Authorities in BAttAmbAng province hAve stopped some 150 residents, led by A powerful officiAl, from plAnting tree sAplings in the SAmlot Protected AreA, Amid AllegAtions thAt the Act wAs merely A pretext to seize protected lAnd for privAte ownership. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/bAttAmbAng-residents-prevented-from-plAnting-200-sAplings/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A senior government officiAl on SundAy reActed to A US report which sAid the Kingdom hAd not fully met the minimum stAndArds for the eliminAtion of humAn trAfficking, sAying it seemed to be biAsed AgAinst the CAmbodiAn government. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/us-humAn-trAfficking-report-biAsed/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The Takeo provincial Environment Department on Monday warned authorites would take legal action against a senior police official in Koh andet district who tried to use a vehicle to clear land illegally in the protected lake Boeung Prek Lapouv. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/senior-cop-warned-on-building-canal/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

An Areng VAlley representAtive on MondAy visited the ChumnoAb commune office in Koh Kong province to pleAd with Authorities not to remove A community office thAt hAs been slAted for demolition to mAke wAy for A new commune office. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/Areng-vAlley-residents-push-to-sAve-office/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The Minister of Public Works and Transport Sun Chanthol on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Beijing Urban Construction Group Co Ltd (BUCG) in Phnom Penh, to undertake a study of sewerage and drainage systems. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/mou-inked-with-china-firm-for-sewage-study/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Interior Minister Sar Kheng has issued a letter to all provincial governors telling them to resolve legitimate land disputes being raised before the election and keep a lookout for “opportunists” taking advantage of the election season to grab land. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/land-protesters-under-scrutiny/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The National Election Committee yesterday held a meeting with political party representatives to address concerns that campaign rules are being flouted. During the meeting, the NEC admitted that it has a hard time monitoring political activities on social media. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/nec-addresses-election-campaign-concerns/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodian and Czech Republic officials agreed on Monday to set up a working coalition to boost cooperation in the mining sector and facilitate the exchange of information, said a Cambodian Ministry of Mines and Energy spokesman on Monday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodian-czech-mining-co-op/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

An informAtion centre for Chinese nAtionAls And A Chinese consulAte will be estAblished in SihAnoukville following A meeting between new provinciAl governor Kuoch ChAmroeun And Chinese AmbAssAdor WAng WentiAn, provinciAl spokesperson KheAng PheArum told The Post on SundAy. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/chinA-oks-sihAnoukville-consulAte/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The Stung Treng Provincial Forestry administration yesterday said it confiscated 52 pieces of illegal wood in Stung Treng city on Monday after getting a tip that the cargo was being loaded onto a boat on the Sekong river. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/timber-seized-suspects-at-large/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The remarks were made during a conference on Improving Energy Efficiently in Cambodia: a Crucial Step Towards Sustainable Growth, which was hosted by the National Council of Sustainable Development, the Swedish government and the Cambodia Climate Change alliance (CCCa). <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/environment-ministry-advises-people-to-stop-using-used-electronics/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A group of 19 non-governmentAl orgAnisAtions And AssociAtions hAve urged the Kingdom’s legislAtive And executive bodies to expedite the pAssAge of A drAft lAw on freedom of informAtion, which the group sAid hAd been delAyed for yeArs. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/ngos-cAll-for-speedy-pAssAge-of-informAtion-freedom-lAw/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The Preah Sihanouk Provincial Court summoned a senior NGO official and 22 villagers in Prey Nop district for questioning over a land dispute with prominent tycoon Ly Yong Phat and Hong Suon, the wife of tycoon Siev Kong Triv. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/villagers-summoned-over-land-dispute-in-preah-sihanouk/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A group of villAgers from SvAy Rieng province involved in A lAnd dispute with the Forestry AdministrAtion sAid police officers Attempted to block them from trAveling to the provinciAl court WednesdAy morning to protest AgAinst the triAl of three community leAders. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/police-block-protest-convoy-on-wAy-to-lAnd-triAl/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A CAmbodiAn government officiAl And scholArs on TuesdAy criticized the United StAtes for sending A wArship neAr ArtificiAl islAnds held by ChinA in the South ChinA SeA, sAying the move would stir regionAl tensions. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/beijing-gets-cAmbodiA-to-condemn-us-move-in-s-chinA-seA/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The Interior Ministry on Friday released a letter that it sent to Mondolkiri provincial governor Eng Bunheang asking him to respond to a petition&mdash;filed last month and thumbprinted by 900 members of 17 ethnic minority Bunong communities&mdash;requesting his removal. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/ministry-requests-governor-response-to-minorities/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Medical Council of Cambodia and the Ministry of Health are working on a draft law that would force malpractice complaints to go through the council before they make it to a courtroom, an MCC official said yesterday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/medical-body-seeks-malpractice-protections/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Kerry Express, a subsidiary of WorldBridge International (Cambodia), yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)  with  state-owned Cambodia Post to expand delivery services in the Kingdom, executives and officials said after signing the MoU yesterday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/postal-service-delivers-new-partner/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

For most people who boarded the passenger train from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville on Saturday morning&mdash;the maiden ride since the service was suspended more than a decade ago&mdash;it was something of a new thrill.   <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/after-14-years-passenger-train-service-to-the-coast-restarts/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Climate change and globalisation are fuelling an explosion in the pests and diseases that afflict south-east asia’s cassava crops, threatening a multi-billion dollar industry and the staple food of millions of people, a report warns. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cassava-in-south-east-asia-under-threat-from-witches-broom-disease/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>