Princess Eugenie mugged in Cambodia

Princess Eugenie and her friends were mugged while in Cambodia, according to reports

The Queen's granddaughter, 19, who is holidaying in the country as part of her gap year, was rescued by two bodyguards who tackled a gang of bandits.

The incident happened as the Duchess of York's daughter and two gap-year friends were walking at night in Phnom Penh.

When one of her friends got a purse out, the mugger grabbed it. The officers were just feet away.
The two officers rugby-tackled one of the bandits as he tried to flee with the princess's purse.

According to reports, they grappled with the man before another robber started throwing rocks at them. The officers, fearing for the princess's safety, let the thief go, grabbed the purse and led the royal away.

A Buckingham Palace source told The Sun: "They feared the incident was escalating out of control and took the decision to focus on the safety of their principal."

It is the first time in 10 years that SO14 officers have stopped a direct threat to a Royal.

Questions have already been asked over the amount of money spent to keep the princess safe while on the trip. Reports suggest the cost of flights, expenses, accommodation and overtime for the officers will amount to around £100,000 for the six-week stay.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman would not comment on the incident, nor on the princess' security arrangements.

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JAPAN TO HELP CAMBODIA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

TOKYO, May 04, 2009 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) -- The Japanese government has pledged to help Cambodia in information communication technologies, a move Japan said will help boost economic growth.

The pledge was made by Kunio Hatoyama, Japanese minister of internal affairs and communications, at a meeting with So Khun, Cambodian's minister of posts and telecommunications in Phnom Penh on May 1, according to Kyodo News.

During the talks, Hatoyama credited ICT with contributing about 40 per cent to Japanese economic growth.

''Japan will implement a feasibility study by Japanese experts, make a presentation on new technologies for next generation IP (Internet protocol) networks, and give advice on a Cambodia broadband master plan,'' Kyodo reported, citing a record of the discussions.

To achieve the goal, Hatoyama said his ministry will detach experts to draft and implement relevant rules and provide instruction materials based on Japanese experiences, while at the same time facilitating training programmes, workshops, seminars and study exchanges.

In a separate meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Hatoyama said his government has decided to donate 20 firefighting trucks to Cambodia and will respond to Hun Sen's request for help if swine flu affects the country, the agency said, citing Eang Sophalette, PM Hun Sen's spokesman. Read more!

Cambodia names multilateral peacekeeping exercise in 2010 as "Year of Angkor"

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia has named a multilateral peacekeeping exercise to be held in the kingdom in 2010 as "Year of Angkor," the Jian Hua Daily said on Monday.

The title of "Angkor" can be traced back to the 802-1423 dynasty, when the Khmer nationality had its most glorious period in history.

The exercise in 2010 will have at least 13 participating countries, most of them Asian ones, the Chinese-language newspaper quoted military officers as saying.

In early April, Prak Sokhon, secretary of state at the Cambodian Council of Ministers, told reporters that 2,000 troops from 13 countries will take part in the U.S.- and UN-sponsored exercise to be held in Kompong Speu province in 2010.

The event will be conducted in the framework of the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), an annual training event attended by GPOI member nations and other regional and international partners, according to the U.S. Embassy.

GPOI once held such exercises in Bangladesh in 2008 and Mongolia in 2007. Garuda Shield 09 in Indonesia is the upcoming GPOI serial exercise, for which Cambodia prepares to dispatch some60 soldiers.

According to official files, Cambodia respectively sent 40 soldiers to Bangladesh and 43 to Mongolia to take part in these GPOI exercises. Read more!