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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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Octogenarian Skateboarder Shreds Concrete in Spain’s Bilbao 

Skateboarder Juanjo Urbizu, 88, rides his skateboard in a bowl at the Etxebarria Skatepark in Bilbao, Spain, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)
Skateboarder Juanjo Urbizu, 88, rides his skateboard in a bowl at the Etxebarria Skatepark in Bilbao, Spain, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)
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Octogenarian Skateboarder Shreds Concrete in Spain’s Bilbao 

Skateboarder Juanjo Urbizu, 88, rides his skateboard in a bowl at the Etxebarria Skatepark in Bilbao, Spain, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)
Skateboarder Juanjo Urbizu, 88, rides his skateboard in a bowl at the Etxebarria Skatepark in Bilbao, Spain, January 31, 2024. (Reuters)

Grinning mischievously, Juanjo Urbizu dons a baseball cap, tucks his T-shirt neatly into his sweatpants and adjusts the velcro straps on his elbow pads before positioning his skateboard on the bowl's edge, ready for the "drop".

Other skaters, dressed in baggy streetwear, crane their necks while the sun casts long shadows over the graffiti-covered concrete.

Urbizu's attempt at a gnarly trick draws stares because the athlete is a sight to behold, wheeling around the unassuming skate park in northern Spain having just turned 88.

For the cheerful octogenarian, each skating session begins by carefully clearing the square bowl of pebbles to guarantee a smooth ride.

"My bones are special," he chuckles in Bilbao's working-class neighborhood of Begona. "Though I touch wood."

In a rapidly ageing country, where more than half the population is over 44, the demographic shift is increasingly becoming a topic of national debate. Economists fret over the welfare state's sustainability when government data shows there are 137 people aged 64 and older for every 100 under 16.

But Spain's generally warm climate is conducive to outdoor activities and studies have proven the importance of physical exercise in bettering the quality of life and reducing the risk of disease for the elderly.

Urbizu took up skateboarding aged 70, partly because it was cheaper than his beloved snow sports. He finds the extreme sport more than just a way to stay fit, also offering an escape from monotony.

"By breaking the routine, you bring something new to everyday life, and that gives you a sense of rest," he argues.

For other people his age considering taking up skateboarding, he advises do it little by little.

"Falls here are truly bad, much worse than in the snow. Anyone who does something like this should wear full protection."