Once his legendary track exploits had put Morocco on the sporting map, Said Aouita was determined it would stay there. He began training other athletes, and at the Seoul Olympics, Morocco once again struck gold.

With vigorous and vivid imagery combining mime, folklore and song, Palestine's leading theater company has taken up the traditions of the Arab storytellers of the past, and brought them to the London stage.

"Except for the Egyptian stuff" replied the retired English butler. His unfailing memory, and an Egyptologist's forgotten note scribbled 65 years ago, led to the recovery of an ancient treasure missing for two generations.

Morocco offers culinary explorers much more than mint tea and couscous. From the simplicity of lamb kebab or snail soup to the sophistication of pigeon pie with almonds and cinnamon, there are delights to be discovered.

Wonderful language is the only luxury that Somalia's pastoral people can afford. Their evocative poetry - used to praise, persuade, lament or vilify - is a national art form that they recite and judge informal competitions.