Despite current tensions between North and South Korea, Cambodia’s tourism minister said yesterday that the number of tourists from South Korea to the Kingdom had not dropped. [Minister of Tourism Thong] Khong said that so far there appears to be nothing to worry about. “There are <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/korean-tourist-numbers-hold-steady-despite-regional-fears/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Kep-Kompot Salt Producers Community says salt production fell nearly 50 per cent below forecasts because of early rainfall, which is assumed to end salt harvesting for the year. Prime Minister Hun Sen, however, has stepped in to ensure that price remains stable. Hun Sen <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/salt-harvest-below-forecast/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

An illegAl logger in CAmbodiA hAs dropped An Address book during A bust, leAving behind detAils of corrupt government officiAls And spying rAngers. The mAn fled After being intercepted by police over An illegAl hAul of rAre rosewood in Koh Kong province eArlier this month. . “We <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/wildlife-group-busts-illegAl-loggers-in-cAmbodiA/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Since last year, up to a half of nearly 8,000 hectares of community forest has been encroached upon and cleared in Oddar Meanchey province’s Banteay ampil district by soldiers, community representatives said yesterday. Din Heng, chief of ang Dong Bor community, said the army has cleared <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/redd-forest-clearing-unabated-community/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The U.S. Embassy has just announced it will be awarding grants to two recipients for the 2013 U.S. ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation in Cambodia. The archaeology and Development Foundation is the first recipient and will receive $47,000 to implements it’s proposal called the “Documentation of <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/u-s-ambassadors-fund-to-give-grants-for-cambodia-preservation/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia’s National assembly on Tuesday adopted a draft law on fire prevention with jail term punishment for arsonists, neglected firefighters, and false information providers on fires. Ninety-four out of ninety-seven lawmakers, who were present at the session, passed the law, saying it would help maintain security, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodian-parliament-passes-fire-prevention-law/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Japanese Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (BTMU) signed an agreement yesterday with local Canadia Bank to shore up Japanese growth in Cambodia and to demonstrate its confidence in the Kingdom’s financial sector. BTMU’s managing executive officer, Takami Onodera, and Pung Kheav Se, chairman of Canadia Bank, yesterday <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/japanese-bank-to-boost-local-investments/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The United States has pledged 20 million U.S. dollars over the next three years to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to carry out school feeding program in Cambodia, said a WFP press release on Tuesday. The statement said the donation, made by the U.S. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/u-s-pledges-20-mln-usd-to-wfp-for-school-feeding-in-cambodia/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

China’s Yunnan province on Monday provided 200 agricultural engines to Cambodia’s northwestern Banteay Meanchey province for post-flood rehabilitation. a handover ceremony was held here between Yu Dingcheng, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Yunnan Provincial People ‘s Congress, and Oung Oeun, chief of the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/china-provides-agricultural-engines-to-cambodia-for-post-flood-rehabilitation/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The AsiAn Development BAnk (ADB) hAs Approved A 100 million USD Aid pAckAge to support the development of tourism infrAstructure in the three Mekong River countries of VietnAm, LAos And CAmbodiA. The decision wAs mAde At the AnnuAl meeting on tourism development of the GreAter Mekong <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/Adb-funds-tourism-development-in-vietnAm-lAos-cAmbodiA/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Cambodia’s Constitutional Council will resume their inquiries Tuesday into the opposition party’s poll complaints regarding the alleged irregularities of the election, according to the general secretariat of the Constitutional Council. In a statement issued Saturday, the council had already resolved 14 complaints among the 33 received <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/constitutional-council-to-resume-inquiries-tuesday/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The controversial Don Sahong hydropower dam, which Laos says it will soon build just a kilometre from the Cambodian border, will not have significant effects on the Mekong River, according to an environmental impact assessment paid for by the dam’s builder. Obtained yesterday, the report &ndash; <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/lao-consultants-give-dam-the-thumbs-up/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

China has pledged 200 million Yuan (around USD $33 million) to Cambodia in addition to the loans and grants provided in april of this year. The loan announcement was made during a meeting between Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen and China’s Prime Minister Li Keqiang. Hun Sen <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/china-to-provide-33-mln-loan-to-cambodia/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

In a letter sent to the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training last week, the Council of Ministers encourages the ministry to facilitate talks between garment factory management and the union representing thousands of workers on strike for nearly two months. The letter, written by Council <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/labour-ministry-told-to-keep-sl-talks-alive/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia has seen a trade deficit of 1.48 billion U.S. dollars in the first nine months of 2013, according to the Commerce Ministry’s data on Friday. The total import and export volume was valued at 11.82 billion U.S. dollars during the January-September period this year, up <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-sees-1-48-bln-usd-trade-deficit-in-9-months/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Opposition leaders have given the ruling party an ultimatum: agree to our demands by the end of the year or the talks are over. Kem Sokha, Cambodia National Rescue Party deputy president, said yesterday that after discussing the matter with party president Sam Rainsy, they had <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/opposition-tells-cpp-agree-or-talks-off/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodians in the northern provinces are preparing for the remnants of super-storm Typhoon Haiyan, though forecasts now predict it will only mildly affect the Kingdom. In a warning issued on Friday, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology said high winds and heavy rainfall would likely <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/villagers-prepare-for-storm/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training on Wednesday said that any activities made by the unions against the minimum wage of $95, agreed upon by the Labor Council, are against the law. after the wage talks yesterday, the Labor Council agreed to raise <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/43459/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

King Norodom Sihamoni has not declared a state of emergency in Cambodia. But that hasn’t stopped the CPP government of Prime Minister Hun Sen from disregarding the Constitution in its effort to stamp out demonstrations and political dissent in Phnom Penh. Facing mass rallies calling for <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/crushing-protests-cpp-has-abandoned-constitution/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Management at the Chhin Chin garment factory yesterday agreed to meet workers’ demands to receive their wages before the Pchum Ben holiday after a 150-worker demonstration briefly blocked National Road 4 in front of the factory. Workers at the factory, which is located in Phnom Penh’s <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/factory-management-agrees-on-pay-advance-for-holiday/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>