The U.S. has announced sanctions against a former Macau crime boss who two years ago launched an association headquarters in Cambodia linked to a cryptocurrency and Belt and Road Initiative-related security business at a ceremony attended by Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An and military police chief Sao Sokha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/bit.ly\/3gFncAI<\/a>; https:\/\/bit.ly\/3n7gYMo<\/a>;<\/p>\n\n\n\n A new study<\/a> published in August by researchers at University of Nevada found that forest-loss rates since 2011 for Cambodia and the Sekong\u2013Sesan\u2013Srepok river basin were twice as high as in the period from 2004 to 2011, and three times higher than forest-loss rates in the 1990s. From 2001 to 2018, Cambodia lost around a quarter of its forest cover, reports<\/a> Global Forest Watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n https:\/\/bit.ly\/37R517b;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cambodia may get the first delivery of the coronavirus vaccine in March 2021, according to the local office of the World Health Organization, as Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government made its first moves to acquire the much-wanted vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n https:\/\/bit.ly\/2VWXG0g;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Canadian Foreign Minister Fran\u00e7ois-Philippe Champagne in a recent letter to Sam Rainsy In Champagne\u2019s letter on Friday, regarding recent developments in Cambodia\u2019s political situation, he said that Canada\u2019s commitment to promote and defend democracy and human rights has been a defining feature in Canada\u2019s engagement with Cambodia since the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1991.<\/p>\n\n\n\n https:\/\/bit.ly\/3lZVUpE\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thai authorities repatriated 234 people to Cambodia on December 5-6 via the O\u2019Bei Choan border checkpoint in Banteay Meanchey province\u2019s O\u2019Chrov district, according to an official report released on December 8. The number included 120 women and girls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n https:\/\/bit.ly\/3grktdO;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Authorities in Vietnam have reported more trafficking victims crossing from Cambodia, the Interior Ministry\u2019s counter-trafficking chief said, as the global economic slowdown creates a desperation for jobs while closed borders due to Covid-19 elevate the dangers of migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n https:\/\/bit.ly\/2VUFfJp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Australian government announced that it will provide approximately $85 million to Cambodia through the COVID-19 Development Response Plan (CDRP) with the Australia Embassy and Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) signing a Statement of Commitment to ensure its effective implementation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n