in Japan Develop Plastic that Dissolves in Seawater within Hours 

A researcher shows a sample of ocean-degradable plastic at the Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) of Japanese research institution Riken in Wako, Saitama Prefecture, Japan May 27, 2025. (Reuters) 
A researcher shows a sample of ocean-degradable plastic at the Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) of Japanese research institution Riken in Wako, Saitama Prefecture, Japan May 27, 2025. (Reuters) 

Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife.

While scientists have long experimented with biodegradable plastics, researchers from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo say their new material breaks down much more quickly and leaves no residual trace.

At a lab in Wako city near Tokyo, the team demonstrated a small piece of plastic vanishing in a container of salt water after it was stirred up for about an hour.

While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialization, project lead Takuzo Aida said their research has attracted significant interest, including from those in the packaging sector.

Scientists worldwide are racing to develop innovative solutions to the growing plastic waste crisis, an effort championed by awareness campaigns such as World Environment Day taking place on June 5.

Plastic pollution is set to triple by 2040, the UN Environment Program has predicted, adding 23-37 million metric tons of waste into the world's oceans each year.

"Children cannot choose the planet they will live on. It is our duty as scientists to ensure that we leave them with best possible environment," Aida said.

Aida said the new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics, but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain. As salt is also present in soil, a piece about five centimeters (two inches) in size disintegrates on land after over 200 hours, he added.

The material can be used like regular plastic when coated, and the team are focusing their current research on the best coating methods, Aida said. The plastic is non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not emit carbon dioxide, he added.