"Binh there - Dinh that"

Vietnam -- In August, 20-year-old Bui Thanh Thao was reportedly crowned Miss Martial Arts on Sunday during the Tay Son-Binh Dinh festival in Quy Nhon (a costal city).

"The 20 year-old student looked fantastic in her traditional white dress, an improvement over her look in the semi-finals last weekend," according to a report.

Kuwait a Minute...

Hold your horses for a minute! Are they absolutely sure there were no Cuban fighters and Swedish refs involved in this full contact taekwondo bout in Kuwait?

According to arabtimesonline.com, two men, 25 and 37 years old -- from Bahrain and Morocco respectively -- were involved in the fight recently.

It is said both men were trained in taekwondo, and that both were admitted to a hospital with injuries to the head. Allegedly both "fighters" badly hurt each other during the incident. Perhaps holding their guard up would help somwhat against kicks and punches to the head? ...Just a though.

Female Karateka Fought Back

Italy -- A 29-year-old four times karate champion was recently assaulted in a central part of Rome, according to the telegraph.co.uk.

A man approached the woman in broad daylight and asked for a cigarette. She told the man she did not smoke, and that's when he reportedly grabbed her around the neck.

The karate black belt and prison officer immediately knocked the man down with a couple of punches to the attacker's face, according to media.

Rachel Excels at Karate

Another great story for you here. 30-year-old Rachel Fairbank from Layton, Utah was born with Down syndrome. She has been training karate for 13 years, never misses a class, and has now been promoted to 3. dan black belt.

"I didn't expect her to come this far, but she is very determined and she just loves it," her mother, Marsha said.

Rachel says her teacher, Master Johnny Aranda, has been her inspiration, not only in karate but in life.

81 Soon Black Belt

How cool is this, an 81-year old Canadian man getting ready for his black belt test. He says he's been ready his whole life... :-)

When he was 78, following a heart bypass operation, Peter Rogers took up taekwondo to get back in shape. "I decided I needed something and aerobics was boring," the senior citizen said, according to ctv.ca.

Personally, I couldn't agree with you more Mr Rogers; I would rather watch cows for an hour than do aerobic :-)

The inspirational man, who claims to be "a 60-year-old mind in an 81-year-old body," said his first instructor was "just 15 years old with a shaved head and three earrings".

Mr Bateson and his 79-year-old wife Marie, who also does taekwondo, claim the martial arts have given them something very valuable.

A sweet story, I simply love this stuff.

Underworld Fixer

A 43-year-old martial arts expert and boxer from Liverpool, reportedly vanished from Court three months ago after a judge granted him bail over the lunch break.

The man -- described as "dangerous" by police -- has been on the run after he calmly walked out of the court grounds, according to dailymail.co.uk.

In his absence, the man was jailed for 13 years for his part in a robbery. The man is known as an underworld "fixer". On one occasion he stopped a gangster terrorising the British football icon Steven Gerrard.

Defending a Child Rapist?

UK -- In Wales, the man who ran a Melin karate club for nearly five years, is awaiting sentence. He is convicted of several counts of rape, serious sexual assault and indecent assault. The victims were three girls as young as 10, according to thisissouthwales.co.uk.

The club secretary - who reportedly is a family friend the instructor - is said to have spoken in his defense.

A Swansea karate instructor and child protection expert warned that anyone could start a martial arts club. This is something which to my knowledge is the norm most places - not just in the UK.

Cruelty and Bravery

Oh man, I'm really at loss for words. What a brave, little girl - going through all the physical and mental pain.

You need to read the article from term-time.com about 7-year-old Levana Hanson from Tewkesbury (Gloucestershire, UK) who has been bullied and tormented, but fights back learning karate.

The young girl had both legs amputated below the knee after being struck by one of the most aggressive forms of the meningitis bug when she was only 11 months old.

This brave girl has fought a daily battle to walk and she admits every karate lesson causes her pain.

Levana, you're a true hero in my book. Keep fighting, and never give up! Note to the rest of us - stop complaining about petty things, please...

Taekwondo Pays Off

Florida -- A church self-defense/taekwondo class has proved valuable for a 55-year-old woman. The 5'2" mother was recently targeted by a would-be mugger in the Middleburg church parking lot, according to news4jax.com.

After one of her classes, a man reportedly accosted her in the parking lot - asking is she had any money. When the woman told him she hadn't any, the man attempted to take her purse as she turned to open the door to her car.

"I side-kicked him and then punched him, the woman said," adding that she tried to hit the man's chest but probably ended up hitting him in the face. The man ran from the place empty-handed.

The woman told how has always had been interested in martial arts. About a year ago she took up tekwondo for self-defense and to gain self-confidence.

Possessed Sword-Of

UK -- Convinced he was possessed by a demon, an 18-year-old Welsh teenager killed his 42-year-old father by plunging a Samurai sword through his chest in March 2008, according to walesonline.co.uk.

It is said the teen, who apparently is suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, feared his father was going to throw him out of the family home.