Filipino Conjoined Twins Arrive in Riyadh for Potential Separation Procedure

The Filipino Siamese twins arrived in Riyadh on Sunday. SPA
The Filipino Siamese twins arrived in Riyadh on Sunday. SPA
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Filipino Conjoined Twins Arrive in Riyadh for Potential Separation Procedure

The Filipino Siamese twins arrived in Riyadh on Sunday. SPA
The Filipino Siamese twins arrived in Riyadh on Sunday. SPA

Filipino Siamese twins Akhizah and Ayeesha Yosoph arrived on Sunday in Riyadh via a Saudi evacuation plan facilitated by the Ministry of Health.

After arriving at King Khalid International Airport along with their parents, the twins were promptly transferred to the King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital (KASCH) under the Ministry of National Guard. At KASCH, a medical team is assessing the twins' condition to determine the feasibility of performing a separation surgery.

This initiative came 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.

The Advisor at the Royal Court, Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), and head of the medical team overseeing the case, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah, expressed his gratitude to the King and the Crown Prince for their unwavering support. He commended their support and care to the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program and humanitarian endeavors at large.

Al Rabeeah highlighted the program's significance on a global scale, serving as a milestone in the field while aligning with the ambitious goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to enhance the Kingdom's healthcare services to a prominent position.

The parents of Akhizah and Ayeesha expressed their heartfelt appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to them since their arrival in the Kingdom.



Tangled Humpback Whale Sparks Rescue Mission off Australia

This handout frame grab taken from video footage provided by whale rescue group Organization for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) on June 9, 2025 shows a distressed humpback whale tangled in a rope swimming south of Sydney Harbor. (Handout and Clay Sweetman / ORRCA / AFP)
This handout frame grab taken from video footage provided by whale rescue group Organization for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) on June 9, 2025 shows a distressed humpback whale tangled in a rope swimming south of Sydney Harbor. (Handout and Clay Sweetman / ORRCA / AFP)
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Tangled Humpback Whale Sparks Rescue Mission off Australia

This handout frame grab taken from video footage provided by whale rescue group Organization for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) on June 9, 2025 shows a distressed humpback whale tangled in a rope swimming south of Sydney Harbor. (Handout and Clay Sweetman / ORRCA / AFP)
This handout frame grab taken from video footage provided by whale rescue group Organization for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) on June 9, 2025 shows a distressed humpback whale tangled in a rope swimming south of Sydney Harbor. (Handout and Clay Sweetman / ORRCA / AFP)

Wildlife rescue teams scoured Australia's east coast on Monday to find and free a distressed humpback whale tangled in a rope.

Aerial footage showed the whale swimming south of Sydney Harbor trailing a rope attached to a floating buoy.

"It makes it more difficult for the whale to dive," said Pip Jacobs from whale rescue group ORRCA.

"It's tiring for the whale, which is already in a state of distress being tangled."

The whale was about eight meters (25 feet) long, Jacobs said, indicating it was still "quite young".

The rope appeared to be tangled around the whale's left pectoral fin, she said.

"The way it is moving is quite erratic," Jacobs told AFP.

"It's moving south which is unusual.

"They should be heading north as part of their migration."

Teams of volunteers and wildlife rescue experts were searching the coastline to pinpoint the whale's location, she said.

But efforts had been hindered by choppy waters and blustery winds.

"If conditions allow and we have eyes on the whale, the best-case scenario is we have a successful disentanglement.

"If they are dragging gear, it hinders their ability to swim freely. The worst-case scenario is the whale can't feed or swim."