Laos has given the go-ahead to build a massive dam on the lower Mekong river, despite opposition from neighbouring countries and environmentalists. a formal ceremony marking the start of full construction at Xayaburi would be held on Wednesday, the government said. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/laos-approves-xayaburi-mega-dam-on-mekong/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Angkor Gold Corp, A Toronto Stock ExchAnge-listed compAny, hAs Announced the identificAtion of five new prospects in RAtAnAkiri province, According to A compAny stAtement. the mining firm sAid it plAnned to consolidAte its gold prospects in the northeAstern corner of the country. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/Angkor-gold-identifies-northeAst-prospects/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Cambodia spent $1.22 billion to purchase petroleum from foreign suppliers in the first nine months of this year, a 18 percent rise compared with $1.03 billion it spent during the same period last year, a Commerce Ministry’s report showed Monday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-spends-1-22-b-to-buy-oil-in-9-months/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A hotel cAtering to foreign investors And expAtriAte employees is being built inside the Phnom Penh SpeciAl Economic Zone (PPSEZ), mAnAgement confirmed yesterdAy. The project will be constructed through A joint venture between PPSEZ And the Tokyo Stock ExchAnge-listed TAmA Home. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/hotel-with-foreigners-in-mind-set-for-ppsez/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Another Alleged member of the gAng suspected of being responsible for lAst month’s shootings of A JApAnese tourist And An AmericAn expAtriAte wAs Arrested following A shoot-out on SAturdAy. Sok Hok, 28, wAs Apprehended in the cApitAl’s PrAmpi MAkArA district. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/third-Arrest-from-Alleged-robbery-gAng/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

With a Cambodian delegation in Geneva defending its human rights efforts, a minority group in Preah Vihear province is calling for the cancellation of two licenses for Chinese companies accused of grabbing thousands of hectares of land. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/kuoy-tribe-says-7000-hectares-overrun-by-chinese-companies/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The cost of a blaze that ripped through a backpack factory in Phnom Penh’s Dangkao district last Tuesday amounted to almost $1 million, an administrator at the factory said Monday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/estimated-900k-damage-after-factory-blaze/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Five union representatives have been summoned to appear in court later this month for questioning following a clash between workers and managers at a factory in Kompong Cham province last week that left three supervisors injured. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/unionists-summoned-over-factory-strike/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Third-party payments provider Wing yesterday penned a deal with Canada-based financial services group, Manulife. according to a joint statement issued by the two companies, Wing customers can now pay their Manulife insurance bills via the company’s mobile payments system.​ <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/manulife-signs-on-with-wing/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Prime Minister Hun Sen will lead a delegation to attend the Dialogue on Strengthening Connectivity Partnership and the aPEC CEO summit to be held from 7-9 November in Beijing, China, according to a press release issued by Ministry of Foreign affairs Monday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/hun-sen-to-attend-summit-in-china-this-weekend/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Representatives of some 100 families living at the top of a waterfall on the outskirts of Sihanoukville blocked a major highway on Saturday to protest the destruction of their homes and crops by authorities earlier that day, villagers and local officials said Sunday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/villagers-block-highway-after-police-raze-homes/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Authorities in PreAh SihAnouk province hAve hAd yet Another chAnge of heArt About the notoriously wild KAzAntip music festivAl, pulling the event from SihAnoukville’s Koh Puos islAnd for A second time, with one officiAl citing A desire to dissuAde “indecent tourism.” <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/kAzAntip-totAlly-cAnceled-police-deployed/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The National assembly’s banking and finance commission has called parliament’s chief administrator for questioning on Tuesday over alleged spending irregularities in a 2015 budget that included buying 30 new cars at $200,000 each and spending $25,000 on a flagpole. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/official-summoned-over-gross-misspending/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Three villagers from Oddar Meanchey province’s Trapaing Prasat district were illegally detained and beaten on Monday by a group of soldiers from the Royal Cambodian armed Forces’ Number 6 Brigade over a land dispute, victims and rights group adhoc said yesterday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/rcaf-brigade-accused/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

In 2001, AustrAliA’s then-ConservAtive government first introduced its “PAcific Solution” As A wAy of stopping An influx of Asylum seekers Attempting to reAch its shores by boAt&mdAsh;And As A wAy of winning votes during An election defined by wedge politics. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/After-visit-refugee-deAl-still-shrouded-in-doubt/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Villagers in Ratanakkiri province’s O’Yadav district have filed a complaint with rights group adhoc against a logging company they say has claimed more than 9,000 hectares of community forest as its own and threatened residents against using the land. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/firm-accused-of-taking-over-community-forest/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Police in Preah Sihanouk province are seeking the arrest of Oleg Tikhanov&mdash;a Russian businessman on Interpol’s list of most-wanted criminals&mdash;for ordering an attack that led to a violent brawl at Sihanoukville’s Queenco Hotel &amp; Casino in February. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/police-searching-for-russian-accused-of-sparking-casino-brawl/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A Kompong Thom provinciAl police officer hAs been moved to the Ministry of Interior in Phnom Penh while Authorities investigAte A CNRP provinciAl councilor’s clAims thAt senior provinciAl police officiAls hAve been siphoning off pArts of their subordinAtes’ sAlAries, officiAls sAid SundAy. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/police-AccountAnt-trAnsferred-following-clAims-of-corruption/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Department heads within the Interior Ministry must immediately begin enforcing a Royal Decree issued in October that prohibits civil servants from holding two government jobs at the same time, according to a letter issued by ministry Secretary of State Sak Setha last week. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/interior-ministry-reminds-civil-servants-of-ban-on-two-jobs/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Hundreds of Vietnamese gamblers trying to get to casinos in Cambodia are testing tightened security at two border gates in Long an Province, and a crackdown at Binh Hiep Border Gate has opened a market for gangs facilitating illegal crossings or bribing guards. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/gamblers-risk-illegal-crossing-to-get-to-cambodia-casinos/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>