Banda Aceh, Aceh - Thai Army Chief General Apirat Kongsompong is visiting Aceh Province to learn how it handled conflicts. Kongsompong arrived in Aceh at 11.40 a.m. local time Tuesday. He was greeted by Indonesian Army Chief of Staff General Andika Perkasa, Chief of the Iskandar Muda Regional Military Command Major General Teguh Indratmoko, upon arrival.

Geographically, Aceh is an Indonesian province closest to Thailand. Apirat visited the westernmost Indonesian province to see for himself all the dynamics in the province. Perkasa said.

"General Apirat came to Aceh to see for himself what it has achieved. They (Apirat and entourage) will also meet with the Aceh Wali Nanggroe traditional leader to share (knowledge) that may be useful for Thailand," Perkasa said at the Iskandar Muda Regional Military Command Headquarters in Banda Aceh, capital of Aceh province.

Aceh suffered a protracted conflict between the separatist movement and the Indonesian government for nearly three decades before both sides signed a peace agreement in Helsinki, Finland, on August 15, 2005.

Aceh is a peaceful city after it suffered a protracted conflict and bore the brunt of December 26, 2004 powerful earthquake and the subsequent tsunami, Apirat said.

Aceh continued to rise in the wake of the armed conflict and tsunami by improving infrastructures and promoting civilization within its tranquil society and mutual understanding, he said. "What has brought about this peace? This is not about religion, nor what you are understanding. We must understand it," he said.

Thailand has three conflicting provinces in its southern part. They have many things in common with Aceh, including religion and culture. Aceh has the freedom to lead a peaceful life under the Indonesian constitution.

"But I don't know why conflict is still going on in the three provinces involving several community groups that have the freedom to adhere to religious faith and the right to vote. They can choose their leaders because they are Thai nationals under our constitution," he said. (ANTARA)

A volcano in the Philippines has begun spewing lava, as authorities warn that a "hazardous eruption" is possible "within hours or days".

In the early hours of Monday, a weak flow of lava began seeping out of Taal volcano - located some 70km (45 miles) south of the capital Manila.

Taal had earlier emitted a huge plume of ash, triggering the mass evacuation of 8,000 people from the area.

Taal is the Philippines' second most active volcano.

Situated on an island in the middle of a lake, it is one of the world's smallest volcanoes and has recorded at least 34 eruptions in the past 450 years.

Authorities in the surrounding province, Batangas, have declared a "state of calamity", signifying major disruption.

On Sunday, the volcano emitted a giant plume of ash, with rumbling sounds and tremors also reported.

A total of 75 earthquakes have occurred in the Taal region, with 32 of these earthquakes ranking 2 and higher on the earthquake intensity scale, said Phivolcs.

"Taal volcano entered a period of intense unrest... that progressed into magmatic eruption at 02:49 to 04:28... this is characterised by weak lava fountaining accompanied by thunder and flashes of lightning," the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in a statement. (BBC)

The 61st Hong Kong Open concluded on Sunday, following four days of rigorous competition at the pristine Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling. Running from 9 to 12 January 2020, the international event drew 120 world-class players from 23 countries – traversing Europe, North America, South America, Southeast Asia, North Asia, Australia, and more – to battle for the coveted title, as well as Official Golf World Ranking points and a share of the US$1 million prize purse.

At Sunday’s final, Wade Ormsby from Australia clinched the championship title for the second time, marking the conclusion of this year’s Open, which is one of the region’s most prestigious golf titles and Hong Kong’s longest-standing professional sporting event. Ormsby overcame formidable competition to win the crown. Hailing from all over the world, his rivals included major champion Shane Lowry from Ireland, American power-driver Tony Finau, and SMBC Singapore Open winner Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand, alongside former Hong Kong Open champions, Sam Brazel (2016) and Scott Hend (2014), as well as cohort of players from Asia, including the Philippines’ Angelo Que, India’s C.S.P. Chawrasia, Korea’s Hosung Choi, and Japan’s Shinichi Mizuno.

“We are pleased with our decision to proceed with the 61st edition of Hong Kong Open,” said William Doo, Jr., Captain of Hong Kong Golf Club. “The success of this event underlines our commitment and that of the Hong Kong Golf Association to the ongoing development of the game locally and internationally. The atmosphere created by the fans and players from around the world made this tournament one of the most exciting on the international golfing calendar. We look forward to seeing everyone at our next tournament in Hong Kong!”

“We’d like to extend our warmest congratulations to Ormsby and the many other competitors who poured their hearts onto the greens. It’s also my privilege to thank the Hong Kong Golf Club and the Hong Kong Golf Association for hosting this exceptional international tournament, which is a curtain raiser for the Asian Golf Tour,” said Dr Y. K. Pang, Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

“Once again, we’re delighted with the turnout of world-class talent at the Open. Showcasing the pursuit of excellence in full swing, the event’s success is a triumph for the athletes, for the sport and for Hong Kong. As open and welcoming as ever, our resilient city continues to lead as the Events Capital of Asia, offering a rich and diverse tapestry of international events and countless attractions for visitors of all types.”

The 61st Hong Kong Open was hosted by Hong Kong Golf Club and sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Hong Kong Golf Association. The next edition of the tournament will return to Hong Kong Golf Club in November 2020. (ANTARA)

Abu Dhabi - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) echoed his interest to take a sample from Abu Dhabi's Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates to construct Indonesia's new capital city in East Kalimantan Province.

"In building our new capital city, we tend to learn from the pioneers of city planning, including Masdar City," he told participants of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2020 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center on Monday.

According to Masdar's official website https://masdar.ae, Masdar City is claimed to be "one of the world's most sustainable urban communities, a low-carbon development constituting a rapidly growing clean-tech cluster, business-free zone, and residential neighborhood, with restaurants, shops, and public green spaces".

This city's philosophy of urban development "is based on the three pillars of economic, social, and environmental sustainability".

President Jokowi invited attendees at the ADSW 2020 to visit Indonesia. He also extended an invitation to members of the international community to bring the best technology, innovation, and policies for developing socio-economic sustainability.

Addressing this prestigious event's participants, including several heads of state and heads of government, the Indonesian president introduced his administration's plan to erect a new capital city by adopting a sustainable city concept.

"We do not build a small administrative city. In its place, we build a smart metropolitan city," he affirmed.

According to ANTARA, the development of infrastructure in Indonesia's next capital city will start in mid-2020. However, as revealed by President Jokowi in December 2019, the detailed design of the city’s construction is projected to be ready within six months.

The planned capital city will be divided into three areas, notably the core administration area, capital city area, and expanded capital city area, President Jokowi stated.

The location of the would-be state palace has yet to be decided by the architects drafting the development design of the capital city, he stated during his visit to the Sudharmono Tower in the PT ITCI Manunggal industrial forestry area in North Penajam Paser, the location of the next capital city, last year.

According to Agrarian and Land Spatial Minister Sofyan Djalil, the new capital city will be surrounded by forest and have a forest landscape to reflect the identity of East Kalimantan, known for its tropical rainforest.

"The 256,000-hectare capital city area will really become a forest area reflecting the actual Kalimantan," he added. (ANTARA)