Osamah Sami wrote and starred in the hit Australian comedy film Ali's Wedding.

Nepalese surgeon Dr Sanduk Ruit has restored the sight of more than 150 000 people during his career

Tony Sheldon's mum was a major star when he was a child. At 17, he became an actor against her wishes

Playwright Nakkiah Lui was given a crucial early piece of advice: when telling stories, always try to offend your mother (R)

Sarah Brooker was studying to be a neuroscientist, when a freak accident forced her to rebuild her life from the ground up (R)

Michael Kimmelman on why the world's giant cities like Jakarta and Mexico City are slumping into the earth

WWI helped a homeless vagabond named Adolf Hitler become the dictator of the German Reich

Jeremy Gans on the limitations of the jury system, and stories of extreme misbehaviour among jurors

Betty Klimenko grew up as an heiress to the Westfield fortune. Then she turned her back on it all to marry the man of her dreams

Sam worked behind the scenes for Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead (R)