The visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping last week resulted in loan agreements worth almost $2 billion for road infrastructure development in Cambodia, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport said on Friday. according to Transport Minister Sun Chanthol, the money will be used to <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/china-gives-2-billion-for-roads-bridge/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Myanmar’s Ministry of Tourism is pushing forward with the implementation of a “two countries, one destination” campaign that hinges on establishing direct flights between the historic cities of Bagan and Siem Reap. The campaign’s single-visa programme would allow tourists holding either a Myanmar or Cambodia <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/single-visa-initiative-puts-myanmar-flights-on-course/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) today announced a new “Malys angkor” brand to be used as the official moniker for four species of Cambodian fragrant rice. The first day of the two-day Cambodia Rice Forum also featured the release of a remarkably frank report on the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/unifying-brand-name-unveiled-as-rice-federation-addresses-its-flaws/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Visiting U.N. envoy Rhona Smith on Tuesday offered to help Cambodia draft its first laws on surrogacy, a ministry spokesman said. The special rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, who arrived on Monday for a 10-day visit, met with Justice Minister ang Vong Vathana to discuss <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/un-envoy-offers-help-with-surrogacy-laws/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The “façade of media freedom” in the Kingdom “collapsed” last year, with journalists reporting a sharp drop in their hopes for independent press, according to the results of a new survey launched yesterday. The Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM) study surveyed 75 journalists from <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/press-freedom-collapsed-in-2017-journalist-survey-says/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

An environmentAl impAct Assessment (EIA) for the controversiAl Stung ChheAy ArAeng hydropower dAm in Koh Kong province hAs been completed, representing A mAjor step forwArd towArds construction, officiAls sAid yesterdAy. Koh Kong deputy governor Sun DArA sAid he hAd yet to see A hArd copy of <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/controversiAl-dAm-tAkes-step-forwArd-with-impAct-study/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Human Rights investigator Chan Soveth has returned to Cambodia more than two-and-a-half months after leaving in the face of a criminal charge that is thought to be linked to an alleged insurrection that took place in Kratie province in May. On august 14, the court charge <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/charged-rights-worker-returns-to-cambodia-hearing-pending/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong returned to Phnom Penh on Friday after attending a two-day meeting of the Cambodian-Thai Joint Committee in Bangkok, during which he discussed the issue of illegal migrant workers with his Thai counterpart, Surapong Tovichakchaikul. according to a joint statement issued by the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/thai-cambodian-meeting-addressed-illegal-migrants/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

More than 100 villagers in Preah Vihear province have accused a group of Chinese-owned sugar plantations of encroaching on their farms and community forests since mid-2012 and say they are still waiting for a resolution. Sen Som, a rice farmer in Chheb district, said Heng Rui <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/chinese-sugar-firms-accused-of-land-grabbing/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A neArly yeAr-long lAnd dispute in OddAr MeAnchey hAs been resolved for most pArties involved by the intervention of two RCAF generAls, but critics contend the more thAn 2,400 hectAre-giveAwAy is A ploy to influence upcoming elections. GenerAls Kun Kim And CheA TArA yesterdAy grAnted 1.5 <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/generAl-concern-over-settlement/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

More than 100 staffers protested outside a Honda NCX company in Por Sen Chey district’s Choam Chao commune yesterday because they say employees are being sacked for trying to unionise, among other grievances. Soeurn Sot, a technician at the company, said during the protest that if <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/honda-strike-set-to-roll-on/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

GE Energy has signed a contract with Cambodian industrial conglomerate Soma Group to supply two of its engines to power a biomass gasification facility. Soma Group’s Hak Se mill biomass gasification project is located in Cambodia’s rural rice milling region Kamphong Cham, and reinforces a 2011 <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/ge-engines-to-power-cambodian-rice-husk-power-project/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia’s stock market is set for a revival early next year when initial public offerings are expected by at least four local companies, ending a drought for a bourse that has hosted just one listing since its trading debut in april. State-owned Telecom Cambodia and Sihanoukville <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-bourse-sees-end-to-ipo-drought/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Members of the opposition SRP on Saturday sent a petition to King Norodom Sihamoni asking him to pardon the 13 Boeng Kak residents who were sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail on May 24 after holding a peaceful protest against CPP senator Lao Meng Khin’s <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/srp-asks-king-sihamoni-to-pardon-boeng-kak-15/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Banteay Meanchey’s provincial environment department, a local company and two bulldozer drivers, have sued four villagers in Banteay Meanchey province over their alleged role in a violent land protest in February. The villagers, who have been summoned for questioning this week, stand accused of intentional property <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/lawsuit-filed-against-banteay-meanchey-land-protesters/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Eight ethnic Tampuon villagers from Ratanakkiri’s Bakeo district will file a lawsuit at provincial court today alleging that more than 70 hectares of protected forest have been illegally cleared by a police official and six villagers from a neighbouring commune. Ting Kham Se, 52, of Laminh <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/land-battle-headed-to-court/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia’s Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology on Tuesday warned people not to travel by sea from august 3-5 because the country would suffer from the impact of a storm and cause torrential rain. The ministry’s statement said according to the forecast, a depression on the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-advises-people-not-to-travel-by-sea-on-aug-3-5-due-to-torrential-rain/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodian government opposition leaders led around 1,000 protesters, most of them on motor scooters, through Phnom Penh on Monday, part of an ongoing weekly call for demonstrations over July’s election results. The rally was the second day in a row that opposition supporters gathered to demand <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/via-motorbikes-cambodian-opposition-protest-winds-through-capital/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A combined group of protesters from the cApitAl’s Boeung KAk lAke community yesterdAy ended their blockAde of Monivong BoulevArd with some disAppointment After CAmbodiA NAtionAl Rescue PArty president SAm RAinsy broke A promise to meet them At City HAll. Protesters hAve been blocking the roAd outside <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/boeung-kAk-protesters-regroup/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The Anti-Corruption Unit on FridAy Arrested A former senior member of the BAnteAy MeAnchey provinciAl AdministrAtion for Allegedly forging And selling A duplicAte lAnd title to 992 hectAres of lAnd AlreAdy owned by A development compAny, provinciAl And Anti-corruption officiAls sAid SundAy. Ouk Keo RAttAnAk, who <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/former-bAnteAy-meAnchey-officiAl-Arrested-for-corruption/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>