Rainstorms and lightning strikes killed a combined 43 people and injured 79, while damaging 2,735 homes in the first five months of the year, according to a report by the National Committee for Disaster Management. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/total-lightning-deaths-lower-so-far-this-year/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A new school course would teAch children from grAdes 5 to 12 for the first time About LGBT issues, sex And gender-bAsed violence, As pArt of A proposed Ministry of EducAtion curriculum.   <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/life-skills-course-in-the-works/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Vietnamese conglomerate Hoang anh Gia Lai (HaGL) has shipped a total of over 9,000 tonnes of Cambodian bananas destined for the Chinese market since the firm first started exporting in July, a company representative said. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/hagl-goes-bananas-with-fruit-exports/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Garment workers at the Benoh apparel factory in the capital’s Meanchey district returned to work this week after a two-month suspension to find the building abandoned, prompting a protest demanding compensation from the government. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/garment-factory-shutters-leaving-hundreds-unpaid/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

With the bidding process for the project coming to an end, the construction of a new seaport for tourist vessels in Kampot will begin in March, a representative of Kampot’s tourism department told Khmer Times. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/kampots-seaport-to-break-ground-in-march/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A UN AgriculturAl development body presented A report evAluAting their commitment of over 20 yeArs And $189.5 million to CAmbodiA’s rurAl fArmers yesterdAy, finding both positives And negAtives in their pArtnership with the government. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/uns-ifAd-exAmines-fArming-progrAms/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Ministerand ambassador of Kenyadiscussedan initiative to connect Phnom Penh and Nairobi through a direct flight to boost tourism and economic activities as well as the conclusion of a rice export deal <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/kenya-eyes-cambodias-rice-and-flight-sectors/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The President of Cambodia’s National assembly, Heng Samrin will make a two nation tour to Vietnam and Laos from July 20-30 to further enhance bilateral ties, according to a press release from the National assembly on Wednesday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodias-top-legislator-to-visit-vietnam-laos/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The workers and management of the Chiang Sou undergarments factory in Kampong Speu failed to reach a resolution yesterday despite hours of attempted negotiations, only a day after nearly 200 employees went on strike demanding better working conditions. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/garment-workers-back-to-table-for-more-talks/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

To capitalise on a rising demand for pork, a state-owned Chinese company is pouring $200 million into ruling party senator and tycoon Mong Reththy’s pig farm in Preah Sihanouk province. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/tycoon-to-get-200-million-for-pig-farm/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Security guards from a Chinese development firm in Koh Kong province have allegedly prevented civil society groups from gathering data they planned to use for a petition asking for compensation for evictees. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/elc-guards-keep-ngos-off-property/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Elected opposition lawmakers will today call on Interior Minister Sar Kheng to lift the ban on gatherings at Freedom Park and release the results of a government investigation into deadly violence at a garment protest in early January. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/make-park-free-again-urges-cnrp/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A lingering odour in A Sixplus Industry gArment fActory is AggrAvAting the AlreAdy-frAgile heAlth of its workers, 100 of whom fAinted lAst weekend, And hAs forced the fActory to send mAny of them bAck to heAlth centres. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/workers-ill-After-fAinting-At-fActory/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A prosecutor At the Phnom Penh MunicipAl Court hAs urged A youth orgAniser to provide the court with more evidence in his lAwsuit AgAinst Prime Minister Hun Sen, promising to heAr the cAse if Ample proof is brought. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/hun-sen-suit-needs-evidence/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Nearly 100 garment workers employed by the New Wide garment factory in Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district have fainted since Tuesday evening after company representatives’ allegedly sprayed insecticide throughout the factory, a local official and a worker said. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/insecticides-blamed-for-faintings/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Employees at the Kampong Speu shoe factory where a ceiling collapse killed two workers last May are headed back to work today after more than a week on strike, but will take their demands to the arbitration Council. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/wing-star-workers-to-end-strike/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Yakjin Trading Corporation, a South Korean company whose factory was at the center of major demonstrations earlier this year, has begun a review of its operations. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/factory-at-center-of-january-strikes-under-review/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The ruling Cambodian People’s Party began a three-day conference on Friday, to discuss party policies and restructuring. The party is expected to adopt a new five-year plan at the end of the three-day congress. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/ruling-party-begins-conference-with-an-eye-toward-reform/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Phnom Penh anti-human trafficking police prevented an accused sex trafficker from boarding a plane on Saturday along with five women&mdash;including a teenager&mdash;she was planning to sell into the sex trade in Malaysia, officials said Sunday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/women-saved-from-sex-work-before-boarding-plane-for-malaysia/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Three environment officials in Mondulkiri province are being sued by ethnic minority villagers for allegedly using a permit to build two ranger stations as a pretence to illegally log more than 4,000 cubic metres of luxury wood. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/villagers-implicate-officials-in-logging/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>