The Kampong Speu Provincial Court has denied bail for eight unionists accused of instigating violence at the Sabrina Garment factory last Monday. Kampong Speu Provincial Court judge, Cheum Rithy said yesterday that he had not approved the bail request because significant work remained in questioning <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/bail-requests-denied-for-all-eight-unionists/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

As the creAtion of CAmbodiA’s first lAw on trAde unions enters A finAl phAse this week, lAbor Activists And unions sAid the drAft lAw As it stAnds is in urgent need of revision, As it would cripple unions And severely undermine collective bArgAining rights. They <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/issues-remAin-As-union-lAw-enters-finAl-phAse/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Being placed on consecutive short-term contracts in Cambodia’s predominantly female-staffed garment sector is forcing many women to choose between a family and a factory job, unionists and rights groups said yesterday. Ken Chenglang, acting president of the National Independent Federation Textile Union of Cambodia, said many <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/a-factory-or-family-dilemma/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The government has approved a request by the Garment Manufacturers association in Cambodia (GMaC) for garment factories to produce all kinds of face masks, medical equipment and protective clothing for both domestic consumption and export. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodian-government-gives-approval-for-garment-factories-to-produce-masks-and-ppes/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) and the Cambodia Microfinance association (CMa) have jointly launched the “Safe Finance in Community” project to promote financial literacy, rights and consumer protection in communities, a press statement said on Monday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-launches-project-to-promote-financial-literacy-at-local-level/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The provincial government on Tuesday ordered the creation of a forum in a bid to find a resolution in the 10-year land dispute between 12 ethnic minority communities in Ratanakkiri province and Vietnamese agribusiness giant Hoang anh Gia Lai (HaGL) over 20 ancestral “spirit mountains”. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/ethnic-land-row-forum-created/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Ministry of Health yesterday denied a local media report that children in Cambodia under one year old have a 50 percent chance of catching whooping cough. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/whooping-cough-assurance/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Young Cambodians are becoming increasingly engaged in social issues, with many university students volunteering for causes they consider important for national development, student leaders and youth organizers say. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/youths-rush-into-social-and-enviromental-activism/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Exporting Vietnamese products to Cambodia is beneficial to both countries, however, in order to hold onto this market, Vietnamese firms must remain proactive and consistently advertise their brands and improve quality of their products and services. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-a-potentially-lucrative-market-for-vietnam/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Solar-powered tuk-tuks could be rolling off the assembly lines in Phnom Penh as early as March next year, allowing local tuk-tuk drivers a cost-effective and greener alternative to using petrol, according to the company manufacturing the vehicle. Star 8, the australia-based alternative energy firm behind the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/solartuk-coming-in-march/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodian Permanent Representative to aSEaN, Norng Sakal, presented his Letter of Credence to the Secretary-General of aSEaN,  Le Luong Minh, at a ceremony held at the aSEaN Secretariat today, according to a press release of aSEaN’s Secretariat. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/new-cambodian-permanent-representative-to-asean-presents-his-letter-of-credence/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Vietnam organized the largest- ever trade fair on Thursday, vowing to boost the bilateral trade to $3 billion this year. Speaking at the opening of the 5-day event at Mondial Center, Vu Kim Hanh, chairwoman of the Business association of High Quality Vietnam Goods, said the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/vietnam-holds-largest-ever-trade-fair-in-cambodia/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Six major retail, footwear and garment industry associations whose members account for over 90 per cent of garment imports in the US and Canada have called on the Cambodian government, the Garment Manufacturers association in Cambodia (GMaC) and unions to resume wage negotiations. The open <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/retail-associations-urge-talks/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

PetroVietnam Fertilizer and Chemicals Joint Stock Company (PVFCC) opened a branch in Cambodia in order to facilitate the direct sale of their imported fertilizers to farmers directly. The company gave away 25 tons of fertilizer free in Battambang province in order to celebrate the opening. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/petrovietnam-fertilizer-opens-cambodian-branch/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia’s central bank yesterday announced a decision to revoke the operating licences of 11 rural credit operators for failing the abide by regulations. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/nbc-takes-licences-from-11-lenders/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A nongovernmentAl orgAnizAtion in CAmbodiA cAlled on the country’s Interior Ministry to intervene in the eviction of more thAn 2,000 ethnic VietnAmese living on the Tonle SAp LAke, sAying lAnd demArcAted for their relocAtion lAcks the infrAstructure necessAry to support them. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/ngo-urges-cAmbodiAs-interior-ministry-to-intervene-in-eviction-of-vietnAmese-from-tonle-sAp-lAke/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

A mining delegAtion from CAmbodiA hAs left for A fAct-finding tour of AustrAliA in A bid to gleAn knowledge from one of the world’s lArgest minerAls explorAtion countries. The trip is being coordinAted by the InternAtionAl Mining for Development Centre of the Western AustrAliA stAte government. The <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/mining-industry-looks-to-Aus/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The UN urged government and financial organisations to stimulate Cambodia’s flailing micro-insurance industry yesterday, after a study found the country’s poor are vulnerable to indebtedness during a crisis. The United Nations Development Business (UNDB) hosted a working group yesterday at Phnom Penh’s Sunway Hotel launching the <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/micro-insurance-needs-revamp-un/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Nearly half a million tourists travelled across the country during the first week of January, with Preah Sihanouk province becoming the top destination, the Ministry of Tourism said. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/half-million-tourists-travel-cambodia-in-one-week/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Investors in Cambodia’s garment industry are increasingly purchasing modern equipment as they look to produce higher value-added products to compete in the international market and counter rising labour costs, an industry insider said yesterday. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/garment-factories-to-buy-into-automation/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>