Continued from here ...

Cambodia has already been plopped into the US Presidential race. An opinion piece in the LA Times is titled "Bill Richardson, Iraq withdrawl (sic), and the Cambodia factor" and is well worth a read.

Who says people get smarter as they get older? A 90-year-old heroin smuggler wouldn't indicate this is true. He got of relatively lightly, though ... only a ten-year sentence and a fine.

Amnesty International has released a statement on Cambodia regarding the murder of trade unionist Chea Vichea.

Reporters Without Borders has put out their yearly assessment, as well. It starts like this:

Prime Minister Hun Sen took a step virtually unprecedented in the region of decriminalising defamation, soon after releasing a jailed radio boss. However threats and law suits continued against journalists investigating corruption.

Women in Vietnam and Cambodia are about to join forces in an effort to, " reach common targets in the areas of gender equality, poverty reduction, women’s health and the prevention of maltreatment to women and children."

And the Peace Corps is sending volunteers to Cambodia for the first time ever.

"We are excited to begin this historic new program for the Peace Corps in Cambodia," Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter was quoted as saying.

"We are enthusiastic about this opportunity to build lasting friendships and a mutual understanding with the people of Cambodia, " he added.

The volunteers will teach English at the upper secondary level and support teachers in Cambodian provinces and districts to improve their English language and teaching skills, the press release said.

I could think of better things for them to do than teaching English, but I'm not in charge, am I?

This link will take you to a wonderfully written first-person account of time spent in Cambodia by an American novelist, journalist and filmmaker.

For more true-life Cambodian stories than many would want to take on, here's one about children in jail, and another here titled, "Girl, 6, embodies Cambodia's sex industry".

That's all I can do today ...