蜜芽传媒

For the last 30 years, Thupten Jinpa has been the Dalai Lama's English translator. Jinpa's family left Tibet for India at the same time as their spiritual leader went into exile, in 1959. A chance event when he was a young monk led to his meeting the Dalai Lama, and a new career interpreting for His Holiness around the world.

In the 1960s and 70s, the Apollo moon missions fired the imagination of the world. They brought back rocks from the moon - and as a gesture of goodwill, President Nixon gave one to every nation. But some time later it came to the attention of Nasa that this had sparked a trade in fake moon rocks, which were selling for thousands of dollars. Nasa sent special agent Joe Gutheinz to investigate. Archive courtesy of Tricky Hale Films.

As a boy in Tibet, Ngawang Lodup and his family would follow their herd of yaks around the mountains, singing traditional Tibetan songs as they moved. As a young man, Nawang decided to leave Tibet, and trekked for 18 days through the Himalayas to make it out of the country. He is now living in the UK - and is a professional musician. This year, he performed at Womad, a world music festival in the UK.

In 1992, Captain Valentine Strasser became the world's youngest head of state. Three days after his 25th birthday, he seized power in a coup in Sierra Leone. His rule lasted for four years until he was himself deposed in a coup. After that he spent three years in the UK - studying law for a while, before dropping out and living on the streets. He is now back in Freetown.

(Photo: The Dalai Lama with his interpreter, Dr. Thupten Jinpa. Credit: Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)