Saudi Team Successfully Separates Nigerian Conjoined Twins

Saudi team successfully separates Nigerian conjoined twins. (SPA)
Saudi team successfully separates Nigerian conjoined twins. (SPA)
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Saudi Team Successfully Separates Nigerian Conjoined Twins

Saudi team successfully separates Nigerian conjoined twins. (SPA)
Saudi team successfully separates Nigerian conjoined twins. (SPA)

A medical team at King Abdullah Specialist Children's Hospital has successfully separated Nigerian conjoined twins, Hassana and Hasina, SPA said on Friday.
The separation comes under the directives of 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.
Following their arrival in Riyadh on October 31, 2023, the twins underwent extensive examinations, which revealed they shared areas in the lower abdomen, pelvis, lower spine, and lower spinal nerves.
The complex 16.5-hour surgery, which was carried out Thursday morning by 39 medical professionals, marks the 60th operation performed by the Saudi program for separating conjoined twins.
Over the past 34 years, the program has cared for 135 conjoined twins from 25 countries.
"Such successive medical breakthroughs are a testament to the Kingdom's shining examples of progress and development," said Advisor to the Royal Court, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) and head of the medical team Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah in a statement following the surgery.
He highlighted the Kingdom's commitment to humanitarian and medical excellence, aligning with Vision 2030's healthcare development goals.
The twins' parents expressed their gratitude to the Saudi leadership and medical team for the life-changing surgery and exceptional care.



Many Flights to Indonesia’s Bali Cancelled after Volcano Eruption 

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki spews smoke and volcanic ash as seen from Kawalelo village in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, June 17, 2025. (Reuters) 
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki spews smoke and volcanic ash as seen from Kawalelo village in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, June 17, 2025. (Reuters) 
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Many Flights to Indonesia’s Bali Cancelled after Volcano Eruption 

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki spews smoke and volcanic ash as seen from Kawalelo village in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, June 17, 2025. (Reuters) 
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki spews smoke and volcanic ash as seen from Kawalelo village in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, June 17, 2025. (Reuters) 

Several flights to the Indonesian resort island of Bali were cancelled or delayed and the airport in Maumere in East Nusa Tenggara province was closed due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, officials said on Wednesday.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, which is in East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted on Tuesday, spewing ash 11 km (6.84 miles) high, forcing the country's volcanology agency to raise the alert level to the highest.

It erupted again on Wednesday morning, belching a 1 km (0.62 mile) high ash cloud, the agency said in a statement.

Several international flights from India, Singapore and Australia to Bali were cancelled due to the eruption, the Bali international airport website showed. Singapore Airlines cancelled four flights between Bali's Denpasar airport and Singapore, and its budget subsidiary Scoot cancelled flights to Bali and the neighboring island Lombok, the airlines said.

Qantas' low-cost carrier JetStar cancelled several morning flights to Bali from Australia and expects afternoon flights to be delayed.

"Forecasts show the ash cloud is expected to clear by later tonight," JetStar said in a midday travel bulletin.

The government closed the Fransiskus Xaverius Seda airport in Maumere from Wednesday until Thursday "to ensure the safety of the passengers," said the airport operator AirNav in its Instagram post.

The eruption also forced local authorities to evacuate dozens of residents living in two villages near the volcano, Avi Hallan, an official at the local disaster mitigation agency told Reuters.

"Streets in the two villages were filled with thick ash, gravel, and sand," she said, adding no casualties were reported.

The volcano last erupted in May.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of high seismic activity atop multiple tectonic plates.