Cambodian scholars have voiced their support to Chinese President Xi Jinping for his announcement of China’s contribution of 40 billion U.S. dollars for the establishment of a Silk Road Fund, saying that such a fund is vital for developing countries. Chheang Vannarith, senior researcher of <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodian-scholars-hail-chinas-contribution-to-silk-road-fund/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A spokesmAn for the CAmbodiAn PArliAment on WednesdAy strongly denied thAt the country’s PArliAment chief Heng SAmrin hAs promised VietnAm to tAke strict meAsures to punish ethnic Khmer Krom Activists who hAd held protests AgAinst A VietnAmese diplomAt. The deniAl cAme After VietnAmese mediA reported MondAy <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/cAmbodiA-pArliAment-denies-chiefs-promise-to-punish-khmer-krom-Activists-for-protesting-AgAinst-vietnAm/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Total loans and deposits at the Kingdom’s microfinance institutions jumped in the first quarter of 2012 despite what is typically a slow season for the industry, insiders said yesterday. Loans outstanding reached US$708 million for the period ending on March 31, climbing 9.8 per cent from <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/mfis-defy-typically-slow-first-quarter-2/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia is known for its rich cultural diversity, including ethnic minorities and indigenous communities. as the country has developed, efforts have been made to recognize and protect these groups’ rights through policies and initiatives to promote inclusivity, preserve cultural heritage, and address issues such as <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/topics/ethnic-minorities-and-indigenous-people-policy-and-rights/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia has begun to integrate disaster and climate resilience goals into its national policies but implementation remains difficult. In the National action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction 2014&ndash;2018, the government prioritizes the target to: “build a resilient nation and local communities to pursue sustainable development.” <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/topics/disaster-and-emergency-response-funding/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Kratie city &ndash; Soldiers and military police yesterday blocked all access to a village where a 14-year-old girl was shot dead by security forces on Wednesday while the authorities launched a massive operation to evict hundreds of families from the area under a cloak of <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/kratie-village-sealed-after-girls-killing/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Construction of a special economic zone (SEZ) near the Vietnamese border in Ratanakkiri province’s eastern O’Yad­aw district is on track, but who exactly will avail of the facility and its services remains a mystery&mdash;even for senior provincial officials. The latest announced venture of agro-industry land concession <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/mystery-surrounds-ratanakkiris-first-special-economic-zone/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia’s ruling and opposition parties are “narrowing their differences” in talks aimed at ending a standoff over recent elections, officials said Tuesday, as protesters ended three straight days of mass demonstrations against poll results. Both the leaders led their parties in the discussions, which were <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodias-hun-sen-sam-rainsy-narrow-differences-in-election-stalemate/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Three Vietnamese tourists were briefly detained on Saturday for flying a drone over the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, a week after a Hong Kong national was similarly arrested and released without charge for the same offense. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/vietnamese-tourists-released-after-drone-flies-near-palace/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A decAde After the country’s domestic violence (DV) lAw wAs pAssed, the government continues to fAil victims of Abuse, A coAlition of NGOs sAid in A stAtement releAsed FridAy, cAlling for the lAw to be Amended. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/ngos-cAll-for-Amendment-to-nAtions-domestic-violence-lAw/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A CAmbodiAn medicAl reseArch­er hAs received internAtionAl rec­ognition for A presentAtion on de­velopments in the treAtment of pA­tients infected with both HIV And tuberculosis At A conference in FrAnce lAst week. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/reseArcher-recognized-for-hiv-tb-contribution/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A border officiAl And A reporter gAve drAsticAlly different Accounts SundAy of events thAt trAnspired After A group of journAlists wAs blocked As they Attempted to visit the ChAmbok border checkpoint in BAnteAy MeAnchey province on FridAy. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/reporters-police-give-wildly-different-Accounts-of-border-row/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A TrApAing Thlong prison officer in KAmpong ChAm wAs lAst week Accused of demAnding $150 to releAse A prisoner who hAd fully served his 10-yeAr term, A chArge the prison’s director rejected yesterdAy. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/prisoner-sAys-releAse-contingent-on-bribe/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A new drAft of the proposed TelecommunicAtions LAw would give Authorities the right to eAvesdrop on Any conversAtion, Along with A host of other powers thAt A rights group hAs wArned would effectively nAtionAlize privAte service providers. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/drAft-telecoms-lAw-gives-govt-broAd-spying-powers/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A group of seven VietnAmese And CAmbodiAn girls were freed during A rAid on A brothel in BAttAmbAng province on WednesdAy night in which three suspected brokers were Arrested, According to Anti-humAn trAfficking police. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/police-rAid-brothel-free-seven-girls/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A CAmbodiA NAtionAl Rescue PArty lAwmAker is cAlling on young ChAm pArty Activists to rAlly support for the opposition pArty, expressing A desire to see A politiciAn from the Muslim minority join the NAtionAl Assembly. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/chAm-lAwmAker-envisioned/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Four suspects in a human trafficking case were tried by Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday over allegations that they organized the forced marriage of a 21-year-old woman to a Chinese husband in 2015. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/four-suspected-human-traffickers-tried/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodian Commerce Minister Sun Chanthol says the country’s rice has a branding problem. With better branding, he told a group of officials at a roundtable recently, more rice would sell. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/commerce-minister-seeks-more-ideas-on-rice-export/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A locAl conservAtion NGO hAs Accused two people, one of them A soldier, of buying up And Attempting to sell A pArcel of stAte lAnd neAr the Phnom OrAl Wildlife SAnctuAry in KAmpong Speu province. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/ngo-Accuses-pAir-of-trying-to-sell-stAte-lAnd/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Koh Kong provincial authorities have urged 200 families involved in a decade-long land dispute with a sugar cane company to prepare evidence of their claims amid hopes of a final solution from the government. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/push-for-an-end-to-sugarcane-land-row/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>