Kem Monovithya, the daughter of jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha and a CNRP official, met with United States officials yesterday to discuss the possibility of further sanctions on the Cambodian government if measures taken in an ongoing political crackdown are not reversed. ...

The government announced a more than 20 percent increase in approved construction projects last year over the year before, but not all the benefits of the booming industry are being passed on to Cambodian workers and property buyers, according to industry insiders. ...

UN Special Rapporteur Rhona Smith raised the forced dissolution of the CNRP and the redistribution of its legislative seats, as well as the government’s frequent legal action against sitting parliamentarians, during her visit on Tuesday with National Assembly President Heng Samrin. ...

A group representing some of the largest apparel brands in the US and Europe – including Gap, H&M and ASOS – expressed “growing concern” on Tuesday over several controversial labour laws and ongoing court cases against unionists described as restrictive and unjust. ...

The National Defense Ministry’s annual draft report showed that Cambodia’s borders are still at risk of abuse from Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, despite the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) cracking down on nearly 6,000 border crimes over the past year. ...

Despite initial hopes that the man who tortured her 2-year-old son last year would face trial in Cambodia, the child’s mother said on Tuesday that Vietnamese police have informed her that the abuser would not be extradited from Vietnam. ...

Cambodia’s top election body will take legal action against groups that conduct or publish opinion polls in the two weeks leading up to June 4 commune elections, its spokesman said on Sunday, warning that the surveys could lead to “social instability.” ...

A group of about 1,000 families living in Siem Reap province’s Phnom Kulen National Park will be relocated to prevent them from continuing an environmentally detrimental trend of clearing land, building homes, selling and repeating, the environment minister said on Thursday. ...

A feasibility study on producing safe drinking water from the Chinese-built Kamchay hydropower dam in Kampot province has been completed, according to the Ministry of Industry, raising hopes that the current water shortage in the province and neighbouring Kep could be alleviated. ...

Senior government officials yesterday gathered to celebrate the 24th anniversary of the adoption of the Kingdom’s Constitution, lavishing praise on the Constitutional Council – while simultaneously appearing to threaten legal action against those who question the body’s independence or decisions. ...

A massive centralised rice drying facility in Battambang province being developed by Thaneakea Srov (Kampuchea) Plc will soon be operational, while its adjacent rice storage operations are on track to be completed early next year, the CEO of the company said yesterday. ...

Japanese auto parts maker Yazaki Corp. opened a wire harness factory in Cambodia on Monday, which President Yasuhiko Yazaki said will create about 600 jobs in the country immediately. The $24 million plant is in Koh Kong Province about 270 kilometers southwest of Phnom Penh. ...

Secretary Clinton will arrive in Phnom Penh on July 11 to participate in regional conferences, to both chair and attend ministerial events and to participate in bilateral meetings with Cambodian officials. Regional conferences include the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting. ...

The price of the exchange’s sole listed company, PPWSA, remained very stable from Nov. 8-15 at KHR 6,200 (US$1.55), the price it arrived at on Oct. 30. Trading volumes over the period fluctuated between 4,501 and 38,951 shares. ...

Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister yesterday reiterated his commitment to criminalising money laundering and terrorist financing in the Kingdom. Sok An reassured delegates at the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering of Cambodia’s commitment to implementing comprehensive procedures to stop illegal monetary transactions. ...

Cambodia and Britain signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to fight against cross-border crimes. “The MOU focused on cooperation between the General Commissariat of National Police and Britain’s National Crime Agency to fight against crimes and related violations,” said Kirt Chantharith, national police spokesman. ...

Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority is scheduled to hold this week its annual general meeting of shareholders, the second since its shares were listed two years ago. The meeting is due to take place at the authority’s headquarters in Daun Penh district on Thursday morning. ...

Cambodian and Vietnamese foreign ministers are to meet on Feb 10-11 to boost the economic, cultural, scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries, according to a statement of the Ministry of the foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday said that the foreign direct investments in Cambodia would increase in 2014, thanks to the country’s favorable and open policies. Hun Sen made the comments during a ceremony to launch Cambodia Trade Integration Strategy at the Peace Palace. ...

Malaysia and Cambodia pledged to promote diplomatic relations, trade and investment in Cambodia. Trade between the both countries increased up to USD 168.72 (154%) in 2009 to USD 428.83 in 2013. Cambodia and Malaysia have cherished good relations on trade and investment. ...