text:
Adsorption of Iron and Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles by Aspergillus Species Kvp 12
K. V. Pavani1,, N.Sunil Kumar1
1Department of Biotechnology, Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, India
American Journal of Nanomaterials, 2013 1 (2), pp 24-26
DOI: 10.12691/ajn-1-2-2
Received May 05, 2013; Revised June 25, 2013; Accepted July 10, 2013
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Cite This Article:
- Pavani, K. V., and N.Sunil Kumar. "Adsorption of Iron and Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles by Aspergillus Species Kvp 12." American Journal of Nanomaterials 1.2 (2013): 24-26.
- Pavani, K. V. , & Kumar, N. (2013). Adsorption of Iron and Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles by Aspergillus Species Kvp 12. American Journal of Nanomaterials, 1(2), 24-26.
- Pavani, K. V., and N.Sunil Kumar. "Adsorption of Iron and Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles by Aspergillus Species Kvp 12." American Journal of Nanomaterials 1, no. 2 (2013): 24-26.
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Biosorption technology has gained tremendous importance in bioremediation and microbes could become the cheapest tool in detoxification of effluent streams. Aspergillus sp. isolated from the soil sample collected from the area near Hyderabad Metal Plating Industry, I.D.A, Balanagar, Hyderabad, India have been investigated in this study. The growth kinetics of Aspergillus sp. was studied by growing the fungi at different concentration of iron ranging between 0.2mM – 12 mM (Ferrous sulphate). The culture showed considerable inhibition of growth with iron when compared to the metal free controls. The maximum amount of iron was observed in the medium containing 3.0 mM concentration and further increase in the metal concentration was found to increase metal adsorption. Transmission Electron Microscopy analysis revealed the adsorption of iron nanoparticles on the cellwall.
Aspergillus species, iron adsorption, iron nanoparticles, transmission electron microscopy
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|Kasan, H.C. and Baeckert, A.A.W, "Activated sludge treatment of coal gasification effluent in a petrochemical plant. Metal accumulation by heterotrophic bacteria", Water Sci. Tech. 21,4/5, 297-303, 1989.
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|Schrettl, M. Kim, H.S. Eisendle, M. Krag,l C. Nierman, W.C, Heinekamp, T. Werner, E.R. Jacobsen, I. Illmer, P. Yi, H. Brakhage, A.A. Haas, H, "SreA-mediated iron regulation in Aspergillus fumigates", Mol Microbiol, 70, 1, 27-43,2008.
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Early childhood education and care in Australia
Farrell, Margaret, Tayler, Collette, & Tennent, Leanne (2003) Early childhood education and care in Australia. In Dopliopouplou, E (Ed.) Full Day Kindergarten in Greece and 12 other Countries. Ellinika Grammata, Athens, Greece, pp. 111-123.
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By Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY
Editor's note: USA TODAY reporter Jeff Zillgitt will offer notes and observations as the NBA summer league heats up in Las Vegas:
No Henry for Memphis
Rookie guard Xavier Henry, who the Memphis Grizzlies selected No. 12 out of Kansas, did not play for Memphis in the Vegas Summer League because of a contract dispute.
There isn't much room to negotiate rookie deals because first-round picks are paid according to a scale in the collective bargaining agreement. Teams can pay 80-120% of that amount, and the Grizzlies only want to pay Henry 120% if he reaches certain incentives.
No point for Mayo
Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo was not your typical Summer League player. Mayo averaged 17.5 points last season and will be in Las Vegas this week, participating Team USA's training camp in preparation of the FIBA World Championships later this summer.
But the Grizzlies wanted to experiment with Mayo at point guard. The result? In two Summer League games, Mayo struggled, turning the ball over 15 times and recording just six assists.
"I don't see him as a point guard. Quite frankly, I never did," Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said. "There's been a lot of talk about it, and a lot of people felt like that's natural for him. But he's a scorer.
"As a point guard, you've got to facilitate and create for others. You have to think for others. It's a hard position. It's like playing quarterback. He's comfortable at two, and that's where he'll play. It'd be nice if he could have played the point so that we had more versatility, but it's not a big deal if he doesn't."
The Grizzlies drafted Maryland point guard Greivis Vasquez, but they may add a veteran point guard to back-up Mike Conley.
Hammond wants more from Bucks' young bigs
The Milwaukee Bucks went big in the draft, selecting forward Larry Sanders from Virginia Commonwealth at No. 15 and forward Tiny Gallon from Oklahoma at No. 47.
Sanders is 6-10 with a 7-5 wingspan and comes with a ton of potential but not much experience. He didn't play organized basketball until 10th grade.
Sanders averaged 14 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in five games.
"He still has work ahead of him," Bucks GM and 2009-2010 executive of the year John Hammond said. "We thought that was going to be the case when we drafted him. Larry is a guy with limited basketball experience. He started the game late but that also excites us for the potential upside he has.
"We expect him to run the floor. We expect him to block shots. We expect him to rebound better than he has in the Summer League. He shot the ball a little better from the perimeter than maybe we thought he would."
Gallon averaged 6.6 points and 7.4 rebounds. The 6-9 Gallon weighs 290 pounds, and the Bucks would like to see him shed pounds.
"He's got a ways to go. In his case, more physically than from a skills standpoint," Hammond said.
Sunday's games
Cleveland vs. Milwaukee
Chicago vs. Portland
Dallas vs. Sacramento
San Antonio vs. Memphis
Atlanta vs. Minnesota
LA Clippers vs. NBA D-League
Saturday's notable performances
Sacramento Kings second-year forward Omri Casspi scored 22 points.
Chicago Bulls forward Samardo Samuels, who was undrafted, had 17 points and seven rebounds.
San Antonio Spurs swingman Alonzo Gee had his second 20-point performance with 20 points.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Al-Farouq Aminu, the No. 9 pick in the draft from Wake Forest, continues to show his versatility, scoring 16 points.
New Orleans Hornets forward Quincy Pondexter, drafted 26th by the Oklahoma City Thunder and traded to the Hornets, scored 26 points.
Westphal: 'I'm thrilled with Cousins'
Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins entered the draft as the player with a bad attitude.
He exits the Vegas Summer League as a competitor and producer who wants to win.
Of course, Cousins said, "I'd rather be the bad guy. When no one is on my side, I start playing better."
If it's possible for a player to be a steal with No. 5 pick in the draft, Cousins is it. He averaged 16.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 blocks.
He also showed skills that weren't so easily identifiable as a freshman for the Kentucky Wildcats last season. Cousins can step outside and shoot the mid-range jumper, handle the basketball (even if he has too much of a point guard's mentality sometimes) and pass well from the high post.
"We wanted to come in and be an undefeated team, and my personal goal, I wanted to be best player in the Summer League," Cousins said.
The thought of Tyreke Evans, last season's rookie of the year, and Cousins on the court has Kings owner Joe Maloof and coach Paul Westphal excited.
"I'm thrilled with DeMarcus. Just getting to know him, watch how he compete, I think we really got a player," Westphal said. "As a young player, he's still got a lot to learn. But he does some things that help teams win. … He's just somebody who cares about being good and seeing his team be good. We're as happy as can be that we have him."
Wall giving Wizards what they need
Coming out of the Summer League, the Washington Wizards can't be happier about John Wall's performance on and off the court.
The No. 1 pick in the June draft who the Wizards are counting on to help distance the franchise from last season's disappointment – the 26-56 record and the Gilbert Arenas-Javaris Crittenton gun incident in the team's locker room, resulting in a serious suspensions and fines for both players.
Wall created excitement among fans and his teammates with his passing and speed. In four games (he sat out the team's finale Sunday), he averaged 23.5 points and 7.8 assists, scoring 31 points in one game and recording 10 assists in two others.
"What I liked about him here is that he's been extremely competitive and very focused," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said. "Obviously everybody knows about his speed. He is very fast, but he also has another gear where he can go even faster. He likes to win. He's a true point guard. He's made his teammates better."
Just as impressive has been Wall's demeanor off the court. He has signed autographs well beyond what was expected and handled the numerous media obligations without problem. It is clear Wall can be the face of the franchise.
"But he's very mature for a 19-year-old," Grunfeld said. "He's handled this whole situation extremely well. The cameras are always around him. He's received a tremendous amount of attention, but as he says, he's going to stay humble. He has been."
Pistons like when ball is in Monroe's hands
When Detroit Pistons forward-center Greg Monroe says, "I've been trying to find ways to get easy buckets in the offense," he just doesn't mean for himself.
In high school, Monroe was a gifted, intelligent and unselfish player. Nothing has changed after two seasons at Georgetown. He can score, pass, rebound and defend.
"Coaches have put me in positions I'm very comfortable in," Monroe said.
Pistons coach John Kuester is pleased with what he's seen from the team's No. 7 pick in the draft. Monroe averaged 14.6 points, 8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.8 steals in five games. He had 27 points and 14 rebounds
"He's somebody who when he gets the ball is very comfortable passing it or making plays for himself. He is a skilled basketball player. I describe him as old school.
"He's one of the few guys you watch and you say, 'Hey he is what I thought he is going to become.' He understands how to play."
Kuester credited Georgetown coach John Thompson III for delivering a polished player to the Pistons. With Monroe's ability to find the open man and score, the Pistons will run plays through Monroe, especially at the high post.
"When you have a big man who can make plays, people on the perimeter will make harder cuts and they will make cuts to score," Kuester said. "With Greg, guys are not only cutting, they know there's a good chance they'll get the ball.
Areas of improvement for Monroe between now and training camp: work on his conditioning and improve his range to about 15-18 feet, Kuester said.
Wall, McGee sit out Wizards' final game
Washington Wizards point guard, the No. 1 pick in the draft, and big man JaVale McGee did not play in the team's Summer League finale. No need to play the, either.
Wall averaged 23.5 points and 7.8 assists, and McGee 18.5 points and 9.3 rebounds in four games.
Lin close to an NBA contract
After Jeremy Lin's solid week for the Dallas Mavericks in Vegas, the Mavericks – the first NBA team to reach out to Lin – now have competition for his services, including the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.
Lin, who went undrafted, is trying to become the first American-born Asian to play in the NBA and the first player from Harvard to play in the league since Ed Smith in 1953, according databasebasketball.com.
Going undrafted actually worked out better for Lin. Now, he has a choice of teams.
Today's games
New York vs. Washington
Miami vs. Cleveland
Minnesota vs. Portland
Toronto vs. New Orleans
Sacramento vs. Chicago
NBA D-League vs. Atlanta
Friday's notable performances
Toronto Raptors swingman DeMar DeRozan had 22 points and seven rebounds.
Sacarmento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins had 16 points and 12 rebounds, but he also had 10 fouls and shot 5-of-18 from the field.
Detroit Pistons rookie forward-center Greg Monroe had 27 points and 14 rebounds but turned the ball over six times.
Washington Wizards point guard John Wall, the top pick in the draft, continued to impress: 31 points, six rebounds and three assists. Teammate and center JaVale McGee has also had a strong Summer League. Averaging 19.5 points and 9.3 rebounds in four games, he had 29 points and eight rebounds.
New Orleans swingman Maurice Ager, trying to make an NBA roster after limited time in the league since his rookie season in 2006-2007, scored 23 points.
Despite six turnovers and seven fouls, Cleveland Cavaliers forward J.J. Hickson scored 21 points. The evolving Cavaliers will need Hickson in some capacity this season. Point guard Pooh Jeter, who has played overseas since 2007, is also having a decent week. He had 15 points and seven assists.
Memphis Grizzlies swingman Sam Young and Minnesota Timberwolves second-year guard Wayne Ellington each scored 25 points.
Milwaukee Bucks rookie forward Larry Sanders had 14 points, eight rebounds and five blocks.
Raptors will need help from youngsters
With forward Hedo Turkoglu no longer with the Toronto Raptors – both sides are happy about that – the Raptors' future belongs to rookie Ed Davis, the 13th pick in the draft from North Carolina, and second-year guard-forward DeMar DeRozan.
Both have been impressive in Toronto's games, and Coach Jay Triano is pleased.
"Most importantly, they are becoming more familiar with each other," Triano said.
DeRozan has averaged 21 points in four Summer League games. Running plays through him on the wing, Toronto has given DeRozan the opportunity to create plays for himself or others. He was impressive driving to the basket.
"We think he's going to need to play a bigger role for us, and I don't think he was too pleased not being put on the All-Star team for the rookie game," Triano said. "He wants to get better. We knew were going to run a lot of plays for him. Put the ball in his hands. Have him make some decisions, and I think for the most part, it's been a success because he's played very well."
Said DeRozan: "I'm getting more experience out of Summer League, and my confidence is building. I know how to approach the game better than I did my rookie year, and it's showing on the court. … I need to help us out in ways I didn't last year."
Which means improving defensively and scoring more.
Davis hasn't played much 5-on-5 full-court since he broke his left wrist in February. But he has reached double figures in three of four games, including 17 points, seven rebounds and five blocks in Friday's game against the Sacramento Kings.
Davis runs the floor well, is good with his hands (deflecting passes and blocking shots) and is wily the basketball in the paint.
"He's very patient," Triano said. "He lets the game come to him. He'll find cracks and crevices to get in there and find ways to score."
Only in a Summer League game
Summer League oddity: It takes 10 fouls – instead of the usual six – to foul out of a Summer League game.
On Friday, DeMarcus Cousins, the No. 5 pick from Kentucky, had a rare triple-double, one only seen in Summer League ball: 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 fouls.
New York Knicks first-year center Jerome Jordan came close, too. He had 16 points, 10 fouls and seven rebounds.
Knicks hoping to get something out of second-round picks
The New York Knicks did not have a first-round pick in the June draft, but Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni likes the two guys they drafted in the second round and another draft pick they acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks: Guard Andy Rautins from Syracuse (38th pick), forward Landry Fields from Stanford (39th pick) and center Jerome Jordan (Milwaukee traded the 44th pick for cash).
"I like both of them, and Jerome Jordan," D'Antoni said. "All three of them have a chance to make it, stay in the league and contribute."
Jordan had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Fields had 15 points and six rebounds in New York's Summer League finale vs. the Pistons. Fields was a surprise pick and has been a pleasant surprise so far for the Knicks. The Pac-10's leading scorer last season, Fields isn't spectacular but he does a little bit of everything well. He scored in double figures in four Summer League games.
Another player the Knicks are watching closely: Bill Walker, who the Knicks acquired from Boston when they sent guard Nate Robinson to the Celtics.
Walker, who played at Kansas State and entered the league in the 2008-2009 season, came to Knicks with not much experience and with extra pounds. But potential. He arrived at the Vegas summer League lighter and in better shape.
"He has to keep working on a body. But he's in a good spot. He's got a lot of talent. He's got a real chance," D'Antoni said.
Looking ahead to Team USA camp
New New York Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire watched a portion of the Knicks-Detroit Pistons Vegas Summer League game.
Stoudemire is in Las Vegas for USA Basketball's national team training camp, which begins Tuesdays and ends July 24.
"I just want to improve as a players, and this is the best opportunity to sharpen my skills, competing with the best players in the NBA," Stoudemire said.
Twenty-one players will participate in the camp. After the camp, USA Basketball will narrow the roster in preparation of the FIBA World Championships in Turkey Aug. 28-Sept. 12.
Today's games
Detroit vs. New York
Toronto vs. Sacramento
Washington vs. New Orleans
Memphis vs. Minnesota
Cleveland vs. Chicago
Milwaukee vs. Miami
About last night
Forgot to mention another notable performance from Thursday: Memphis Grizzlies center Hasheem Thabeet, who struggled to get minutes as a rookie last season, had 21 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks.
Thursday's top performances
Washington Wizards guard John Wall, the No. 1 pick in the draft, had 21 points, 10 rebounds and just three turnovers.
Dallas Mavericks guard Dominique Jones, drafted 25th by the Memphis Grizzlies and dealt to the Mavs, scored 28 points.
Milwaukee big man Larry Sanders, the No. 15 pick in the draft, collected 13 rebounds, including six on the offensive end.
Memphis Grizzlies swingman Sam Young had 35 points and seven rebounds.
Lakers could have finds with second rounders
The Los Angeles Lakers did not have a first-round draft pick, but selected forwards Devin Ebanks of West Virginia and Derrick Caracter of UTEP with the 43rd and 58th picks.
Without guaranteed contracts for second-round picks, it won't be easy for either play to make the back-to-back champion Lakers' roster.
But their play in the Vegas Summer League has made it tough for Lakers brass to ignore. Ebanks averaged 15 points and shot 45.5% on three-pointers, and Caracter averaged 15.4 points. 8.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.
"They both started out really strong," Lakers Summer League coach Chuck Person said. "As any young player, guys that come in lacking something, they kind of wore down a little bit because I played them heavy minutes."
But overall, I thought they did well. They picked up the system. Obviously, making reads is a different story. I'm looking forward to both guys coming into camp if they're invited so we can continue working with them."
Person likes what Ebanks brings defensively.
"He has a good skill set on the defensive end," Person said. "He can defend. He can rebound. He can block shots. He can make some steals. We need another defensive presence to go with Ron (Artest) and have another lockdown defender."
Person took note of Caracter's tenacity.
"He's a guy like a Carl Landry (Sacramento Kings), Chuck Hayes (Houston Rockets) – a guy that is undersized, but has a good motor who can rebound and make the 15-footer. He just brings another element of toughness if we decide to go in that direction."
One of the fan favorites at the NBA's Vegas Summer League has been Dallas Mavericks guard Jeremy Lin.
Lin is an undrafted free agent who played at Harvard and is trying to become the first American-born Asian to play in the NBA. Lin's parents are from Taiwan.
Against the Washington Wizards and John Wall, the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft, Lin more than held his own with 13 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals. He knocked down a long, high-arcing three-pointer and made drives and passes that energized fans, many who came to see Wall.
"My most obvious goal is to make an NBA roster, along side helping this team win as many games as we can," Lin said. "A lot of people haven't seen me play coming from a smaller conference. … I've known that I can play. I just needed a chance."
Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson said the team has been tracking Lin since his freshman season at Harvard.
"He's a player. He's smart. He's good court savvy," Nelson said. "He's a combo guard who play a little one or a little two. He's athletic and makes everyone around him better. He's quicker than you think and has the ability to get into the paint and draw contact."
In consecutive Summer League games, Lin has scored 8, 4, 12 and 13 points.
"He's gotten better every game," Nelson said. "He's your typical young player in that he will look good done night and struggle the next like all rookies."
Making Dallas' roster will be tough. The Mavericks already have Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Jose Barea, Rodrigue Beaubois and DeShawn Stevenson, and the acquired guard Dominique Jones the night of the draft.
"I'm just trying to play my game and hopefully get a shot at the NBA," Lin said.
Warriors GM likes Bay Area excitement
The Golden State Warriors reached an agreement to sell the team for a a record $450 million on Thursday. While the deal still needs to be approved by NBA Board of Governors, the deal leaves the leaves front-office personnel and the coaching staff in flux.
Coach Don Nelson, 70, enters the final year of his contract, and is close with general mangaer Larry Riley.
"The day-to-day operation won't change a whole lot," Riley said from Las Vegas where the Warriors are playing in the Summer League. "I'm going to have to be in touch with people who are going to have to give approval to some of the things we're going to do."
With new ownership expected to pay so much for the Warriors, Riley is bullish about Golden State's future.
"One of the most important things that happened to us this summer was the ability to go get a guy like David Lee and bring him to the Bay Area," Riley said. "There were people who were saying at one time we couldn't attract a good free agent. That broke the ice.
"Now, there's been quite a bit of publicity in regards to our team. We're on the upswing in terms of expectations, and in addition we have new ownership. There's a lot of excitement in the Bay Area."
Lee, a forward acquired in a sign-and-trade with the Knicks, is 27; guard Monta Ellis is 24; guard Stephen Curry is 22; center Andris Biedrins is 24 and swingman Dorell Wright is 24. The Warriors also selected forward Ekpe Udoh with the No. 6 pick in the draft.
"I'm just happy we were able to put this team together without destroying the age of our team. … It could be a core that's together for a long time," Riley said.
New ownership has players to work with, and a great market in which to build.
Rockets experiment with Jordan Hill at center
The Houston Rockets have moved Jordan Hill to center in hopes that the No. 8 pick in the 2009 NBA draft can back up Yao Ming, who missed the 2009-2010 season after having foot surgery.
The Rockets acquired Hill from the Knicks in the deal that sent swingman Tracy McGrady to the Knicks at the February trade deadline.
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said Yao is participating in full basketball workouts and is making steady progress. But expect the Rockets to be conservative with his playing time.
Last season, without Yao, the Rockets lacked size, using 6-6 Chuck Hayes at center. Hill is 6-10, and Rockets assistant coach Jack Sikma said, "We don't have a lot of long guys. That's somewhere we feel he can help us."
So far, Hill is a work-in-progress at the five spot.
"Jordan showed some signs of maturity. He's got a ways to go though," Sikma said. "We really felt as summer league went on, he played on a more consistent basis. There's a little lack of focus sometimes early in the first few games. But he progressed, defensively especially.
"He's got to understand when it's time to retreat so that he contests the basket early enough. There were many times in penetration he wasn't at the hoop when he should have been. He's our last line of defense on a team that's not very deep in contesting at the rim."
Learning to defend the pick-and-roll and help-side defense are areas of focus for Hill, who has a decent and developing offensive game in the low post.
"The summer league is just a chance to make some mistakes and correct them before the season starts," Hill said.
Hill scored 13 points and 14 rebounds in Houston?s final Vegas Summer League game.
Rose bonding with Thibodeau
Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose spent the second half of the Bulls' summer league game Wednesday sitting next to new Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.
"If anything, I have confidence in him," Rose said. "He's a guy who is always about winning."
It was the first time the two have really had a chance to talk and get to know each other, Rose said.
Rose has already witnessed Thibodeau's well-documented, part-mythologized work ethic, noticing Thibodeau's office light on and 11 p.m. at the team's practice facility when Rose comes in for late-night shooting.
"As a coach, that's great, so why not go in there and work as hard as him on the court," Rose said.
Wednesday's top performances
Cleveland Cavaliers forward J.J. Hickson had 34 points and nine rebounds, and Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, the No. 5 in the June draft, scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
Other notable performances: Toronto Raptors forward DeMar Derozan scored 23 points and swingman Sonny Weems added 19. After the game, Raptors coach Jay Triano told Weems it was his best game of the summer.
Atlanta Hawks rookie guard Jordan Crawford had 20 points; Spurs guard Alonzo Gee had 24; Chicago Bulls guard John Lucas III had 25; and Detroit Pistons big man Greg Monroe, the No. 7 pick in the June draft, and second-year man DaJuan Summers – both from Georgetown – each had 20 points; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Wayne Ellington scored 24 points.
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Best Of :: Shopping & Services
For Rick Hopkins, owner of Ye Olde Pipe & Tobacco Shoppe, cigars have been in the family for more than 30 years. Since beginning work at his father's downtown 'gar shop at 15, Hopkins smoked his first stogie at 19 and eventually took over the business in 1996. From best-value bundled cigars to premium puffs like Padron and Romeo y Julieta, beginning blunters and aficionados alike can find their supreme stick by chatting with friendly staff or strolling the humidor, then light up in the shop's large, non-membership smoking lounge, where they can sign up to smoke and socialize at Ye Olde's next monthly cigar-tasting event.
In the summer of 2009, husband-and-wife team Liam James T. Murtagh and Emily Spetrino-Murtagh took over the old Art One space and opened this novelty shop that fuses two sweet things: vinyl records and candy. The Murtaghs, who play in a number of punk and ska bands, focus their records on those two genres as well as new wave. And there are all sorts of sugar-loaded confections, ranging from jars of eye-popping candy to edible mustaches. The space doubles as the couple's living quarters, so they're open only in the evening when they get home from their day jobs. BTW, don't be alarmed to see the Murtaghs' 2-year-old son, Iggy, running around the shop and being crazy playful. He won't bite.
Tucked behind the yummy Paisley Violin Café is this retail co-op that's housed in totally adorable structures that weren't so adorable at one time: The World War II-era cottages once held German and Italian prisoners of war. However, you won't feel anything weird or creepy when visiting the buildings that were moved from 19th Avenue and McDowell Road and remodeled by Gina and Derrick Suarez. Instead, you may very well experience local-art heaven in shops such as Urban Art Florist and Wicked Wear Studio and Gallery. The collective often unites to hold special events like the Paisley Town Art Festival as well as special dealios during Art Detour.
We shop. A lot. Which is why we figured we'd easily find a new winner in the "Best Boutique" category this year. No go. In good faith we simply can't stray from our favorite, Frances. Georganne Bryant doesn't just run the cutest boutique in town — she's started a cottage industry when it comes to community support. She gives well-earned shout-outs to other local businesses on her blog (www.francesblog.tumblr.com), supports the indie movement in all sorts of creative ways (from sponsoring movies like Handmade Nation to printing T-shirts that say, "Love Phoenix or Leave Phoenix") and she's the first to credit someone else with a good idea. But usually, truth be told, it's Georganne who has the good ideas. If you don't care about all that community building, buy-local hoo-ha, come to Frances because Georganne has good taste, along with good ideas. She stocks the sweetest collection of clothing, housewares, jewelry, and paper goods this town has ever seen. Now you can shop on Frances' website — and our pocketbook (super-cute, purchased at Frances) is really doomed. But be sure to sign up for Georganne's mailing list, because twice a year, she has a really good sale. Just don't go telling the whole world or anything, 'kay?
We'll follow Bunky wherever it goes. And we have. Owner Rachel Richards-Malloy has kept us on our toes since she opened — this is her third location. Today, her teeny shop is located across the street from the Phoenix Art Museum and shares a home with Matt Pool's Giant Coffee in the Merz building. The store is filled with designer clothing and accessories and is cleverly arranged to fit even more inventory than she had before — Bunky now carries books and housewares. None other than Hayes McNeil from Plus Minus Studio designed her modular space. The walls are lined with salvaged wood (you can even spy an old Pepsi can nailed into one of the wood panels). Bunky's got designer threads in a designer space with designer coffee, all in one spot? Oh, man, we are so there.
This cute girl named Olive needed a place to shack up, and turns out Paris Envy had some room upstairs, so a partnership of sorts was born. And we're so glad. This trend of sharing space is a wonderful byproduct of a slow economy, and we hope it keeps classy indie businesses like Paris Envy and Olive in Paris (the latest project from the ladies who brought us the sadly short-lived Olive Annie on Seventh Street) going strong. We drooled over a pair of vintage lamps at Paris Envy, a housewares shop with a shabby-chic French (obviously) vibe, and upstairs, we debated over a piece of handmade jewelry or a funky multi-colored belt. Both stores have so much style and personality and . . . sorry, but you'll have to excuse us because we need to go back and see whether those lamps are still there. Be right back!


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We're always impressed by the enthusiasm of LN readers when it comes to our recipe contests. This year, we asked them to share their favorite cake recipes with us, and lo and behold, scores of delicious treats were presented by bakers excited to share their talents with our readers. The winning recipe, voted on by our panel of judges (it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it!), was a Sour Cream Pound Cake. Creator Suzanne Walch will recieve a gift certificate for a Kitchens with a Mission class from L'École Culinaire.
Amana Sour Cream Pound Cake
by Suzanne Walch
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
2 c. cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ t. salt
½ c. chopped pecans
½ t. cinnamon
2 T. brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and add to batter. In a small bowl combine pecans, cinnamon and brown sugar and set aside.
Pour half the batter into the pan. Sprinkle brown sugar filling evenly on top. Add remaining batter and bake for 55 minutes. Cool completely before removing from pan. Dust with powdered sugar.
A Taste of Autumn Cake
by georgia MACON
For cake:
2 c. brown suagr
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
½ c. vegetable oil
5 large eggs
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. nutmeg
¼ t. cloves
¼ t. allspice
pinch of salt
1 c. buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour two 9" cake pans.
Separate the eggs and set the yolks aside. Whip the whites to stiff peaks and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the brown sugar and butter. With the mixer running, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream. Add the egg yolks, one at a time. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, soda, powder and spices. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Last, fold in the stiff whites. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for about 30 minutes, until cake springs back when touched. Place the cakes on wire racks and cool completely.
For apple filling:
6 or 7 Granny Smith apples
2 T. unsalted butter
½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. corn syrup
½ t. cinnamon
¼ t. cloves
pinch of salt
2 T. cornstarch
Peel, core and chop apples. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the spices, brown sugar and syrup, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the apples and salt, mix well and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 T. water and stir into the apple mixture. Cook mixture for 10 more minutes, remove from heat, and cool completely.
For cream cheese frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ stick unsalted butter, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, and mix until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
To assemble:
Slice both cooled cakes in half, and spread apple filling on 3 of the 4 layers. Stack the cakes, then spread the cream cheese frosting over the sides and top of the cake. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
French Toast Cake
by Amy Miller
Cake ingredients:
1 Betty Crocker Cake Mix (Super Moist Yellow)
1 ¼ C. water
1/3 C. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 ½ t. cinnamon
Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease two 8" round baking pans.
Prepare cake mix according to directions on box. Stir cinnamon into batter. Pour into two greased baking pans. Bake 26-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool ten minutes and then turn cakes out onto wire racks to finish cooling.
Maple buttercream frosting ingredients:
8 medium or 6 large egg yolks
¾ C. sugar
½ C. pure maple syrup
2 C. unsalted butter, softened
Grease a heat safe measuring cup. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until they are light in color. Add the sugar and maple syrup to a small saucepan and heat on medium, stirring frequently. When the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a full boil, remove from heat and pour into the measuring cup to stop cooking. While beating the egg yolks, gradually add in the sugar mixture. Once all the mixture is added, continue to beat until cool. Last, gradually add the butter. Continue beating until frosting thickens.
Candied bacon:
4-6 strips thick-cut hickory smoked bacon
3 T. brown sugar
Heat oven to 400ºF.
Foil line a baking sheet and lay strips of bacon on the baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar on top and bake for about 20 minutes (or until bacon starts to brown). Turn bacon and continue baking on the second side for about five minutes or until desired crispness. Remove and blot with a paper towel. Cool, then chop finely.
To assemble:
Cut each cake in half to create layers. Layer the cake and frosting to look like a stack of French toast with frosting as the top layer. Build up a slight ridge of frosting around the top edge. Chill a few tablespoons of maple syrup and drizzle on the top and around the edges. Sprinkle the chopped bacon around the top edge. Keep refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Chocolate Cake
by Lily Hustava
1 ¾ c. flour
¼ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ t. baking soda
½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
¾ c. lightly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted
1 c. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour two 9" cake pans.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate medium-sized bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy with an electric mixer on high (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating just until blended. Stir in vanilla. Divide the batter equally into the prepared pans. Bake until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Remove pans and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate frosting:
1 stick unsalted butter (cut into 8 pieces)
2 oz. semisweet chocolate (chopped)
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 box (16 oz.) confectioner's sugar
1/3 to 1/2 c. milk
Combine butter and chocolate in a small saucepan. Melt over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add cocoa powder and stir until completely smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer. Add confectioner's sugar alternately with the milk, adding milk if necessary to thin. Beat until fluffy and smooth.
To assemble:
Frost and stack the two 9" cakes. Coat cakes with chopped milk chocolate, semisweet or dark chocolate in any combination. You may also pipe leftover icing along the top and bottom edges of the cake.
French Summer Cake
by Ellie Hock
Champagne Cake:
2/3 c. butter
1 ½ c. granulated sugar
2 ¾ c. all-purpose flour
3 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
¾ c. Asti champagne
½ t. agave nectar
½ t. almond extract
½ t. lemon zest
6 egg whites
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter an angel food cake pan.
In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar. In another large bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt. Blend into creamed mixture alternating with the champagne. Add agave nectar, almond extract and lemon zest. In a clean large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter and pour into prepared pan. Bake for one hour.
4 c. powdered sugar
2/3 c. heavy whipping cream
½ t. almond extract
juice of one medium lemon
Beat ingredients at high speed with a mixer until smooth.
To assemble:
Once the champagne cake has cooled completely, cover with almond frosting. Let the frosting set before serving. Keep cake refrigerated.
Caroline's Chocolate Cake
by Carole Marcum
2 ¼ c. all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
1 ¾ c. plus 2 T. sugar
2/3 c. Crisco shortening
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 ¼ c. buttermilk
3 eggs
2 ½ squares melted unsweetened chocolate
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease two 9" cake pans.
Mix together the first six ingredients and beat for three minutes on medium speed. Add eggs and chocolate; beat for three minutes. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Frost with chocolate icing.
Chocolate icing:
1 stick butter
1/8 t. salt
16 oz. confectioner's sugar, divided
4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
6 T. milk
Beat butter, salt, and one cup confectioner's sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in chocolate; then add remaining confectioner's sugar alternately with milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy.
Hurry Dale Cake
by Deborah Jackson, originally by Martha White
2 c. peeled and diced apples (about two)
1 c. granulated sugar
1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
½ t. ground cinnamon
¼ t. allspice
¼ t. ground cloves
½ t. salt
1 egg
½ c. cooking oil
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Oil an 8" square pan. In bowl, cover apples with sugar and set aside until syrup forms. In another bowl, sift the dry ingredients. Blend the egg and cooking oil and add to the apples. Stir in the dry ingredients until thoroughly blended. Pour into the oiled 8" square pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Vary by adding nuts, raisins, dates, figs, coconut, etc. to your taste.
Rachel's Pumpkin Cake
by Rachel Eilbott
¾ c. oil
2 ½ c. sugar
4 eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
2/3 c. water
3 ½ c. flour
2 t. baking soda
1 ½ t. baking powder
2+ t. cinnamon
1+ t. clove
1+ t. nutmeg
package of chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a pan. Cream oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly. Mix in pumpkin and water. In a separate bowl, combine remaining (dry) ingredients except chocolate chips and mix well. Stir dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture, a little at a time, until thoroughly blended. Then stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into greased pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake one hour. Cool 15 minutes before removing the pan.
5 T. margarine or butter
2 c. powdered sugar
1 ½ t. vanilla
1+ T. water for desired consistency
Melt margarine. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add water; mix until smooth and of desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Chocolate Brownie Cake
by Renee Schultz and Joan Wall
2 c. all-purpose pre-sifted flour
2 c. granulated sugar
2 t. baking soda
2 large eggs (beaten until light and fluffy)
1 t. salt
1 c. buttermilk
¾ c. canola oil
Preheat oven to 300ºF. Grease and flour a 9 X 13" baking dish. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix at medium speed until smooth and blended. Pour into baking dish. (This recipe works best when used in one layer rather than two.) Bake for 50 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted comes out clean. Depending on the oven, you may need an additional five-minute cook time. Cool thoroughly before icing.
Cream cheese frosting:
8 oz. cold cream cheese
1 stick butter (do not use margarine)
1/8 t. salt
3 ¾ c. powdered confectioner's sugar
½ t. pure vanilla
With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter and salt on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, two to three minutes. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the sugar and beat until smooth. Add vanilla and beat until mixed, but make sure not to over-mix. If frosting is too dense, add milk one tablespoon at a time to make it spreadable. Frost cool cake and top with sprinkles. (Notes: We top with cream cheese frosting but it can be topped with white, chocolate or caramel icing as well.)


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[If you liked my piece on Transition and Turbulence, maybe you'll like this too. It might also work as an entry in the Book of Good Living.]------------------------We live our lives on a human stage.Which means: A great deal of the stuff we do, we do for the benefit of the people around us.And by "benefit," I don't necessarily mean "to help them," although that can be a part of it. I mean this: "Human stage" implies an audience of some sort, and that audience is the people around us. They … [Read more...]
Archives for February 4, 2012
Flash vs. Substance
February 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment


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C. Michael Patton's got a point of view here (italics below), and … I wonder what you think? I made an observation recently that may be completely off base, or it may just betray the reality of the tight Evangelical circles in which I travel most of the time. Either way, here it is: Calvinists have [Read More…]
Archives for April 2012
Does Arminianism Preach?
An Inexpressible Treasure
To talk about marriage requires wisdom. Wisdom is learning to live in God's world in God's way, and God's way is the gospel. Marriage then is learning about how the relationship of a man and woman works, how families work, how society works … and wisdom draws on every resource needed and available. I can [Read More…]
Kingdom Temptations
Anyone who wants to explain the kingdom of God as taught by Jesus/NT is faced with temptations. Here's the first one: to want that kingdom to be almost entirely spiritual — something between a person and God, a religious experience, some religious power now at work, something not belonging to this world, something getting someone [Read More…]
What's your caption for this pizza man?
Bethel Lecture
Last Friday Bethel University, under the excellent leadership of Chris Gehrz and Christian Collins Winn, hosted a colloquium on Pietism. This event built on their earlier colloquium that brought in scholars of Pietism. But this session was not just on Pietism but was instead an exploration of some of Pietism's connections, and I was asked [Read More…]
Which Cover Do You Prefer?
I've done this before with book covers, so here goes. But please do not use these images on your site. My friend at Eastern University, Joe Modica, and I are co-editors of a book to be published early next year called Jesus is Lord, Caesar is Not, and it will subject empire criticism to evaluation. [Read More…]
Prayer for Third Sunday of Easter
O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. [Read more…]
Buy a Foot of Ireland
A brief introduction to a post about supporting intelligent, moderate, solid evangelical theological education in Ireland, in Dublin, at a wonderful location and with a big need for church support. I taught at Irish Bible Institute two summers back and, in fact, gave the full lectures on which King Jesus Gospel is based. It was [Read More…]
Saturday Book Review: Kyle Strobel
Our review today is by Kyle Strobel (@kylestrobel), an Edwards specialist and who engages this big new book by McClymond and McDermott at the level of experts. So enjoy … The Theology of Jonathan Edwards (OUP, 2012) by Michael J. McClymond and Gerald R. McDermott Scot has already reviewed several small portions of this behemoth, [Read More…]
Weekly Meanderings
Chicago, by Kyle Flubacker. I like Kyle's picture so much I'm bringing it out again this week. There is a blog called "SBCVoices" (Southern Baptist Voices) that got wound up last week on the meaning of the gospel, but I have to say after Comment 1 the conversation was more or less over (for me) but [Read More…]


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Flames NewsFlames Home > Women's Tennis Home > News
Lady Flames Edged By Lady Buccaneers
The Charleston Southern Lady Buccaneers claimed the all important doubles point and then split the six singles matches to squeeze past the Liberty Lady Flames, 4-3, Monday.
The Lady Buccaneers took the doubles point by winning two of the three doubles matches contested. Jonita Randolph (Jr., Townville, S.C.) and Martyna Hanusz (So., Stola Wala, Poland) claimed the Lady Flames only doubles victory at #2 doubles.
Down 1-0, Liberty came up a point short for team victory, splitting the six contested singles matches. The Lady Flames rallied for three single victories by Dina Senkina at #2, Martyna Hanusz at #4 and Erica Fredstrom at #5 to make the match close.
Liberty falls to 3-4 overall and 0-2 in the Big South play, while Charleston Southern wins its first match of the season to move to 1-7 overall and 1-1 in conference.
The Lady Flames continue their road trip with a visit to UNC Wilmington on Thursday. The non-conference contest is set for Noon.
1. TAZI, Meryam (CSU) def. RANDOLPH, Jonita (LU) 6-7, 6-4, 6-3
2. SENKINA, Dina (LU) def. FRANZI, Rebecca (CSU) 2-6, 6-0, 6-3
3. KUTUK, Nazli (CSU) def. KUZNETSOVA, Ekaterina (LU) 6-4, 6-1
4. HANUSZ, Martyna (LU) def. BAIR, Jessica (CSU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-1
5. FREDSTROM, Erica (LU) def. STOPPELLI, Natalie (CSU) 6-1, 6-1
6. HEARD, Ashley (CSU) def. BRANCO, Livia (LU) 6-3, 6-4
1. TAZI, Meryam/FRANZI, Rebecca (CSU) def. SENKINA, Dina/KUZNETSOVA, Ekaterina (LU) 8-3
2. RANDOLPH, Jonita/HANUSZ, Martyna (LU) def. BAIR, Jessica/KUTUK, Nazli (CSU) 8-4
3. STOPPELLI, Natalie/HEARD, Ashley (CSU) def. FREDSTROM, Erica/BRANCO, Livia (LUW) 8-6


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Aspiring actress, Chrisi Talen, had a lifetime of unfulfilling jobs until Animal Behavior College and the idea of an animal job popped up on her radar screen. "I remembered my childhood love of animals," says Chrisi, "especially my family's two golden retrievers". She decided to investigate a course at ABC's local dog training college, and the rest becomes 'history', as they say.
Because she wanted to continue pursuing an acting career, Chrisi discovered she could combine her love of animals with her passion to act. "ABC has been a terrific experience. I love helping dog owners bridge the communication gap between (themselves and) canines". Besides her classes at Animal Behavior College, Chrisi works in a group setting at Petco, helping owners 'bridge the communication gap'. Continue reading ABC Graduate, Chrisi Talen, Doubles As Dog Trainer


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RFA's Khmer Service
Last Updated on Saturday, 15 October 2011 02:01 Written by RFA15 Wednesday, 12 October 2011 08:31
Thank you for visiting RFA's 15th Anniversary site where we're featuring RFA's Khmer Service, the leading international broadcaster in Cambodia.
Please scroll down to explore the unique features of RFA Khmer, including its popular call-in show, special programming, major news events, listener comments, and awards won by RFA Khmer journalists.
You can also view major news events and story highlights.
First Broadcast: September 29, 1997.
Language: Khmer.
Coverage: Two hours per day, seven days a week.
Distribution: Radio (shortwave and FM), Internet and satellite. RFA Khmer can be heard on eight diversified shortwave frequencies and 10 local FM affiliates.
Website: http://www.rfa.org/khmer/
English Language Website: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia
Special Programming: In addition to news, RFA Khmer features informative programming on the country's emerging legal system, women's issues, economy and employment, health awareness, agriculture, and Cambodian heritage and identity, as well as political analysis, science and technology, and history. Every week, the service hosts a one-hour call-in show for listeners to discuss news-worthy issues and other topics with experts. In addition, listeners' feedback is aired during a brief segment, which includes emails and letters read from listeners.
RFA Khmer's first broadcast on Sept. 29, 1997 consisted of news, features and commentary on politics, economics, law and democracy, children, health, culture and the arts.
RFA's then-President Dick Richter explained the mission of the Khmer service during the inaugural broadcast: "You have been listening to the first broadcast of Radio Free Asia to Cambodia. From now on we will be coming to you every day. We are a radio news network devoted to bringing objective reporting about Cambodia, its people and its neighbors to you, our listeners in Cambodia. Our goal is to inform not preach. We will report about all kinds of events, subjects, and people. And we intend to be interesting and sometimes even entertaining. We do not broadcast much world news, except if it is related to Cambodia and its people's benefit. Radio Free Asia will also broadcast news about the United States. But it will cover important activities of Cambodians in the United States and overseas. Our mission is to distribute all subjects that the Cambodian people are interested in. We hope you will continue listen to Radio Free Asia. We pledge not to waste your valuable time."
RFA Executive Editor Dan Southerland recalls hiring RFA's first Cambodian stringers and helping to open a small office in Phnom Penh in the summer of 1997: "RFA started hiring stringers in Phnom Penh during a tense period.
"We had to evacuate our first two hires because of fighting in the streets of Phnom Penh in early July 1997. Prime Minister Hun Sen's troops launched attacks against the military forces of his coalition partner, Prince Norodom Rannariddh. At least 100 people were killed.
"We feared for the safety of our stringers and brought them both to our Washington, D.C. headquarters. They had to hastily leave their homes in Phnom Penh carrying the bare necessities in a few suitcases. One of those first two hires, Hin Yanny, is still working for us in D.C.
"We were far from well established in Phnom Penh. Many Cambodians did not know who we were and were afraid to give us interviews. A pro-government newspaper denounced RFA as an anti-communist "reactionary" radio intent on overthrowing the Hun Sen regime.
"We decided to open a small, one-room office next to the Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA) office, fearing that a larger office would draw too much attention. I chose To Serey, who was working with DPA at the time, to run the office. The office, located near the waterfront and the Foreign Correspondents Club, was actually an old kitchen, four meters by four meters in size. When he left the office on his motorbike, Serey was often followed by government informers.
"The office had a toilet and a desk but no air conditioning and no fan. Rain leaked through an open window. The office became extremely crowded after Serey was joined by two more reporters, Kim Peou Sotan, who had been working for a French-run television station, and Um Sarin, who had been working with UPI.
"In 1998, after we became better known and gained a significant number of listeners in Cambodia, we moved to a larger, riverfront office. Our current, even larger office in located near the center of city."
Looking back on those early days, To Serey said: "We're doing great now. People want their voices to be heard on RFA. They want the government to hear their stories. Many people – including farmers, business people, politicians, policemen, and government officials—call us almost every day to give us news. They also send us information by way of fax and email. When they can't find justice in their lives, they turn to RFA."
In 2002, the Khmer service was the only radio station in Cambodia to host election debates, providing equal airtime to all political parties participating in the country's first commune council election. Cambodia's National Election Committee (NEC) declined to air any of the debates on government-run-television or radio.
The following year, the Khmer service increased their air time to four hours per day to continue covering the national election sending reporters all over the country, including remote areas and voting stations to file live reports. The coverage including the campaign, election day and the post-election with poll results. The service then hosted a series of political debates, again inviting all political parties to participate. The show was aired live while RFA staff moderated and provided listeners the opportunity to question candidates on their positions, agendas, and beliefs.
It has been 18 years since Cambodia held its first elections. Despite showing some economic growth, the country has made only tenuous progress in the development of democracy, rule of law, human rights, and freedom of the press. Serious concerns remain among organizations such as Reporters Without Borders, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch, and the Committee to Protect Journalists, that the country's legal system and violence are used to silence journalists and voices of opposition. Freedom House rates Cambodia "Not Free" and ranked it 134th of the 196 countries surveyed in its annual press freedom index. Human Rights Watch's 2011 report states that "Journalists who criticize the government face biased legal action, imprisonment and violence. At least 10 opposition journalists have been killed in the past 15 years."
U.S. State Department's most recent human rights report describes the situation in Cambodia as grim: "Members of security forces committed arbitrary killings and acted with impunity. Detainees were abused, often to extract confessions, and prison conditions were harsh. Human rights monitors reported arbitrary arrests and prolonged pre-trial detention, underscoring a weak judiciary and denial of the right to a fair trial. Land disputes and forced evictions, sometimes violent, continued. The government restricted freedom of speech and of the press through defamation and disinformation lawsuits and at times interfered with freedom of assembly. Corruption was endemic." All television and most radio stations are owned and operated by the government or those close to the government. Print media is usually run or dominated by one of the political parties, it's not widely distributed outside Phnom Penh, and is too expensive for most Cambodians to purchase regularly.
RFA Journalists At Risk
Of RFA's six target countries, Cambodia is the only one where RFA is allowed to have an office and in-country reporters. RFA opened its office in Phnom Penh on Aug. 15, 1998, which included two digital editing stations and a production studio used heavily by the Khmer, Lao and Vietnamese services. RFA has grown and developed the Phnom Penh office and has journalists reporting live from the scene. There are also half a dozen reporters assigned to different provinces so news doesn't just come from the country's capital and its surroundings, but from the far-flung and often remote provinces.
RFA reporters have had to be very courageous over the years as they have come under attack. A number of RFA reporters have faced death threats over the years and have had to leave the country temporarily for safety.
Also in 2010, shortly after RFA reporter To Serey was acquitted of baseless disinformation charges, a new prosecutor moved in and announced he was "appealing" the verdict. In 2007, RFA reporter Lem Pichpisey and his family had to flee the country permanently for asylum in Norway. In 2005, a military officer driving an illegal logging truck attempted to run down RFA reporter Sok Ratha, but he managed to escape with minor injuries. Authorities never charged the officer.
Impact and Service Highlights
Despite these intimidations, RFA Khmer has managed to establish its credibility and draw ever larger audiences for its breaking news and compelling, in-depth stories. Since RFA began broadcasting on FM radio through affiliates such as Beehive Radio and the Women's Media Center, it has become the most popular international broadcaster in Cambodia with more than 22 percent of the available audience listening on a weekly basis.
With RFA's only bureau located within a target country and reporters stationed throughout the provinces, the Khmer Service has a vast reach. The bureau not only supports the work of the Washington-based staff and Khmer reporters in the Phnom Penh office, but also journalists from RFA's Lao and Vietnamese language services.
In December 2009, RFA Khmer extensively covered the plight of Uyghur refugees who had been handed over to China by the Cambodian government. When the refugees were put on a Chinese plane in the middle of the night, one of RFA's Phnom Penh-based reporters was the first and only journalist on the scene at the airport to cover the story.
Beginning in 1998, RFA Khmer service has provided listeners with extensive coverage of five nationwide elections – three for national office and two for communal office. The service arranged live debates with candidates and special call-in programs on the political platforms of all parties. Following the polls, RFA reported results and reactions, including condemnation from international election monitors regarding severe voting irregularities.
Since its inception, RFA Khmer has covered Cambodia's tormented history, especially its devastation under the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979. Working with noted historian David Chandler, RFA produced an extensive series on the Khmer Rouge in preparation for the trial of key leaders in the ECCC, or the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts in Cambodia. These specialized programs include over 200 segments focusing on the period and its lasting legacy for Cambodians. When the Khmer Rouge tribunal began, the Khmer service provided exhaustive coverage of the proceedings both on the radio and via live webcasts. This included the eagerly anticipated testimony of Khmer Rouge prison chief, Kaing Gek Eav, known also as Duch.
In 2007, RFA Khmer was the first news source to broadcast the Global Witness Report, "Cambodia's Family Trees," which documented how a "kleptocratic elite" with ties to Prime Minister Hun Sen's family was stripping the country of its wealth by illegal logging in Cambodian provinces. RFA reporter Lem Pichpisey who went into the Prey Lang forest to gather audio interviews and photos of one of the illegal operations, later had to flee the country because of resulting death threats. Reporters Without Borders, Human Rights Watch and The Committee to Protect Journalists have documented this case extensively.
RFA Khmer Programming
RFA Khmer's wide diversity of news and cultural programming has made it the radio network of choice for Cambodian listeners and even many government officials, especially in Phnom Penh. The service launched its pioneering Friday call-in program from its Phnom Penh office in June 1999, which since then has grown from a taped 15-minute segment to a 45-minute live format. Topics discussed, as well as those reported on by the news service on any given day, include:
- China's influence on Cambodia's environment and economy;
- Wildlife and environmental conservation efforts of local communities;
- Violent police crackdowns on villagers protesting the loss of their homes and land;
- Drought and environmental degradation of the Mekong River;
- Working conditions in garment factories;
- A man fighting for justice in the courts after a military official pushed him off a train causing him to lose both legs;
- Widows and children who make their living scavenging at the Phnom Penh dump;
- Outbreaks of bird flu and other diseases;
- Efforts to revive Khmer culture after the devastation of the Khmer Rouge; and
- Corruption on all levels of society and government.
Online Multimedia
In addition to its radio broadcasting, RFA Khmer produces multimedia webcasts that run five days a week and include news highlights with videos and pictures from the field.
Taking advantage of the growing popularity of smart phones in Cambodia, the Khmer Service developed a version of its website adapted for use on mobile devices. Users of the iPhone can read news without having to set up special Khmer fonts to read the site's content. The Khmer Service also has set up a news program for Android users on www.rfa.org/khmer.
Since RFA Khmer enabled comments on the website, visitors post dozens of comments daily in response to the stories and other content.
Leading the specialized on-line coverage of five nationwide elections, RFA Khmer's online coverage included everything from voter education to live candidate debates.
From March to November 2009, the service ran special live broadcasting on its website from the courtroom of Khmer Rouge tribunal, making the public hearings of Cambodia's difficult past available to its online audience. The Khmer service will continue its live webcasts when the court begins its hearing on the five top Khmer Rouge suspects by in 2011.
In early 2009, the Khmer service has changed from Khmer Smart to Khmer Unicode, a new font created for universal and standardizing use in reading Khmer news.
Listener Comments
"I like listening to breaking news on Radio Free Asia … I firmly believe that if people spend some time listening to the news… it would really help them improve their understanding of real society, and they will become responsible citizens." – Male listener, Phnom Penh, March 2010
"I trust Khmer RFA. … Because Khmer RFA is working for the Cambodian people in order to know the truth." – Male listener, Phnom Penh, June 2008.
"RFA is my favorite radio since it is the main source of national news. Obviously, it covers deforestation, corruption, and land violation news. These issues, which domestic radio stations are frightened to broadcast, are vital to both me and my country." – Male, 35, Phnom Penh, 2009
"RFA obtains news from the field with interviews and they broadcast factual, reliable, and clear events, whereas other [stations] do not." – Male listener, 40, Kampong Cham
"RFA serves as a key to a room, which contains many items inside. It opens the door to show the public. It is special in that respect. It is so revealing." – Male listener, 48, Kampong Cham, Village Chief, 2004
"As of now, there are hardly any social problems reported on pro-government radio stations, only RFA covers all that; without RFA, we wouldn't know anything." – Male, 57, Rattanakiri, education administrator, 2004
"I trust RFA because RFA broadcasts news that is important to the Cambodian people. I listen to local radio stations, but I turn to RFA to get accurate news or to confirm what I heard on local stations." – Male listener, 40, social worker, 2007
"RFA is recognized by everyone, even by the government, as the primary source of news that is neutral and impartial and provides information from almost everywhere." – Male listener, 29, public relations officer, 2008
"All reports are unbiased and fair; for instance, in the case of the police officer in Vernsai district, the correspondent interviewed the victim, army and civil society officers, and did not accuse any side of being right or wrong …" – Male, 25, bachelor's degree, business operator
"The selection of programs broadcast addresses the listeners' needs because RFA is neutral and it is different from some other media that are under political pressure from the current powerful party. Those media let people know or receive only information from one party. So spending time listening to a neutral radio program like RFA is a good thing to do, and this radio program is very popular at the moment." – Male listener, 26, 2010
Awards and Recognition
In 2006, Khmer Service reporter Sok Ratha won the Broadcasting Board of Governors David W. Burke Distinguished Journalism Award for his exceptional and courageous reporting on Montagnard refugees. Sok found the refugees sick and starving in the remote forests of northeastern Cambodia where they had fled from persecution in Vietnam.
Sok was recognized for his groundbreaking reports from outlying regions of Cambodia, often filed at great risk to his own safety. In presenting the award, then-BBG Governor Ted Kaufman described Sok Ratha as a "uniquely dedicated journalist who has worked tirelessly to report the truth, even and especially those truths that powerful Cambodian interests would most like to hide—his commitment to his work is truly unflinching."
"While this award specifically recognizes Sok Ratha for his courageous reporting from the remote Cambodian province of Rattanakiri, Sok Ratha has tirelessly lived up to the highest standards of journalism—leading by example, often at great risk to his own safety and security," RFA President Libby Liu said.
Sok began working for Radio Free Asia during Cambodia's 2003 national elections, as a temporary stringer based in Rattanakiri. He subsequently discovered Montagnard refugees—ethnic minority people from Vietnam—hiding in the thick jungle forests of Rattanakiri and the neighboring province of Mondulkiri. He was the first reporter to expose their plight, eventually drawing intervention by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Sok Ratha returned repeatedly to the malaria-infested jungles where the Montagnards had made camp, documenting their plight in photos and recorded interviews that made their existence impossible even for the Cambodian authorities to deny or ignore. A year after he began reporting on the Montagnards, Sok Ratha was arrested along with another reporter as they documented the travels of a new group of 17 Montagnards attempting to reach safe haven.
In 2005, Sok Ratha turned to covering other pressing issues in Rattanakiri such as illegal logging, judicial corruption, and land grabs. Last September, as he attempted to report on illegal logging involving military authorities, he was run down by a truck driven by a military official.
He was dragged 100 meters but escaped serious injury. He has declined several offers from RFA to relocate in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, choosing to remain with his family in Rattanakiri.
He was the first reporter to expose the plight of refugees in northern Cambodia, helping to bring international attention to the situation. This led to the eventual involvement of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the U.S. government.
In September, 2006 Sok received the Human Rights Award from Cambodian Human Rights Action Community in Phnom Penh.
On June 24, 2011, Uon Chhin, a RFA Khmer videographer, received a certificate of merit from LICADHO, the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights, for his strong commitment to truthfulness.
The certificate was for the work Uon had done during his radio and video reports on a clash over land dispute in Prey Touch commune, Kompong Speu province on June 9, 2011 during which about 200 villagers had a clash with 300 police. Villagers tried to protect their 65 hectares of land against the implementation of court decision that ruled in favor of Meng Ket, a Taiwan company. Villagers armed with sticks, axes, knives, swords, and slingshots battled against police armed with guns, shields, and electric batons. At least seven villagers and two policemen were injured in a five-minute clash.
His video report on the clash had the most page views among Khmer service videos, with over 20,000 views in the first three weeks it aired.
Recent News Events and Exclusive Stories
Campaign Against NGO Law Intensifies
The Cambodian government is considering the third draft of a controversial law designed to regulate nongovernmental organizations that has been criticized by NGOs and some donors as an an attempt to restrict freedom of association and speech as well as the growth of civil society.
Activist Monk Banned from Pagodas
RFA interviewed Loun Sovath, a prominent Cambodian environmental activist monk, who has been barred from entering pagodas in his home province after participating in protests against rain-forest destruction. A U.N. official told RFA that Buddhist authorities in Siem Reap province had confirmed the ban and said that it would be lifted only if the monk agreed to end public support for protesters and "confess his wrongdoings" to the official Buddhist Sangha Council. Loun Sovath told RFA he had done nothing wrong.
Hundreds Faint in Garment Factory
Throughout the month of August, there were reported incidents of mass faintings in three different garment factories in Cambodia. Most workers in these factories blamed the fainting on chemical substances in the manufacturing process and high temperatures in the workplace.
Loans Halted over Land Dispute
The World Bank has stopped providing loans to Cambodia until the Cambodia government finds a favorable solution to the problem of residents of Beng Kak who were evicted to make way for a Chinese-owned development project. Two days after the World Bank announcement, Prime Minister Hun Sen declared that he would set aside some land for "qualified" residents. A week later, the government cancelled the annual donor countries' meeting, with the excuse that donors were facing a world economic crisis. The opposition party said that the government had failed to respond to the donors' recommendations on major reforms.
Khmer Rouge Hearing on Accuseds' Health Ends Without Result
RFA reported that the Extraordinary Chamber in the Court of Cambodia (ECCC) held a three-day physical and mental fitness hearing to determine whether two accused persons in the Khmer Rouge trials—Ieng Thirith, former Minister of Social Affairs, and Nuon Chea, President of the National Assembly of Democratic Kampuchea (DK)—are fit to stand trial. On the second day of the hearing, Dr. John Campbell testified that Ieng Thirith suffers from dementia. He said she needs a psychiatrist for a further assessment. Dr. Campbell also testified to the court that Nuon Chea has no mental or memory problem, but that he was physically weak and unable to sit for long periods of time.
Miner Encroaches on Ancestral Lands
Ethnic minority villagers in eastern Cambodia are protesting over the operations of a Chinese mining company they say have intruded on their ancestral lands while exploring for bauxite deposits in the region.
The Cambodian service covered the preliminary Khmer Rouge hearing, which began on June 27. Four former top leaders of the Khmer Rouge Regime are on trial – Nuon Chea, the chief ideologue of the Khmer Rouge; former President Khieu Samphon; former Foreign Minister Ieng Sary; and his wife Ieng Thearith, former Social Affairs Minister.
Clash Over Eviction Plan
Police in Cambodia's capital beat and detain residents seeking government intervention. Cambodian police clashed with 100 people demonstrating in the capital against their eviction in a land deal, leaving four injured and detaining eight, according to a representative of the protesters.
Reeling From Drought
RFA Khmer reported that the Sesan River in northeastern Cambodia has dried up this year. The river is vital to the livelihood of thousands of people who depend on the river as their source of protein and for water for their farms. Locals and conservationists describe the drying of the river as a man-made disaster caused by the construction of Chinese hydroelectric dams in the upper part of the Mekong tributary.
Poverty Makes Students Drop Out of School
RFA's Cambodian service did a feature story about children living in a floating village in Tonle Sap, who cannot attend school if they don't know how to swim. The school principal said that the school does not have the resources to teach or transport the children to and from school. He added that the children must have the ability to save themselves in case of an emergency, such as a severe storm. RFA reported that many children in the village have to drop out of school due to poverty only after a few years of primary education.
World Bank Asks Government to Stop Evictions
The Cambodian government signed a 99-year contract and lease with a Chinese company, Shukaku, to develop the land around Beoung Kak in the outskirts of Phnom Penh into a modern city. Many residents have been evicted without proper compensation. The World Bank urged the government to stop the forced evictions, but the government continued moving forward with the redevelopment plans. RFA reported that around 2,000 families refused to move off the land and held demonstrations in protest. The struggle attracted international attention, with people from India and the Philippines writing letters to the Chinese embassy to work with displaced residents. A Buddhist monk, who is also a human rights activist, took part in the protest and was rescued from police arrest by a U.N. human rights monitor. The monk was placed under the protection of the U.N. Human Rights Office in Phnom Penh.
Two Killed in Border Battle
The Cambodian service continued its coverage of Thai and Cambodian military skirmishes. Both countries' governments claimed that soldiers and civilians were killed during the fighting. Cambodia took the case to the U.N. Security Council, claiming that Thailand had intended to invade Cambodia, had damaged the Preah Vihear Temple, and had destroyed many civilian homes. Cambodia demanded that the U.N. dispatch peace-keeping troops to the disputed border to create a buffer zone.
Observers to Enter Temple Fray
Recent border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand over a disputed 10th century border temple were featured in an RFA Khmer report in which experts analyzed the two countries' military strength and weighed the outcome if politicians in Phnom Penh and Bangkok decide to launch an all-out war.
Graft Arrest 'A Good Start'
The Cambodian nongovernmental groups have welcomed the arrest of a high-profile official on alleged bribery charges by the country's new anti-corruption task force. However, they warn that "big fish" should not be spared in the drive to root out graft in one of the world's most corrupt governments. Om Yin Tieng, the head of the Anti-Corruption Unit, announced that Top Chansereyvuth, the head prosecutor of Cambodia's western Pursat province, had been arrested on charges of accepting U.S. $8,000 in bribes from illegal loggers.
Most Cambodian Youth Dislike Skills Training
RFA Khmer reported that educational experts predict a serious shortage in skilled labor and professionals in technology in Cambodia if there is no change in educational policy between 2015 and 2020.
World Food Program Staff Held for 6 Months in Prison
A Phnom Penh court sentenced United Nations World Food Program employee Seng Kunakar to six months in prison and fined him a million riel (U.S. $250) for distributing a message calling top government leaders "national traitors" for selling Khmer territory to Vietnam.
Hundreds Dead in Stampede
In one of Cambodia's worst tragedies in recent years, about 353 people were killed in a stamped on a crowded bridge in Phnom Penh during an annual water festival. Most died after being crushed or drowned as hundreds of people rushed across a narrow bridge leading to an island in Phnom Penh, where celebrations were held to mark the close of the festival.
Monk Wins Conservation Award
RFA's Cambodian service reported that the Monks Community Forest (MCF) in Oddar Meanchey, headed by the Venerable Bun Saluth, was selected by the U.N. Development Programme as one of 25 winners of the Equator Prize. The award recognizes outstanding community efforts to reduce poverty through conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. More than 300 communities from 99 countries competed this year for the honor of being an Equator Prize winner. The MCF, an 18,261 hectare stretch of evergreen forest in northwest Cambodia, was founded by monks of the Samraong Pagoda, who were given legal protection of the forest. To meet that goal, they have established patrol teams, demarcated forest boundaries, and raised environmental awareness among local communities.Their involvement has significantly reduced illegal logging activities in the area.
Human and Sex Trafficking in Cambodia
RFA highlighted a new documentary, called Red Light, which investigates the child sex industry in Cambodia. Nearly half of Cambodia's 100,000 prostitutes are under the age of 16.
Rohingya Seek Cambodian Asylum
Khmer reported that 32 Burmese of the ethnic minority Rohingya are seeking asylum in Cambodia, having fled persecution in Burma. According to the UNHCR office in Phnom Penh, all the asylum-seekers have been interviewed by the Cambodian government, but their status has not been determined. RFA has played a leading role over the past two years in covering the plight of the Rohingya.
Five Trucks of Luxurious Wood Cross Border to Vietnam
RFA Khmer eported that illegal logging continues throughout the province. A local human rights organization worker said the loggers hide wood from legal authorities and move the lumber at night. The worker told RFA that local authorities are ineffective, and that people are afraid to report the activity for fear of reprisal.
Interview with Acid Attack Victim Tat Marina
Tat Marina, a former karaoke star and acid attack victim from 1999, had strong reactions after she heard that the Cambodian court had dropped her case. She said in tears that the justice process in Cambodia was just a show not for real. She said other victims have no way to see the real perpetrators would be brought before court. "I have never seen the perpetrators including the accomplice who beaten me up and pour the acid all over my body have been brought to justice and compensated me. My whole body was completely destroy, made me look like not even neither ghost nor human. Kids always cry and ran away when they see me. They think that I am a ghost," Marina said.
RFA's Cambodian service reported that angry villagers in Snuol, Kratie province district, had complained about a delay in resolving a land dispute. They had appealed to the government for help, but developers in the area continued to build. The villagers have told local NGO workers that since peaceful means do not seem to have an effect, they feel they may have to resort to violence. Similar situations are occurring throughout the country.
24 Khmer Krom people were arrested in Thailand
RFA reported that more than 40 ethnic Khmer Krom fled their home villages in Vietnam to Thailand to look for asylum, following reports of persecution. They were arrested by Thai authorities and deported to Cambodia on July 6.
Hundred metric cubes of luxurious wood smuggled to Vietnam
Local sources confirmed to RFA's Cambodian service that hundreds of cubic meters of precious timber left Ratanakiri for Vietnam during the month of November. Local government authorities and people admit that illegal logging of precious wood blatantly continues every day, despite government efforts to curtail it. One government authority, on condition of anonymity, told RFA that about 100 cubic meters of illegally obtained lumber was transported from Seang Pang district to the provincial capital of Stung Treng. Hundreds of cubic meters of timber were also discovered about one kilometer from the Vietnamese border. Cambodian local authorities deny the reports but experts say that many of the profits from the illegal logging go to relatives of Prime Minister Hun Sen and military officials closely tied to him.
Ratanakiri Villagers Sign petition for the Release of an Activist
On Sept. 7, RFA's report 'Villagers Demand Return of Rights Activist' gave details of more than 500 villagers from five districts thumb-printing a petition the previous day demanding the return of ADHOC activist Pen Bonnar to the province after he had been transferred to Phnom Penh following incitement charges against him.
A Cambodian Man Shot Dead by Thai Soldiers While Crossing Border
A Khmer villager was shot and killed by Thai soldiers, according to a Khmer military source. The villager from Oddor Meanchey province was mistakenly on the Thai side of the border, looking for timber, when he was shot. On the same day, RFA reported that about 100 indigenous villagers resorted to violence to prevent local authorities from enforcing a law designed to stop the illegal gathering of wood in the area to export to Vietnam.
Interview with UN Special Envoy on Human Rights in Cambodia
In his first visit to Cambodia, U.N. Special Rapportuer for Human Rights in Cambodia, Mr. Surya Subedi gave an exclusive interview to RFA Senior Editor Jeevita on June 24, 2009 about the situation of freedom of expression in Cambodia.
Duch Denies Murder Accusations
RFA began gavel-to-gavel webcasts of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal along with extended radio coverage. During the proceedings, the head of the S-21 torture center, Duch, told the court that S-21 did not have authority to make an arrest, but was only responsible for keeping, interrogating and killing prisoners.
Khmer Rouge Trials
Radio Free Asia was well prepared when the long-delayed, U.N.-backed Khmer Rouge war crimes trials opened just outside Phnom Penh at the end of March. RFA's Khmer service assigned three broadcasters to work full time on the trials, covering court proceedings, providing analysis, and gathering reactions from the Cambodian people.
On the Web, RFA Khmer posted two real-time video streams in both Khmer and English. RFA also created Khmer Rouge trial pages for the Web in both languages. The pages offered ongoing coverage and background information in video, text, audio, and graphic formats. Readers were offered Khmer Rouge history, information on other war crimes tribunals, links to additional resource centers, and an opportunity to comment on the RFA blogs. In addition, the DayLife's website picked up RFA stories daily on the trials, including RFA's live tweets.
Working with a senior Cambodian editor who oversaw the entire operation, a small tech team led worked almost 24 hours a day for several days in a row to overcome technical challenges at the site of the court proceedings. The senior editor and tech team had to negotiate with court officials for rights to stream the trial. The greatest challenge for the tech team then became one of matching up disparate pieces of hardware in order to achieve high-quality, live streaming.
RFA's comprehensive coverage met a real need in Cambodia. Nearly 40 percent of Cambodians had no knowledge of the war crimes trials just weeks before they started, according to a survey released just weeks before the first public hearing began. Until recently, the Cambodian government had omitted all but the most cursory information about the Khmer Rouge killings from school textbooks. Many Cambodian young people have only the vaguest idea about that period in the 1970s, when as many as 2 million Cambodians died from execution, overwork, starvation, and disease.
Generals Aim To End Firefights
Cambodian and Thai troops clashed at Preah Vihear Temple and several are killed after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen says he's been insulted by the Thai Foreign Minister's "gangster" remark.
Vietnam Allows Ven. Tim Sakhorn to Hold Buddhist ceremony in Cambodia
RFA reported that Tim Sakhan, the former Abbot of Wat Phnom Den, was allowed to visit relatives in Phnom Den, Takeo in April, after being in a Vietnam prison for nearly two years for allegedly "damaging the relationship" between Vietnam and Cambodia. The former abbot was re-ordained in Phnom Penh on April 11, 2009. Later that same day, he fled to Thailand.
Trees in Oral National Park Are Threatened
RFA continued to cover illegal logging, reporting that protected forests in the area between Kompong Chhnang and Kompong Speu provinces are shrinking because loggers, local authorities, and forest rangers are in collusion with one another in illegal logging.
Phnom Penh Municipality Reacts to Criticism of Dey Kraham Evictions
RFA's Cambodian service provided ongoing coverage of evictions ordered by the Phnom Penh Municipality and 7NG Company, which drew serious criticism from local and international organizations, including UN agencies. Evictees of Dey Kraharm, an area about 100 meters from the Cambodia's National Assembly, demanded compensation from the developer, but were denied, and the Phnom Penh Municipality refused to help them. The evictions destroyed more than 100 houses, injured a dozen residents, sent five to the hospital with serious injuries and left some 152 families homeless. A few days later, Phnom Penh Municipality issued a statement dismissing NGO and UN condemnations for its "brutal" eviction of Dey Kraham slum residents. City officials said they had no reason to mistreat their own citizens, and they justified the action as a last resort, after several attempts to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement.
Top Generals Sacked
Prime Minister Hun Sen removed two top generals – four-star general Keo Kim Yan, the country army's chief of staff, and three-star general Chhin Chanpor, country Deputy Chief of military police. Both generals are known to be closely affiliated with Chea Sim of a rival CPP faction.
Land Protests in Siem Reap
Siem Reap Provincial Court released Chikreng commune's two representatives and a journalist in a land dispute when hundreds of villagers from the commune refused to return home after protesting for more than two weeks in front of the provincial courthouse. The villagers said court officials have broken their promise to release the three detainees, who were illegally arrested and jailed.
Soldiers At The Frontline
RFA's Cambodian service reported that families of soldiers of Brigade 11, based in Kampot province, complained that hundreds of soldiers have not been paid for several months. The families are in dire financial straits. Senior officials from Brigade 11 had no comment when contacted by RFA, but activists who protect the rights of public servants and teachers charged that the late payments are the result of corruption and cheating. The wife of a Brigade 11 soldier, who represented hundreds of soldiers' families, told RFA, "Before the election, salaries were paid twice for other solders, but not for the soldiers of this brigade. Everyone complains about having nothing to eat and having no money. It is now September and almost October; only June's salaries have been paid." She said that the unpaid soldiers do not dare protest because they are concerned about their safety and employment. Within a week of RFA's reporting that soldiers were not being paid, families told RFA that all salaries had been paid in full.
The continuing dispute between Thailand and Cambodia about border location and ownership of the Preah Vihear and Ta Moan Thom temples was illustrated by three slideshows of images from our reporters:
Cambodian Poll Called Flawed
Following surge broadcasting to fully cover the national elections in Cambodia, RFA Khmer continued to report on the reaction to election results, which the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won. Prime Minister Hun Sen's party won nearly 60 percent of the vote, but international monitors say the process was not transparent, and voting was "rigged." Some 130 European Union monitors said that the CPP exerted overwhelming control of the media and removed an estimated 50,000 voters' names from registration lists. Martin Callanan, who led the EU observers, said, "Ultimately, it's up to the Cambodian people to accept or reject the results." All four Cambodian opposition parties rejected the outcome and accused the ruling party of fraud. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy called for new elections. On July 30, some 400 people protested outside the Sam Rainsy Party headquarters in Phnom Penh.
Food Crisis Impacts Southeast Asia
RFA Khmer reported on the impact of the world food crisis on Southeast Asian countries struggling to curb food prices as energy costs climb. Many governments have banned rice exports to safeguard supplies, but economists say restrictions only drive world prices higher. Hunger is reported in Cambodia where the poor are facing a crisis; poor families spend 70 percent of their income on food according to a World Bank April report. One example is the halt of the rice supplies for 450,000 Cambodian school children in March with Thai B-grade rice increasing to $1,000 per ton.
Rock Explosion in Kampot Affects Villagers' Livelihood
RFA reporter To Serey reported on June 2nd from Phnom Penh that RFA Khmer that Chinese Hydro Power was blasting rocks from a mountain in Kampot province every day, causing 30 families nearby to live in great fear and with damage to their houses' roofs. They can no longer plant rice and have to stay inside their houses to avoid rocks flying from the explosions. After RFA aired a story about the peoples' concerns, the Chinese company was asked to suspend their blasting for a couple days, while they made up a schedule, posting times for the rocks explosions. Villagers called the reporter to thank him and RFA for making a positive impact on situation.
Two Sons of Ex-general Shoot Guns in Land Dispute
RFA's Phnom Penh office broke an exclusive story concerning the involvement of two sons of former General Sin Song in a shooting over land in Sihanoukville. Two men were injured when the illegal weapon was discharged. RFA reported the story, even while many newspapers were silenced and did not print it, because of the connection to a senior government official. After RFA broke the story, several newspapers followed up. The Phnom Penh courts and authorities moved to arrest the shooters and others involved.
Cambodia Diary 7: The Making of a Mass Murderer
As the Khmer Rouge Trials began, RFA Executive Editor Dan Southerland provided insight into one defendant. Kang Kech Eav, widely known as Duch, was the first Khmer Rouge official to go on trial in Cambodia for crimes against humanity.
Khmer Rouge History Series
On June 11, 2007, Radio Free Asia's Cambodian Service began airing "The Road to the Death Fields: The History of the Khmer Rouge". This multi-part series (more than 50 installments) ran four days a week for four months. The complete series was a documentary on the rise of the Khmer Rouge, their four-year reign of terror, and the awful legacy of the Khmer Rouge that lives on today in Cambodia. The series included interviews with survivors of the brutal regime, former Khmer Rouge soldiers, and the one extensive broadcast interview done with Khmer Rouge
leader Pol Pot. RFA broadcast the series in order to provide the Cambodian people with a deeper knowledge of the facts of the period. The series received very positive listener feedback, including requests for a published compendium of pieces.
RFA's Special Coverage of the 2007 Communal Elections in Cambodia
RFA's Khmer Service expanded its broadcast time from two to three original hours a day during the Communal Elections in April 2007, following a programming format similar to the one it used successfully for the 2002 Communal Elections and the 2003 National Elections. The expanded coverage allowed RFA to provide information on the twelve political parties and their platforms; analysis; panel discussion; elections history and laws, and civic education.
Site Map
While much has changed at RFA since we began in 1996, our mission has remained the same: to advance the principles of the fundamental right to the free-flow of information and the right to seek, receive, and impart information.
Please take a moment to explore this webpage where you can revisit important milestones, accomplishments, and moments from RFA's early days to the present.
—Libby Liu, President of RFA
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