HIT AND RUN

A tourist van ran over Srun Cheng, 45, killing her instantly and flattening both the legs of her husband, Dorn Lin, 50, who remains in critical condition. The accident occurred at 5am on Saturday on National Road 5 in Samrong commune, O'Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey.

RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

MORE FUGITIVES IN ACID-ATTACK CASE

Ek Chheng Huot, prosecutor at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, charged Ea Vuthea, assistant to fugitive former police chief Chea Ratha, with attempted murder. Ea Vuthea is wanted in connection with an acid attack on Ya Soknim, the aunt of  singer In Soknida, but has skipped bail and is believed to be in Thailand. Ea Vutha was arrested and detained at Prey Sar prison on May 12 for illegal use of a weapon in connection with the case but was later released on bail on June 17 by Chhuon Sun Leng, chairman of the Court of Appeal's jury.

RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

STATE FOREST CHOPPED

Hundreds of trees in three hectares of state forest in Popeal Thmey village, Pha'av commune, Trapaing Prasat district, Oddar Meanchey province, have been cut down so that a house might be built on the land. Local officials say that the destruction of state forest was ordered by a high-ranking provincial military official earlier this month. Oddar Meanchey province has lost between 50 and 60 percent of its forest cover over the last year due to rampant late-night illegal logging and clearing of forest for farm land.

RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

DEATH BY LIGHTNING

Lightning struck two people dead and killed a buffalo during torrential rain on Saturday in Snam Preah commune Bakan district, Pursat province. Phan Sophorn, police chief of Snam Preah commune, said that Luk Chan Doeun, 23, his buffalo and Yith Thoeuth, 19, were all killed by the lightning strike. So far this year, lightning has killed 20 people including six women in Pursat.

RASMEY KAMPUCHEA

MATRICIDE

A man was arrested on Saturday for killing his stepmother in a fit of envy. Long Sarin, of the penal police in Kampong Cham's Tboung Khmum district, said that the suspect, Heang Seyha, 22, was arrested for killing his stepmother by stabbing her twice in the back. Heang Seyha has confessed to the killing and said that the reason for the murder was that his father had loved his new wife rather than him for five years.

RASMEY KAMPUCHEA