Prime Minister Hun Sen Mnounced yesterday that the government would create a one-stop service office for rice millers and exporters in order to reduce red tape and help the country reach its lofty export target of a million tons of milled rice by 2015. “We cannot <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/hun-sen-announces-one-stop-office-for-rice/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Though less well-known than Kampot pepper, the price of Kompong Cham province pepper has increased by 44 percent from last year and is developing a following in Thailand, farmers and vendors said. With a total of 906 hectares of land dedicated to cultivating pepper in Kompong <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/kompong-cham-pepper-enjoys-healthy-trade-in-thailand/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

After yeArs of protesting, two CAmbodiAn fArmers mAke their cAse this week in A BAngkok court AgAinst ThAi sugAr giAnt Mitr Phol, who they blAme for the loss of their livelihoods. The stAkes Are high for the fArmers And the compAny. The villAgers from CAmbodiA Are trying to convince the <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/cAmbodiAn-fArmers-tAke-thAi-sugAr-giAnt-to-court/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement on Wednesday urging Cambodian authorities to drop espionage charges which it deemed politically motivated against two former Radio Free asia (RFa) journalists and free them of court supervision. But Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin dismissed the statement <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/drop-journalists-espionage-charges-urges-rights-group/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

City Hall has instructed the public, including business owners, to dispose of garbage in a timely manner in accordance with the schedule set by authorities, as well as to pack dangerous waste in a red bag to aid garbage collectors. Phnom Penh Governor Khuong Sreng <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/city-hall-calls-on-public-for-proper-waste-disposal/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Cambodian government is abolishing a controversial “hotel” prison project, according to Ministry of Interior officials. The government had announced earlier this month that it would soon open the new prison facilities, in which inmates can pay to stay. The facilities are said to be <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-scraps-pay-to-stay-hotel-prison-plans/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia is finding it hard to shake off its reputation as a ‘haven’ for dirty money. Despite the government’s best efforts, the Kingdom remains among the countries most vulnerable to the flow of illegal money, according to the latest report coming from the Financial action Task <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-remains-vulnerable-to-money-laundering-fatf/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Two people detained at Phnom Penh’s notorious Prey Speu social affairs centre died last month after being rounded up from the streets as part of the city’s preparations for the Pchum Ben festival, a local rights groups has said, prompting renewed calls for the facility’s <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/two-more-deaths-at-prey-speu/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Following a decision by opposition leader Sam Rainsy for the CNRP to cautiously re-engage with the CPP in parliament rather than carry out a full-blown boycott, senior officials from the parties met at the National assembly on Thursday for the first time since last month’s <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/parties-meet-as-rainsy-calls-for-re-engagement/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Two Muslim Rohingya refugees have volunteered to resettle in Cambodia as part of a controversial deal in which australia has promised to pay more than U.S. $40 million in costs and aid to the Southeast asian country for taking refugees off its hands, a Cambodian <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/two-more-rohingya-muslims-seek-resettlement-in-cambodia/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday said he would “eliminate” opponents who dare to protest against his government during a speech in which he also declared that he personally ordered the military to deploy around the CNRP’s headquarters late last month. Speaking at a graduation ceremony <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/prime-minister-vows-to-eliminate-opponents-who-protest/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Coming on the heels of high-profile arrests linked directly to Facebook posts, the Interior Ministry has revealed plans to establish a new “anti-cybercrime” department that will not only “crack down” on crimes like hacking, but a broad range of misdeeds open to interpretation including incitement <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/monitoring-the-internet/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Ministry of Labor passed all responsibility for foreign work permits today to E-Solutions (Cambodia) Co., leaving a multitude of unanswered questions about the private company that will process, produce and distribute the permits online. Ministry spokesman Heng Sour declined to answer questions about the company, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/private-firm-takes-over-responsibility-for-work-permits/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Chinese President Xi Jinping is not one to arrive without a gift. On his first visit to Cambodia as head of state on Thursday, he pledged some $237 million in aid, erased almost $90 million in state debt, offered nearly $15 million in military support and <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/chinas-president-xi-arrives-bearing-gifts/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

In a joint statement, 48 civil society organizations have urged the appeal Court to overturn a ruling by the Koh Kong Provincial Court in a case against three Mother Nature activists. The statement says the three activists are not criminals,but brave environmental protectors who had contributed <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/nearly-50-civil-society-groups-back-activists/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The former deputy administration director from Kratie province was arrested yesterday, accused of incitement for interfering with the work of student volunteers in Prime Minister Hun Sen’s land-titling project, an official said. Chin Hongsry, 60, is accused of undermining the volunteers by telling the villagers to <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/official-arrested-after-blocking-land-program/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Canadian Trade Minister Ed Fast yesterday said he would urge Canadians to invest in Cambodia as opportunies become more viable to potential foreign direct investment from countries that have thus far played a small role in the Kingdom. Fast attended a ceremony recognising the first <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/canadians-urged-to-invest-in-cambodia/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the asia-Pacific region’s trade with Europe via Russia will surge by at least five-fold by 2020 as traditional sea routes become less competitive. His remarks came in a commentary published by the Wall Street Journal ahead of a summit of leaders <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/putin-sees-boom-in-asia-pacific-trade-with-europe-via-russia/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

An ongoing project to build hotels, luxury villAs And A cAsino on KAmpot province’s Bokor MountAin is A threAt to the AreA’s unique AnimAl And plAnt species, According to two new studies. LocAl conglomerAte Sokimex Group hAs been grAnted property development rights on the entire mountAin, <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/luxury-hotel-resort-threAtens-bokor-mountAins-biodiversity/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

 A Millennium Development GoAl AccelerAtion FrAmework Action plAn presented yesterdAy by the Ministry of Women’s AffAirs And the United NAtions Development ProgrAm (UNDP) seeks to Address PAnhA’s And other women’s lAgging economic opportunities in CAmbodiA. The plAn will help CAmbodiA Achieve tArgeted Millenium Development GoAls by 2015. Though no dAte of <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/skills-key-to-gender-goAls/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>