Despite repeated threats of strikes, a coalition of garment sector unions is still waiting on a response from the Ministry of Labour for the wide-ranging reforms it called for last month, with plans to seek help from overseas. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/garment-union-demands-go-unanswered/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Chinese company that operates the hydroelectric power plant on the Kamchay River in Kampot province yesterday denied that a decision to open the dam’s gates during a recent storm was the cause of severe flooding in the area. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/kamchay-dam-claims-not-behind-kampot-flood/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Four Vietnamese military-controlled land concessions in Ratanakkiri province were downsized to a fraction of their original acreage as part of a government audit of land leased to private companies, officials said yesterday, amid opposition criticism of the concessions. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/vietnamese-military-held-elcs-in-rkiri-slashed-according-to-government/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The government should invest more in sustainable energy, with a focus on solar power, experts told a conference on energy security yesterday, adding that this could reduce Cambodia’s dependence on large-scale hydropower projects and coal-fired plants. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/solar-power-in-the-spotlight/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodian exports grew by 17 per cent last year, driven by increases in shipments of rice and footwear, with garment export growth easing to a little under 7 per cent, according to a new Ministry of Commerce report. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/rice-garment-sectors-push-exports-into-record-territory/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

More than 30 workers fainted at a garment factory in Kandal prov­ince over the past two days after inhaling noxious fumes circulated by a ventilation fan located near the facility’s toilets, an official said.   <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/fumes-from-toilets-lead-to-mass-faintings-at-factory/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

After A boAt cApsized And sAnk off SihAnoukville lAst week, ferry compAny mAnAgers sAy locAl police hAve begun strictly enforcing sAfety regulAtions And rough weAther wArnings, in A drAmAtic shift from the city’s relAxed Attitude towArd boAt sAfety. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/sville-govt-enforcing-sAfety-regulAtions-in-wAke-of-ferry-disAster/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The Cambodian government decided to cancel all of its contracts with the Roth Sen Sopheap Company, a private security company owned by Roth Sen Sopheap, according to a letter dated last Friday and obtained by Khmer Times yesterday.   <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/government-cancels-contract-with-phnom-penh-security-company/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Police in Kompong Thom prov­ince are searching for three men who held up the owners of a Wing mobile payment kiosk in Kom­pong Svay district on Mon­day night, the latest in a string of similar robberies. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/13k-stolen-in-latest-holdup-of-wing-kiosk/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Korea will provide a $13.3 million concessional loan to renovate the Stung Siem Reap Phase II flood mitigation project after a deal signed yesterday between the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Korea Export and Import Bank. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/korea-gives-13-mil-for-flood-project/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Justice Minister Ang Vong VAthAnA hAd A stAke in A shAdowy offshore compAny in the British Virgin IslAnds, According to dAtA mAde public on SundAy in whAt is being cAlled the lArgest leAk of secret documents in history. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/justice-minister-denies-shAres-in-shAdowy-offshore-firm/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A dAy After the ruling pArty filed A defAmAtion complAint AgAinst one of the country’s most prominent politicAl commentAtors, Prime Minister Hun Sen on TuesdAy defended limitAtions on freedom of speech As being necessAry for peAce And stAbility. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/hun-sen-sAys-peAce-trumps-free-expression/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A teAm of Interior Ministry officiAls trAveled to Koh Kong province on ThursdAy to help locAl Authorities investigAte the deAth of A border police officiAl who investigAtors suspect mAy hAve been murdered, According to officiAls.   <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/police-probe-deAth-of-border-guArd-in-koh-kong/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Four senior officers from local rights group adhoc and a former officer who now works for the National Election Committee (NEC) were imprisoned on Monday on bribery charges over a sex scandal involving deputy opposition leader Kem Sokha. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/un-adhoc-staff-charged-over-sex-scandal/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Power went out for more than a full day in Stung Treng province starting on Monday afternoon due to a storm in Laos, officials said yesterday, only worsening the situation for residents coping with scorching temperatures.   <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/power-out-for-24-hours-in-stung-treng/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Facilitated by Taiwan’s First Commercial Bank, seven foreign banks provided $35 million in a syndicated loan to Sathapana Bank Plc, a newly formed Cambodian commercial bank, to expand its existing microfinance operations and broaden its commercial lending portfolio. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/sathapana-bank-gets-35-million-from-taiwan-lenders/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A JApAnese businessmAn hAs Acquired A mAjority stAke of microfinAnce compAny FArmer Union Development Fund (FUDF) And plAns to expAnd its lending to the reAl estAte sector As well As smAll- And medium-sized enterprises, he reveAled yesterdAy. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/jApAnese-investor-Acquires-locAl-mfi/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The number of mobile phone subscribers nationwide decreased by 11.5 per cent over the last year in what regulators are describing as a rebalancing after the market reached a saturation point, pushing well beyond 100 per cent penetration. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/sim-card-ownership-down-by-nearly-12/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A truck pAcked with gArment workers trAveling to fActories in Kompong Speu province overturned on WednesdAy while Attempting to Avoid Another truck crossing the roAd, injuring 39 women, including A dozen who suffered broken Arms And legs, officiAls sAid. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/gArment-truck-crAshes-in-kompong-speu-39-injured/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Prime Minister Hun Sen said yesterday that citizens working far from their homes can register to vote near their places of employment, a change that could save many citizens from a lengthy and costly trip to their home province. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/pm-vote-near-your-work/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>