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News hound in pursuit YP.SCMP.com - the online edition of South China Morning Post Young Post

   Wong Tin-yau has a passion to tell the truth through videos, even if it means brushes with the authorities

By YP intern Jocelyn wong

   'Illegally trespassing borders'. These were the words that 16-year-old Wong Tin-yau saw before he was freed from a Shenzhen police station last December. He had been detained for trespassing in Lo Wu while filming people demanding the release of a jailed mainland human rights activist, Liu Xiaobo. Tin-yau says he was strangled by a public security officer and his camera taken away. Also, the compromising footage was deleted.
   The teenager is an avid follower of news and politics, and frequently turns up at major events with his video camera. He keeps a close eye on Facebook and news websites so he knows what should be covered.
   'When I read about the news of a building collapse at Ma Tau Wai Road [in To Kwa Wan], I wanted to go to shoot it so badly, I wished I had a stomachache so I could be excused from class early,' he says.

Ma Tau Wai Road, closed after building collapsed 

   'I waited impatiently until school ended and rushed to the scene. I went up to the rooftops of several buildings to try to find the best angle to capture the collapse. It was three in the morning when I headed home.'
   Most of the events Tin-yau chooses to capture involve an element of danger. As well as being arrested in Shenzhen and balancing precariously on rooftops, he has been roughed up by police officers.
   That happened in November, when he was among a crowd of passionate advocates gathered at Government House in Central campaigning for the resignation of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen.
   Tin-yau says police blockaded the road and were violent towards protesters. Although many media workers were present, the violence was not shown on television, he says.
   'I understand the media is able to broadcast only, say, 20 seconds of footage from a 30-minute event, but how can they leave out the heart of the event like that? I believe the media did not capture the true essence of the event because of pressure from the government.'
   This is why Tin-yau is determined to show up at such activities. He hopes that through his actions, many will see another side to what the media offers.
   As expected, his videos have made quite an impact among internet users. One of his latest clips, which shows a member of the Federation of Trade Unions handing out money to demonstrators during a protest, has attracted more than 20,000 hits.
   Exposing such candid moments is what propels Tin-yau to pursue his passion, despite the risks involved.

Video: Hong Kong Wastes Too Much Food

Martial Arts in School

   PARENTS in Beijing are taking no chances over the safety of their children after a series of attacks on schoolchildren frightened and angered China.

   A growing number of parents have turned to selfdefence classes for children more used to wielding electronic games than their fists. Six times since March, angry and apparently deranged men have attacked Chinese schoolchildren with knives and, in one case, a hammer, killing 27 people and injuring more than 80.  Officials have vowed to “strike hard” against the problem and schools have added security guards, but many parents think that’s not enough. Admissions to kung fu schools in Beijing have risen by at least 20 percent since April, China state media reported. 

   At the Changzhen Kongfu school near Beijing’s university district, more than a dozen 7- to 12-year-old children were learning martial arts techniques meant to help them escape potential danger. “There have been many changes recently. Before, only one to two students would come to consult, but since last week, we have received about 30 inquiries,” said Zhang Xiaohang, the chief kung fu instructor at the school. “A lot of parents register their children for the selfdefence class as soon as they arrive, without hesitation. Parents are putting much more emphasis on children’s safety.” 

   Zhang now teaches about 10 classes per week and instructs more than 60 kids. For pudgy 12-year-old Deng Zhiheng, the lessons serve two purposes. “I am a little bit fat so I want to lose some weight,” he said. “Second of all, there have been many school attacks recently and I want to know how to prevent such attacks. So it is best if I learn these skills.”  The class mainly focuses on teaching children how to respond to threats calmly and react quickly. Self-defence techniques emphasise avoiding confrontation and escaping to safety, Zhang said.

Karate Kid

  Jackie Chan Wishes His 'Karate Kid' Co-Star Jaden Smith A Happy Birthday In Today's Daily TwitPic (moviesblog.mtv.com)










Jackie Chan's Twitter site <-- click here

Sliding down a building

YP.SCMP.com - online edition of South China Morning Post Young Post