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.



Leslie Strengthens into a Hurricane in the Atlantic but Isn’t Threatening Land

An aerial view of flood damage along the Swannanoa River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on October 4, 2024 in Swannanoa, North Carolina. (Getty Images/AFP)
An aerial view of flood damage along the Swannanoa River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on October 4, 2024 in Swannanoa, North Carolina. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Leslie Strengthens into a Hurricane in the Atlantic but Isn’t Threatening Land

An aerial view of flood damage along the Swannanoa River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on October 4, 2024 in Swannanoa, North Carolina. (Getty Images/AFP)
An aerial view of flood damage along the Swannanoa River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on October 4, 2024 in Swannanoa, North Carolina. (Getty Images/AFP)

Leslie has strengthened into a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean and isn’t threatening land, forecasters said.

The storm was located Saturday about 725 miles (1,170 kilometers) west-southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph). There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Kirk remained a Category 4 major hurricane, and waves from the system were affecting the Leeward Islands, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles, forecasters said. The storm's swells were expected to spread to the East Coast of the United States, the Atlantic Coast of Canada and the Bahamas on Saturday night and Sunday.

Forecasters warned the waves could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Kirk was expected to weaken starting Saturday, the center said.

Though there were no coastal warnings or watches in effect for Kirk, the center said those in the Azores, where swells could hit Monday, should monitor the storm's progress.

Kirk was about 975 miles (1,570 kilometers) east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (209 kph).

The storms churned in the Atlantic as rescuers in the US Southeast searched for people unaccounted for after Hurricane Helene struck last week, leaving behind a trail of death and catastrophic damage.