State-owned Telecom Cambodia yesterday inaugurated its Greater Mekong Telecom Backbone Network Project, which includes the installation of a 467-kilometre fibre-optic cable connection between Sihanoukville and Kampong Cham, the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia said in a news release. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/telecom-cable-to-run-from-coast-to-kampong-cham/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

About A hundred fAmilies in PreAh SihAnouk province gAthered outside their locAl commune office on TuesdAy to demAnd Authorities follow through on whAt they sAid were promises to give them titles to lAnd in whAt is now A Chinese lAnd concession. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/preAh-sihAnouk-fAmilies-seek-titles/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The Supreme Court yesterday rejected a bail application for Poipet Commune Chief Chao Veasna, who has been in pretrial detention since February for his alleged role in a protest that turned violent outside the border town’s customs office in 2015. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/%e1%9e%94%e1%9e%8e%e1%9f%92%e1%9e%8a%e1%9e%b9%e1%9e%84%e2%80%8b%e1%9e%9f%e1%9e%bb%e1%9f%86%e2%80%8b%e1%9e%93%e1%9f%85%e2%80%8b%e1%9e%80%e1%9f%92%e1%9e%9a%e1%9f%85%e2%80%8b%e1%9e%83%e1%9e%bb%e1%9f%86/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha was officially charged with treason this morning, about 36 hours after he was arrested from his Phnom Penh residence in a midnight raid by more than 100 police and sent to a Tbong Khmum prison. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/kem-sokha-officially-charged-with-treason/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The state-run Rural Development Bank (RDB) received a total of 10 proposals from Cambodian agricultural firms expressing interest in developing rice storage and drying facilities across three provinces using government-backed low-interest loans, a bank official said yesterday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/rdb-closes-bidding-on-rice-storage-facilities/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Representatives from trade unions and employers associations will put forward a request to the European Union and the United States to consider extending preferential treatment &ndash; also known as the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) &ndash; for a number of Cambodian products. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-asks-for-gsp-status/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the legality of CNRP President Kem Sokha’s detention on widely condemned charges of “treason”, despite a team of defence lawyers laying out their arguments against his imprisonment for the first time before a court. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/court-upholds-sokha-detention-for-treason/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A Ministry of HeAlth officiAl yesterdAy sAid the ministry hAs bAnned the buying And selling of Antibiotics without A prescription in An effort to curb the overuse thAt hAs led to An AlArming level of Antibiotic resistAnce in the Kingdom. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/ministry-bAns-buying-selling-of-Antibiotics-without-prescription/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Officials from the Ministry of Mines and Energy have announced a new project that will provide a boost to the local renewable energy sector by electrifying three key provinces with the use of small-scale solar and wind power devices. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/new-solar-and-wind-power-project-unveiled/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Prime Minister Hun Sen issued an oblique warning in a speech to garment workers yesterday, noting that there could be no elections in a “chaotic country” &ndash; an apparent reference to the protests foreshadowed by the newly announced Cambodia National Rescue Movement. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/after-rainsy-calls-for-future-protests-hun-sen-says-elections-will-not-take-place-amidst-chaos/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Grassroots Democracy Party yesterday suggested taking a pin to Cambodia’s inflated bureaucracy, saying it would campaign on a proposal to reduce the number of ministries from 23 to just 15 in order to improve efficiency and cut wasteful spending. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/gdp-to-focus-on-government-efficiency/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

About 120 students At A ChristiAn school in OddAr MeAnchey’s TrApAing PrAsAt district cAme down with food poisoning After consuming A dessert served by the school on WednesdAy, though officiAls confirmed thAt All were “recovering well”.​ <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/120-students-poisoned-by-school-snAck-in-oddAr-meAnchey/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Structural testing of the third unit of a 700-megawatt coal-fired power plant under development in Preah Sihanouk province has begun, with the new unit expected to go online by the end of the quarter, a government official said yesterday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/coal-fired-plant-tests-new-power-generator/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Government officials say they are investigating the causes of two separate weekend fires in Mondolkiri province that reportedly burned through hundreds of high-value logs the government had sold to a businessman after confiscating them from a pair of rubber plantations. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/mystery-blazes-destroy-more-seized-timber/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Two hundred ethnic Phnong villagers in Mondulkiri’s Koh Nhek district launched a protest on Friday after the deputy district governor and an armed escort seized timber from their homes, before allegedly attempting to extort a bribe for its return. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/villagers-accuse-official-of-logging-shakedown/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The prime minister’s older brother Hun San has sent a letter to the Interior Ministry asking for “serious action” to be taken against a deputy National Police chief over an alleged dispute on his land in Banteay Meanchey province. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/prime-ministers-brother-hun-san-requests-serious-action-against-top-cop/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia sits at a crossroads in the asean region, potentially making it a key part of regional economic development and trade flows, though improved infrastructure and more innovative financing approaches are still needed, infrastructure experts meeting in Phnom Penh said yesterday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/quality-infrastructure-needed-to-support-economic-growth/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Almost 100 people from Boeung Snor villAge gAthered At BAnteAy MeAnchey’s ProvinciAl HAll yesterdAy, demAnding thAt provinciAl Authorities resolve A 13-yeAr-old dispute involving lAnd promised to A group of Khmer Rouge defectors by the government in 1997. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/bAnteAy-meAnchey-villAgers-seek-dispute-resolution/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Germany-based apparel industry trade fair organiser Messe Frankfurt France signed a memorandum of understanding with the Garment Manufacturers association in Cambodia yesterday to offer discounted exhibitor fees to Cambodian manufacturers in a deal valued at €400,000 ($450,000). <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/trade-fair-fees-reduced-for-local-garment-firms/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A smAll community in Siem ReAp province’s Chong KneAs commune is AdAmAnt About getting globAl recognition for their unique fermented fish pAste, or prAhoc, After the government endorsed A nAtionAl stAndArd for the most distinctive ingredient in Khmer cooking. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/prAhoc-to-go-internAtionAl/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>