Separated at Birth, Indonesian-Born Twins Reunited in Sweden

Non-identical twins Emilie Falk and Lin Backman, left, relax at Emilie's home in Helsingborg, southern Sweden on Sunday. Twins born in Indonesia, and put up separately for adoption, have been reunited after finding each other, living just 40 kilometers apart, in southern Sweden. (AFP Photo)

Stockholm. Twins born in Indonesia and put up separately for adoption, have been reunited after finding each other living just 40 kilometers apart, in southern Sweden, three decades later.

Non-identical twins Emilie Falk and Lin Backman — strangers until last year — were separated nearly 29 years ago.

According to a DNA test the pair had done two months after reuniting in January last year, and which they shared with AFP, there is a 99.98 percent chance of them being sisters.

Nearly 1kg of Heroin Found Hidden in Snack Packets in Singapore

Snack packets stuffed with 914g of heroin were discovered in the air filter compartment of the man's motorcycle. (Photo courtesy Straits Times via Central Narcotics Bureau)

Singapore. Narcotics officers seized nearly 1kg of heroin worth about $137,000, hidden in what appeared to be packets of cheese balls, at the Woodlands Checkpoint yesterday afternoon.

A 21-year-old Malaysian man was caught attempting to smuggle the drugs into Singapore by hiding them in his motorcycle.

The man, who is unemployed, was riding into Singapore at about 2:30 p.m. yesterday when narcotics officers decided to search his motorcycle in a routine check.

They discovered snack packets stuffed with 914g of heroin in the air filter compartment of his motorcycle.

The case is currently under investigation. Anyone found guilty of importing more than 15g of heroin could face the death sentence.

Last month, a 34-year-old Malaysian man was arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint for smuggling almost 5kg of heroin hidden in bus seats.

Including this most recent seizure, the Central Narcotics Bureau has seized 11.84kg of heroin worth almost $1.8 million since the beginning of this year.

Aceh Ulema Warns Muslims Against Observing Valentine’s Day

Indonesian students show anti-Valentine's Day placards during a rally in Banda Aceh in February 2011. Muslim leaders in Aceh have told the faithful not to celebrate Valentine's Day because it is not in accordance with Shariah law. (AFP Photo)

Banda Aceh. Ulema in Aceh have warned Muslims, the younger generation in particular, that observing Valentine’s Day is not allowed in Islam and against Shariah law that is in force in all of Aceh province.

“It is haram for Muslims to observe Valentine’s Day because it does not accord with Islamic Shariah” Tgk Feisal, general secretary of the Aceh Ulema Association (HUDA), said on Monday.

Jamil Maidan Flores: Anwar’s Rebound

In October 1998, then-Foreign Minister Ali Alatas of Indonesia made a quick, unpublicized trip to Kuala Lumpur. His mission: to convey to Malaysia’s leaders the deep personal concern of then-Indonesian President Habibie at the beating that former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had suffered in police custody. According to Alatas, Habibie was extremely worried because he knew of the frailty of Anwar’s health. 

A longtime and close friend of Alatas, then-Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, gave him firm assurance that no more physical harm would be inflicted on Anwar. 

Today, Anwar’s health is presumably much improved and his political fortunes are once more on the rise.