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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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Farewell Eagles… Hobbit Sculptures Removed from Wellington Airport

A sculpture of an eagle from the Hobbit films, ridden by the wizard Gandalf, hangs over the food court area of Wellington Airport, in Wellington, New Zealand, Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlotte Graham-McLay)
A sculpture of an eagle from the Hobbit films, ridden by the wizard Gandalf, hangs over the food court area of Wellington Airport, in Wellington, New Zealand, Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlotte Graham-McLay)
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Farewell Eagles… Hobbit Sculptures Removed from Wellington Airport

A sculpture of an eagle from the Hobbit films, ridden by the wizard Gandalf, hangs over the food court area of Wellington Airport, in Wellington, New Zealand, Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlotte Graham-McLay)
A sculpture of an eagle from the Hobbit films, ridden by the wizard Gandalf, hangs over the food court area of Wellington Airport, in Wellington, New Zealand, Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlotte Graham-McLay)

For more than a decade, a pair of Hobbit-inspired eagle sculptures have cast a watchful eye over visitors at New Zealand's Wellington Airport.

But the giant birds will be unfastened from the ceiling on Friday to make way for a new mystery exhibit, airport authorities said.

According to BBC, the eagles appear as messengers in JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, which were adapted to film by New Zealand's Sir Peter Jackson.

The spectacular New Zealand landscapes featured in Jackson's films are a consistent draw for tourists, who are greeted at the airport by the eagle sculptures.

“It's not unusual to see airborne departures from Wellington Airport, but in this case, it will be emotional for us, “Wellington Airport chief executive Matt Clarke said in a statement.

The giant eagles will be placed in storage and there have not been long-term plans for them.

Each eagle weighs 1.2 tons with a wingspan of 15 meters. Riding on the back of one of the birds is a sculpture of the wizard, Gandalf.

Made of polystyrene and with an internal steel skeleton, each eagle has hundreds of feathers, the longest one measuring 2.4 meters.

While the iconic eagles will soon be gone, not all is lost for fans of the franchise: Smaug the Magnificent, the dragon in The Hobbit, will continue to be displayed at the check-in area.

The eagles were unveiled in 2013, around the time of the release of The Hobbit trilogy. The giant sculptures were produced by Wētā Workshop, the New Zealand-based company that made costumes and props for The Lord of the Rings franchise.

“We're working with Wētā Workshop on some exciting plans for a unique, locally themed replacement to take their place,” Clarke said. “We'll unveil what's next later this year so keep watching the skies.”